South Wing, Durris House, Durris, Banchory, Kincardineshire, AB31 6BD | Property for sale | Savills
4,102 sq ft(381.09 sq m)
Offers over £575,000(€683,772)

South Wing, Durris HouseDurris, Banchory, Kincardineshire, AB31 6BD

  • Sold

Key features

  • Sold in June 2023
  • Beautiful setting
  • Period features throughout, including open fires, high ceilings and panelling
  • Convenient for Aberdeen
  • Contemporary kitchen and bathrooms

Stunning, substantial, three storey historic house in a unique and beautiful setting, convenient for Aberdeen.

About this property

  • Description
    The long, meandering driveway is sheltered and secluded by the most magnificent plantation of decades old rhododendrons bursting with colour in the flowering season. After driving past the front of the main house, the pillared entrance to the South Wing gives an immediate feeling of a detached, private residence rather than forming about one quarter of the substantial mansion house. As the end wing of the house, its privacy is second to none.

    The ambience and decor throughout is a successful combination of period features such as panelled doors, Georgian style windows, high ceilings and fireplaces with a contemporary kitchen and bathrooms.

    Accommodation
    The accommodation, some 4102 sq ft in all, is on three floors, accessed by a carpeted staircase with decorative balustrades. For formal entertaining there are three elegant reception rooms: a sitting room and a dining room on the ground floor and a first floor drawing room. Casual dining is catered for by a contemporary dining kitchen with a breakfast bar and a door into the garden. For those wishing to work from home there is a good sized study overlooking the front patio. As you would expect in a home of this calibre there is an abundance of practical storage space to assist with servicing the house, including a ground floor workshop/boiler room, a utility room, an understair log and wine store, a walk in linen store and attic space.

    All five bedrooms are well proportioned, with three at first floor level and two on the second floor. At ground floor level there is a very modern shower room, while on the first floor are a further shower room and a family bathroom with a free standing, claw foot, slipper bath. The two top floor bedrooms share a bathroom.


    Outside
    South Wing has a private garden extending to about half an acre which is partially planted close to the house, with the remainder wooded and grassed. For al fresco entertaining or simple relaxation, the most wonderful patio areas allow the enjoyment of the true tranquillity and seclusion of nature at its best.

    In addition to the shared polices a private garden extends to approximately 0.5 acres. Many of the specimen trees in the extensive policies and woods around Durris House were planted in the 19th century by James Paraffin Young, and are subject to tree protection orders.

    The detached double garage has an electrically operated door and a side door.

    Lot 2 Amenity land comprising historical gardens, arboretum, woodland and pasture extending to 55 acres - Offers over £195,000
    Adjacent to South Wing are the former gardens to Durris House extending to around 6 acres. This area is landscaped around Durris Burn and the dell. There are paths through the area, an old fountain and a large rock garden. A historic arboretum with many specimen trees including Lebanese cedars, American redwoods and Douglas firs borders the former gardens.
    There are elevated open areas with spectacular views across the Dee, Park Bridge, Drumoak and as far as Westhill. The sellers have created a small camping ground with a glamping tent and fire area. Either side of the drive trees have recently been planted and these are maturing well. The land in total extends to 55 acres.

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Local information

  • Durris House is about 12 miles from the centre of Aberdeen and 6 miles from Banchory. It is set in beautiful policies in the attractive, wooded countryside to the south of the River Dee. The property will be most conveniently situated for the new Aberdeen Bypass, improving access to Aberdeen Airport and to routes south. There are local primary schools at Crathes and Woodlands of Durris. The highly regarded Banchory Academy and The International School of Aberdeen at Pitfodels are both close by. Banchory has a good range of shops, sports centres, a swimming pool and a golf course. The Garthdee Retail Park at Bridge of Dee offers extensive retail facilities. Leisure activities available locally include fishing, shooting, ski-ing at Glenshee and the Lecht, equestrian activities and golf. Westhill Business Park, Prime 4 and Hill of Rubislaw are all within close commuting distance.

Additional information

  • Durris House dates originally from the 16th century and is Category B listed. The property is an elegant five bedroom family home with access to beautiful woodland surroundings and would be a wonderful opportunity for any family. It is believed to have been rebuilt after being razed by the Marquis of Montrose in 1645, with the tower at the core of today's house being the first structure. Around 1824 Archibald Simpson of Aberdeen added the South Wing for John Innes of Leuchars, father of the noted advocate and historian, Cosmo Innes, who was born at Durris House in 1798. John Innes leased the estate from 1795 and carried out many other improvements. However, in 1824 he was ejected by the Duke of Gordon, after protracted litigation, and ruined. In 1837, the Gordons sold Durris to Anthony Mactier, Registrar of the High Court in Calcutta. He too made many improvements, including alterations to the north and east wings of the house and, most notably, improving the farms and laying out the policies, and planting thousands of trees. After his death, his son sold the estate in 1871 to the chemist, Dr James Young, the originator of paraffin. The Baird family owned the estate from 1890 until the early 1930s when it was purchased by Viscount Cowdray.
  • For many years the house was owned by Kincardine and Deeside District Council and used as the North-Eastern Command Centre for civil defence purposes. It was bought from the council in the 1970s and divided into four sections: the Tower Wing, East Wing, North Wing and South Wing.
  • Outgoings - Council Tax Band G.
  • Listing - Durris House is listed Category B.
  • Directions: From the A90 at the roundabout on the south side of the Bridge of Dee on the outskirts of Aberdeen, take the B9007 (South Deeside Road) westwards for about 10 miles. The drive to Durris House will be seen on the left at the Park crossroads, with the right turning signposted to Drumoak. Follow the driveway, through the courtyard arriving at Durris House, proceed past the pillared driveway entrance, which provides ample turning and parking space.
  • EPC Rating: E
  • Tenure: Freehold
  • Council Tax Band: G