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Leith Hall, East Lodge, Gate Piers
Date June 2006
Event ID 967312
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/967312
Main East Drive carriageway gates (E) flanked by stone piers (C and D). These are flanked in turn by two pedestrian gates (G) the W one of which is fixed, the E one opening. These are in turn flanked by square stone gate piers (F) which also form the end pillars for two curving sweeps of wall (A,B) which terminate at square stone pillars where they join to the ordinary roadside stone dyke. The central gate piers (C, D) and gates (E, G) are identical to those on the West Lodge gates. The outer piers (F) were plain squared columns with simple two- stepped sandstone terminals in a greyish sandstone like those on the central gate posts (C, D). The outer pillars by the roadside (H, HH) had a redder sandstone pediment with three rusticated steps and a single piece pyramidal top.
An East Drive appears on the 1797 estate map; at that point there is a pair of gate posts but they are at a short distance up the Drive, away from the (old) Aberdeen road and apparently further east towards the line of the burn at bridge 060.It is not clear if a drive was ever actually built on this line. By 1847 the new Aberdeen road had been built (in c.1834 according to the New Statistical Account vol 12, 587). The 1st edition OS of 1870 (1866) shows no gates on either lodge but this may be a cartographic decision that gates should not be drawn. The East and West Lodges both appear to have been built between c 1870 and 1900 as both appear on the 2nd edition OS 1899 (1900). The wrought iron gates were installed in 1901 as a visible public demonstration of the inheritance by the new laird Charles Edward Norman Leith- Hay in 1900. It is possible however that the main gate piers could have been earlier, possibly pre-dating 1847 and being the ones shown on that map. This would explain their slightly different structure and more worn finials.
(LEI06 062)
Information from NTS (SCS) November 2013
