Description

Earlier to mid 19th century. 2-storey, 3-bay T-plan farmhouse with some Tudor detailing; later 19th century 2-storey, 2-bay extension to E forming cruciform-plan; set on sloping site. Squared and snecked stugged sandstone; stone cills; ashlar dressings; droved strip quoins. Lying-pane sash and case windows; hoodmoulds; lancet arrow-slits; shafted and diagonally set chimneystacks.

S (GARDEN FRONT) ELEVATION: central modern timber glazed door; modern patio doors to right (inserted into former window opening); ground floor window to slightly advanced right-hand gabled bay. Small 1st floor window above door; flanking single windows above ground floor openings; blind lancet window in gablehead; ball finial to gable apex. Ground floor window to left return (former E elevation), blind window above. 2-storey extension to E: modern door closely set to re-entrant angle; modern window to right; 1st floor window close to eaves above. Single storey later lean-to shed to far right, timber boarded door.

E ELEVATION: gable end. Ground floor modern window to right. Central 1st floor window. Single storey lean-to rubble shed, small square ground floor window incorporated into boundary wall.

N (ROAD) ELEVATION: sunk ground floor level in moated area. Truncated steps, flying over ground floor moat, to central gabled porch at 1st floor in re-entrant angle with modern door, narrow 4-pane fanlight, blank shield and block skewputts. Barred ground floor window to shallow right return of porch. Advanced gabled bay to left with bipartite window at ground; hoodmoulded 1st floor window above; blind lancet arrow-slit window in gablehead, ball finial to gable apex. Small blind rectangular window to right of porch; 1st floor window close to eaves above. Extension to E: central single ground floor window.

W ELEVATION: gable end. Small blind rectangular ground floor window; blind hoodmoulded 1st floor window above; blind lancet in gablehead.

Timber sash and case lying-pane windows to earlier 19th century phase; timber sash and case plate glass windows with horns to later 19th addition. Pitched roofs; grey slates; raised ashlar-coped skews; block skewputts; corniced shafted and diagonally set gable apex and ridge stacks.

INTERIOR: plain cornicing; timber tongue and groove dado to some rooms.

BOUNDARY WALLS and GATEPIERS: low coped random rubble boundary walls (modern rubble wall to road). Square-plan slender chamfered and droved gatepiers with drop arched caps to N. Large square-plan 18th century vermiculated and droved ashlar gatepiers with vermiculated stepped caps flanking new entrance to converted steading to E.

Statement of Interest

This is a relatively plain farmhouse, although details such as the ball finials, Tudor hoodmoulds, lancet windows and diagonal chimneystacks add interest. Originally known as Deals, the farm was built on lands belonging to Lord Cunningham of Duloch in the first half of the 19th century. Dales Farmhouse and Steading were later held by the William Gibson Trust, who have managed lands (including the Duloch estate) owned by the late William Gibson since his death in 1862. Dales farmhouse was continually let until it was finally sold to current owners in 1999. The farmhouse and the recently converted (2002) E-plan steading to the NE occupy a prominent site on the main road (B981) from Inverkeithing to Crossgates. Replacement pantiled roofs and sympathetic openings have been instated. The 18th century gates were originally centred between the farmhouse and the steading on the main road, to the W of their new position central to the converted steading.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata IDs Q17793937 Q17793951

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

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)