Tour Scotland photograph of Leslie House, Fife, Scotland. In 1283, Norman de Leslie, was granted lands from Alexander III known as Fettykill or Fythkill. The Leslie family, had been descendents of Bartolf or Bartholowmew, a Hungarian nobleman who arrived in Scotland on the reign of Edgar the Aetheing. Finding favour with Malcolm III, Bartolf became the governor of Edinburgh Castle and was both knighted and granted with lands in Aberdeenshire. This is where the name of Leslie which meant 'pleasant field or pasture' was adopted by Bartolf. A settlement known as Fettykill grew around these lands. Burgh of barony status was awarded by James II to the settlement which was renamed Leslie after Sir George Leslie who became 1st Earl of Rothes in 1458. During this time, the family started to become prominent in Scottish affairs. John Leslie, the then Earl of Rothes, was awarded the title of Lord High Chancellor to Charles II in 1667 and then became known as the Duke of Rothes in 1680. During this time, Leslie House was built for the Duke of Rothes between 1667 and 1674 and this became the seat of the Rothes family. The house which was dubbed Villa De Rothes was the centre of life in the village and once rivalled Holyrood Palace for both size and glamour. When a fire destroyed the building in 1743, the north, east and south wings were demolished. Only the west wing was retained and this was reconstructed between 1745 and 1747. More recently a fire has devastated the historic Leslie building, leaving nothing more than an empty shell.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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