A substantial white-harled L-plan laird's house of three storeys, Pitheavlis Castle lies on Needless Road, a mile (1.5 km) southwest of the centre of Perth. Built in the late 16th century, with a two storey wing added to the rear in the 17th century, Pitheavlis is described as "of considerable sophistication" in the Illustrated Architectural Guide to Perth and Kinross (2000). The main block has a round stair-turret to the rear, with another stair within a square jamb to the front (southwest corner) which features corbelled-out pepperpot turrets. There are crow-stepped gables and a massive wallhead chimney at the front.
Pitheavlis was the home of the Oliphant family until the 17th century and later became the property of the Murrays. MacGibbon and Ross, writing in the 1890s, noted that the house was partially inhabited as a farmhouse, but did not appear to be well cared for. In the early 20th century, it was bought by Whisky Baron Sir Robert Usher who owned it until 1920. It is now divided into flats.
