History in Structure

Balcomie Farmsteading

A Category B Listed Building in Crail, Fife

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Coordinates

Latitude: 56.2802 / 56°16'48"N

Longitude: -2.6077 / 2°36'27"W

OS Eastings: 362470

OS Northings: 709913

OS Grid: NO624099

Mapcode National: GBR 2Z.882S

Mapcode Global: WH8TL.XDDW

Plus Code: 9C8V79JR+3W

Entry Name: Balcomie Farmsteading

Listing Name: Balcomie Castle, Including Farmhouse and Steading

Listing Date: 24 November 1972

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 335577

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB4327

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200335577

Location: Crail

County: Fife

Electoral Ward: East Neuk and Landward

Parish: Crail

Traditional County: Fife

Tagged with: Farmstead

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Description

Begun after 1526. Large quadrangular complex comprising:-

SOUTH RANGE, ORIGINAL MAIN TOWER HOUSE BLOCK:- 4-storey

with towers SW and SE, later outshot with vaulted ground

floor between them, about 100' long. Only W section and

SW 5-storey tower with 2-storey angle turrets (roofs cut

to slope of main roof 18th or early 19th century) remains

fairly entire but largely unfloored; remainder very

fragmentary, ground floor only remaining. Later 16th

century character, rubble-built with moulded openings,

gun loops in some window breasts, surviving parts slated.

EAST RANGE AND GATEHOUSE:- Late 16th,17th and early/mid

18th century; reduced and altered farm buildings early

19th century. Gatehouse dated 1602, now of 2-storeys only,

evidently originally higher entrance section has segmental

pend arch with 3 fine armorial panels above, moulded

openings; section to north of it 18th century, 2-storey

4-window with pend arch; slated; remainder much rebuilt

as farm buildings iron columned and partiled lean-to

cartshed applied to southern northern parts rebuilt as

steading.

WEST RANGE (FARMHOUSE):- Circa 1765/75. Georgian wing

probably built by General Scott retained as farmhouse in

early 19th century demolition and reconstruction. 3-storey,

3-window and 3-window bow at S end main part, bowed porch

in N angle of bow, droved ashlar, piended slated roof;

northern section 2-storey, 4-window at ground floor,

5-window at 1st, droved ashlar, slated. Original woodwork. FARMSTEADING:- single-storey pantiled at north end of

complex, pantiled, polygonal horsemill.

Statement of Interest

Built originally by the Learmonths to whom the lands were

granted in feu farm in 1526. Passed to Sir William Gordon

of Lesmoir 1696, to the hopes by purchase 1705, purchased

by General Scot of Scotstarvit shortly after 1763, west

range evidently built or rebuilt by him; largely unoccupied

after his death in 1775 when purchased by the Earl of Mar

and Kellie; fell into disrepair and partially demolished

and reconstructed as farm early in 19th century.

External Links

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