Pitkellony House

Pitkellony House is likely to have been built around 1670, with significant extensions and alterations made in subsequent centuries. A northeast wing dates back to 1850, potentially designed by George Penrose Kennedy, and further remodelling took place around 1880 by George Turnbull Ewing. The house was renovated following a fire after 1991. It is an early crowstepped tower house, originally three storeys and with a basement, extended to create an irregular ‘T’ shaped plan. A tall, two-storey Victorian wing was added, now serving as an estate office for Drummond Castle. Additional single-storey-with-attic and two-storey wings act as a dwelling and office, all sharing a detailed architectural style. A dominant stair tower, a priest's hole, and an unusual three-part stair window are notable features. The exterior is constructed with snecked boulder and squared rubble, along with some dry-dash rendering. Stone mullions have chamfered ashlar margins, and moulded, pedimented windowheads break the eaves, some topped with ball finials and relief carving.

The southwestern entrance elevation features a three-storey block with a projecting gabled stair tower centrally located. There are two set-back bays to the left, behind a single-storey, flat-roofed porch which has a reused lintel dated 1670. An outer right projecting gabled bay displays a gablehead pediment finial dated ‘1850’ bearing the initials ‘DPK’. A later single-storey-with-attic, piend-roofed bay projects from the two-storey ‘L’ shaped wing. The northeast elevation exhibits early, irregularly-fenestrated bays which are set back to the right. A vertical, three-part window, initially used to light the stair but seemingly dating back to the early period, gives way to a single window with a carved pediment bearing the ‘1670’ date and the initials ‘ID’ flanking a crest.

Plate glass is fitted within timber sash and case windows. The roofing is grey slate. Coped ashlar stacks are present, some with decorative cans. The crowstepped gables are coped with ashlar and some are lead-clad, featuring beak skewputts.

Internally, original features have been retained, including plain cornices, six-panelled timber doors, and stone and marble fireplaces. The porch has a decoratively-tiled floor and a part-glazed screen door with flanking lights. Evidence of an earlier turnpike stair exists within the stair tower, along with a vaulted, rounded chamber on the first floor, and an adjacent small, vaulted chamber which may have served as a priest's hole. A later dog-leg staircase includes barley twist balusters, with older balusters on the ground floor displaying fine decorative detail. The Victorian wing features fine timber soffits and panelled shutters, a marble fire surround with a horseshoe grate, and flanking roundheaded niches; one of these niches now contains a window.