Sunday 17 June 2012

Knowsie House

How about this for a Sleeping Beauty type ruin?  Turrets, propped up by trees.











Fairly modern RSJ above, so someone has decided it had to be propped up, rather than fall down.


More turrets.
Is this not awesome?

There are many such ruins round about here, as I have related before.  I try my hardest to research.  Not only what they were, but why they have been deserted.  The latter I fall down on every time.  

Why was this beautiful structure left to fall apart?

The only mention I get from Google is interesting but leaves the story without an end.  Other than to....


......Colonel William Macconnachie (10 March 1848 - 27 January 1932) was a Scottish businessman, and politician
He was born on 10 March 1848 in Dufftown, Scotland. After leaving school in 1864 he worked in wholesale and retail business, then started his own business in 1870 as shipbrokers and herring merchants, on Quarry Road, Fraserburgh, which grew to be one of the largest herring exporters in Scotland.
From 1874 he served in a number of positions on the Town Council, leading to his election as Provost of Fraserburgh in July 1898, following the death of Provost Dickson. William also represented Fraserburgh on Aberdeenshire County Council and in 1890 became a Justice of the Peace for Aberdeenshire and a junior baillie, and from 1896 a senior baillie. Politically he was a Unionist.
In 1884 he also took command of H Company of the local rifle volunteers.
He was involved in the improvements to Fraserburgh harbour and in the successful petitioning to have Fraserburgh made a port of registry, separate from Peterhead. From 1899 he resided at Knowsie House, Lonmay.
He died at Knowsie House, Lonmay, in 1932 aged 84 years.
Wikepedia.

If anyone has any idea how I can find out any more as to why this parish has so many beautiful ruined buildings I would be so grateful.

AND I cannot find the meaning of Knowsie.


And finally, back on the home front.  Youngest daughter has landed.  She is spending a week away from managing the posh cheese shop in Edinburgh,  I.J. Mellis, and volunteering at the Loch of Strathbeg, RSPB bird reserve.


                                                          Being welcomed by Sith.  




12 comments:

BadPenny said...

What an amazing place ! Eerie too.
When we were growing up, my brothers & friends used to hang out in a desserted manor house. In it's heyday it was used in the Hammer horror films !
It did get restored & I once went Carol singing in the courtyard.

millefeuilles said...

There is certainly quite an atmosphere emanating from those ruins. You have touched upon a fact which irks me often. It is frustrating to walk through a place without having the knowledge of its past and heritage. I hope you get answers to your pertinent questions.

Stephanie

Anonymous said...

That house really is incredible! It's sad that it's so difficult to find out the history of these places. I wonder if your local council has archives that you could access (if you wanted to go to all that trouble)?

I love the "Sith" welcome! Fabulous.

Enjoy your daughter's visit. x

BadPenny said...

Thank you for your comment on my latest post. Dunny worry about me -I am VERY grounded - I went to the talk and will probably do more but I am not easily impressed by what I call " Hippy Dippy " talk. I like new experiences these days but am not taken in by them. I'm happy therefore not vulnerable. I have known unhappy vulnerable people be swept into things.

This could be a whole Blog Post ...

justjill said...

Its odd isnt it how some bloggers we get to really care about!
Hope to hear more, and stop worrying, I promise!

BadPenny said...

I really worry about some Blogger friends whose Blogs are their lifelines

Amy said...

I live a 2 minute walk away from this place and have never know what it was called. Thank you!!

justjill said...

Welcome Amy. I have a daughter Amy in Edinburgh also a Chloe in Edinburgh both went to uni there.
I love living here!

Anonymous said...

Interesting place with so many memories for folk round about the area

Andrew coull /Fraserburgh said...

I use to play up there when i was a bairn loved it i know the house insde and out and there is a holly tree to your left if you stand faceing the front door that has a dark secret to it and a bad omen i learned that when i was younger at xmas and the mystery behind the tree and the curse it was a great place to explore

Anonymous said...

Did anyone live there after 1932 after mr Maconochie passed away?
Be so interesting to find out more about it.

justjill said...

I have no more information, sorry, the ruin is still there.