The Leighton Library, Dunblane

Business Aims and Objectives 

Executive Summary

1. The Library

The Leighton Library is a category ‘A’ listed building, purpose-built in 1687 to house the book collection of Bishop Leighton (1611-1684) former Principal of Edinburgh University, Bishop of Dunblane, Chancellor of Glasgow University,  and Archbishop of Glasgow. The collection was added to in the 18^th and 19^th centuries with a number of important volumes.

2. Organisation Structure and Governance

The Leighton Library Trust was established in 1701. In 1925 it registered as a Scottish Charity. There are six Trustees and an Executive Group. The Library is supported by the Friends of the Leighton Library and the Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral. There are no paid employees; it is managed by volunteers.

3. Strategic outcomes

The Trust’s strategic outcomes are to ensure a wider range of people are engaged in its history and heritage; the Trust becomes a more resilient organisation; the local area becomes a better place to live, work in or visit; and the local economy is boosted.

4. Aims and Objectives

These are to preserve and maintain the building, ensuring its contents and heritage are known nationally and internationally and making its contents available to everyone who visits the Library. They are also to foster strong community links and present the Library as a high-quality visitor attraction.

5. Conservation Strategy

The most immediate need is to convert and fully modernise the ground floor (the Undercroft) into a visitor attraction. To meet this ambition the Trust has engaged an Advanced Conservation Accredited Architect,  a Quantity Surveyor, and an Archaeologist.

6. Finance and Marketing Strategy

The Trust’s income is currently derived from the Friends, visitors, donations, legacies and sales.  To achieve the restoration and modernisation works applications were made to grant funding bodies and other fundraising initiatives put in place to ensure capital funds and an income into the future.

7. Market Appraisal and Approach

In The Cross of Dunblane, the Cathedral attracts around 20,000 visitors per year; the Dunblane Museum opposite attracts around 10,000 visitors per year, whereas before the restoration the Library only attracted 1,500 per year. The 2025 season has recorded 4,086 visitors to the library.  The Trust is also engaging with local schools and other groups which will increase its visibility and interest to all ages.

8. Monitoring and Evaluation

Day to day monitoring of the Library and its contents ensures its ongoing resilience.  Regular reviews by the Executive ensure that the Trust is informed about visitor numbers and the overall interest and we continue to work on enhancing this further.  We will also survey other local heritage sites and the community and traders to see how the restored and modernised Library has increased their life enjoyment and assisted their trade and income.

9. Organisational impact assessment

The Trust’s strategy is to create a resilient, self-sustaining, and valuable visitor attraction.

10. Competition

There is another historic library, Innerpeffray Library, 20 miles from Dunblane, which was established in 1680 although the library building itself was not completed until 1762. We have a friendly and cooperative relationship with Innerpeffray.

11. Risks

The principal risks are fraud, mismanagement, loss of income, unexpected costs, an insufficient number of active Trustees and a lack of volunteers. Mitigating actions are in place.

Contact details

The Leighton Library, c/o Cathedral Office, The Cross, Dunblane, Perthshire FK15 0AQ

www.leightonlibrary.org.uk

 

Email: leightonrestoration@gmail.com

 

1. The Library

The Leighton Library is a category ‘A’ listed building, purpose-built in 1687 to house the book collection of Bishop Leighton (1611-1684), former Principal of Edinburgh University, Bishop of Dunblane, Chancellor of Glasgow University,  and Archbishop of Glasgow. He left a legacy of £100 to build the Library.

The building exhibits rare architectural detail typical of 17^th century construction. Robert Leighton’s original library books remain in place within their original cabinets. The collection was added to in the 18^th and 19^th centuries and includes a number of historically important volumes. The oldest volume dates from 1504 and the collection is of international importance.

The Leighton Library is unique. It is one of a very small number of surviving independent libraries in Scotland and is the oldest independent library collection in Scotland to remain in its original purpose-built building.  It retains original fixtures, such as 17^th century book presses and James VII/II chairs. The façade is distinguished by a fine example of a 17^th century marble cartouche thought to have been carved by a London workshop and ordered by William Drummond of Cromlix, 1st Viscount Strathallan, whose townhouse stood opposite the Library.

It is sited within the beautiful historic precinct of The Cross in Dunblane which is increasingly attracting visitors and tourists resulting in the regeneration of its High Street.

2. Organisation Structure and Governance

The Library is owned and managed by the Leighton Library Trust which was established in 1701. It has been a Registered Scottish Charity (SC003010) since 1925. Work is underway to apply to the Charity Regulator (OSCR) to convert into a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO).

There are six Trustees, chaired by the Minister of Dunblane Cathedral. Below that there is an Executive Group to whom the Trustees delegate operational decision-making and some expenditure.

The Library is supported by the Friends of the Leighton Library who pay a subscription and the Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral, itself a Scottish charity.  We intend to increase this number into a more substantial supporter base.

The Trust has no paid employees and is managed entirely by volunteers.  There are also volunteers engaged on the restoration programme, the fundraising/publicity requirements, the newsletter, and a team looking at audio visual opportunities.

There are 50 volunteers whose principal role is to act as guides for visitors.

 

Leighton Library Management Structure:

Trustees	Overall control, responsible for governance and strategy. Accountable for activities and outcomes. Approve Trust policies and expenditure
Hon. Treasurer	Financial oversight, manage budgets, accounts, and financial statements
Executive Group	Trustee and volunteer group to manage the Library running and the restoration/development. Delegated decision making and financial authority. Manage the volunteers. Look after the building and contents. Keyholders.
Hon. Librarian	From Stirling University. Custody of valuable items, loan items for research. Professional advice
Restoration Programme	To manage the restoration of the building fabric in conjunction with a retained conservation architect
Newsletter	Volunteer-led regular information service to Friends
Website and Social Media Administrator	Manage the Library website and social media streams
Volunteer guides	Guide visitors and safeguard the collection when open to the public
Fundraising	Grant applications, approaches to potential donors, public appeals
Exhibition Lead	Lead the planning and organisation of temporary exhibitions off-site and within the Library
Marketing/PR	National and local media items, Facebook, social media, website, local partners
Conservation Architect	Contracted to design and manage the restoration programme working with the Restoration Lead and the Executive
Quantity Surveyor	Advises on restoration costs, working to conservation architect
Contractors	Those whose tenders are accepted for work on the Library, following tendering managed by the architect
Friends of the Leighton Library	Annual subscribers supporting the Library
Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral	One of the charity’s aims is to support the Library

Trustees

Trustees

The Trustees are working towards a modernisation of the 1701 Trust Deed in order to reflect the needs of the organisation in the 21st Century.

Volunteers

Volunteers are managed by the Executive Group, who assess offers of volunteering and the suitability of applicants. All persons connected with the Trust are subject to compliance with the Leighton Trust Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies. Any concerns about the suitability or activity of any volunteer are to be reported to the Chair or any other Trustee.

A standard induction and development training package is being developed to ensure volunteers are on message and sufficiently skilled and knowledgeable to be confident and provide the visitors with a first-class visit.

We will continue to develop our volunteer capability in the areas of:

• IT 
• PR and Marketing 
• Exhibiting
• Event management 

3. Strategic outcomes

The Trust has five strategic outcomes:

• To make the Library and its collections accessible and attractive to all
• To ensure a wider range of people will be involved in heritage
• the Leighton Library Trust will become a more resilient organisation
• the local area will become a better place to live, work in or visit
• the local economy will be boosted.

4. Aims and Objectives

To achieve the Strategic outcomes, the Trust’s aims and objectives are:

• to preserve and use Robert Leighton’s book collection and subsequent acquisitions
• to enable visits by the public to the Library building itself and the collection
• to increase knowledge of the Library nationally and internationally
• to preserve and maintain the Library building
• to make the collection available to academics and students from around the world (in conjunction with Stirling University Library)
• to arrange open days
• to foster and develop community-based projects, making local people aware and proud of the Library, developing links with young people, local schools and other community organisations
• to present the library as a high-quality visitor attraction, complementing the historic centre of Dunblane.

5. Conservation Strategy

The Trustees have already embarked on this journey. They have:

• established the Executive Group to restore, develop and fundraise
• a detailed restoration plan in place which is costed and a Conservation Architect has been engaged to manage the works
• submitted a significant number of grant funding applications to various funding bodies
• development, marketing, and fundraising strategies 

Before the recent restoration, the Library was last significantly restored between 1988 and 1990. 

At ground floor level is the Undercroft; a magnificent, barrel-vaulted room which will be modernised into an attractive reception centre, containing audio visual displays and space for community or performance activities. 

6. Finance and Marketing Strategy

6.1 The Trust’s current overheads

Over the years 2017 – 21 before the restoration, average overheads principally insurance, electricity and general maintenance amounted to £5,057pa.

In 2025, the annual running costs are c. £11,500 p.a..

6.2 Remuneration and Gifts in Kind

None of the Trustees, the Executive, the Volunteers nor the Guides receive any remuneration. 

In the 2025 season, there have been 7,469 volunteer hours contributed to the Trust's work.

6.3 The Trust is funded by a number of streams:

6.3.1 Legacies

It is not possible to set targets for legacies, but wider community, national and international awareness of the Library may encourage people to consider legacies.  We cannot predict legacy income and promises made might not materialise.

6.3.2 Friends’ subscriptions

The Friends scheme is being refreshed with the aim of increasing membership and thereby subscriptions.

6.3.4 Visitor donations

In an average year before the restoration,  there were 1,500 visitors to the Library, giving on average £1 per head. 

In 2025 the average per capita donation (from over 4,000 visitors) has risen to £1.60 - a rise of 60%

6.4 Grant funding applications

Details of major donations are itemised on www.leightonlibrary.org.uk

6.5 We continue to improve our public relations and our fundraising strategies to support our plans to develop the Library as a visitor attraction stimulating a number of potential funding streams as follows:

6.5.1 Just Giving appeal

• A Just Giving web page was established in 2021

6.5.2 Approaching potential individual wealthy donors in the UK and overseas

6.5.3 Development of paying private tours/links with tour operators

• We have made contact with a number of tourist organisations and have hosted private tours.

6.5.4 Renting out as a filming location

• There have been several recent filming events using the library as a location
• A recent YouTube film on the library has already seen 47,000 views worldwide

7. Market Appraisal and Approach

The Library began as a facility for the use of the Dunblane clergy. It developed into a subscription library and reading room, before effectively going into storage until the late 1980s. It no longer lends books other than for specific academic purposes via Stirling University. The Library has evolved into ‘book museum’ and visitor attraction. It does not charge admission and it relies heavily on visitor donations.

Many Dunblane residents have never set foot in the Library, often citing its limited opening in the past as a reason. When open, it attracts visitors to the town who also visit the Cathedral, Museum, and town centre. There have also been overseas visitors, often enroute north or south on a Scottish holiday. Some are family groups.

There is increasing contact between the Library and local school/youth groups. This is an area we are developing, particularly in connection with the Undercroft. For example, we are now engaged with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award locally.

We consider that there is strong potential to develop our public profile, increase visitor numbers and broaden our appeal. 

Wider, it is intended that our publicity and marketing strategy will substantially increase awareness of this heritage treasure in Dunblane, generate new funding streams and add to the attraction of the historic centre alongside the medieval Cathedral and Museum (and Andy Murray’s post box!). This will increase local, national, and international awareness of our rich heritage and encourage continuing funding to preserve this gem for future generations.

We will engage with the Dunblane Development Trust, who are convening a gathering of Dunblane organisations to improve communication and coordination and their plans for town centre development.

We have also engaged with a Dunblane Heritage Forum and the Forth Valley Small Museums Forum, working together to exchange ideas and good practice.

8. Monitoring and Evaluation

The restoration programme’s measures of success are:

8.1 Ensuring the building’s resilience in future

We have repaired the building in line with the Conservation Plan and plan to open up and convert the Undercroft into a flexible space. We repair, following conservation best practice, with reference to the most recent research on the most appropriate use of materials in terms of climate challenges. Where details are repaired or reinstated, these respect the historic detail but are also made more resilient where possible. The repairs will safeguard the long-term health of the building.

8.2 Continuing the Library’s role as a suitable internal environment to house this important book collection

We ensure suitable internal environmental conditions. Since April 2020, the Library room environment has been monitored automatically every 4 hours for temperature and relative humidity. The same interval monitoring, for temperature only, has been undertaken for the Undercroft.

8.3 Enhancing the historic precinct at the centre of Dunblane for the benefit of the community and visitors

The Library is a key feature of the beautiful historic centre of Dunblane. We are devising a development programme to raise awareness of this wonderful national asset within the community, seeking to improve access and outreach. We are also developing a plan to enhance the visitor experience particularly in the light of increasing numbers of visitors to the town, working with the Cathedral administration bodies and the Museum. This will have a beneficial effect on local business with increased trade and we will conduct market research with the community to assess progress and further actions.

8.4 Increasing visitors to the building attracted by its positive historic appearance

We make extensive use of the Internet to achieve world-wide coverage, advertising the books in the collection and making available through prior arrangement some of the rarer books for review. To increase further interest and funding, we also provide on-line material about the Library and its contents showing how the renovations were undertaken. 

Our unique selling point is that, unlike many other museums, we can offer the visitor the opportunity to ‘touch’ history. However, in allowing this contact we will control handling items carefully to avoid damage to the collection.

8.5 The Executive Group meets monthly to review progress and performance. The Trustees meet twice a year, during which progress and performance are reviewed.