Glenfiddich, Banffshire, Scotland Lodge

Glenfiddich was a sporting lodge on the family’s Gordon Castle estate where they went on holiday every year to enjoy the grouse-shooting, deer-stalking, and fishing. It was originally a rustic retreat built by their ancestor, Jane, Duchess of Gordon, in the 1770s. The single-storey dwelling was tucked into the hills in a sheltered position overlooking the Fiddich, a tributary of the Spey. Large sash windows embraced extensive views of the surrounding countryside – its construction coinciding with the rise of the Picturesque movement. Here, the children ran freely among the hills enjoying the fresh air and swimming in the river and burns.

Queen Victoria visited Glenfiddich for a few days in 1887 accompanied by Princess Louise and attended by Lady Churchill and General Sir Thomas Biddulph. Unfortunately, their luggage was delayed, so the Queen – much to her annoyance – had to go down to dinner ‘in our riding-skirts, and just as we were.’ After dinner, Lady Churchill read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen to the Queen, before they retired to bed.

Lady Muriel describes the interior as she remembers it: ‘Everything was as plain as possible, the long passages being covered with coco-nut matting, and in all the rooms wide open hearths where peat was burned... The drawing-room had many unique features, the largest of the armchairs being covered with Gordon tartan; the tables painted white.’ As the main sport was deer-stalking, many of the objects reflected this: the handles of the table-knives were made from stag’s horns. The ‘Shankery’ was a room named after Geordie Shanks, the much-loved family head gillie. It was ‘a large room where waders were dried, fly-books sorted, reels oiled, etc. etc.’

The teas at Glenfiddich were very popular with everyone, especially after a long day on the moors. Hot scones were made on an old-fashioned griddle over a peat fire. Oatcakes were baked by Mrs Lipp, Lady Muriel remarking: ‘Perhaps the happiness of Mrs Lipp got into her baking – I think it must have been so, for in Scotland, or in any other place, I have never enjoyed teas as much as hers.’

Although Glenfiddich was sold by the 9th Duke of Richmond in 1946, its memory still lives on in family lore; when Hound Lodge was converted into a sporting lodge in 2016, it drew its inspiration from Glenfiddich Lodge.

James Peill, Curator of the Goodwood Collection