The house was commissioned by the 4th Duke of Montrose and built in 1852–1858 as a home for the Montrose family, serving as such until 1925. It was built as a replacement for Buchanan Auld House
In December 1852, while the family were away for Christmas, the housekeeper was reputed to have drunk too much and awakened to find the entire house in flames. Many valuable items were lost in the blaze. Buchanan Auld House was destroyed in the fire and the 4th duke commissioned William Burn to design Buchanan Castle to replace it.[3]
The dukes remained at Buchanan until 1925, when it was sold. In the 1930s the house opened as a hotel and the golf course was established in the grounds. Plans for residential development on the estate were delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War, during which the house was requisitioned. It was used as a hospital during the war, with patients including Rudolf Hess, who was brought here after his flight to Scotland in 1941.[3] After the war the building served briefly as the Army School of Education. The roof was removed from the house in 1954 to avoid paying tax on the property and outlying parts of the building were demolished.
