Description

Probably later 18th century. Large random rubble flat-coped walled garden enclosing an area approximately 150 x 75m with two inner dividing walls and lean-to potting sheds against S wall of N section. S-facing walls partly brick-lined. Segmental-arched polished sandstone principal gateway to E wall with long and short voussoirs and flanking wide, flat, triangular-topped buttresses to interior and exterior. 2-leaf timber-boarded gates. Later openings to N end of E wall.

POTTING SHEDS: random sandstone rubble with polished sandstone ashlar margins, eaves course, ashlar-coped skews and grey slate roofs.

Statement of Interest

A good example of an unusually extensive 18th century walled garden that informs the historical context of the Fairlie Estate despite now being in separate ownership to Fairlie House and the adjacent Fairlie Mains (both listed separately). The date 1776 is inscribed on one of the potting sheds. The taller section of wall behind these sheds, which is partially brick-lined, reflects the former position of a now demolished lean-to S-facing greenhouse on the opposite side, shown on 2nd Edition Ordnance Survey map (1894'6).

Robert Burns's father was employed here as a gardener and lived for a time in the one of the buildings of the U-shaped court adjoining the NE corner of the garden. The roofs of the potting sheds where he worked have largely collapsed.

Abutting the N end of the E wall is a domestic range that has windows opening into the garden. This would have been the head gardener's house and was built as part of a larger U-plan courtyard, of which the parallel range to the E and front wall on the former connecting N range still survive. These buildings are historically ancillary to the garden and form part of its setting.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56615405

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

• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)