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Summary

Description

Designed by Archibald Simpson and built between 1827 and 1830, Letham Grange is a two-storey mansion designed in a classical style with flanking wings, a semi-circular Doric portico and a square-plan, balustraded tower on the west elevation of the house. The house is constructed in ashlar sandstone. There is a glazed timber conservatory attached to the south elevation.

The principal (east) elevation includes a square-plan stone porch with balustrade and urn decoration above. The central entrance door is flanked by tall, two-pane windows in timber sash and case frames. The central block of the house is pedimented and a stone balustrade runs along the roofline of the wings interspersed by urn finials.

There are bow windows with balustrade decoration on the rear (west) elevation and a full height bow window on the southeast elevation. The windows are predominantly two-pane glazing in timber sash and case frames, those at ground floor level are taller in height. There are rounded dormer windows at attic level on the wings. The roof is slated with some flat-roofed sections.

Online images of the interior, dating from 2020, show the main reception rooms include features such as moulded plasterwork ceilings and cornicing, timber wall panelling and panelled doors. The main staircase has a polished timber handrail, moulded balusters and ends in a colonnaded gallery at the top of the stairs.

Statement of Special Interest

Letham Grange is an architecturally distinctive early-19^th century country house with extensive late-19^th century alterations and extensions. Its design quality and classical style is prominent in the landscape and is the central component of the former Letham Grange estate. It is largely unaltered in terms of its plan form and it retains much of its historic character and authenticity.

In the 13^th century the lands of Letham were granted by the Abbey of Arbroath to Hugo Heem. Ownership of the land changed numerous times over the centuries and comprised a number of estates (Gazetteer for Scotland). In 1822 John Hay Esquire, former Provost of Arbroath, bought and consolidated Letham, Peebles and New Grange estates to form Letham Grange. Hay had a mansion built near the site of an earlier manor called Newgrange. The new mansion house, named Letham Grange, was designed by Archibald Simpson and built between 1827 and 1830. Hay died in 1869. Letham Grange was sold in 1876 to James Fletcher Esquire of Rosehaugh (1807-85). The house and estate remained in the ownership of the Fletcher family until the mid-20^th century (Groome, p.502).

James Fletcher hired the architect John Rhind to extensively remodel the house and improve the estate between 1877 and 1885 (Dictionary of Scottish Architects; Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin Review). On his death the estate passed to his son Fitzroy Charles Fletcher (1858-1902) and improvement works continued by Alexander Ross, including considerable extensions to the Home Farm, the addition of large, heated greenhouses, and the construction of the stable block to the immediate west of the walled garden in around 1888 (Arbroath Herald and Advertiser, 1902).

A private railway track and locomotive (a replica of the North British express) ran in a circular route within the estate policies for amusement of the owners and to provide easy access to the remote areas of the estate (Dundee Courier, 1892). The former hothouses at Letham Grange were once the largest estate greenhouses in Angus, comprising over 12,000 square feet of glass (Arbroath Guide). From the early 20^th century, Letham Grange estate ran a large-scale, commercial market garden, providing produce locally and for export to Europe (Dundee Courier, 1954).

The last laird of Letham Grange died in 1957 and the house was unoccupied from this time until 1987 when Letham Grange opened as a country house hotel which operated until the mid-2000s (Aberdeen Press and Journal). The 'Old' golf course opened in 1987 followed by the 'Glen' golf course in 1991. Around this time parts of the estate grounds were sold off in lots and developed as housing. The mansion is currently unoccupied (2022).

Listed building record revised in 2022.

References

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