Pricing Change
New pricing for orders of material from this site will come into place shortly. Charges for supply of digital images, digitisation on demand, prints and licensing will be altered.
Pitmedden House, Farmhouse
Farm Building (Period Unassigned), Museum (20th Century)
Site Name Pitmedden House, Farmhouse
Classification Farm Building (Period Unassigned), Museum (20th Century)
Alternative Name(s) Museum Of Farming Life; Pitmedden House Policies; Pitmedden Gardens
Canmore ID 115313
Site Number NJ82NE 33.05
NGR NJ 88465 28124
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/115313
- Council Aberdeenshire
- Parish Udny
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Gordon
- Former County Aberdeenshire
The Museum of Farming Life is based on the old farmhouse, now restored, and adjacent buildings, all crammed with tools and equipment from last century. The dank bothy is an excellent evocation of the living quarters of those whose toil created the modern farming landscape of Aberdeenshire. Another vital factor in the Improving Movement, lime, would
have been provided from the massive limekiln and pit still visible across the road.
Taken from "Aberdeenshire: Donside and Strathbogie - An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Ian Shepherd, 2006. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
Standing Building Recording (26 March 2003)
NJ82NE 33.05 8846 2812
For adjacent well (NJ 8845 2812), see NJ82NE 33.13.
NJ 8846 2812 A building recording exercise was carried out in March 2003 of the E gable of the Old Farmhouse, Pitmedden Garden, during repointing works.
The survey showed that the building had undergone several phases of construction, with the gable being raised to incorporate a second storey. The chimney breast appears to have undergone repairs, and a lean-to building at the NE corner had been added, possibly at the same time as the demolition of a wall linking this building to the garden cottage.
A small test pit was excavated at the W corner of the adjoining lean-to, in order to investigate drainage problems. This recovered some glass of 18th-century date.
Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.
Sponsor: NTS.
D Hind 2003
Field Visit (January 2005)
C-plan agricultural building. Mortar-bonded roughly dressed granite rubble construction; more neatly tooled cream-grey granite dressings. The structure comprises a principal E–W aligned range with a double-pitched,slated roof (Welsh), copings replaced in concrete – see 3; cream-yellow ceramic ridge tiles. Roof structure original, of sawn pine, rafter couples lapped and nailed at the ridge; low collars.
Cart entrance to W with low arched head. Internal N–S cross wall with entrance at its S end; wood panelled above (later lined with cement block-work). Entrance in N wall off-set to E (possible modern insertion). To E of cross wall a single interior space, 2 original entrances to S (facing into a small court). Entrance in E gable wall off-set to S. This space is currently cobbled with an E–W drainage gully slightly off-set to the S. The N wall is partitioned for a series of byres. 4 partitions remain, their S ends terminating at vertical newels socked into pad-stones. 3 partitions to W of N entrance, 1 to the E, with 2 further unoccupied pad-stones beyond. The remaining stalls each have a wooden hay feeder and feed trough below.
It is not clear to what extent the byre partitions, cobbled floor etc, are original to the structure or modified during conversion to museum.
Two projecting jambs on S side, double-pitched roofs at lower level than the main range; ventilation slits in upper part of S gable ends. Jamb to SW has an entrance to the W with small window on its S side (2 above 2 sash and case) – probably inserted. There is a blocked central entrance in the S gable of the SW jamb. The SE jamb has an extant central entrance to the S. The E wall of this jamb is stepped back from the E wall of the main range and contains en entrance off-set to the N, possible inserted. Interior has whitewashed pine board ceiling. Modern N–S cross wall off-set to E.
The building is now used for the Museum of Farming Life, and modifications were made to the building.
Copes removed and reinstated in concrete.
SW jamb is fitted out as an agricultural bothy and lined with vertical V-section match boarding. Inserted masonry fireplace centre of S wall. Entrance from W and window inserted? General re-pointing in cement.
Cement block-work extension of internal N–S cross wall up to roof.
Main chamber fitted out as ‘The byre’ exhibit to W and a leather-worker’s workshop to the E
PIT06 B114, 115
Information from NTS (SCS) January 2014
