The present house was built in 1779-85 and replaced an earlier house which stood within a formal grid pattern landscape indicated on General Roy's map of c.1750. The landscape was informalised between c.1800, possibly by J.C. Loudon, to the present structure, initially incorporating the existing formal avenues and features of the previous layout although they appear to be less significant on the 2nd edition OS map of c.1900 and have now gone.
The earliest known owners of Leuchie, sometime known as North Berwick House, were the Earls of Fife who held the lands between the 12th - 14th centuries. During the reign of Robert II (1371-90) it passed into the hands of the Douglases. In 1455, the lands were forfeited by James, Earl of Douglas, but were restored to his heir, Archibald, Earl of Angus (Bell-the Cat) in 1479. In that year, they were created into a free barony.
By the 17th century, the barony had passed to the Johnstones of Elphinstone who retained it at least until 1673. The Hon Sir Hew Dalrymple who, in 1698, was created Lord President of the Court of Session and, in the same year, a Baronet, purchased Leuchie in 1699. Whether he bought it from the Johnstones or not is uncertain. Sir Hew had owned lands in the area prior to the purchase of Leuchie and, the year after the sale, they were united into a new Barony of North Berwick which extended over some 3,000 acres. His grandson, Hew, the 2nd Baronet, inherited the title and estates in 1737 at the age of 25. He embarked on the Grand Tour between 1739-40 and returned to take up a seat in Parliament for the Haddington burghs. He carried out some tree planting, demolished the old house and commissioned the building of the present house in 1779. He lived for only five years after its completion before his death in 1790.
He was succeeded by his son, Hew, 3rd Baronet, who assumed the additional surname of Hamilton on succeeding to his uncle's Bargany estate in Ayrshire (q.v.). Bargany became the principal home of the family. The 4th Baronet, Sir Hew, succeeded in 1800 and in the same year married the daughter of the 1st Viscount of Camperdown. (Through the connections with the Duncan family, plant material from their estate in Dundee may have been brought to Leuchie as at Bargany). The 4th Baronet commissioned John Claudius Loudon to undertake some work between 1800-1804. (A.A. Tait The Landscape Garden in Scotland p192 and Farmers Magazine VI, p126, 1805). Loudon apparently compiled a 'red book' for Leuchie House and made a clay model that shows 'all the trees, hedges, roads, rivers, buildings, etc.... by which any gentleman may try, upon the model, the effect of any proposed alteration or improvement'. This was apparently accompanied by an elegant manuscript volume, illustrated by drawings and sketches. Loudon described North Berwick as 'a good house, surrounded by an extensive suite of enclosures, sub-divided by straight lines or strips, or double rows of trees in the ancient style; the object being to continue the general effect of a park as to wood and pasture, with the utility and convenience of enclosures.' He also commissioned the survey plan of the policies by Forrest in 1804. Comparison of this plan with General Roy's map of c.1750 indicates the extent of planting carried out by the 2nd Baronet.
On the death of Sir Hew in 1834, Bargany passed to his daughter Henrietta who married the Duc de Coigny, while Leuchie and the baronetcy passed to his brother John. Between 1800-60 the landscape was informalised to that shown on the 1st edition OS map. Some of the planting may be attributable to the 4th Baronet's nephew, Sir Hew, the 6th Baronet, who inherited Leuchie in 1835, and who was responsible for the major alterations to the house between then and 1887. During World War II the woodlands to the north of the house were felled. The north parks were ploughed and have since continued to be farmed intensively.
The 10th Baronet, Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple, inherited the estate from his father in 1959. He leased the house to the Servite Order and commissioned a new house in the walled garden for his family. As a result, the northern area of the walled garden assumed the role of private garden to the house and has been developed and improved in recent years. Leuchie House is now used as a holiday hospice.