Hill of Tarvit

Fife: About 2.5 miles south of Cupar, on minor roads east of A916 or north of B939, 1.5 miles west of Ceres, Hill of Tarvit.

NTS   NO 380119   OS: 59   KY15 5PB

OPEN: Open Apr-May, Wed-Sun 13.00-17.00; Jun-Sep, daily 13.00-17.00; Sep-Oct, Wed-Sun 13.00-16.00; garden and grounds open all year, closing at dusk. Weddings and events. Holiday accommodation in Upper West Wing Flat. Holiday cottage.
Tel: 01334 653127   Web: www.nts.org.uk  

Site of castle or older house, marked on Blaeu’s map of Fife, then as ‘Hilltarvat’ on Adair’s map of the east part of Fife. There is a round doocot [NO 378115], dating from the 17th or 18th century. Set in 273 acres of lovely gardens, woodland and grounds, Hill of Tarvit is a two-storey symmetrical mansion with small projecting bow-fronted wings.

The property was held by the Hopes of Craighall in 1641, but had passed to the Wemyss family by 1661. The original house dating from 1696 was designed by Sir William Bruce for the Wemyss family (who changed the name to Wemyss House) and was given wings in the 19th century. It was then virtually rebuilt in 1906 by Sir Robert Lorimer for Frederick B. Sharp, a Dundee industrialist. Sharp wanted to house his fine collections of paintings and pictures, including by Raeburn and Ramsay, furniture, Flemish tapestries and Chinese porcelain and bronzes. There are fine formal gardens, also designed by Lorimer, as well as a walled garden.

 Scotstarvit Tower is nearby and may be visited.