Monday 3 September 2012

Moi, Unsightly?

This blog entry is part of a far larger story that has yet to emerge. However, the basic rationale goes as follows: when one is the victim of criticism that one feels is unwarranted then it is correct to use some appropriate channel of communication to put forward the case in one's defence. I am appending the text of a letter that I have written and will be sending, that illustrates this principle in microcosm.


Dear Mr. and Mrs.  <XXX>,


I notice that amongst the publicly distributed and collated submissions sent to Angus Council both for and against the development of the Carrach Windfarm, that you describe my house "Balintore Castle" as unsightly:

The (windfarm) project is well sited away from high hills and walking trails and is far more likely to attract visitors than the unsightly Ballintore (sp) Castle as recently featured on the STV news.

Please accept this letter as an invitation to visit Balintore Castle. I shall be happy to provide a personal guided tour of the building with refreshments. And if it proves impossible to extend your aesthetic boundaries to encompass this masterpiece of the Scottish Baronial style, then I daresay that I shall rest assured that your continued condemnation is firmly based upon the evidence of a visit.

Kind regards,

Dr. David Johnston



10 comments:

  1. Hope your al cozied up at the castle with the fires blazing. Its a verry chilly night tonight. 5 degrees in kirrie and thats just basicly down the hills

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Curt, thanks for the comment! I'm hoping for "ground source heat pump" underfloor heating eventually to keep me toasty. But for now, my big wood-burning stoves will have to do! Do I know you? If you are local, you must come along and visit at some stage.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Your kindness to Phillistines is more than I should have extended to them! Plebs!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Haha... Well, over here in the US of A, most of us consider that sight something to swoon over. It's magnificent!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Glad to know the USA is more enlightened in this regard. :-) I understand that before I got involved, a Texan did try to buy the building.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi David, I know this is an old post but I'm hoping you still get a notification on this. I was wondering if I came up to the castle, would it be possible to come and have a look around? I think it's spectacular and just looking to take some lovely photographs? If it is possible, please let me know on the following email address sharon_d_88@hotmail.co.uk

      Delete
  6. I was at Balintore shortly after the STV news story mentioned above. Angus council were also there, taking photo`s, because (they told me) of locals` complaints about the apparent state of the castle, immediately following its appearance on television. So maybe the letter writers are not alone in finding `unsightly` the castle`s orientated strand boarded-up windows, the council`s `DANGEROUS BUILDING! - KEEP OUT` signs, the missing slates and large holes in the leaning conical turret(s), and the pile of rubble that was once Burn`s magnificent oriel window? After 7 years(?)of new ownership, I would personally describe the sight as distressing rather than `unsightly`.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good morning David, i see the madwoman (ex Balintore leech) is not letting up with her unwarranted attacks on your good self. talk about a woman scorned! she was the one who put a very ugly and illegal caravan on your property causing genuine locals real distress, looks like she has been at the bottle again. i hear she has wormed her way in to another free place to stay, an unsuspecting old lady i believe is the latest victim of this deluded and viscious woman, everyone here in the glen knows she is poison, she has no business up here, maybe just likes to show off her latest black eyes for the sympathy vote? try to do what we all do and ignore her. keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've been following your blog with interest, I've lived locally to Balintore for many years and its great to see the progress at the Castle. I was reading through your older blog posts today, and read the comments above. I know many other locals, living both close to the castle and further afield, and everyone I've spoken to has been positive about the restoration, and really pleased someone is taking on this huge restoration job. I believe I know of the woman in question who had the large caravan on your property, and its not the first time that she has turned from seemingly friendly, to very nasty when things don't go her way. I don't think the 'locals complaints' she talks of actually exist, its most likely she has turned nasty after being told to remove her unsightly caravan.
    Keep up the great work, and I look forward to reading more of your blog posts in the future.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Ouch! That told them!!
    Well said.

    ReplyDelete