The drawings for Pitmurthly are kept in a folder with a number of designs for country buildings including sheds, malt houses, estate cottages, barns and several farmyard designs. As with Dunninald House (q.v.) Soane acquired his connection with Colonel Graham (see also 12 Stratton Street, London) through the architect James Playfair (1755-94) who had earlier designed a cottage at Pitmurthly. After Playfair's early death, Soane bought some of his drawings and assisted his widow.

Soane's design for a farmhouse and out buildings has a direct simplicity. Built of stone and with a tiled roof, the well detailed drawings were sent to Scotland to be carried out by a local builder though 'in execution the layout was adapted to take account of the steeply falling gradient of the land-. (P. Dean, Sir John Soane and the country estate, 1999, p.188). Soane was paid '£26 5s 0d for "drawings for the workmen", the bill being settled in 1818' P.Dean op.cit).

The location for the farmhouse and out buildings is sometimes given as Methven but the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland web site shows 'Pitmurthly Farm' on its map and the plan (allowing for modern additions) corresponds with Soane's plan catalogued here. Pitmurthly is about four mile north-west of Perth.
(RCAHMS reference is : http://canmoremapping.rcahms.gov.uk/index.php?action=do_advanced&idnumlink=108398)


Jill Lever
Janaury 2015