Auspicious beginnings
A Mr P Drummond acquires some rather boggy land from Aberuchill Estate, drains it and builds a Victorian villa with a servants' wing.
About the project
Vision and values
Drumearn House is owned by the Møller Hansen family, whose vision for the estate is brought to life through a close collaboration with Elizabeth and Mattias Schøler Field. Together, we are restoring Drumearn as a place of rhythm, rest, and reconnection.
Driving the renovation is a wish to build something that honours our locale, the community we love and the magnificent structure of Drumearn House. Follow our story as we breathe new life into this grand old soul.
The village
A sense of place
With this renovation, we hope to create something that gives back: opportunities for local talent, spaces that honour the land, and experiences that feel deeply rooted in our wonderful setting. This will be a place shaped by Comrie, not just built within it.
The team
Our passionate people
The Drumearn House renovation is overseen by Elizabeth Schøler Field and Mattias Schøler Field, a husband-and-wife team based in Comrie. For both, this is more than a business plan. It's a calling.
The history
An architectural treasure
Drumearn has a rich and storied past, from its first use as a Victorian country residence and its connection with the Earthquake House to its many years lying dormant in recent times.
The timeline
Drumearn House has occupied the same spot for nearly 170 years, but it's been through many different chapters. Here's a rundown.
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Branching out
The house is extended on the western side and adorned with some Gothic-inspired additions, including a glass house, ornate windows and the iconic tower that we can still see today. Its grounds are landscaped with various plants and other features.
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A seismic development
The world's first modern seismological observatory in the world, the Earthquake House, is constructed in the grounds, which lie on the Highland Boundary Fault. The little square house is built to house a rudimentary Mallet seismometer and positioned on a rocky outcrop - the best spot to experience tremors directly.
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Mid-century makeover
The house is acquired by Mr and Mrs Boothby, who do away with the cast iron decorations and glasshouse.
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Alternations aplenty
Brigadier Ralph Frederick Richard Beecher purchases the property, around the time the cast iron glazed entrance is replaced by a glazed timber conservatory, while the servants' wing is altered into a caretakers' flat.
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A caring calling
Housing charity Abbeyfield takes on Drumearn House, opening a hospice for the elderly in the 1980s. Basements, fire doors and a fire escape are added.
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A false start
The property is bought with a view to being modernised and extended and returned to a private country house. Work begins with the removal of the stairs, but the project is soon abandoned.
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Drumearn reawakens
After a period of dereliction and neglect, Drumearn House is acquired by new owners and is undergoing an exciting period of transformation. Watch this space to see what happens next!
