Forglen, Turriff, AB53 4JY

Forglen House stands at the heart of the Forglen estate, a mansion that has been the centrepiece of the parish for centuries. The estate’s lands were granted to the abbots of the Abbey of Arbroath by King William the Lion before 1211, and the site once housed the Monymusk Reliquary. The original castle, built around 1346, was replaced by a vernacular harled house that was later extended. Significant development began when the family of Lord Banff acquired the estate, landscaping and planting trees. In the 18th century it became their main family seat. After William Ogilvy’s death, the estate passed by marriage to the Abercromby baronets, who continued to enhance the property. Sir Robert Abercromby, 5th Baronet, commissioned the Aberdeen City Architect John Smith to design the present house in 1839, creating the elegant structure that remains today.