Description

Dated 1889. Single storey and 2-storey, 7-bay, courtyard plan former stable block, with L-plan stable block and kennels adjacent. Harled with raised cement-faced margins. Eaves course; eaves blocking course to 2-storey blocks of principal elevation.

SE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; gabled 2-storey centre bay, round-arched pend to ground floor with impost detail, leading to courtyard; tooled sandstone Kennedy coat of arms to centre of gable, flanked to left by initials "JK" and to right by "1889". Single storey, 2-bay blocks adjoining to left and right, horizontal 2-pane window to each bay; 2-storey, single bay blocks to outer left and right; window to ground floor of block to right, segmental-arched window above; window to ground floor of block to left, window breaking eaves to 1st floor above. Stepped-up gatepier adjoining to outer right.

NE ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 7-bay; gatepiers adjoining to outer left; 2 segmental-arched openings near-centre of ground floor, flanked to left by small window and to right by broad pend to courtyard, 3 gableted windows breaking eaves above; boarded timber doors flanked by windows to left and right; single windows to ground and 1st floors of bay to outer left.

NW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 3 deep segmental-arched openings to bays to left; flanking bay to right advanced, canted bay with 3 windows to ground and 1st floor, boarded timber door to left, 2 windows to left return; bays adjoining to outer right not seen 1999.

SW ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 4-bay; segmental-arched openings to ground and 1st floors of 2 central bays; flanking bays to left and right stepped forward, Venetian window recessed in segmental-arch to ground floors, tripartite windows above.

COURTYARD ELEVATIONS: round-arched pend to centre of SE block, flanked by 2-leaf sliding boarded glazed timber doors, glazed canopy oversailing SE block. Variety of boarded timber doors flanked by irregularly spaced windows to ground floor of remaining elevations, gableted windows breaking eaves and skylights to attic floor.

ANCILLARY STRUCTURES AND LOUPIN'-ON STANE: L-plan stable block and outbuilding to NE, boarded timber doors and irregularly spaced windows, segmental-arched openings, graded slate roof with lead ridges, skylights and ventilators. Small rectangular-plan kennels to NW of stables, harled with 2 runs to W, low walls surmounted by hooped iron railings, slate roof with overhanging eaves, skylights. Loupin'-on stane to NW of courtyard, rendered mounted blocks with 3 steps to left and right.

INTERIOR: not seen 1999.

Statement of Interest

B-Group with Doonholm and Doonholm Estate Sundial (see separate listings). What is now the Doonholm Estate was originally 2 smaller farms of Berriesden and Warlockholm, owned by the town of Ayr. In 1754 they were bought by James Neill at a public sale, who sold them to David Mitchell a year later. Dr William Fergusson, a retired physician bought the two farms and the 40 acres they came with from Mitchell in 1756 (two years later he also bought Mount Oliphant, see separate listing). Fergusson named the estate Doonholm, which was on the banks of the River Doon, and was responsible for building the house circa 1760. After changing ownership a few times more the estate was bought by the Kennedy family, who appear to have built the stables. The appearance of a stable court on the 1st Edition OS Map, suggests that perhaps Kennedy remodelled an existing building. 24 horses could be accommodated in the Georgian-style stables, which have now converted to domestic and agricultural use.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56615410

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)