Dunecht estate
Encyclopedia
The Dunecht Estate is one of the largest private estate in Aberdeenshire
, Scotland
at 53000 acres (214.5 km²). It is owned by The Hon Charles Anthony Pearson
, the younger son of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray
. Dunecht’s business interests include farming (in hand and let farms), forestry, field sports, minerals, let houses, commercial lets and tourism.
The main part of the estate lies between Banchory
and Westhill, encompassing the village of Dunecht
, the Loch of Skene
and the stately home of Dunecht House
. The estate grounds include a golf course
and extensive areas of forestry
and farming.
The estate also includes separate areas of land at Birse
and Durris on Royal Deeside, Edinglassie in Strathdon
and Dunnottar Castle
near Stonehaven
.
, built by James Ludovic Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford
.
The house is currently owned and occupied by Hon Charles Pearson, brother of the 4th Viscount Cowdray
.
, a dramatic cliff top ruined fortress, is run as a visitor attraction. The Castle is open to the public all year round although winter opening is restricted to Friday to Monday. Dunnottar draws between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors each year.
business extends to 6500 acres (26.3 km²) of commercial woodland. Predominant tree species are scots pine
, sitka spruce
, Norway spruce
, hybrid larch and Douglas fir. There are also substantial areas of native, semi-natural and plantation woodland where the primary management objective is conservation.
and the Hill of Fare on Dunecht. An in-hand pheasant and partridge shoot is run at Dunecht while other Estates have low ground shooting tenants. The Estates’ have two salmon fishing beats on the River Dee
, Lower Crathes/West Durris and Birse. The fishings at the former are let to Lax-a while the Birse lettings are managed direct. Other fishing interests include pike fishing on the Loch of Skene at Dunecht. Roe deer stalking is let by the week at Dunecht and Raemoir and Campfield.
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
at 53000 acres (214.5 km²). It is owned by The Hon Charles Anthony Pearson
Charles Anthony Pearson
The Hon Charles Pearson is the younger son of the Third Viscount Cowdray and owner of Dunecht estate in Aberdeenshire.-Early life and education:...
, the younger son of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray
Viscount Cowdray
Viscount Cowdray, of Cowdray in the County of West Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1917 for the industrialist Weetman Pearson, 1st Baron Cowdray, head of the Pearson conglomerate...
. Dunecht’s business interests include farming (in hand and let farms), forestry, field sports, minerals, let houses, commercial lets and tourism.
The main part of the estate lies between Banchory
Banchory
Banchory is a burgh or town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, lying approximately 18 miles west of Aberdeen, near where the Feugh River meets the River Dee.- Overview :...
and Westhill, encompassing the village of Dunecht
Dunecht
Dunecht is a slightly linear village on the A944 road in north-east Aberdeenshire in Scotland. It is not to be confused with Echt.Dunecht is located 12 miles west of the city of Aberdeen and is situated by the confluence of the Kinnernie and Bervie burns.Formerly known as Waterton, it was renamed...
, the Loch of Skene
Loch of Skene
The Loch of Skene is in Aberdeenshire, Scotland some 9 miles west of the city of Aberdeen, near the Kirkton of Skene village.Loch of Skene is home to the Aberdeen and Stonehaven Yachting Club....
and the stately home of Dunecht House
Dunecht House
Dunecht House is a stately home on the Dunecht estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-History:Built in 1820 as the family home of the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, the house has a grand ballroom, chapel and observatory and is surrounded by extensive gardens...
. The estate grounds include a golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
and extensive areas of forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
and farming.
The estate also includes separate areas of land at Birse
Birse
Birse is a parish in the Lower Deeside area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which includes the communities of Finzean and Ballogie. However the name Birse is often used to refer only to the northwestern part of the parish which lies on the south side of the River Dee, Aberdeenshire, opposite the...
and Durris on Royal Deeside, Edinglassie in Strathdon
Strathdon
Strathdon is an area in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is situated in the strath of the River Don, 45 miles west of Aberdeen in the Highlands...
and Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about two miles south of Stonehaven. The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th–16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been an early fortress of the Dark Ages...
near Stonehaven
Stonehaven
Stonehaven is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies on Scotland's northeast coast and had a population of 9,577 in 2001 census.Stonehaven, county town of Kincardineshire, grew around an Iron Age fishing village, now the "Auld Toon" , and expanded inland from the seaside...
.
Dunecht House
Built in 1820 as the family home of the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, the house has a grand ballroom, chapel and observatory and is surrounded by extensive gardens. It also has an observatoryObservatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
, built by James Ludovic Lindsay, the 26th Earl of Crawford
Earl of Crawford
The title Earl of Crawford is one of the most ancient extant titles in Great Britain, having been created in the Peerage of Scotland for Sir David Lindsay in 1398. It is the premier earldom recorded on the Union Roll.The title has a very complex history...
.
The house is currently owned and occupied by Hon Charles Pearson, brother of the 4th Viscount Cowdray
Viscount Cowdray
Viscount Cowdray, of Cowdray in the County of West Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1917 for the industrialist Weetman Pearson, 1st Baron Cowdray, head of the Pearson conglomerate...
.
Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar CastleDunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about two miles south of Stonehaven. The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th–16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been an early fortress of the Dark Ages...
, a dramatic cliff top ruined fortress, is run as a visitor attraction. The Castle is open to the public all year round although winter opening is restricted to Friday to Monday. Dunnottar draws between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors each year.
Forestry
The Estates’ forestryForestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
business extends to 6500 acres (26.3 km²) of commercial woodland. Predominant tree species are scots pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
, sitka spruce
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
, Norway spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
, hybrid larch and Douglas fir. There are also substantial areas of native, semi-natural and plantation woodland where the primary management objective is conservation.
Field Sports
Field sports interests include grouse moors at Edinglassie, Forest of BirseForest of Birse
The Forest of Birse is the name given to a remote upland area in the upper catchment of the Water of Feugh, which forms the south-western portion of the Parish of Birse, Aberdeenshire, Scotland...
and the Hill of Fare on Dunecht. An in-hand pheasant and partridge shoot is run at Dunecht while other Estates have low ground shooting tenants. The Estates’ have two salmon fishing beats on the River Dee
River Dee, Aberdeenshire
The River Dee is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through Strathdee to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen...
, Lower Crathes/West Durris and Birse. The fishings at the former are let to Lax-a while the Birse lettings are managed direct. Other fishing interests include pike fishing on the Loch of Skene at Dunecht. Roe deer stalking is let by the week at Dunecht and Raemoir and Campfield.