People have lived at the site of Haddo House for millenia, with evidence of Bronze Age settlements to the north of the estate. The current stately home was designed by William Adam in 1732, and built in neoclassical Palladian style, probably straight on the top of the tower house of Kellie which was raised to the ground before the current building’s construction.
The Gordon family (the first Earls and then Marquises of Aberdeen) have lived on this site for over 500 years. The fourth earl of Aberdeen extensively landscaped the farmlands surrounding the house in the late nineteenth century into the extensive gardens, woodland and man made lakes which home teams of wildlife and waterfowl.
After the passing of the 4th Marquess, the gardens and lakes were handed into the care of the National Trust and opened up to the public to visit. Interestingly, during the 2nd World War the stately home was opened up as a maternity hospital with over 1000 babies born there between 1941-1945 and the Marquis of Haddo is said to have given a shilling of his own money to every ‘Haddo Baby’.
