Description

Earlier 19th century. Single and 2-storey, U-plan steading (largely roofless) with vaulted, castellated dovecot and flanking castellated polygonal turrets. Coursed snecked whinstone rubble with evidence of cherry caulking and harl; contrasting sandstone ashlar quoins. Eaves course. Hoodmoulds, stone mullions.

COURTYARD ELEVATIONS:

SE ELEVATION: 3-stage dovecot to centre with door to vaulted 1st stage, bipartite opening with flight ports to 2nd stage; hoodmoulded, pointed-arch bipartite openings to each elevation of 3rd stage, those to SW and NE (blocked) but retaining stone mullion, those to SE and NW blocked with brick, latter with circular detail. Cornice above giving way to battlemented parapet. Single storey flanking ranges with variety of part-blocked openings.

SW ELEVATION: stepped elevation with bay to left adjoining SE elevation, door (to dairy) on return to right. Stepped back bay immediately to right with 4 narrow doorways (to animal pens) and wider opening to left, 2 hayloft(?) openings above. Slightly advanced, range to right with 2 blocked openings to ground and 3 openings abutting eaves above. Outer right angle with 3-stage, narrow polygonal turret projecting above eaves line, and moulded buttress-like remains to inner face.

NE ELEVATION: irregularly fenestrated 2-storey elevation with turret (as above) to outer left.

OUTER ELEVATIONS:

NW ELEVATION: dovecot to centre with variety of openings to flanking bays, those to right behind stock wall and rubble remains to left. Outer left gable with semicircular window (to dairy) off-centre left at ground within evidence of adjoining gabled building.

NE ELEVATION: largely obscured by undergrowth, turret (as above) to outer left.

SW ELEVATION: largely blank range to right, and 3-bay house to left with centre door flanking windows and regular fenestration to 1st floor. Lower bay adjoining to outer left, and turret (as above) to outer right.

Grey slates (where roofing in place). Coped ashlar stacks.

INTERIOR: dairy with moulded cornices, 3 semicircular windows (blocked) and remains of ceramic-tiled walls, with decorative oak leaf-and-acorn margins and dado-band.

Statement of Interest

In 1526 James V granted a charter to the property of 'Inchery' in the Earldom of Fife in favour of David Balfour and his wife. Retaining some very fine features, this steading belonged to Inchrye Abbey, a fine Gothic revival house of 1827, now demolished. Built at a cost of ?12,000, possibly for David Wilson who was the proprietor in 1840, an engraving of the house (see Leighton) bears comparison with nearby Crawford Priory of 1813 by Gillespie Graham. By 1876, Inchrye was the preoperty of the Right Rev William Scot Wilson, Bishop of Glasgow. Stables of similar design survive at Torrie House, Fife, where once again, the house has been demolished.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17817004

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

• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)