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Like all potential restoration
projects, Pittarthie castle has both advantages and disadvantages. Pittarthie
has an excellent location, with a bright south facing aspect, it stands
in open farmland with no nearby buildings to compromise the setting. Additional
to this, standing on high ground, Pittarthie enjoys superb views down to
the East Neuk of Fife and the Firth of Forth.
This setting, while undoubtedly
adding to it's attractiveness as a restoration project, does present considerable
problems to the potential restorer. Lying in open land, a distance from
the nearest road, necessitates the purchase of an access strip. Additional
to the purchase price of this land, and the cost of constructing a roadway
upon it, the potential restorer would have to bear in mind the costs involved
in suppling services to the building. With the nearest inhabited building
standing at least half a mile away these costs would be considerable.
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The structure too, has
its pros and cons. Despite the obvious areas of deterioration, Pittarthie's
main advantage is the completeness of the structure, not only externally,
but internally, making the reconstruction of it's interior spaces less
problematic than can be expected with buildings of this age and condition.
The absence of a roof has certainly accelerated the decay of the wallheads
and damaged some of the interior structures, but the method of original
construction means the roof, if it were present, would have to be removed
anyway to allow replacement ceiling beams to be lowered in from above.
The roof's absence also negates the costly and perilous task of removing
rotten beams.
The restoration of Pittarthie castle
is not a project for the faint hearted, considerable outlay of time
and expense would be required before even getting down to bricks and
mortar, however, for those brave enough to take it on, Pittarthie castle
has the potential to make a stunning and historic home in an uncompromised
setting.
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