Duff House

Duff House
©2011 Gazetteer for Scotland

Duff House is located on the west bank of the River Deveron, just SE of Banff. This baroque country house is regarded as one of William Adam's greatest achievements, built in 1735 for William Duff, Lord Braco and later 1st Earl of Fife. Lord Braco quarrelled with the architect, primarily over the cost, and never lived in the house. The house had cost more than £70,000, an enormous sum for the time.

In 1906, Duff House was gifted to the town councils of Banff and Macduff by the Duke of Fife and during the Second World War it housed German prisoners of war.

Duff House has served as an outstation of the National Galleries of Scotland since an extensive restoration in 1995. It is home to a fine collection of paintings, furniture and works of art, including St Jerome in Penitence by El Greco (1541 - 1614) and Dutch Family Group by Jacob Gerrits Cuyp (c.1575 - 1649).

The surrounding parkland alongside the River Deveron includes the Gothic Mausoleum of the Duff family.

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