PORTENCROSS is alive; only the castle is a ruin. Nola Crewe of Toronto (May 22) has a nice romantic view of Portencross Castle as a restored home - restored to its original glory? But this is nonsense - Portencross was built as a defensive keep and was part of an extensive estate with surrounding infrastructure to serve it - our house may have been the stables, and later the ferryman's quarters.

Just as in the past, to operate as a modern home it would need the infrastructure of surrounding buildings; but there is now no space left, without destroying the foreshore and the castle's stark setting, for garden, car-parking, garage, septic tank - or any of the needs of modern or ancient living.

We villagers of Portencross would love to see the castle used as our village hall and open to the public with some minimal necessary conservation but we have not found either the present owners or any Scottish heritage groups willing to help in this.

The castle might be sold to some magnanimous rich monk who has forsaken cars, plumbing, etc, and would welcome picnicking cyclists, sun-lying lovers, and ancient reminiscers pottering around among shrieking child adventurers in his domain with no restriction - as they do now - but we have a much better chance of winning the Lottery or convincing Magnox to be magnanimous.

Almost 100% of the thousands of local people and visitors to Portencross presented with our petition agree that it should be kept as it is. It has lasted nearly 700 years and will easily last another 1000 if not interfered with.

Portencross Castle's value is not in its architecture but in its simple stark setting, combined with its rich history and easy public interaction; sale to a private owner along with the surrounding foreshore would inevitably destroy this unique piece of real, non-Disneyfied, accessible history.

Gordon and Susanne Proven,

Castle Cottage,

Portencross, West Kilbride. May 24.

THE correspondence about Portencross Castle has been particularly valuable in that it shows a convergence of views on the need to preserve this dramatically situated fourteenth-century structure, and drawn attention to one telling point of difference, how it should look in the future.

It is described as a ruin and parts of the building are indeed in that state,but it is not about to fall down. The basement and the main hall have intact vaulted ceilings, a stone fire-place and window-seats. The outer wall of the castle and its windows are intact and strong.

Scotland has a wealth of fortified houses. Some can be suitably adapted to modern use, but Portencross Castle gives us links to the Middle Ages, the Stewart kings, and perhaps Robert the Bruce. It is the quality of authenticity which is worth all of the fuss that is being made of it and more. It cannot be adapted to twentieth-century living and keep this irreplaceable, touchable, reality.

In this light, how its preservation is to be achieved should now be the focus of our energy. When the public will is clear, as we believe it now is, we should look to Magnox and the reservoir of goodwill which this public company surely has to the population of the west of Scotland, to take the first step to securing its future in public not private ownership.

Alastair Glen,

276a Nithsdale Road, Glasgow. May 23.

PORTENCROSS and Moidart are many miles apart, but they are united in being confronted with the possibility of development of much-loved local landmarks. There are differences, though. Castle Tioram in Moidart is a spectacular castle, even as a ruin, whereas today Portencross is a forlorn keep. Tioram has a dramatic history whereas Portencross's hangs on the shoogly nails of ''Robert the Bruce slept here'' and the legend of dead kings being transported to Iona.

None of this detracts from the potential of Portencross Castle to be a force for good, not just for the hamlet and West Kilbride, but for the whole of north Ayrshire. But if Ann MacLachlan (May 23) thinks there is a big pot of public cash waiting to be disbursed to anyone who asks, she will surely be disappointed.

Consolidation of the building as an empty ruin will cost well into six figures. Then there is the ongoing maintenance. Who is going to pay? the Portencross Association needs all the support it can get in realising its ambitions. It can learn from the unhappy turn of events at Castle Tioram by embracing those with a positive attitude to Portencross and by facing some uncomfortable realities.

The fact is that Portencross Castle will not stay as it is, no matter how much people want it to. It needs substantial sums spent on it and no individual will commit to that if they think their neighbours-to-be are hostile.

If anger has to be generated (and that is not a bad thing), then direct it towards Magnox for being so ready to sell to the highest bidder. For, every pound spent in purchase is one pound less on the building. The castle needs that money more than Magnox.

Portencross has the good fortune of an active community association. I urge it to strengthen it by welcoming those who wish to save and enhance its most historic building. A start can be made by inviting Nola Crewe from Canada (she has said in these columns that she would love to purchase the castle) and representatives of Magnox to a meeting of the association.

I would be pleased to attend and make my humble contribution to enabling Portencross to avoid the well-publicised mishaps that befell Law Castle in West Kilbride.

James Brown,

Baltersan Cottage,

Dalchomie Farm, by Maybole. May 23.