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Summary

Description

A rusticated sandstone archway, dating from around 1890, at the northern entrance to the former Letham Grange estate.

The entrance comprises a battlemented parapet flanked by circular towers. The three-stage towers have an entrance opening at ground floor level with timber boarded doors and narrow openings with hoodmoulds above. The towers are topped by corniced and crenellated parapets and there are decorative wrought iron gates to the arch. The gates have iron name plaques with gilded lettering.

Stepped and partially crenellated rubble walls extend in a curve from each tower.

Statement of Special Interest

A largely unaltered and imposing baronial-style archway with circular towers, battlemented parapet and decorative wrought iron gates at the former entrance to the former Letham Grange estate.

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. The archway was likely built as part of the late-19^th century estate improvements and is first shown on the 2^nd Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1901.

The north entrance gateway and the adjacent gatelodge are located opposite the former Colliston Station which opened in 1848 on the Arbroath and Guthrie line. This entrance would have provided easy access from the train station to the main house.

Listed building record revised in 2022.

References

Bibliography

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