Pitfichie Castle Letterbox Hybrid

This cache has been archived.

Bexen: Checked on cache and it was there so have decided its time to archive cache.

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Hidden : 4/18/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


Pitfichie Castle was built in around 1560 by the Urry family. The Urry's had owned the lands of Pitfichie since the 14th Century and one of the Urry's of Pitfichie married the sister of King Robert the Bruce. The de Monimusk family, to whom the Brecbennoch was sent for safe-keeping after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, died out in the 14th century with two daughters. One married into the family at Castle Fraser and the other married into the Urry family at Pitfichie. Several generations after the Urry's had left Pitfichie, a descendant became the famous Major General Sir John Urry, who was beheaded in Edinburgh after the Civil War.

The castle passed between a number of different owners. In 1597 it was sold to a John Cheyne of Fortrie and in 1650 it was sold to the Forbeses, who also owned Monymusk Estate.

When the Forbeses sold Monymusk Estate to the Grants in 1712, they moved from Monymusk House to Pitfichie Castle which they owned for around 60 years, eventually also selling Pitfichie and its grounds to the Grants.

The castle was unroofed in 1796 and as a consequence fell into ruin and was abandoned. In 1936 the whole of the East wall and the South gable collapsed, and at that time it was suggested that the rest of the building be bulldozed, but Dr Douglas Simpson succeeded in having it saved. The black and white photo to the right shows how much of a ruin the castle had become by the 1960s.

The ruin was sold in the 1978 to Aberdeen antique dealer Mr Colin Wood of Insch, who lovingly restored the castle to its former glory. The building work was carried out by three masons, Slessor Troup, Premnay, Mr Alec Killoh, Insch and Mr Les Henderson, Tough and was eventually completed in 1996. The castle is now a private residence.

Information taken from Monymusk.com

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Srapr Cbfg

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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