Westhall House, Oyne

16th cent. L plan. Extended at E. End in 17th cent with round tower at SE angle. Mostly 3-storeyed. Harled. Corbelled parapet. Slated roof. With 19th cent additions at E end and rear. Cheese-press at rear.

Purchased by Rev James Horne from Gordons 1681. Passed to Dalrymple-Home Elphinstones and later to Leiths. Became a school for students of farming. (Historic Scotland)

The estate was originally the property of Bishops of Aberdeen; at Reformation changed to a branch of the Gordons, then purchased by Revd James Horne, vicar of Elgin in 1681.

Westhall has a small place in railway history, being the point where work began on the Great North of Scotland Railway in 1852. The estate owner, Sir James Elphinstone, had formerly been active in the Aberdeen Canal Company. (Ian Shepherd)

April 1996: The house and its grounds are advertised for sale via Smiths Gore of Forfar. 1997: The Aberdeen Press and Journal reports that the Westhall Estate is being sold by a Mr Balthasar Ingenschay, who ran it as a hotel for a number of years before returning to Germany. A German developer expressed interest in developing the Estate into a £12million golf complex with a 38-bedroom hotel and an 18-hole course. Works were due to commence last summer, with completion later this year, although the plans have now fallen through. Mr Ingenschay is now offering the Estate as separate lots. Aberdeen-based Country Life Estates Ltd has purchased the former farm buildings and is seeking permissions to convert them into 5 dwellings. July 2001: SCT receives reports that the house is now owned by a developer, who bought it 2 years ago in order to convert it into 9 flats. However, SCT understands that no plans have been formally submitted to date. The adjacent stables and farm buildings remain partly occupied. January 2004: Local planners report no change. July 2005: Local planners report to SCT that the property is to be marketed. October 2006: Agents report that there are no changes. September 2007: Sunday Times Scotland reports on the latest plan to sell the castle, courtyard range and walled garden as one lot; a second lot of 56 acres of agricultural land; a range of derelict farm buildings as the third lot.

January 2008: External inspection finds that the A Listed building in very poor condition, unoccupied and unmaintained. The building is unsecured with signs of possible unauthorised entry having taken place. Repairs and maintenance are urgently required to roofs and rainwater goods to ensure the house is kept wind and water tight, along with securing the property against vandalism.

August 2009: Savills website notes that Westhall is now Under Offer.

July 2010: A member of the public contacts SCT to advise many windows have been broken as well as other features. Building not secure. Level of vandalism has also increased significantly.

September 2010: External inspection finds the property extensively damaged by water ingress and plant growths, as well as vandalism.

January 2011: Local planners advise the property was marketed last year for sale. A sale is understood to have been agreed, but has yet to complete. The repairs notice served in 2007 has yet to be complied with.

July 2011: Local planners advise the property has recently been sold to a new owner. The Council is contacting the new owner with a view to establishing plans for the building in the long term, and addressing the issue of its current condition and outstanding repairs notice.

14 December 2012: Local planners report the new owner (as of May 2011) has commenced initial works to stabilise the building and make Westhall wind and water tight.

21 August 2013: External inspection finds the building has had some works completed to make it wind and watertight. The rear elevation remains in a very dilapidated state. The grounds are being cleared and maintained.