Pittensair, Lhanbryde

N facing 2-storey, 3-bay house. Harled rubble, ashlar dressings. Later additions at E gable and S elevation. Centre door in N front masked by later gabled wooden porch. Moulded surround to doorway; also to all front windows, which have been widened in ground and 1st floor outer bays. Oval oculus in W gable to light loft with 'James Olgilvie' carved above and 'Marjory Steuart' below. Moulded corniced copes to end stacks, with narrow pulvinated stringcourse below cornice and small ledge at inner face, with moulded underside. Shaped skewputts, that at NW dated; flat skews continuously moulded on underside and splayed at base to follow line of bellcast roof; graded Banffshire slate roof with stone ridge. Later single storey rubble extension at rear, masking rear centre entrance; single storey, 3-bay cottage (now gutted) at E gable; moulded architraves to centre door. End stacks and corrugated iron roofs to both.

James Ogilvie was a master mason and it can be assumed that he was architect-builder of his own dwelling in which, in minature, he includes details from the greater mansions on which he worked. The moulding on the underside of the staircase is similar to that at Gordonstoun House, re-modelled 1730, on which he may well have worked.

James Ogilvie was 'Architect and Undertaker' for Speymouth church, he and the minister having 'contrived' the plan between them in 1732-3. Unusual detailing to end stacks, the ledges probably assisting the cleaning of the chimneys besides throwing rainwater away from the ridge. (Historic Scotland).

OS Name Book 1868-1871 notes for Pittensier "This name is applied to a farm Steading, the dwelling house is two Stories high Slated and in good repair the offices are thatched and in bad repair Right Hon. [Honourable] the Earl of Fife Proprietor"

June 2008: External inspection finds this important complex of early 18th century farmhouse & buildings, vacant and boarded up. The outbuilding is in ruinous condition. The roof is in need of repair to protect the structure.

July 2008: Local planners report that Listed Building Consent was granted in 2006 for the renovation of the farmhouse with the demolition of outbuildings. A Building Warrant for the work was subsequently refused in 2007.

5 September 2012: External inspection finds no significant change from the previous site visit. The entrance porch has been removed and the front door blocked up.

15 September 2015: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously: vegetation continues to engulf the structure.