Wardhouse Home Farm, Insch

Quadrangular with large square dovecot tower at back. Big pedimented and semi-elliptically arched gateway with 4-window screen wall links to 2-storey winds with broad eaved roofs. 2-window to front with windows in tall recesses, lattice glazing at 1st. Harled with margins. (Historic Scotland)

Wardhouse was the childhood haunt of Napoleonic Admiral Sir James Alexander Gordon, on whose life C. S. Forester based his fictional character Horatio Hornblower. Gordon fought with Nelson at the Battle of the Nile, and also took part in the American war in 1812. He later became Governor of the Royal Naval Hospital at Greenwich, before returning to Aberdeenshire and being given the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen (Daily Express, 21 April 1999)

May 1994: External inspection reveals that the front and side ranges are currently occupied and are not at risk, though the rear range is nearly derelict and is seriously at risk. August 2001: External inspection reveals no change.

January 2008: External inspection finds the the building to be overall in poor condition with the doocot tower in very poor condition. Urgent repairs and maintenance are required to the roofs and rainwater goods. The soft red sandstone masonry is decaying following the loss of protective harling.

October 2010: External inspection finds the building is partly occupied, but overall, the condition has not significantly changed since the last site visit.

20 August 2013: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.