Earlier Houses: There have been three buildings known as Mar Lodge. The first, originally known as Dalmore House, was built in the 18th century by William Duff, Lord Braco, close to the site of the current house. It was damaged in the Muckle Spate ("great flood") of 1829, and later demolished. The second Mar Lodge, known locally as Corriemulzie Cottage, or New Mar Lodge, was built near Linn of Corriemulzie at the top of Mar Lodge Brae and was destroyed by fire on June 14, 1895 and replaced by the current house.

Built / Designed For: Duke and Duchess of Fife

House & Family History: The current (third) Mar Lodge was built between 1895 and 1898 in a mock Tudor style for the Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, and his wife, Princess Louise, The Princess Royal, eldest daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The foundation stone was laid by the duchess's grandmother, Queen Victoria, on October 15, 1895. The Mar Lodge Estate was purchased in 1989 by the American billionaire John Kluge, who ran it as a sporting estate. It was during Kluge's ownership that a serious fire (1991) damaged the house, which was undergoing renovation at the time. In 1995 Mr. Kluge sold the Mar Lodge Estate to the National Trust for Scotland.

Garden & Outbuildings: The Mar Lodge Estate spans over 71,000 acres and includes a Caledonian pine forest, moors, and 15 Munros, including four of the five highest mountains in Britain. The estate is also one the most important areas of nature conservation in the UK and home to an large variety of wildlife. The freestanding ballroom is famous for its walls and ceiling, which are covered with the skeletons of 2,350 stag heads.

House Listed: Category B

Park Listed: Not Listed

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: William Duff, 1st Baron Braco and 1st Earl Fife, 18th century. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, and his wife, Princess Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife, late 19th-early 20th centuries. John Kluge, 1989-95.

Current Ownership Type: The National Trust for Scotland

Primary Current Ownership Use: Mixed Use

Ownership Details: Available for events and as holiday flats.

House Open to Public: Limited Access to House - Grounds Open to Public

Phone: 01339-741-433

Fax: 01339-741-432

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.nts.org.uk

Historic Houses Member: No