Huntly WalksWalking in and around Huntly, Scotland

This trail build’s on Huntly’s unique quality and sets out to highlight the wealth of domestic, commercial and ecclesiastical buildings that make up its historic townscape. To download this trail guide, please click here.

1) Stewart’s Hall (15-17 Gordon Street, Huntly – Architect James Anderson – Dated 1875 – Category B Listed)

Solid Victorian shop frontages and plain first floor transfixed by improbable four-storey tower with corbelled angle turrets and truncated pyramid roof, all built in Syllavethy granite with freestone dressings from Rhynie; hall for 650 within. Rebuilt after fire, 1886/7, Matthews & Mackenzie; the bequest of Alexander Stewart a local solicitor. Refurbished/ restored 2000.

2) St John’s Masonic Lodge (Meadow Street, Huntly – Dated late 18th Century)

Former Roman Catholic Chapel: very plain, low rectangle in rough granite; single round-headed window in gable (now blocked) and chamfered door jambs. Modern extensions. Now used as Masonic Lodge.

3) St Margaret’s Roman Catholic Church (West Park Street/Chapel Street, Huntly – Architect Rt. Revd James Kyle – Dated 1834 – Category A listed)

The ornate Spanish baroque tower, in three stages, on porticolike ashlar front, rising through square tower to concave-sided belfry topped by console crown, throws an exotic invitation which is not denied by the saucer-domed interior of the rubble built octagon behind it. Beneath its lunette windows are seven contemporary Spanish religious paintings by the artist Romero Lopez, given by John Gordon of Wardhouse whose Spanish connections account for this efflorescent building.

4) Gordon Schools (Architect Archibald Simpson, additions Marshall – Mackenzie – Dated 1839/41, additions 1888 – Category A Listed)

Founded on the site of castle port by the Duchess of Gordon in memory of the fifth Duke; Simpson’s work is serene and Jacobean, two storeys of ashlar sandstone, symmetrical about a centre pend arch crowned by an ogee-capped octagonal tower. Mackenzie’sadditions blend well. Other buildings include, on west of avenue, old Public School, 1885, Marshall Mackenzie, with secondary department as addition by William Kelly, c 1912, strong, two-storey Tudor, with three assymmetrical gables to front, mullioned windows and heavy chimneys. Around this is wrapped a single-storey 1930’s streamlined extension with good granite bow and tw0-storey hall with tall concrete ribs, built as late as the mid 1950s. The latest building is a discrete three-storey flat-roof, in creamy brick and glass, of the 1960’s.

5) Huntly Castle ( Dated from 12th Century- Category A listed)

The Castle began life in the 12th century with the building of the Peel of Strathbogie, an earth and timber castle revetted by a great wall at its base. By about 1400, a massive L-plan stone tower was begun as a replacement. Such a grand castle saw many visits from royalty. However, the tower was eventually blown up in 1594, in retaliation for a revolt of the oth Earl. By 1596 George Gordon, the 4th Earl and Chancellor of Scotland, had created a grand palace block on the south side of the courtyard. George Gordon, the 6th Earl, went on to fully complete the castle by 1606. An immense inscription commemorating the marriage of George to Lady Henrietta Stewart is emblazoned accross the whole 17.7 metre width of upper works, framing a range of delicate oriel windows (1599-1602) all in glorious red ashlar. Within is the finest heraldic doorway in the UK and several fine chimneypieces.

6) Huntly Police Station ( 5-11 Castle Street, Huntly – Dated: 1930s)

Subtle, elongated granite ashlar two-storey front to street with two end bays set back by splays, having symmetrical but offset array of openings at centre.

The Huntly Police Station is part of the South Aberdeenshire Command Area. The area covers near 2,000 square miles, a larger landmass than any other in the Force. Policing responsibilities include Balmoral Castle, the Grampian Mountains, Glenshee and Lecht skiing areas, towns and farming communities. As well as uniformed, operational personnel, Traffic Departmental staff are also based in Huntly.

7) Brander Library ( 17 The Square, Huntly – Architect J Rhind – Dated 1883/5 – Category B Listed)

A narrow, high and ship-like neo-perpendicular confection in granite with Auchindoir freestone dressings. Four light mullioned window in entrance gable to Square. Grand timber roof. The result of a gift to his native town by William Brander Esq. of London.

8 ) Strathbogie Parish Church ( Bogie Street, Huntly – Dated 1840/1 – Category B Listed)

Large harled rectangle with Square Granite front set with paired Doric pilasters and a pediment. New front and offset Italianete tower, 1862, James Matthews; original glazing; later hall projects to street with plain pediment and round headed windows echoing church. An excellent ensemble.

9) Christ Church Episcopal ( Provost Street, Huntly – Architect Thomas Mackenzie – Dated 1848 – Category B Listed)

Attractively simple nave and chancel with tall narrow lancets, porch at south-west and octagonal spirelet. Harled with fine freestone dressings including corbel course, gabled skewputs and bellcote.

10) Scott’s Hospital (Gladstone Road, Huntly – Architect: Marshall Mackenzie/ William Smith – Dated 1901 – Category A Listed)

Fronts an earlier symmetrical group by William Smith, 1853, 1860, 1868 in harled Scotts Baronial which includes pair of circular towers with conical slated roofs with conical slated roofs with pronounced bellcast. Ambitious symmetrical design in Scots-Perpendicular. Centre block dominated by square crenellated porte-cochere tower in Mackenzie’s Marischal College manner. Two-storey adavanced wings, in roughly squared granite blocks of varying size with Auchindoir freestone dressings.

11) Huntly Parish Church ( Church Street, Huntly – Architect Alexander Laing – Dated 1805 – Category B Listed)

On truly a massive scale (seating 1800), a huge, rough ashlar pediment-gabled rectangle with four round arched windows and central Roman Doric pediment doorway on each main side. The west gable has a deeply recessed central doorway with windows in arched recesses on both sides and tripartite lunette in the pediment. The minuscule bellcote emphasises the size of the rest of this great footprint of Presbyterianism.