Highfield House
Attribution: unknown or not recorded
Mackenzies of Highfield House
The Mackenzie gentry in the Ross & Cromarty are all descended from the Mackenzie’s of Kintail as far back as 1230AD.
The Mackenzie of Gairloch line descends from the 7th of Kintail, in the late 15th century.
Mackenzie’s of Ord descending from the 8th of Kintail in the early 16th century.
Originally the Ord Mackenzie’s settled on the outskirts of Beauly at Killichrist in the mid-16th century.
Kenneth Mackenzie, 8th of Kintail and Agnes Fraser
Kenneth Mackenzie, 1st of Killichrist and Helen Loval
Thomas Mackenzie (circa 1530 – 1619), 1st of Kinlochluichart and Ord and Annabella Mackenzie of Fairburn.
John Mackenzie (late 1500’s – 1644), 1st of Ord who married Isobel Cuthbert of Drakkies
1st of Highfield was 2nd son of above –Thomas MacKenzie (circa 1620-?).
2nd of Highfield – John Mackenzie (circa 1665-?) who had two sons. William Mackenzie 1st of Strathgarve;
3rd of Highfield – James Mackenzie (circa 1700 – ?) who married Mary Mackenzie, the daughter of Roderick Mackenzie 4th of Applecross and 7 x great granddaughter of the 8th of Kintail. Their son Thomas (circa 1740-1790) became the 6th Laird of Applecross.
Another son, Alexander Mackenzie (circa 1750-?) became known as Mackenzie of Breda, Aberdeenshire. He married Maria Rebecca Mackenzie, daughter of Colonel William Humberston Mackenzie of Conansbay. Sister of Francis Humberston (Mackenzie) first and last Lord Seaforth of Brahan castle.
She would have also been a 7 x great granddaughter of the 8th of Kintail.
Several searches have not provided any evidence as to whether the Mackenzies continued at Highfield, however with the marriage of James, 3rd of Highfield to the sister of Lord Seaforth, the property could have been absorbed into the Brahan estate.
Highfield House
The house at Highfield was built around 1710, around the time of John Mackenzie, 2nd of Highfield and was eventually purchased by George Gillanders, Factor to the Seaforth Mackenzie’s. A report on the death of Frances Geraldine Mackenzie-Gillanders in 1943, states that George bought the estate from James Mackenzie, 3rd of Highfield in 1775, although other reports state 1779.
How the house looked after 1875
George Gillanders (1730-1801).
It is not known where George was born, however by the time he was appointed as Factor to the Seaforth Mackenzies in 1761 he was living at Little Strauchen, Aberdeenshire.
George’s wife, Margaret Mackenzie was thought to have been living at Dalmore, not far away. Her brother George Mackenzie of Dalmore and later Stracathro was factor of Lewis and another, Dr John Mackenzie was commissioner to Seaforth. The Mackenzie’s, on selling Mar Lodge in 1746, had lived on a farm at Lary, Glen Cairn, that had been owned by George Gillanders.
Another pivotal player in George Gillanders life was Rev. Colin Mackenzie of Fodderty who’s connections to the Seaforth Mackenzie’s were undoubtedly related to George’s appointment as Chamberlain to the Seaforth Mackenzie’s.
George Mackenzie, Factor of Lewis, died in 1761 which led to the appointment of George Gillanders and by 1765 he had assumed responsibility for the estates of Lewis and the Seaforth’s mainland estates.
Alexander Gillanders (1751-1794)
2nd of Highfield, Factor of Lewis succeeded his father as factor of Lewis, Baron Baillie and admiral substitute in 1790, while he continued to run Seaforth’s estates from Brahan castle. He married Elizabeth Mackenzie, the daughter of Thomas Mackenzie, 5th of Ord and 6th great granddaughter of the 8th of Kintail.
John Gillanders (circa 1778 – 1831)
3rd of Highfield married Jane Falconer Mackenzie the daughter of John Mackenzie 3rd of Allangrange. Jane remained at the house after her husband’s death. She died in 1857.
James Falconer Gillanders (1809 – 1881)
4th of Highfield, was the third son of John Gillanders and Jane F. Mackenzie. He married Margaret Amy Robertson of Kindeace House, Fortrose in 1852. Following his mother’s death in 1857, he took up residency at Highfield House.
During James’s tenure at Highfield had erected two new wings to the property.
Description after alterations
The house was described in a news report as:
This beautiful Highland mansion is charmingly situated about a mile from Muir of Ord Station and about two miles for the river Conon, which marches along one side of the estate. It is surrounded by fine and old timber, and from the windows of the tower and those of the drawing room, varied and extensive views of the Cromarty Firth and farms and mountains of Easter Ross, and altogether a finer and more picturesque locality for the residence of a gentleman could not be desired.
The public rooms were situated to the front of the east wing, consisting of a dining room on the ground floor and above, a spacious drawing room lit by an array of stained-glass windows and lavishly furnished with mirrors costing upwards of £300. The wing running North from the east wing, contains Mrs Gillanders writing room, spacious servants hall, a large kitchen and several bedrooms, above which was Mr and Mrs Gillanders dressing and bedrooms with elaborate workmanship and furnishings of an elegant style.
The architecture was an adaptation of the Elizabethan style and the whole building was of a solid and substantial character. Both internally and externally, Highfield House was said to be one of the most complete and commodious mansion houses within Ross & Cromarty.
Destruction by Fire
In 1875, a fire occurred, starting in the library which destroyed the entire building except for the eastern wing along with many of the elaborate furnishings and decorations including the stained-glass windows of the drawing room and coat of arms above the entrance door.
A large collection of old and rare books in history and theology, many of which relating to the Episcopal Church over the previous century, valuable pictures, Indian curiosities, a unique collection of walking sticks with ivory, gold and silver tops and a number of valuable seals of historical interest were also lost.
With the house now being uninhabitable, the family moved to live at Highfield Cottage (now the Dower House), until the house was rebuilt.
George Francis Gillanders (1854-1891)
George Francis Gillanders was the grandson of John Gillanders, the son of their third son of four, James Falconer Gillanders. He married Geraldine Anne Isabella Mary Jane Wardlaw the daughter of Major James Wardlaw 2nd Royal Lancashire Militia, Bellmaduthy.
Frances Geraldine Mackenzie-Gillanders (1887- 1943)
Frances Geraldine Mackenzie-Gillanders (1887- 1943) of Highfield and was the only child of the late Mr George Francis Gillanders of Highfield. She married Captain Edward Baskerville Mackenzie of Farr at The Dower House at Highfield in 1903.
In 1917 she was President and Commandant of the Highfield War Hospital Supply and Sphagnum Moss Depot: Highfield War Comforts and Prisoner of War Funds and a representative of the Muir of Ord, Mulbuie and Redcastle V.A.D. of the British Red Cross, for which she was awarded an MBE. She was also president of the Muir of Ord Curling club 1931 and President of the Muir of Ord District Nursing Association in 1938
Summer Visitors and the end of an era
In the early twentieth century the house was regularly let out for the summer season and on 1907 it was leased by Cecil Asquith, then Chancellor of the Exchequer of the UK Parliament. Whilst in residence he attended several local events and enjoyed shooting and playing golf and many of the local golf courses. Within a year, he was duly elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It is believed her returned to Highfield the following summer.
By 1950, the house and surrounding land belonged to a Mr Sangster, a timber merchant from Alford, Aberdeenshire. The house had been split into smaller apartments and was home to several local families, including the Session Clerk to the East Urray Church. Again, a fire broke out destroying the whole building and leaving six families homeless. The house was never rebuilt.
