It was built as a replacement for Buchanan Auld House, which is located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the northwest but was destroyed in a fire in 1852.

The Montrose family occupied the existing Buchanan Auld House and this eventually replaced Mugdock Castle as the seat of Clan Graham, being seen as a dwelling more fitting the title of marquess.

[1] It was altered in 1751 by John Adam and considerably enlarged in 1789 by William Playfair, giving it an extensively grand principal front near 300 feet in length similar to Petworth House, being described as a "venerable mansion" in which "many of the apartments are noble".

[3] Burn designed an extravagant manor in the Scottish baronial style, enclosing an L-plan tower in a clutch of turrets, bartizans and stepped gables.

The roof was removed from the house in 1954 to avoid paying tax on the property and outlying parts of the building were demolished.