Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

LETTERFOURIE HOUSE AND FOUNTAINSLB15541

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
22/02/1972
Local Authority
Moray
Planning Authority
Moray
Parish
Rathven
NGR
NJ 44634 62300
Coordinates
344634, 862300

Description

Robert Adam, dated 1773. Tall centre 3-storey cube joined to

mirrored 2-storey outer wings by 3-bay linking blocks, the

mansion set on raised basement fully displayed as lower

ground floor at S garden front.

Pink tooled pinned granite centre block, harl pointed rubble

elsewhere, tooled and polished contrasting sandstone

dressings.

N FRONT: N entrance front with outer mirrored wings set at

right angles to form shallow U-plan court. Centre entrance

with shallow portico supported by 2 Corinthian columns

approached by shallow flight of steps oversailing raised

basement. 3 console corniced windows with balustraded aprons

in 1st floor, smaller upper windows.

Outer wings each with single ground floor tripartite; each

set-back 3-bay linking block with advanced and pedimented

centre bay, at right with doorway. Raised basement screened

by continuous spearhead railings with urn finials to

stiffeners.

S GARDEN FRONT: 5-window centre block with centre entrance to

basement and small flanking lights; blind window in centre of

upper storey with dated keystone.

Outer wings fronted E and W by centre 2-storey, single bay

projecting wing with piended roof, at W with entrance to

former chapel in lower ground floor.

Chapel has round-headed windows with intersecting astragals.

Decorative glazing to fanlights; 9- and 12-pane glazing;

coped end, wallhead and ridge stacks (single leaded dummy

ridge stack at E for symmetry). Centre cube with blocking

course and piended slate roof with centre ridge weathervane;

gabled slate roofs elsewhere.

INTERIOR: entrance hall from which rises full-height

cantilevered flight of stairs. Ground floor parlour and

dining room.

DINING ROOM: white marble chimneypiece; steel basket grate by

James Fraser, Banff; plaster ceiling and cornice; dado rail;

mahogany raised and fielded panelled doors and window

shutters; double doors to parlour.

1ST FLOOR DRAWING ROOM: room leads from spacious landing;

yellow and white marble chimneypiece; steel basket grate with

incised decoration, also by James Fraser, Banff (signed);

mahogany dado rail, raised and fielded panelled doors and

window shutters; decorative painted (green and white) plaster

ceiling; richly coloured hand painted wallpaper with birds

and flowers.

LIBRARY: modern shelving; re-used marble chimneypiece.

CHAPEL: groined plaster vaulted chancel flanked by engaged

pilasters. No fittings survive.

FOUNTAINS: shaped watergarden in front of S elevation; with 2

fountains of earlier-mid 19th century date. Both stand on

square plinths, their wide bowls with scalloped lips

supported by shaped baluster stems; the fountain furthest

from house has shaped central stem with diminishing basins.

Statement of Special Interest

Mansion built by 2 bachelor brothers (Gordon) who made their

money in Madeira in the wine trade. They sent home Spanish

mahogany which is in use in the principal public rooms.

Fine steel basket grates by James Fraser, Banff with unusual

features, the principal being the dummy decorated fronts

which pull away from the fire in order not to overheat and

soil.

The Gordons were a staunchy Roman Catholic family and built

their mansion at a time when public worship was proscribed

for Catholics. Above the chapel (no longer in use as such)

there was accommodation for a resident priest who also acted

as tutor to the children of later heirs.

Garden fountains appear on 1st ed. OS, circa 1870

S garden front basement may have been originally masked by

raised bank, lowered after re-design of garden and

installation of fountains.

References

Bibliography

THE STATISTICAL ACCOUNT (1792-3, Witherington and Grant ed.

1982), p.363. NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT (1842), p.255. Howard

Colvin, BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF BRITISH ARCHITECTS

1600-1840 (1978), p.54. National Monuments Record of

Scotland, Edinburgh and Soane Museum, London. Further

information by courtesy the present owners.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 29/03/2024 09:41