The visit started with a tour of Comielaw, an old farm steading on the Balcaskie estate imaginatively converted into 16 business units, with a mixture of artist studios, craft workshops and tech businesses. We were shown round by our host Toby Anstruther and enjoyed meeting several of the business owners and viewing their work.
We then made our way the half mile or so to Balcaskie House, one of the finest 17th century houses in Scotland. Toby explained the history of the house, originally designed for his own occupation by Sir William Bruce, a significant political figure in the time of Charles II, and who introduced classical architecture to Scotland.
Balcaskie was acquired by the Anstruther family at the end of the 17th century, perhaps to escape from their Dreel Castle home which Charles II had slighted as a ‘craw’s nest’.
Toby conducted us on a tour of the house interior, followed by refreshments and impressive nibbles organised by our volunteers in the south-facing garden. The beautiful terraced garden is aligned with a vista right down to the St Monans windmill on the coast and across to the Bass Rock.
A donation of the proceeds of the visit was made to our hosts’ chosen charity, Anstruther Improvements Association.