Building record MAB10127 - BLACKMIDDENS FARM

The remains of a farmstead with a horse-mill platform, with several other buildings based around a central courtyard, stand on a slope above an area of moorland.

The remains of a farmstead with a horse-mill platform, with several other buildings based around a central courtyard, stand on a slope above an area of moorland. It is shown on an estate plan of 1827 as a quadrangular steading, the farmhouse contained in an extension from the southeast end of the northeast range. It is depicted on the OS 1st and 2nd edition maps as an almost rectilinear steading with a central open court, orientated northeast-southwest. A further range extends to the northeast from the southeast end of the northern range. A small building lies to the south and another with attached enclosure to the north. In the yard to the southwest there are ten rick bases. The houses lie in the northeast range, within one of which there is a large fireplace with lintel of cut granite, which is alleged to come from Lesmoir Castle. Inside the mill is a wooden fixed-barn horse-powered threshing mill with a wooden peg drum. Part of the northwest range has a corrugated iron roof overlying an earlier turf roof. The walls of this building are clay-built and would appear to predate the remaining part of the farm with several built up doors and windows visible. The south end of this range and the southern range are all slated, but now in a deteriorating state. Blackmiddens had a legal distilleryi(NJ42NW0102) in the mid 19th century, with James Smith as the licensee, although there does not appear to be a good water supply in close proximity. Measured survey of the farmstead was carried out by Historic Environment Scotland in 2020. At the northeast end of the farmhouse is a wash house. The steading includes a byre, barn containing a wooden threshing machine, cart shed and stable. Remains of three other small buildings were recorded one east of the wash house, and two southeast of the steading. Narrow boulder-walled enclosures northwest of the steading were constructed in the late 19th century as windbreaks. Overgrown remains of a quarry lie to the southwest of the barn.

RAWLINGS, P R, 1996, BLACKMIDDENS; BUILDINGS AND ARCHITECTURAL TRADITIONS IN NORTH EAST SCOTLAND, Student project rep (Bibliographic reference). SAB3069.

STEWART, M, 2020, A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF BLACKMIDDENS FARM ABERDEENSHIRE; REPORT FOR THE CABRACH TRUST (Bibliographic reference). SAB4853.

HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND, 2020, BLACKMIDDENS, RHYNIE, ABERDEENSHIRE: A MEASURED SURVEY OF A 19TH CENTURY FARMSTEAD AND DISTILLERY (Bibliographic reference). SAB5974.

Apr 12 2019 , AAS-GR-19-04-099 - 169, AAS-GR-19-04-099 - 169 (Ground Photograph). SAB34497.

Apr 12 2019 , AAS-Gr-19-04-174 - 191, AAS-Gr-19-04-174 - 191 (Ground Photograph). SAB34498.

Dec 16 1997 , C 8652/7-9, C 8652/7-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB12998.

Dec 16 1997 , D 4406/11,15, D 4406/11,15 (Ground Photograph). SAB13000.

Dec 16 1997 , D 4407/17, D 4407/17 (Ground Photograph). SAB12999.

Jun 9 1997 , AAS/GR/97/CT195-223,302-3, AAS/GR/97/CT195-223,302-3 (Ground Photograph). SAB33037.

Jun 9 1997 , COLOUR TRANS, COLOUR TRANS (Ground Photograph). SAB16744.

Jun 9 1997 , LCi 1-12, LCi 1-12 (Ground Photograph). SAB33906.

Jun 29 2005 , GR/05/CT140-175, GR/05/CT140-175 (Ground Photograph). SAB18254.

Record last edited

Apr 2 2025 2:23PM