Leny House

Leny House

Built in 1846, this is a two-storeyed baronial mansion designed by David Bryce. The building is characterised by crowstepped gables, conical roofed turrets and stone dormerheads. It adjoins an earlier predecessor to the rear (north) that may contain 16th century fabric. The house sits within open designed parkland on a plateau above Leny Glen and is clearly visible from the A84. Leny House is recognised as one of the most significant buildings in the area and is the historical residence of the Buchanans of Leny.

The long driveway approach is designed to provide views of the south-east and south-west fronts, which contain the principal public rooms. The main door is located in a turret tucked into a recessed angle on the south-west elevation. The gable to the left of the entrance tower is that of the original house, disguised by re-faced sandstone. The south-east front features a window bay characteristic of Bryce's work: canted at ground floor, corbelled to square at first floor, with a conical roofed turret tucked in at the right angle. A long single storey wing terminated by a crowstepped end gable housed the servants' offices and kitchen.

The earlier house appears to have been built in the early to mid 16th century and later altered and strengthened in 1691. It was originally a formulaic end-gabled and flat-fronted three-storey rectangular plan fortified house, though the harled walls and refaced south-west gable might conceal evidence to prove otherwise. The unobscured rear north-west elevation appears to have been partly remodelled by Bryce with stone dormer heads and an off-centre chimney added. A wall panel set in a late 16th century pilastered frame is positioned above the first floor. The interior of this earlier block fell into serious disrepair in the 20th century, was gutted and reconstructed to a different design in the 1990s. During refurbishment a large arched fireplace was uncovered in the south-west gable.

Interior

The Bryce house is well organised with a circular vestibule in the entrance turret on the south-west leading to a large top-lit central stair hall from which the principal rooms are accessed. The baronial theme is carried indoors with characteristic features such as the rib-vaulted hall ceiling. The public rooms contain pilastered marble chimney-pieces and more Classical ceiling cornicework.

Materials

The Bryce house has a timber boarded door with decorative iron hinges to the entrance tower. The walls are coursed grey sandstone with ashlar dressings to openings, quoins and dormerheads, and moulded string courses. Windows are timber sash and case, a combination of 12-paned single windows and horizontal paned mullioned windows. Ashlar stacks with various cans support the grey slated pitched roof with grey slates to the conical turret roofs. A large wrought iron weathervane crowns the entrance turret.

The earlier house has a timber boarded door and harled walls with exposed sandstone dressings and dormerheads. Windows are predominantly 12-pane sash and case timber. Ashlar stacks are shouldered to offset the central stack to the north-west.

Associated Features

A pair of square-plan ashlar gatepiers with shallow pyramidal caps, relocated from an unknown location, stand near the main house. A mid 19th century baluster sundial with an interesting face is located in the lawned area to the south-west of the house.