history
ROSEHAUGH – A lost piece of history
Fifty years ago a demolition team moved into the Black
Isle to dismantle a magnificent mansion house that was so
big that in its heydey it could be seen for miles around.
choice–andso,itissaid,stungbyher
commentthathishousewasbeneathher,
decidedto“makeitintothemostsplendid
confection,completewithallmodern
conveniences,andfilledwitharttreasures
fromallovertheworld.”
By1893planshadbeendrawnupforthe
constructionofamansionhouseto
supercedeallothers.Decidingtokeepthe
originalfour-square,three-bayhouseand
encaseit,Fletcherhiredthearchitect
WilliamFlockhartwho,overatenyear
period,lavishlyremodelledandextended
thehouse.WilliamFlockharthadbeenborn
inGlasgowandhisprincipalclientstended
tobeeitherartistslikeRickettsand
Shannon,orextremelyrichlikeSamuel
R
osehaughHousewasoneofthelargest builtandcommodious,andcostbetween
mansionsintheHighlands.Theword £3000and£4000sterling.”
‘Haugh’meansstreamanditissuggested In1864thebankruptsixthBaronetof
thatRosehaughgotitsnamefrombriar ScatwellsoldtheestatetoJamesFletcher.
rosesgrowingnearastreamontheBlack ThesonofanAvochfisherman,Fletcherwas
IsleinRoss-shire.Thelandswereoriginally asuccessfulmerchanttradingalloverthe
calledPittanochtieandwereboughtbySir world,particularlyinalpacawoolfromPeru,
GeorgeMackenzie,anMPmostlyknownfor andtheowneroflargeteaplantationsin
hispersecutionoftheCovenantersopposed Ceylon.Hemademanyimprovementson
toCharlesII.Whenknightedin1674took theestate,includingmassiveschemesof
thetitle‘SirGeorgeMackenzieof landreclamationandemployingthe
Montagu,SirEdmundDavidthediamond
Rosehaugh’–thenameofRosehaugh InvernessarchitectAlexanderRossto merchant,andartdealerJosephDuveen.
apparentlybeinggivenbySirGeorge extendthehouseandaddaporchand Flockhartwasanextremelyinventiveand
himself. conservatory. scholarlydesigner,somethingofatrialtohis
In1688hesoldittoSirKenneth JamesdiedinOctober1885andhisson, staffbecauseofhispenchantforcontinually
Mackenzie,whosegrandsonSirRoderick JamesDouglasFletcherinherited changingthingsbyaddingbaysinodd
Mackenziebuiltthefirstsubstantialhouse RosehaughHouse(aswellasWooltonHill places,sometimesafterworkwaswellunder
onthesitein1790.Adescriptioncanbe HouseinLiverpool).Itwashewhowas way.Workonthemainbuildingat
foundintheOldStatisticalAccountbythe responsibleforthesplendidbuildingthat Rosehaughfinishedin1903andFletcher
ReverendJamesSmith,MinisterofAvoch. wassadlyonlytolastforlessthan60years. thenturnedhisattentiontothegardens
“HisseatofRosehaughHousestandsona JamesDouglas,at28,wasamosteligible wherelandscapingincludednewterraces,
beautifulbankaboutamileandahalffrom bachelorandRosehaughwasamagnificent glasshousesandafernery.
thesea,onthenorthsideofthesouthern housebyanystandards,butlegendhasit Atitsheight,theestateemployed14
vale.Itisamodernedifice,substantially thathehadbeenspurnedbytheladyofhis gamekeepersandextendedfromEathiein
18 the north magazine
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