Introducing our latest Walpole Member, Kinross House Estate

Kinross House is the architectural jewel in Scotland’s crown, and undoubtedly one of the finest private residences in the UK. Built in 1685, the masterpiece of Sir William Bruce, Kinross House is Scotland’s first neoclassical Palladian mansion, and is set in the first designed landscape in Scottish architectural history. Today, the House has been fully restored to create a majestic home which sits comfortably amongst the finest properties in the world and constitutes a celebration of beauty, history, design and architecture. The Estate can accommodate up to 48 guests in 24 individually designed en-suite bedrooms and is available for exclusive private hire for a limited number of weeks per year. 

Walpole: Tell us about the history of Kinross House.

Kiran Fothergill: Constructed in 1685, Kinross House is the masterpiece of Scottish architect Sir William Bruce, and is Scotland’s first neoclassical Palladian mansion. My father, Donald Fothergill, fully restored the House to create a majestic home which sits comfortably amongst the finest properties in the world and constitutes a celebration of beauty, history, design and architecture.

The immediate curtilage of the House comprises over 100 acres of woodland and beautifully landscaped gardens, and extends to magnificent Loch Leven, within which is an island on which stands Lochleven Castle (famous for being the place in which Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in the 1560s and from which she was forced to abdicate the throne in favour of her infant son James VI, later to become James I of England). This is all part of the Estate and accessible by boat.

What is Kinross House best known for?

We have a handpicked team of excellent staff who have been with us for many years. We know that we offer best-in-class luxury and service; I have travelled around the world and can confidently say that the quality of experience at Kinross House is unrivalled. Our guests enjoy the flexibility and freedom of the entire 4,000 acre Estate, with total privacy, and the discreet, undivided attention of our staff.

The interiors are breathtaking, with rich fabrics, intricate detailing, and exquisite furnishings throughout the House. The House also boasts a wealth of antiques and fine art, collected over the centuries and from all corners of the world, which combine to produce a sophisticated environment that is at the same time always welcoming and homely.

What’s more, our Coach House Spa is much loved for its fantastic facilities, comprising charming cottage-style treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, relaxation room and the truly unique Tartan Library Bar. The Coach House also features a stunning double height dining room that seats up to 50 and a courtyard ideal for al fresco dining and gourmet barbeques.

What has been a significant achievement in your company’s timeline?

Following the complete restoration of both Kinross House and Coach House, we were awarded the Historic Houses Association & Sotheby’s UK National Restoration Award in 2013. This is testament to my father’s tireless work as the restoration of the House was most certainly a labour of love. It took extraordinary vision, planning and commitment. To give you some idea of the scale of the project, the whole roof was replaced and we dug trenches a metre underneath the House to put in new electrics and water and all 140 windows were taken out to be either replaced or refurbished - a massive undertaking!

Why do you love Kinross House?

There are so many things I could talk about here, but I will choose to focus on the gardens. These are one of Sir William Bruce’s masterpieces; the intricacy of the design and geometric patterns are clearly visible today, with a sense of harmony and balance throughout. Bruce planted the gardens a full ten years before the House was completed so that they would be mature by the time that he moved in. I find this rather impressive.

In recent years, the grounds have been sensitively restored and updated, adding definition to the geometric order whilst maintaining harmony with the natural surroundings. There are over 10,000 species of plants and trees within the Estate, which has also seen the reintroduction of the noble craft of fruit cultivation. The gardens at Kinross House are widely regarded as one of the finest formal gardens in the whole of Scotland. These immaculate gardens provide the setting for lunches, picnics, peaceful afternoons and relaxed walks. It also provides a stunning backdrop for marquees, barbeques and an array of on-site activities.

Why does Kinross House represent the very best in British luxury?

The Loch and its surroundings play host to several sporting pursuits including world- class trout fishing and shooting - the wildfowling being spectacular particularly when the sun rises and sets on a clear day. We also have a small family pheasant shoot which is quite unique in that a number of drives are over the golf course!

The House was designed for entertaining with its grand and beautiful reception rooms and has hosted parties and events for centuries. This is what it does best, and it is in this spirit that we continue to entertain generously and lavishly whenever possible. Our guests experience the highest standards of comfort, impeccable service as I’ve touched on and real personal attention to detail. This is Scottish hospitality at its best.

Moreover, we are ideally located just 40 minutes from Edinburgh. Helicopters are permitted to land directly on the grounds of the Estate making access totally seamless.

What attracted you to becoming a Walpole member?

A cursory glance at the list of names of Walpole members is enough to answer this question! We wanted to have the opportunity to collaborate and work alongside like-minded, world-class, established British brands that are leading the way in their fields. We feel very at home amongst them.

Part of our mission statement is to protect and preserve the heritage and history of the Estate; this aligns perfectly with Walpole's mission to serve the best interests of the UK luxury sector.

If you could collaborate with another Walpole member, which one would you choose (and what would you like to do)?

We recently hosted Hamilton & Inches for a client entertainment evening and I would also be keen to collaborate with Abercrombie & Kent to see if there would be an opportunity to host some of their special client events and presentation evenings at the House.

Tell us about an exciting development or new launch for Kinross House in the coming months?

You’ll have to watch this space! We’ve got a number of exciting projects in the works around the entire Estate, but I can’t say too much about them now. I will say that there may be some developments down by the boathouse on the shores of the Loch to look forward to later this year, as well as further promotion of Lochleven Castle and St Serf’s Inch as places to visit. One thing's for certain: life on the Estate is constantly evolving and it’s a total pleasure and privilege to be a part of.

kinrosshouse.com