I wandered through the woods to the 18th century Duff House Mausoleum.
It’s about a mile away from the majestic Duff House, now an art gallery, and about two miles from the Bridge of Alvah. When I was a child the house was in quite a rough state but still open to the public. A lot of the furniture was covered in sheets, paint peeled off the walls and spooky music floated up from the lower levels.
I loved it.
I still do.
The front of Duff House Mausoleum:
And round the back…
To an effigy of a knight. Sadly it is not Robert the Bruce as once purported by the Earl who built the mausoleum. The skulls, crossbones and wheat are quite common on older graves in Aberdeenshire.
Below: the interior of the mausoleum taken through the metal door.
During autumn in Scotland the days seem to be either golden or grey, sunny or dreich. It didn’t get properly light at all on this day, but autumn added its gold regardless.
The River Deveron:
I came upon an old dog grave in the lower parts of Wrack Wood. The dogs had lovely Dickensian sounding names.
Grey and golden, the colours of the day:
Chosen Sisters, Romans and Romance
Set in 1st century Scotland, my latest novel, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance.
“Ethereal and spellbinding….” Historical Novel Society
See the press release here
Read the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.
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A lovely (and intriguing!) series of photographs!
Thank you!
You’re welcome!
How devastatingly beautiful. Scotland is a truly magical place, much like Ireland for all of its inspirational ruins and wondrous stories. England holds it own, too, to be fair, but pictures like these make me long to see my cousins again. Lovely post, thank you for sharing!
Glad you like. Yes, England is beautiful too.
I love the leaves on the trees and on the ground in several of your pictures. They are helping me to anticipate the autumn (a little late in coming, where I am).
I hope it’s a colourful and mellow one when it arrives.
This is so interesting. It seems so right to see these things of the centuries framed in the golden patter of this season. Thanks for sharing these glimpses.
🙂
Very atmospheric. Happy golden Autumn to you.
And to you!
The muted light with gold–fantastic!
Thank you 🙂
I’ve heard of a dog’s dinner but not a dogs’ graveyard. And I do do love a Mausoleum. Thanks for the article and great photos.
O Ailish, thanks for a wonderful autumn walk … dusk is falling here in the Czech Republic now, hot coffee will be accurate now, after such an amazing article from You. Greetings from Moravia!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I would LOVE that mausoleum. Must visit someday. There’s so much I need to see in Scotland. Beautiful photos, all, but that one of the river is stunning. Here’s to more sunny gold than grey.
Yes, wonderful gold ☀️
So interesting!!! Thank you.
Glad you like
gorgeous and atmospheric!
Such places are so haunting and mysterious. Many tales and rumors encompass them. Thanks for sharing the pictures and some facts. Enjoyed reading the post. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it.
What an imposing house! I am glad it has found a new purpose. What a shame the mausoleum can’t be used for something. Here in West Wales the leaves are just beginning to turn colour but sadly mostly to dull browns!
I think there are still bodies in the Mausoleum, but the house has had other uses over the years. I believe it was a WW2 hospital.
Intriguing and lovely photos, and the one of the river is stunningly beautiful. I would like to be there now.
I started to read “Fireflies and Chocolate” and am enjoying it very much. So far the world is still a good place in the story …
I did not have as much time for reading as I had hoped, life has been a bit hectic lately. Is that not weird for a retiree to say? Better than boring though ….
Greetings from autumnal Denmark!
Sounds like you’re having a fun retirement!
Yes, I finally have time for the things that I always wanted to do instead of working … 😉
Lovely 🙂
I would have been visiting Scotland next month, except Covid got in the way. These photos make me even sadder I won’t be coming. People think I’m crazy but this time of year is when I enjoy visiting Scotland the most.
Autumn is a lovely time here. I hope your visit can be rescheduled.
This was a wonderful tour for your readers! And spooky!
When is you next book due to arrive? – I loved the first two.
Thank you Noelle. The next book is not ready yet. I need to wrestle it to the ground and make it behave
Lovely photos! Thanks for a peek at autumn colours. I miss that, living in the subtropics.
That sounds rather nice though!
Absolutely loved it ❤
I’m glad 🙂
Such a lovely post Ailish and Duff House is an amazing Georgian building. I like the unusual inside to the mausoleum. Great for Halloween 🙂
It is a good place for this time of year.
It looks amazing and so atmospheric, and I suspect the weather added to the atmosphere.
It always does ☀️ ⛈
I have to say I love the graves of the dogs, such respect! I haven’t got hold of your latest book as I have been a bit distracted with the plague over in our neck of the Globe! My wife has just finished the M and B one and loved it.
Sorry to hear you’ve had the plague! Hope you’re all better soon 🙂
Thanks for sharing your fascinating collection of photos! The mausoleum is both majestic and sobering, though I must say it’s touching that the dog’s got a solid memorial too.
I like the memorial too.