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View Full Version : Archived: Westhall House, Aberdeen, Report, 29/06/08



Shepy
01-09-2008, 12:58 AM
Westhall was once church land, belonging to the diocese of Aberdeen. At the Reformation, when it was decided that the church should be caring for the moral wellbeing of the country rather than controlling most of its wealth, the lands appear to have been obtained by the Gordons

In 1681, the property was bought by the Rev. James Horne, until then Vicar of Elgin, who having "demitted his charge" on refusing to subscribe to the Test Act, obviously decided that the life of a Landed Gentleman was for him! The Test Acts imposed a series of religious tests intended to ensure that only members of the established church held public offices, thus preventing the moral corruption likely to be spread by Roman Catholics and Nonconformists. His son John, an Advocate and a Jacobite, had the the lands of Westhall and others erected into the Barony of Horne. The property in time, descended through the female line, to the Dalrymple-Horne-Elphinstone family

Originally built as an L plan tower house with a main block and one wing but was later much modernised and modified to be the building it is today, as well as the addition of separate outbuildings such as the stables and pool house.

The building operated as a hotel in its later life, though this closed in the 1990's. I would not be surprised if there was a still a guest or two in there even after it closed, because some of the pathways needed to get to some of the rooms are so esoteric it’s unbelievable.

The floors and general condition of this place is questionable in a lot of places, so be very careful where you are walking if you visit this site.

On with the pics:

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1739.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1742.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1745.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1748.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1751.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1754.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1757.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1760.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1763.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1766.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1772.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1775.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1778.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1781.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1784.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1787.JPG

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/IMG_1790.JPG

~Shepy

Shepy
01-09-2008, 12:58 AM
And a couple o' HDR:

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/hdr1.jpg

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/hdr2.jpg

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/hdr3.jpg

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/hdr4.jpg

http://www.shepy.co.uk/urbex_pics/westhall_house/hdr5.jpg

~Shepy