THE DUKES OF FIFE WERE THE GREATEST LANDOWNERS IN ABERDEENSHIRE, WITH 135,829 ACRES
The lands of Muldavit, Banffshire, which were originally granted in 1404 by ROBERT III, King of Scots, to David Duff and Agnes Chalmer, his wife, daughter of Maud of Muldavate, were alienated by John Duff of Muldavit to the Innes family in 1481, but recovered by his grandson, AndrewDuff, in 1504.
John Duff, the elder, married secondly, Margaret Gordon, of the Cairnbarrow family, and died in 1593, having by her eleven sons, of whom,
ADAM DUFF, of Ardrone, and afterwards in Clunybeg, is mentioned in the records of the Kirk Session of Botriphnie, in 1666, as brother of Margaret Ogilvie.
He was a man of remarkable shrewdness and sagacity, and laid the foundation of the prosperity of the family.
A supporter of the house of Stuart, he was fined by the Covenanters.
He died about 1674, in possession of considerable wealth, leaving a numerous family, the eldest of whom,
ALEXANDER DUFF, of Keithmore, his successor, was an extensive purchaser of land in counties Banff and Aberdeen during the period preceding the Union, when many of the old lairds were greatly impoverished.
Keithmore, from which he took his designation, was a wadset from the Huntley family, and became the property of the Duke of Richmond and Gordon.
He wedded Helen, daughter of Archibald Grant, a lady who brought him a large fortune, and to whose prudence and industry, it is said, much of the future prosperity of the family was due.
He died about 1700, and a monument of some pretension was erected to his memory in Mortlach churchyard.
He had issue,
Alexander of Braco;WILLIAM, of whom we treat;Patrick, of Craigston.
The second son,
WILLIAM DUFF, of Dipple, purchased Dipple, Pluscarden, and other estates in Morayshire.
On his nephew's death, in 1718, he succeeded to the estates in addition to his own.
On his own death in 1722, he left the estates to his eldest son, with a rental of £6,500 (equivalent to about £1.2 million in 2024), all clear, in those days the largest fortune in the north of Scotland.
He espoused firstly, Helen, daughter of Sir George Gordon; secondly, Jean, daughter of Sir William Dunbar Bt; and had issue by both marriages, the only son by the first wife being his successor,
WILLIAM DUFF (1697-1763), of Braco and Dipple, who was MP for Banffshire, 1727-34, and was created Baron Braco, of Kilbryde, County Cavan, in 1735; and Viscount Macduff and EARL FIFE, both in the Peerage of Ireland, 1759.
He purchased considerable estates in counties Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray, and proved a careful manager of them. About 1724 he built the new castle of Balvenie. In 1740-45 he erected Duff House at the cost of £70,000 (equivalent to about £11.5 million in 2024). In 1745 he joined the Duke of Cumberland, and made a free offer of his services to Government in any way that might be desired.
His lordship married firstly, in 1719, the Lady Janet Ogilvie, daughter of James, Earl of Findlater and Seafield; and secondly, in 1723, Jean, daughter of Sir James Grant Bt, and by her had with other issue,
JAMES, 2nd Earl;ALEXANDER, 3rd Earl;George;Ludovic;Arthur;Janet; Jane; Helen; Sophia Henrietta; Margaret.
The 1st Earl died in 1763 at Rothiemay, where he latterly resided.
There is a monument to his memory, and that of Jane, Countess of Fife, within the mausoleum at Duff House.
His lordship was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,
JAMES, 2nd Earl (1729-1809), who was created a peer of Great Britain, in 1790, as Baron Fife.
He changed the name of the town of Doune to Macduff, and procured for it a Royal Charter, constituting it a burgh.
ALEXANDER, 3rd Earl (1731-1811).
His great-grandson,
THE RT HON ALEXANDER WILLIAM GEORGE (1849-1912), 6th Earl, KG, KT, GCVO, VD, PC, wedded Her Royal Highness The Princess Louise, The Princess Royal, in 1889.
The wedding marked the second time a descendant of Queen Victoria married a British subject (the first being the marriage of The Princess Louise, the Queen's 4th daughter, to the Duke of Argyll).
Two days after the wedding, Her Majesty advanced Lord Fife to the dignities of Marquess of Macduff and DUKE OF FIFE.
DUFF HOUSE, near Banff, Aberdeenshire, designed by the Scottish architect William Adam (1689-1748), is the grandest classical country house to be built on a fresh site in early 18th century Scotland.
It is considered to be an Adam masterpiece and is one of the most important buildings in northern Scotland.
The foundation stone was laid in 1735 and the building was finished five years later, although it took over a century to complete the interior.
The house was commissioned by William Duff, Lord Braco, later 1st Earl Fife, as a family home to replace a smaller more modest residence nearby, on the present site of Airlie Gardens in Banff.
The 1st Earl never actually lived here, preferring to live with his family at Rothiemay Castle, where he died in 1763.
The beautiful estate surrounding the house stretched for miles and remnants of its former glory can still be seen in the area.
The family continued to live at Duff House until 1906.
Duff House was in turn a palm court hotel, a sanatorium and a prisoner of war camp.
Since 1995, Duff House has been part of the National Galleries of Scotland and houses a range of art treasures and superbly furnished rooms.
It also hosts a programme of artistic events and is used as a base for artists and writers.
ELSICK HOUSE, Aberdeenshire, is situated in an agricultural area about two miles from the North Sea near the town of Cammachmore; moreover, the Elsick Estate is situated within the Burn of Elsick watershed, which stream traverses the estate property.
The house is located on the Elsick Estate (1,600 acres) and is the present family seat of His Grace the Duke of Fife.
During the Victorian era, the Duke of Fife also owned 72,432 acres of land in Banffshire and 40,959 acres in Moray; thus comprising a total of almost 250,000 acres in Scotland.
He wedded, in 1766, the Lady Dorothea Sunclair, only child of the 9th Earl of Caithness; but dying without male issue, in 1809, that barony became extinct, and the other devolved upon his brother,
ALEXANDER, 3rd Earl (1731-1811).
His great-grandson,
THE RT HON ALEXANDER WILLIAM GEORGE (1849-1912), 6th Earl, KG, KT, GCVO, VD, PC, wedded Her Royal Highness The Princess Louise, The Princess Royal, in 1889.
The wedding marked the second time a descendant of Queen Victoria married a British subject (the first being the marriage of The Princess Louise, the Queen's 4th daughter, to the Duke of Argyll).
Two days after the wedding, Her Majesty advanced Lord Fife to the dignities of Marquess of Macduff and DUKE OF FIFE.
The second quarter of the Fife arms includes the arms of the United Kingdom as borne by HM King Edward VII, differenced by a Label of five points Argent the points charged with two Thistles between three Crosses of St George Gules (HRH The Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife).
DUFF HOUSE, near Banff, Aberdeenshire, designed by the Scottish architect William Adam (1689-1748), is the grandest classical country house to be built on a fresh site in early 18th century Scotland.
It is considered to be an Adam masterpiece and is one of the most important buildings in northern Scotland.
The foundation stone was laid in 1735 and the building was finished five years later, although it took over a century to complete the interior.
The house was commissioned by William Duff, Lord Braco, later 1st Earl Fife, as a family home to replace a smaller more modest residence nearby, on the present site of Airlie Gardens in Banff.
The 1st Earl never actually lived here, preferring to live with his family at Rothiemay Castle, where he died in 1763.
The beautiful estate surrounding the house stretched for miles and remnants of its former glory can still be seen in the area.
The family continued to live at Duff House until 1906.
Duff House was in turn a palm court hotel, a sanatorium and a prisoner of war camp.
Since 1995, Duff House has been part of the National Galleries of Scotland and houses a range of art treasures and superbly furnished rooms.
It also hosts a programme of artistic events and is used as a base for artists and writers.
ELSICK HOUSE, Aberdeenshire, is situated in an agricultural area about two miles from the North Sea near the town of Cammachmore; moreover, the Elsick Estate is situated within the Burn of Elsick watershed, which stream traverses the estate property.
The house is located on the Elsick Estate (1,600 acres) and is the present family seat of His Grace the Duke of Fife.
During the Victorian era, the Duke of Fife also owned 72,432 acres of land in Banffshire and 40,959 acres in Moray; thus comprising a total of almost 250,000 acres in Scotland.
Present seat ~ Kinnaird Castle, near Brechin, Angus.
First published in November, 2013. Fife arms courtesy of European Heraldry.
First published in November, 2013. Fife arms courtesy of European Heraldry.
I spent some time in Banff in the 1960s - Duff house was shut-up and neglected. It's great to see restored. There are fantastic walks by the river.
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