Pittarthie Castle

Pittarthie Castle stands in Fife, Scotland, as the remains of a laird’s tower house built at the end of the 16th century. The ruins lie 2.5 kilometres southwest of Dunino and 6.5 kilometres northwest of Anstruther. The name appears as Pittarthie and Pittairthie in old records. The site is protected as a scheduled monument. The house was built around 1580 for James Monypenny of Pitmilly. The castle passed through several owners, including Andrew Logan in 1598 and the Bruce family from 1636 onwards. William Bruce of Pittarthie remodelled the house in 1653. By the 18th century, the Bruces still lived there. In 1882, it was described as a roofless ruin with parts dating back even earlier. The estate may have begun in the 14th century. The ruins show a three-storey house with two blocks arranged in an ‘L’ plan. A stair tower sits in the inner angle, and the entrance is at its base. The stonework is mostly good rubble with ashlar dressings, though coarser masonry at the south wall suggests an earlier structure. About 30 metres north are the remains of other buildings, and to the south lie a walled garden and terraces. Inside, the hall has a fireplace and water inlet, while the kitchen features a large north fireplace. The interior remains derelict.