LATEST UPDATE

 

 

FRIENDS OF LEITH HALL 2012 CALENDAR AVAILABLE NOW

Some images from the 2012 Friends of Leith Hall Calendar

Ideal for a Christmas or New Year gift. Only £5.

To buy one e-mail info@friendsofleithhall.co.uk

 

25th May 2011
NTS have now submitted Planning and Listed Building Consent Applications to Aberdeenshire Council for the proposed alterations at Leith Hall. Full details of these applications, statuatory consultations and comments by members of the Public can be viewed from the links below.

Listed Building & Conservation Area Consent

General Planning Application

" The National Trust for Scotland Board recently approved the internal bid for funds to progress the Leith Hall Sustainability Project to completion. This will involve undertaking a range of improvement works to the mansion house over the next 12 months before it re-opens fully to the public for the 2012 season."

 

Friend of Leith Hall Newsletter Oct. 2011
View / Download it HERE

DUCK RACE AT LEITH HALL
The winning duck is fished out of the Cowie Burn in the grounds of Leith Hall. The Easter event at Leith Hall was very well attended.
" A great day out " was how many visitors described it. The brass band, ice cream van and egg hunt also proved very popular with visitors.

 

Activities and Events

The Friends of Leth Hall Quiz Night was held in the Rannes Hall on Saturday 26th March. It was very well attended with 14 teams from far and near.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and a great success.

 

 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

19th November Beetle drive and afternoon tea. Rannes Hall, 2.30 pm

 

The Duck Race in progress during the Friends of Leith Hall Easter Event at Leith Hall

A Membership Application Form can be downloaded here

 

Although Leith Hall is now closed the Gardens and Policies are open.

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March 2011
Download the latest Friends of Leith Hall Newsletter ( Pdf)
If you need Adobe Reader to view it, free download here. Link

Murial Carruthers hears of her ancestor, Norman Leith-Hay's family from guide, Linda Durward.

More images of the very successful open afternoon on 22nd August from the link below

22 August Open Afternoon

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Leith Hall is a magnificent 17th Century Laird’s house situated in the heart of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was the seat of the Leiths for generations.

Built by James Leith in 1650 the family continued to live at Leith Hall until the “ Hall “ was gifted to the “ N.T.S. “ in 1945. 1939 saw the end of the ancestral line, the young Laird, Charles Arthur O’Neill Leith-Hay, who had only been Laird for four months, was killed in a motor cycle accident on Saturday 16th September at the age of 21. Young Charles had succeeded his father Charles Edward Norman Leith-Hay, the eldest son of  James Leith-Hay who had emigrated to Queensland, N. Australia in the early 1800’s.
Charles Edward succeeded his uncle as Laird in 1900. He was a man with a love of the outdoors ( he started the Boy Scout movement in Kennethmont), a sense of fun and possessed great musical abilities. Charles Edward turned his beautiful home into a Military Hospital during the 1st World War but unlike his ancestors was not a military man. Former Leith-Hays tells the story of heroism, battles, intrigue, loyalty and love. This can be seen in the Military Museum which houses original uniforms, spoils of war, original documents including the Pardon received after Culloden. Each one tells a story.

Today there are Leiths all over the world who enquire about Leith Hall. The “ Hall “ was closed to the public in 2008. However, former staff and the newly formed “ Friends of Leith Hall ” have liaised with NTS and succeeded in having the “ Hall “ opened once again, though only on Sunday afternoons during July and August.
Special tours can be arranged at any time provided a previous booking has been made.

 

Message to Friends of Leith Hall
from Kate Mavor, Chief Executive, NTS
( 16th June 2010 )

Dear friend and supporter,

Over the last few months, staff from all over the Trust have been working hard to find new ways of working at the Leith Hall mansion house in Aberdeenshire which will help build a strong future for the property and enable the public to visit once again. 

Through dedicated efforts with the local community and the recently established Friends of Leith Hall Group, the house will be open to the public on Sundays throughout July and August 2010. The Sunday openings are possible thanks to the generous support of local volunteers.

We hope this will be welcome news for all supporters of Leith Hall.

Kate Mavor

Chief Executive

 The National Trust for Scotland
28 Charlotte Square
Edinburgh EH2 4ET 

email: kmavor@nts.org.uk

 

 

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Following the NTS update of 18th April a meeting between NTS staff and Friends of Leith Hall was held on 20th May. The report of the meeting gives a full update of progress to date and also some detail of the Trust's plans to hopefully see Leith Hall fully open to the public once more.

Click to view meeting Report

 

NTS UPDATE 18th April 2010

" The Trust, as part of its ongoing commitment to re-opening the Mansion House, subject to a proven sustainable business case, has approved the second stage of a project. This second stage – first feasibility study – will involve employing an accredited conservation architect to consider minor alterations internally, both to secure the future of the fabric and allow more lucrative use of the Hall. It will also include rigorous market testing of each of the proposed funding streams, which is being jointly undertaken by the Group Manager and Group Finance Manager. Now well underway, with an estimated conclusion of this project stage of August 2010. This will inform a project bid for the funding to enable stage three onwards. "

 

 

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70013 Great Britain III passes near Leith Hall, April 2010

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For further details email info@friendsofleithhall.co.uk or write to the Secretary, Friends of Leith Hall, Leith Hall, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire, AB54 4NQ.

A Membership Application Form can be downloaded here

The National Trust for Scotland will also be holding Easter Egg Trails thanks to Cadbury's chocolate. Please see their website at www.nts.org.uk/Events/Detail/448/ for up to date information