Description

Probably circa 1780, altered. Fine quadrangular steading comprising rectangular-plan, single storey and single storey with loft, piend-roofed and gabled ranges, situated to N of slightly later Neo-Classical Cairness House. Coursed and squared, pinned rubble with squared quoins and voussoired segmental cart arch.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: principal elevations to SW comprising stand-alone piended range to centre with asymmetrical openings, those to right of centre enlarged with altered piended dormer windows: gable end with segmental cart arch fronting long W range and further gable end at E range. Courtyard elevations retain much original detailing including forestair at W range. NE range and N end of SE range now fronted by later lean-to structures.

SE range largely with 4-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows. Non-traditional replacement windows (2008) elsewhere. Grey slates with coped stacks. Ashlar-coped skews with some moulded skew putts.

Statement of Interest

The Home Farm at Cairness is a fine example of early, high quality construction methods used in Aberdeenshire farm building. Its striking stonework is of large squared rubble blocks with distinctive pinning and the quadrangular plan is less common than U-plan steadings. Formerly known as Barnyards, the Home Farm is situated a short distance to the north of the contemporary Cairness House, itself with an outstanding semicircular office range, which was built for Charles Gordon of Buthlaw. Although the Statistical Account does not mention Mr Gordon in the agriculture section, the visual evidence suggests an active interest in Improvement farming, and Sprott notes that "by the European standards of the time, a significant number of Scottish nobility and gentry worked to earn their privileged position", and "From 1784 the Highland Society [of Improvers] acted rather as a development agency, prodding, advising and stimulating an exchange of ideas".

Issued in 1982, the previous listing referred to a map held at Crimongate which shows Cairness only partly built, implying the Home Farm pre-dates the House by at least a decade. However, it is now (2008) thought that Cairness House dates from at least 1781, not 1791 as previously recorded.

Formerly listed as Barnyards of Cairness, address updated and list description revised 2008.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56617599

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

• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 1: The City of London: City of London v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)