Glenreasdale Mains Taigh-Tuathanais agus Togalaichean / Glenreasdell Mains Farmhouse and Steading, Kintyre and the Islands, Argyll and Bute

Description

Glenreasdale Mains is a traditional agricultural complex dating from the late 18^th or early 19^th century. The two-storey, three-bay farmhouse forms the central part of the U-plan steading, with lower ranges adjoining to either side and a detached two-storey barn enclosing the courtyard to the north. The roofs are largely pitched and slated and the rubble walls are rendered and painted. The complex is no longer used as a farm and now forms part of a private sporting estate. It is located on the Kintyre peninsula, about eight miles south of Tarbert, on the north side of the B8001 Redhouse to Skipness road, near the coastal hamlet of Claonaig.

The farmhouse is rectangular on plan and is fronted to the main (south) elevation by a full-height, L-plan addition that was added in the later 19^th century. This addition is gable-fronted with a re-entrant porch, and it obscures the centre and west bays of the original farmhouse. The roof of the original farmhouse has raised skews and the first floor openings are smaller than those on the ground floor. There are end stacks with replacement clay cans and cast iron rainwater goods. The openings largely have raised and painted margins and the windows are uPVC casements.

The side elevations are abutted by lower steading buildings that extend north to form a courtyard. Both ranges are thought to be contemporary with the main house but may contain earlier fabric. That to the west is a long, single-storey range, L-shaped on plan with a piended roof. There are openings to the main elevations as well as some narrow ventilation openings indicating its possible former use as a byre. The east range comprises an L-plan single-storey section with attic adjoining the main farmhouse, which has gabled dormers and a chimneystack to the north gable. The remaining range is single-storey, and has a piended roof and a large square-headed opening with a sliding door to the courtyard. Some openings have been blocked. The windows are largely uPVC but some traditional metal or timber-framed windows remain and some timber-boarded doors.

A two-storey, rectangular-plan range lies to the north of the courtyard (likely a barn with a hayloft over). It appears to date from the early 19^th century and was extended to either side in the late 19^th century. Openings are concentrated on the main (south) elevation facing the courtyard and there are hayloft openings to the south and east. The west elevation is gabled with skews and there is a piended roof to the east.

Photographs from 2021 show the interior of the farmhouse is plainly detailed with some 19^th century fixtures and fittings remaining. These include simple cornices, panelled window architraves, some moulded window and doors surrounds and timber fireplaces. There are 20^th century alterations and additions, including some fitted wardrobes in the upstairs rooms. The layout has been partially altered by the addition to the front elevation but the layout of the original farmhouse remains readable. It comprises a central hallway and landing connected with a stair to the rear, from which all principal rooms are accessed. The L-plan wing to the east is connected to the main house on the ground floor and contains a separate stair.

The steading buildings have plain interiors, with rubble walls, open timber roofs. Timber stalls retained in the west range and 20^th century machinery in the north block.

To the south is a set of squat, rendered and painted gate piers with large domed pyramidal caps and iron gates to the former entrance drive. To the east are 20th century farm buildings and agricultural sheds, which are excluded from the listing.

Historical development

The Military Survey of Scotland (1747-1755) was undertaken after the Jacobite rising of 1745 and depicts a farming township at 'Glenrisdale', comprising a large square plan building with a group of small linear buildings to the east. It is believed that this represents an earlier building on the site, but parts of this may be incorporated into the fabric of the current house or steading.

A U-plan group of buildings on the site currently known as Glenreasdale (or Glenreasdell), is first shown on Langlands map of 1793, captioned 'Glenristol'. There are variations on the name during this period, including 'Glenreesdale', 'Glenrisdell' and 'Glenristole'. It was standardised to Glenreasdell in 20^th century Ordnance Survey maps but is now largely know as 'Glenreasdale'.

Glenreasdale Mains was part of the tenanted farm holdings of the nearby Stonefield estate (GDL00350), which was owned and improved by Colin George Campbell Esq. (1811-1887). The Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1848-58 describes the accommodation at 'Glenrisdell' Mains as 'A superior farm house and offices'. The complex is first shown in detail on the 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1867, published 1868). This map shows the rectangular-plan farmhouse, the adjoining steading buildings and the detached barn, along with two detached rectangular-plan ancillary buildings to the east (these were replaced in the early to mid 20^th century by the current corrugated sheds). There is also a walled garden to shown the southeast and a tree-lined drive to the south.

The 2^nd Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1898, published 1899) shows that the present L-plan extension had been added to the front (south elevation) of the farmhouse by this time, and two small square-plan additions at the rear (now demolished). The detached barn to the north is shown to have been extended at the east and west ends by this time. One of the detached ranges to the east of the farmhouse has been demolished by this time.

The early 20^th century Ordnance Survey map (revised 1915, published 1922) shows that the detached range to the east has been incorporated into a large agricultural shed which extends north. There is some rubblestone walls and cast iron columns remaining to the former cart shed openings on the south side of this building, but it photographs show that it was substantially altered during the 20^th century. An additional detached range is shown to the north of the main steading complex on the Six Inch Ordnance Survey map (revised 1915, published 1924) of the same date but this has since been removed.

Current map evidence shows that the detached barn to the north has been reduced in size to the west and a circular-plan silo built in its place. The Claonaig Estate acquired Glenreasdale in 1991 for use as private sporting ground. Most recently (2010s) the farmhouse has provided accommodation for Cloanaig Estate workers and storage.

Statement of Interest

Glenreasdale Mains Taigh-Tuathanais agus Togalaichean / Gleanreasdale Mains farmhouse and steading meets the criteria of special architectural or historic interest for the following reasons:

It is a good representative example of an improvement era farmhouse and steading that retains much of its historic character.

Its plan form remains largely intact and is characteristic of traditional farmhouses and steadings in this part of Scotland.

The rural setting of the agricultural complex is largely well-retained and informs us of how the site has been altered to suit changing needs over time.

The group contributes to our understanding of how farming practices in this part of Scotland changed and developed over time.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: later agricultural sheds to the east.

Architectural interest

Design

Glenreasdale Mains is a typical example of an Improvement Period farmhouse and associated steading that retains much of its early character and form. The buildings are plain but generally well-proportioned and display traditional construction methods and materials that are characteristic of the Argyll and Bute region. The first floor windows of the original farmhouse are set close to the eaves, which is indicative of its late-18^th or early 19^th century construction date. The symmetrical arrangement of its main elevation, and the U-shaped plan of the steading, shows the classical design influence that became popular in tenanted farm buildings such as this from the later 18^th century.

The later wing that was added to the principal elevation obscures the original three-bay appearance of the farmhouse. However, this addition indicates the prosperity of the farm, and reflects the changes to living arrangements that occurred in the mid to late 19^th century. This addition therefore contributes to the interest of the building in listing terms.

The U-plan layout of Glenreasdale Mains is typical for the area and is indicative of farm design of the late-18th century/early 19th century Improvement Period (Walker, p. 93). The design and plan form of the farmhouse and its ancillary buildings demonstrates the growing status of the tenant farmer and the emerging formal arrangements of farms during the period. The farmhouse is self-contained with subsidiary accommodation located in the attic in part of the east steading range. This is thought to illustrate the formal separation of accommodation used by the tenant farmer and the people employed as labourers on the farm. This separation between the main farmhouse and the ancillary buildings emphasises social divisions of the period and the changing status of the tenant farmer.Displaying traditional construction methods and materials, Barleith is a typical example of an Improvement Period farmhouse and associated steading. The first floor windows are set close to the eaves, which reflects the late 18thcentury construction date.

The internal layout of the original farmhouse features a central dog-legged stair, with rooms on either side. This is a typical arrangement of classical style houses of the period. The later-19^th century extension added a principal room on each floor. Additions such as this were not unusual but it was less common for them to be added to the main elevation.

Photographs from 2021 shows some features of the 19^th century decorative scheme are retained in the farmhouse. These include some simple cornicing, panelled window surrounds, timber panel doors, a coiled cast-iron and timber stair rail and some timber fireplaces with tiled insets. Although modest, these interior features reflect the simple, classical style of the house and the growing status of the tenant farmer during this period. The interiors of the outbuildings are plain and functional, but they do not appear to have been altered significantly. Interior features are often lost through reconfiguration of spaces and changing use over time. The extent of surviving 19^th century interior features and layout is therefore significant and adds to the interest of the buildings in listing terms.

It is common for farmhouses and outbuildings to be altered over time to increase space and accommodate new functions. The farmhouse was substantially extended in the mid-to late/19^th century but since this time there has been very minimal change to the group except for some fabric alterations, including the insertion of uPVC windows. This relative lack of alteration is unusual and adds interest to the buildings in listing terms. Together Glenreasdale Mains Taigh-Tuathanais agus Togalaichean / Glenreasdale Mains farmhouse and steading continue to be of special architectural interest because they retain much of their historic character and the surviving fabric continues to demonstrate its former agricultural use.

Setting

Glenreasdale Mains Taigh-Tuathanais agus Togalaichean / Glenreasdale Mains farmhouse and steading is located in a rural agricultural landscape on the Kintyre peninsula. The group is set back from the road and is concealed from view by mature trees and planting. As noted by Naismith (1989; p. 193), this setting is typical of Argyll farms, which usually stand among shrubs and trees; "…being well attuned to the landscape of mountain and glen…".

Glenreasdale Mains sits within a historically significant farming area. The wider landscape setting has remained largely intact and free from residential development, or the large-scale expansion that is typical of commercial farms in the south of Kintyre. There is a Neolithic cairn located nearby to the southeast, which is a Scheduled Monument (SM3281) and there are other prehistoric monuments within the wider landscape.

Historic maps show that there have been some changes to the immediate setting of the buildings. This included to the expansion of the detached ancillary building and the construction of further large-scale sheds to the east in the early to mid-20^th century (all of which are excluded from the listing). The historic core of the farmhouse and steading buildings remains substantially intact despite these later additions. The associated gates, gate piers and boundary wall are retained to the south, indicating the presence of the house on the main road.

The historic and functional relationship of the farmhouse and associated steading buildings remains clear and aids our understanding of the scale and operation of the farm in the 19th century. The survival of the immediate and wider setting is of special interest.

Historic interest

Age and rarity

The late-18^th to early-19^th century was a period of significant improvement in farming practices across Scotland, and many farmhouses and associated agricultural buildings were constructed during this time. From the mid-18^th century agriculture in Scotland was transformed as subsistence farming gave way to the creation of larger farms. Drainage, use of lime as a fertiliser and improved understanding of husbandry all contributed to this and land was enclosed into fields and very small landholdings were merged into larger farms. Guides were published on how to design and plan a farm. In Argyll, Improvement period farm buildings were typically built in stone and often arranged in a U-plan courtyard layout with a central farmhouse, as can be seen at Glenreasdale.

The older a building is and the fewer of its type survive the more likely it is to be of special interest. Farmhouses are a common building type but surviving examples that are associated with the introduction of early and improving farming practice (from roughly the mid-18th to the mid-19th centuries), are increasingly rare. Those that demonstrate quality of design and construction, and that retain a significant degree of their historic fabric and form, may have interest in listing terms.

Glenreasdale Mains is a good representative example of an Improvement period farmhouse and associated steading. Its style and form are typical of historic farmhouses and steadings in this area of Scotland and its plan form, setting and overall character remain largely intact. Together this group of buildings is of special interest for what it can tell us about the changing farming practices and social system of the period.

Social historical interest

Social historical interest is the way a building contributes to our understanding of how people lived in the past, and how our social and economic history is shown in a building and/or in its setting.

Agriculture was, and continues to be, a significant part of the economy of Argyll and Bute. Traditional agricultural buildings are an important historical record of Scotland's agricultural past. The survival of Glenreasdale Mains Taigh-Tuathanais agus Togalaichean / Glenreasdale Mains farmhouse and steading has some socio-historical interest as part of the area's agricultural history, particularly during the changes of the late-18th/early 19^th century Improvement period.

Association with people or events of national importance

There is no association with a person or event of national importance.

Statutory address and listed building record revised in 2023. Previously listed as 'Glenreasdell Mains Claonaig – Tarbert Road'.

External Links

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