Seminars and company events
Leith Hall, Garden & Estate takes board meetings and leadership days for up to 30 people in its public rooms, and team-building, outdoor activities and marquee events for up to 300 in the grounds. The house stands near Kennethmont in Aberdeenshire, 34 miles north-west of Aberdeen, and is run by the National Trust for Scotland, which sells corporate events, private parties and weddings here.
The scale suits a small executive group that wants a quiet day away from the office, with a drinks reception and a dinner in the same house. For larger company days, a marquee in the grounds and the estate's three waymarked trails give room for activities and outdoor programs.
Weddings and receptions
Couples can marry inside the house with up to 30 guests or in the walled garden with up to 60. A drinks reception for 30 can follow in the house, and dining is set for up to 25. For a larger celebration, a marquee in the grounds takes up to 300 guests. The scented walled garden is at its most colorful in summer, with long herbaceous borders and spiral-cut lawns inspired by the Pictish stones found around the region, as well as a moon gate and a kitchen garden.
Rooms and capacities
In the house, the public rooms take 30 guests for a drinks reception, a ceremony or a meeting, and 25 for a seated dinner. The Oval Room, hung with watercolors by Henrietta Leith-Hay, is among the rooms that give the house its character. The walled garden holds a ceremony for 60. The grounds take marquee events, team-building and outdoor activities for up to 300. The Trust's events team arranges site visits and plans each event with the organizer.
History and setting
Built in the 17th century, Leith Hall is a well-proportioned Scottish tower house that the Trust compares to a French château. Ten generations of the Leith-Hay family lived here from 1650 until just after World War II, then gave the house to the National Trust for Scotland with its furnishings and art, one of the most complete collections in the Trust's care. Guests may notice the 'boxing squirrels', a giant turtle shell from Ascension Island and a scarf that belonged to Napoleon, given to Andrew Leith-Hay in 1813 after the Battle of Vitoria. A military exhibition tells the story of the family's soldiers. Outside, an Edwardian garden, a historic rock garden and views over the Aberdeenshire hills frame the house.
Getting there
Leith Hall is off the B9002, 1 mile west of Kennethmont and 34 miles north-west of Aberdeen. The postal address is Leith Hall, Huntly, Aberdeenshire AB54 4NQ. Most groups arrive by car or coach, and the Trust can advise on directions and parking when planning the event.
