Pitreavie Castle

Pitreavie Castle stands between Rosyth and Dunfermline in Fife, a country house built in the early 17th century. It was remodelled in 1885 and later became RAF Pitreavie Castle in 1938. The estate once belonged to Lady Christina Bruce, sister of Robert the Bruce, in the 14th century. Sir Henry Wardlaw, Chamberlain to Queen Anne, bought the estate in 1608. The house was originally built to a U-shaped plan with a symmetrical layout. The grounds were planted as a wilderness in the late 17th century with ash, birch and elm trees. The castle is worth the journey for its historical significance and architectural importance. It is considered an early 17th-century example of a symmetrically planned house, similar to Baberton House. The Battle of Pitreavie was fought nearby in 1651, a decisive victory for Cromwellian forces. The house was later owned by the Blackwood family for 170 years. In 1885, Henry Beveridge extended and modernised the castle, adding an east wing and a portico. The castle also served as a NATO headquarters after the Second World War. A visitor finds a category A listed building now converted into residential apartments. The surviving grounds include private housing and the Carnegie Campus business park. The East Lodge entrance survives, while the western one was demolished. The castle’s original U-shaped plan and symmetrical layout can still be recognised. The grounds, once a wilderness, now feature a water garden and remnants of a narrow-gauge railway. The castle’s history is visible in its architecture and the stories of its past owners and occupants.