This is the 7th in a series about the bedrooms of Lickleyhead, showcasing the work we have done on the bedrooms themselves and the history of the castle. The Duff room is a Victorian Scottish styled bedroom with a Balmoral feel. This room is named for the Duff family, who actually lived at Lickleyhead Castle in the century prior to the reign of Queen Victoria.
Photos of the Duff Room. The Duff Bathroom (top right) is not technically an en suite but is the next best thing, being right next to the bedroom. Patrick Duff (the second) from a painting by William Mosman is top centre.
The Duffs were a rich and prestigious family during the eighteenth century. In 1723, Patrick Duff bought the castle, one of numerous large properties he owned across Scotland. This must partly have been from the necessity of housing all his offspring, as this laird had thirty six children during his lifetime. His second wife, Mary Urquhart, gave birth to twenty three of these! His youngest son from his first marriage, also Patrick, inherited Lickleyhead and was thereafter known as Patrick of Premnay (the village in which the castle sits). By profession the second Patrick was a lawyer, and a notably successful and respected one. In contrast to his father he seems not to have had any children with his wife, Margaret Duff, who was also his cousin and a good deal younger than the laird himself. The Duffs tended to favour the Whig party and the Hanoverian monarchy and it is likely that both Patricks were against the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and 1745, though they would surely have been caught up in the events of those years given the importance of the city of Aberdeen to the rebels.
Much of the East Wing of the castle was constructed during the Duff ownership of the castle, most likely during the 1730’s. The East Wing is the longer 2 storey part of the castle which includes the dining room and the kitchen. The wooden panelling in the dining room, the great hall and elsewhere was probably added at this time. The second Patrick sold the castle to Thomas Gordon at some point between the completion of the work and his death in 1763.
The Duff room and the Bartholf room immediately underneath it were later additions to the East Wing, having been built in the 19th century by the Lumsden family, as an extension.
The Duff Room has lovely views over the garden and the Fore-burn from three different windows. There is central heating in this room in addition to a wall mounted heater to keep guests warm in the winter. This room is a good choice for more elderly guests who would like the grandchildren close but not too close and not too many stairs! The sound of water running in the burn outside is very relaxing as you start to fall asleep.
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