Leggerdale

Leggerdale

Dating from the early 19th century, Leggerdale is an agricultural settlement comprising a farmhouse and two associated steadings, located at the roadside of the A944 Aberdeen to Alford road between Old Kinnernie and Linton Mains.

The Farmhouse

Leggerdale is a detached two-storey, three-bay, roughly rectangular-plan and symmetrical former farmhouse with a single-storey, two-bay, rectangular-plan addition attached to the west gable. It is constructed in coursed, harl-pointed granite rubble with simple granite cills and lintels. The building is enclosed by a front garden bounded from the road by low timber picket fencing and a stone wall projecting from the centre of the single-storey building.

The front (south) elevation has a central timber entrance door with a replacement rectangular fanlight above. The rear (north) elevation has an arched rubble-built store protruding from the centre, which was converted into a bathroom after 2011. This structure has been topped by turf and the arched opening infilled by an arched, glazed and timber door. There is also a single-storey lean-to with a slate roof to the left. The single-storey wing attached to the west gable has a later entrance door with a timber lintel in the rear elevation.

The windows display a mixture of designs. Those in the front elevation are predominantly a 12-pane glazing pattern in replacement timber sash and case frames. The remaining windows are smaller, and there is a later window opening in the centre of the rear elevation.

The gabled roof is slated with straight skews. The building has coped, end chimneystacks with a tall projecting chimney on the west gable, which is incorporated into the attached single-storey building. A small central rooflight is set in the south roof pitch. The interior was not seen during survey in 2019.

Leggerdale Steading North

Leggerdale Steading North is a single-storey, U-plan former farm steading building to the west of Leggerdale, which has been converted to a house. The west range contains a hay loft with a former opening (changed to a window) breaking the wallhead at its centre. The building is constructed in snecked and harl-pointed rubble. The main entrance is in the north elevation and has tooled granite stonework around the enlarged opening. Openings throughout have granite lintels and cills. Most former door openings have been changed to windows with timber boarding below the glazing. Windows and doors are timber replacements, predominantly with a four-pane glazing pattern. The roof is slated with replacement tiles and a contrasting ridge. The west range has replacement rooflights. The interior, partially seen in 2019, does not retain any early 19th century fixtures and fittings relating to its previous agricultural use.

Leggerdale Steading North is accessed via a separate drive with metal gates and granite block gatepiers at the site entrance.

Historical Development

Leggerdale Farm was part of the tenanted farm holdings of the Cluny estate owned by John Gordon of Cluny Castle. Leggerdale does not appear on pre-19th century maps, but its design and form—with symmetrical front elevation, evenly spaced openings, and first-floor windows set close to the roof eaves—indicates an early 19th century date. The U-shaped plan form of Leggerdale Steading North and its separation from the farmhouse are indicative of farm design of the late 18th and early 19th century improvement period.

The farmhouse served as an inn in the 19th century, positioned on the Aberdeen to Alford turnpike road. Cornwall's New Aberdeen Directory of 1853 records that mail and stage coaches to and from Aberdeen passed Leggerdale twice a day, three times a week. As one of 17 radial routes leading to Aberdeen, this turnpike was constructed between 1798 and around 1838, supporting the early 19th century date of the farm.

The farm first appears in detail on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1865, published 1866), where the farmhouse is marked as the Gordon's Arms Inn. The Ordnance Survey Name Book, written between 1865 and 1871, describes Leggerdale as a large farmhouse used as a public house with associated single-storey farm steadings, partly slated and partly thatched.

The 1866 map shows Leggerdale as a rectangular-plan building with two outshots at the rear and a single-storey wing adjoining the west gable. One of the rear outshots is likely the arched granite rubble structure. Leggerdale Steading North is shown with a horsemill attached to the west elevation, and the L-shaped south steading (excluded from the listing) across the road has associated outbuildings. The map also indicates a formal, laid-out garden to the northwest of the steading, possibly a kitchen garden providing produce for the farm and inn.

By the late 19th century Leggerdale operated as a farm only and had expanded significantly. Land holdings increased from 65 acres of arable land to 122 acres by 1884 (Aberdeen Press and Journal). An advertisement from 1944 indicates the farm remained under Cluny estates ownership with land extending to 132 acres.

The 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map (revised 1899, published 1900) shows the footprint of the farmhouse and adjacent U-shaped steading remained largely unchanged. The south steading outbuildings had been removed by 1899, though the main range was slightly extended.

A 1967 Ordnance Survey map shows the horsemill had been removed from Leggerdale Steading North sometime in the early to mid-20th century. Additional detached buildings are shown around the steading, and two attached structures appear on the north and west ranges, indicating the site remained in farm use at this time.

In 2004 Leggerdale Steading North was converted to a house. Around 2010, work was carried out to the farmhouse including conversion of the vaulted rubble store into a bathroom, demolition of later additions at the rear, and replacement of windows.

Exclusions from the listing include the interior and detached garage of Leggerdale Steading North and the L-plan Leggerdale Steading to the south.