Description

1904. Single storey, 5-bay former Kaimes Ironworks Institute. Tooled squared and snecked red sandstone polished ashlar to margins. Base course; chamfered reveals; long and short quoins; eaves course; decorative stone finials to gables.

NW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 5-bay; engaged square-plan entrance tower to penultimate bay to right, modern steps leading to doorway to right of ground floor, 2-leaf flat timber door, flanked to right by single window, 2 blind tablets above; decoratively chamfered and corbelled angles to upper stage of tower, clock faces to centre of all but rear elevation, eaves cornice; pyramidal spire with subsidiary pinnacles at angles, weathervane to apex. Gableted bay advanced to outer right, tripartite window to centre, single windows to left and right returns; tripartite window flanking entrance tower to left, advanced gablet breaking eaves; bipartite window to penultimate bay to left; kneelered gabled bay advanced to outer left, flat timber door to right, flanked by single window to left.

SW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 4-bay; 3 gabled bays to left, regular fenestration to each; gabled bay advanced to right, single window to centre.

SE ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 6-bay; advanced bay to 3rd bay from right, piend roofed addition to centre, with flat-roofed addition adjoining to left, single bay gabled left return with tall tripartite window to centre; 2-bay right return, gabled bay to left with tall tripartite window, tripartite window flanking to right; 2 recessed bays to right, modern doorway to bay to left, flanked to right by window, doorway to left of bay to right flanked to right by window. Slightly advanced bay to 3rd bay from left, window to centre; 2 recessed bays flanking to left, window to right, doorway to left.

NE ELEVATION: single window off-centre to left.

Window openings boarded-up (2000). Grey-green slate roof with terracotta ridge. Coped stone skews with blocked skewputts. Single brick wallhead stack with circular can. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: predominantly modernised. Some arches, cornicing, panelling, doors and dado rails survive.

GATEPIER AND BOUNDARY WALL: single gothic gatepiers survives to SW, red sandstone with decorative gablets. Some of coped red sandstone wall to SW survives.

Statement of Interest

The tarworks at Kames were founded in 1786, and the ironworks were established the following year. The blackband ironstone seams were exhausted in 1901, however imported iron ore from Spain sustained operations for a few more years, but the ironworks closed in 1923. Opencast coal mining being in the 1950's, but this too soon came to an end in 1968. Kaimes Ironworks Institute was built at the same time as Kaimes Church (now demolished) "for the spiritual need and recreation of the people" (Findlay p49) working at the adjacent ironworks (again little now survives). Although the Institute now stands virtually alone, it was once the focal point in a thriving community, surrounded by miners' cottages. However, following the closure of the ironworks and coal mines the surrounding buildings were gradually demolished. In 1975 the Institute became Kaimes Outdoor Pursuits Centre, but is currently empty (2000). The former Kaimes Ironworks Institute is an important reminder of the industrial landscape which once surrounded it. Notable features include the squat tower and decorative finials.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17792385

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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