Letham Grange, Arbroath

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.

Letham Grange is an architecturally distinctive early-19th century country house with extensive late-19th 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.

n the 13th 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-20th 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).

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). (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

21 July 2014: Nominated for the Register by a member of the public as disused for some time and starting to show signs of lack of maintenance. The property is understood to have been the subject of court proceedings to determine ownership. For Investigation.

8 June 2016: External inspection finds part of the property is in use in association with the adjacent golf course. The conservatory is missing glazing. A tarpaulin covers a flat-roofed tower to the eastern elevation. The surrounding grounds are well maintained. Otherwise, the property appears, externally, to be in fair overall condition. Local planners advise the court proceedings (noted previously) are thought to have concluded, determining ownership. Alert at this time to monitor to use and condition of the property.

19 March 2018: A member of the public nominates the building for the Register as now being vacant. A dispute over ownership of the building is advised as having been resolved. Moved to For Investigation.

20 December 2019: Local planners contact BARR outlining concerns raised by local residents, MSP and themselves regarding the site, and forward their recent exterior photographs of the property. The property is now entirely disused, following relocation of the club (operating out of part of the ground floor) in October/ November 2019. Openings at ground floor have since been boarded over. There is reported to be little evidence of ongoing maintenance and there have been no proposals for the re-use of the site - which has not been fully in use for approximately 11 years.

Desk-based assessment, with the aid of information and contemporary photographs supplied by Angus Council, to move the property to category At Risk.

18 June 2020: A member of the public reports to BAR that a fire has occurred on the roof of Letham Grange.

6 July 2020: A member of the public reports on the damage at the site following lead theft from the property.

May 2021: A Proposal of Application Notice (21/00360/PAN) for a residential led development with hotel and commercial facilities and the reconfiguration of existing golf courses was submitted in May 2021.

21 August 2021: A member of the public reports the building is subject to ongoing decline with no obvious maintenance being undertaken. Sections of balustrade advised as having been lost to vandalism. The interior of the building is thought to be subject to damage through areas of water ingress.

23 November 2021: A member of the public contacts BARR to advise the conservatory doors are leaning outward due to the disintegration of the wooden base plates attaching the structure to the wall. They also advise that masonry has fallen at the rear of the house.

17 March 2022: Historic Environment Scotland team have issued a consultation on proposal to list the stable block.

28 June 2022: External inspection finds the building (and former golf course/ curling centre) remains disused. Condition has deteriorated since the previous visit.
Limited inspection was possible of the roof pitches, from what could be viewed, ridges are intact on some pitches but in others lifting/ slipped. Some leadwork to rear in slipping. There are some slipped/ missing roof slates evident. Dormers are felted. A tower to a side entrance was previously tarpaulined but this is no longer the case, as the roof is flat it could not be ascertained whether this had been replaced. The two bowed bays to the front elevation also have flat roofs - there appears to be some form of propping in place atop the southern bay. Chimneys appear plum and with cans intact - some dampness/ vegetation growth is evident. Gutters are concealed, downpipes are intact but rusting in places. Damp patches beneath balustrading and downpipes suggest rainwater goods may be malfunctioning in places. Dampness to the pedimented principle entrance is more pronounced than the previous visit. To the rear, walls are in poorer condition. A section of handrail to a balustrade has been lost, and a full section of balustrade has also been lost. The latter may be the cause of missing masonry to an adjacent vertical wall. Opening joints to single storey bays at rear suggest there may be some movement. Windows are boarded at ground level, upper window glazings are intact with exception of a rear, broken window. The protective painted finish to frames is beginning to fail in places. There are a number of missing glazing units to the conservatory with vines now growing through and across the roof, ironwork is rusting in places.
A security unit has been installed to the front of the property but does not appear to be in use on the day of visit. Neighbours report entry to the property was forced overnight and the interior vandalised. Condition moved from Fair to Poor.

26 July 2023: The Courier reports that Edinburgh-based Holder Planning have been appointed to develop a vision for the regeneration of the golf course and hotel. No details have been revealed about what the plans may involve.

27 October 2023: The courier reports (17/10/2023) on major plans to bring the hotel and golf course back into use. A full planning application is expected to be submitted at the second public consultation event on 7th November.