Pitmedden House, Walled Garden

Hexagonal in plan; constructed in cement block-work, harled in cement externally, rendered internally, with sandstone dressings including a base course and cope. At the angles there are six decorative sandstone piers. The pier that faces NE is inscribed on 3 sides : GIVEN BY THE MINISTRY OF WORKS (S side); 7 FRAGMENTS OF THE CROSS FOUNTAIN OF LINLITHGOW ERECTED AT THE RESTORATION OF CHARLES II (E side); and SET UP HERE IN THE YEAR 1956 (N side). In Dr James Richardson’s guide pamphlet of c.1960-65, 0704, he notes: In the re—creation of the Great Garden of Pitmedden, the National Trust for Scotland not only has established once again the site of the original fountain but it has erected a further fountain as a focal point in the centre of the Great garden. The sculptured stones that compose this second fountain have an interesting history as seven of them formed, at one time, part of the Cross Fountain of Linlithgow designed and executed by Robert Milne, King’s Master Mason, to commemorate King Charles II’s Restoration. These detached fragments were given by the Ministry of Works. Three fragments of the original Pitmedden construction have also been worked into the composition of the fountain. When viewing the composition with a critical eye it is interesting to note that all stones, whether from Linlithgow or Pitmedden, appear to have been cut by the same craftsman. The introduction of split pebble pavement has brought into being again a craft which has been dead for many years in Scotland. There are a number of individual stones that make up the piers and it is not entirely clear that there are 7 individual fragments; 5 piers appear early. The piers to the N and S are surmounted by gadrooned urns, with paired dog heads on each. The urns are clearly early. The central pier is of sections of sandstone turned to a moulded / baluster profile. The basin on top appears to be early; this is lead-lined. The pool is surrounded by a 12-sided area of split-cobble paving edged with granite setts; this contains 12 individual panels 6 of which are rectangular and correspond to the long sides of the fountain; these contain heraldic motifs alternating hearts and crescents in red cobbles. The intervening panels are triangular. Historic photographs : construction of pier, detail, 1956 (0329); general view during construction, 1956 (0394); aerial view during construction, Sept 1956 (0393); general view following completion, 1957 (0395). Other archival sources – see 0607; 0608 and 0617. Raised hexagonal pool, 4.2m dia?, in stone and concrete blockwork with cement wet-dash panels externally and rendered internally, with fluted stone basin on pedestal in centre, stone piers at each angle with fluted stone urns on N and S ones. Pool lies within split-pebble paved surround divided into 12 panels with heart and crescent emblems in red stones, approx. 2m wide? On main garden W-E axis centrally in Lower garden between pyramidal yews. Constructed as part of the garden reconstruction in 1956-57. “ … the National Trust for Scotland not only has established once again the site of the original fountain but it has erected a further fountain as a focal point in the centre of the Great Garden. The sculptured stones that compose this second fountain have an interest¬ing history as seven of them formed, at one time, part of the Cross Fountain of Linlithgow designed and executed by Robert Milne, King's Master Mason, to commemorate King Charles II’s Restoration. These detached fragments were given by the Ministry of Works. Three fragments of the original Pit¬medden construction have also been worked into the composition of the fountain. When viewing the composition with a critical eye it is interesting to note that all stones, whether from Linlithgow or Pitmedden, appear to have been cut by the same craftsman. The intro¬duction of split pebble pavement has brought into being again a craft which has been dead for many years in Scotland.” (Richardson 1965). Photos 0329, 0324 and 0394 show the fountain during construction; 0395 and 0408 show the completed fountain and pebble paving; pump and stop cock arrangements for this or the Upper pool during construction are shown in photos 0332 and 0402, which are also appear in a rough diagram (0333). Information from NTS (BNM) January 2014.