Description

Built circa 1787, probably to designs by Robert Adam. Single and 2-storey buildings arranged around octagonal central courtyard. Main blocks to compass points, 2-storey piend-roofed linked by single storey monopitch blocks, that to SE partly demolished, Rubble-built, partly rendered with polished granite margins and dressings. Piend-roofed, 2-storey blocks to compass points, 5-bay with central tall round-arched detail of finely dressed granite framing door, 2 windows or ventilation slits flanl. Single storey linking blocks 3-bay with cart-arches or columned open bays. Good graded slate roofs, abestos to S block. From S block anti-clockwise;S BLOCK: 2-storey with pend to centre giving formal access to courtyard. This block latterly in use as a dwelling, it is difficult to determine if this was its original usage, some of the fireplaces seem to be insertions. Interior destroyed by fire late 1960s. SE RANGE: single storey, eastermost section demolished 20th century.

E BLOCK: byre with loft above, 1st floor door to loft in E wall with traces of a forestair. Lit by slit ventilators, now mostly blocked.

NE RANGE: cartshed with open bays with granite columns to courtyard.

N BLOCK: 2-storey threshing barn, formerly with large opposing doors, that to N wall blocked, that to N wall blocked, that to S now with reduced-height door. Slit ventilators. Interior almost gutted. Modern range of fram buildings attached at rear.

NW RANGE: single storey implement/cart shed, 3 round-arched vehicle entrances (2 part-blocked).

W BLOCK: Stables to ground, hay loft above. 1 stall with cast-iron fittings, fire-clay floor tiles with cast-iron drainage grids. Door to loft with traces of forestair to W wall.

SW RANGE: 3-bay cartshed, double doors to arches. Again the courtyard wall has been heightened indicating the original slope of the roof was inwards to the courtyard.

SLAUGHTER HOUSE: detached and sited to N of steading, ruins of tall rectangular building known as the Slaughter House, though it is named only as 'ruin' in 1st edn OS maps. The Slaughterhouse is closely linked stylistically to both Kirkdale Steading and Kirkdale Bridge so is likely to be to the designs of Robert Adam, circa 1787. Rubble masonry with dressed granite quoins, finely dressed granite band course at two thirds height. The roofline has been pitched with gables to N and S. Now (1988) roofless with gablehead to N fallen. To S, square-headed door to ground, rubble voussoired oculus above,all set in recessed arched panel. To N, near full height rubble voussoired round arched opening. Part of finely cut cornice at eaves remains.

Statement of Interest

The Adam plans in the Soane Museum were for a much more ambitious steading. Kirkdale has many similarties with the octagonal steading at Culzean, though of course is much simpler in detail. Group with item Nos 34-36.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17568829

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.

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