Monboddo House facts for kids
Monboddo House is a famous old mansion in The Mearns, Scotland. This historic house has been linked to several important families over the centuries. It's especially known as the birthplace of a very clever judge and thinker, James Burnett, Lord Monboddo. The house is a "category B listed building," which means it's an important historical place that needs to be protected.
The Monboddo Estate was once very large, covering about 200 square kilometers. The house itself is located in the Howe of Mearns. This is near the village of Auchenblae, about 14 kilometers from the North Sea.
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A Look at Monboddo House's Past
The land where Monboddo House stands was first owned by the Barclay family in the 1200s. They built a strong tower house here. Later, in 1593, James Strachan owned the property. After that, it passed to the Irvine family. Finally, it came into the hands of the Burnett of Leys family.
You can see a special stone on the house called a datestone. It shows the arms of the Irvine family mixed with the arms of Douglas. It also has the initials R.E. and I.E. and the date 1635. These initials stand for Robert Ervine and Ilizabeth Ervine. They were a couple who rebuilt the house in the 1600s. Monboddo House has a special roof design called a crow-stepped gable.
James Burnett: Lord Monboddo
In 1714, a very well-known judge and philosopher named James Burnett, Lord Monboddo was born at Monboddo House. Lord Monboddo was famous for his work as a judge in the Court of Session. He also wrote several important books during the Scottish Enlightenment. He even had ideas that were similar to the theory of evolution long before it became widely known.
When James Burnett became a judge, he took the title "Lord Monboddo." This was named after his family's estate. In 1773, the famous writer Samuel Johnson visited Monboddo House. He came with his friend James Boswell to meet James Burnett.
What's Inside Monboddo House?
Monboddo House was in poor condition in the 1960s. But it has been repaired and is now in excellent shape. Inside, on the first floor, there is a large Hall. It still has parts of its old wooden panels. The Hall also has two small rooms called garderobes, which were like old bathrooms. The basement doesn't have arched ceilings. However, the room at the western end of the basement was the old kitchen. It has a very large fireplace arch.
You can find a stone spiral staircase inside the house. It winds upwards in a clockwise direction. This was a common design for tower houses in the 1300s. It helped defend the house. The outside walls are 80 centimeters thick and made of Old Red Sandstone. They even have two small, round openings called gun loops, which are about eight centimeters wide. These were used for shooting at attackers.
The front porch of the house is still there. This is where Lord Monboddo used to take his cold water baths outside every morning in the mid-1700s! Other famous homes built by the Burnett of Leys family are Crathes Castle and Muchalls Castle.
The Area Around Monboddo House
The land around Monboddo House is very good for farming. Farmers grow grains and raise cattle here. The area has gently rolling hills, which are perfect for agriculture. In the 1700s, the estate was about 190 square kilometers.
Over the years, more homes have been built closer to Monboddo House. The estate is a peaceful place. It is several kilometers away from the nearest main road, the A90.
Monboddo House in Modern Times
In 1930, a postcard of Monboddo House was made by G. Arthur Dixon. The Burnett family stopped owning the house in the early 1960s. After that, the house started to fall apart. But this has now changed. As of 2006, the house is well-preserved and in good repair.
The owner has said that many people from all over the world are interested in the house. They are especially interested because of Lord Monboddo. Researchers from the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States have shown interest. Sometimes, Monboddo House is also called Monboddo Castle. James Malcolm Burnett was the last owner from the Burnett family. He did not have children, but he had a stepson who now lives in Canada.
