Leslie House

Shortly after, during World War I the Countess of Rothes converted a wing of Leslie House into a hospital for wounded soldiers invalided from the Front.

[10] The house was gifted by the Spencer-Nairn’s to the Church of Scotland after the Second World War, in 1952, for use as an eventide home,[11] necessitating substantial internal alterations.

A developer called Sundial Properties purchased Leslie House in 2005 from the Church of Scotland, planning to convert it into 17 luxury flats, with 12 detached homes within the grounds,[12] but it was again severely damaged by fire in February 2009.

[14] The architecture and fittings were described by Leighton in 1840: "It originally formed a quadrangle, enclosing in the centre an extensive court-yard, but three of the sides were burnt down in December 1763.

Among the several pictures at Leslie House in the mid 19th century mentioned by Leighton, "were those of the fifth Earl and his Countess, by Jamieson, the Duke and Duchess of Rothes, the celebrated Duke of Lauderdale and his Duchess, the Princess of Modena; General John, Earl of Rothes, by Sir Joshua Reynolds; Archbishop Tillotson; and a portrait of Rembrandt by himself.

[16] The house featured several tapestries including, the story of Leander; the history of the children of Israel's journey through the wilderness; and the anointing of Saul.