Description

Hass is an agricultural/crofting settlement dating from the early-19^th century and is shown on Crawford's map of Dumfriesshire of 1804. The site comprises an early-19^th century, rectangular-plan steading range to the west with a circular horsemill attached, and a late-19^th century farmhouse (built sometime between 1857 and 1898). These buildings are located at the roadside of the B725 Middlebie to Waterbeck road.

The farmhouse is a single-storey and attic, L-plan, three-bay farmhouse constructed in coursed rubble with ashlar dressings and contrasting, painted margins. The front (southeast) elevation has a central entrance door with a rectangular fanlight above. The windows throughout are largely non-traditional replacements. The roof is slated with straight skews and end chimneystacks.

The single-storey steading is rectangular on plan with a circular horsemill attached at the southwest. There is a large cartshed opening on the east elevation with a sliding door, and two smaller openings (one of which is now blocked up) and slit ventilators. The steading roof is hipped at one end, is covered in slates and has three rooflights on the southwest roof pitch. The conical horsemill roof is also slated.

Statement of Interest

The design details, plan form and construction materials of Hass farmhouse and steading are characteristic of a small-scale, early to mid-19^th century, Improvement period farm. Furthermore, the survival of the horsemill attached to the steading is of particular interest, because it is increasingly common for agricultural outbuildings to be altered over time. The relatively low level of later alteration to these buildings contributes to the group interest of Hass farmhouse and steading.

Hass farm was owned and occupied by James Davidson and his family from at least the 1840s until the late 1880s (according to the Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1848-58 and 19^th century census records). The presence of a horsemill indicates Hass operated as an arable farm, and later diversified to sheep farming in the early to mid-20^th century (Dumfries and Galloway Standard, 23 September 1916).

Photographs (taken in 2021) indicate there have been some later changes to the farmhouse and steading, such as the addition of non-traditional replacement windows, however it is common for farmhouses and agricultural buildings to be altered over time to increase space and accommodate new functions. Overall, these changes have had a minimal effect on the historic character, footprint and overall setting of the farmhouse and steading.

The southwest of Scotland was a particularly rich agricultural area and many 19^th century farmhouses and steadings survive in Dumfries and Galloway today. The buildings at Hass continue to be of interest in listing terms because they are a largely intact example of an Improvement period farm/croft which retains its associated horsemill. While there has been some later addition of fabric to the farmhouse and steading, such as replacement windows, these do not adversely affect the overall 19^th century plan form, footprint and historic character of these buildings because the historic group survives largely as it did in the late-19^th century.

Listed building record revised in 2021.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17810645

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

• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)