Description

1776 with early 19th century additions. 2-storey long rectangular steading range with some single storey additions; to left and centre, 18th century 10-bay block, including 5-bay cart shed section, dated 1776; adjoining to right, 7-bay (4-bay to 1st floor) 19th century domestic extension of with single storey addition to outer right. Squared coursed stugged rubble to 18th century sections; snecked squared stugged rubble to 19th century extension; to rear and side elevations, mostly random rubble; rendered section to left of rear elevation.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: to left, 5-bay section; timber-boarded door to outer left bay; timber and glazed door to 4th bay from left; to remainder of bays, concrete framed windows in altered or non-original openings; blind 1st floor. To 5-bay central section: ground floor segmentally-arched cart openings, central arch with projecting keystone dated '1776'; 4 openings with recessed surrounds to 1st floor. To right: ground floor opening enclosing stone stairs (see Notes); centre, 2 timber doors with letterbox fanlights, each door flanked by single windows to left and right; far right, single storey lean-to extension with single window in altered opening; 4 windows to 1st floor.

NW (REAR) ELEVATION: to outer left, blind elevation of single storey lean to; to left of range, 2 single storey lean-to extensions (harled masonry to left; timber and corrugated iron with dormer-headed window breaking eaves to right); to central section of range, ground floor 4 slit windows (deeply splayed reveals to interior) with doorway to right, 1st floor 2 small timber-boarded openings; between central and right sections of range, projecting wing; to right section of range, single opening to 1st floor.

SW (SIDE) ELEVATION: single opening to ground and 1st floor; 20th century lean-to structure adjoining gable.

NE (SIDE) ELEVATION: blind elevation; single storey lean-to to ground floor.

GLAZING etc: to principal elevation, lying pane timber casement windows to left of range; 4-pane timber sash and case windows to right of range. Pitched roof; stone skews and apex block to SW gable; to principal elevation and lean-to to NE gable, stone slates; concrete slates to rear slope. Corniced gable head stack to NE gable; corniced ridge stack to 19th century section of range; circular cans.

Statement of Interest

The principal range of Ballinshoe farmsteading is a good example of later 18th century steading architecture, and is also of value due to the addition of integral early 19th century domestic accommodation. Subsidiary rubble-built steading ranges to rear and SW of principal range are of lesser interest.

Ballinshoe Steading is closely linked to Ballinshoe Castle (ruin; see separate listing) which is thought to date from the late 16th century. In 1776, the date of construction of the main part of the principal steading range, Ballinshoe was in the ownership of Major Robert Fletcher, whose family had been at Ballinshoe since the early 17th century. Ainslie's map of 1794 and Thomson's map of 1825 both show Ballinshoe Steading, but refer to it as 'Barns'. In the early 19th century, the lands of Ballinshoe were sold to a member of the Wedderburn family of Ballindean, who kept them only a short time before selling them, in 1814, to Gilbert Laing Meason (brother of Malcolm Laing the historian and Samuel Laing the translator). Meason was succeeded by his son Magnus Gilbert Laing Meason. In 1846, the estates were again sold (the sale is thought to have been forced by debts incurred by the Measons in improving their estates at Ballinshoe and Lindertis) to the Earl of Strathmore.

The stone stairs to the right of the cart openings give access to the hayloft above. It is possible that these were originally external forestairs that also serve a door to the right, (now blocked) 19th century section; the masonry of this gable does not match the red sandstone of the 19th century addition; to the right of the forestair, the 19th century build also seems to incorporate earlier fabric. This suggests that there may have been an earlier (probable contemporary with the 1776 steading) building on the other side of the stair, but that this was demolished and replaced in the early 19th century, all except the SW gable which was retained and incorporated into the new building.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17777993

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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