Building record MAB13358 - MAINS OF ROTHIEMAY

Rare survival of an 18th century kiln barn.

Rare survival of an 18th century kiln barn. It was built between 1741 and 1763, and some alterations at the East end were made to convert the ground floor as a cottage in 19th century. William Duff, Lord of Braco bought Rothiemay in 1741, and died in 1763. The barn is known to have been built during his lifetime. It is a 2-storey building constructed from mixed, pinned and harl pointed rubble with tooled granite dressings. There are long elevations at the North and South, and the centre door is flanked by vents, with an opposite door in the rear wall for winnowing (blowing a draft of air through grain in order to remove the chaff). There are 4 loft windows to the North and South. There is a piended local slate roof, with a dormered loading door at the East gable, a ridge stack for the kiln and a later ridge stack for the cottage. The kiln takes up one quarter of the internal space at the West end of the building, with small vents below the eaves on the North, South and West sides. The interior has double leaf plank doors that are hinged in centre to control the draught for winnowing and drawbar holes to both the entrances. There is a mural aumbry close to the South door. There is a circular kiln bowl with two openings into kiln, one above the other. The original smoke blackened 'kiln sticks' have been boarded over to make a floor at the first floor level, and there is a stone mural chute from the kiln to the ground floor. There is a storage loft with wooden shutters to the eight windows, with cills at the floor level. The frame of the roof is constructed of pegged timber, with ashlar and sole plates at wallhead. There is one other kiln barn in Moray District, now Bow Cottage, within Ballindalloch Castle estate (NJ13NE0004) and one similar building at Sandside, Caithness. The roof has now mostly collapsed, and vegetation has engulfed the building, which is in a poor condition.

Period Notes
Built at some point between 1741 and 1763, with a 19th century conversion. Listed designation given on 14/10/1976, and it was changed from a B listing to an A on 25/04/1989.

SLADE, HG, 1978, VERNACULAR BUILDING 4, 21-7, 21-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1877.

BROWN, E, 1995, ROTHIEMAY KILN BARN - FEASIBILITY REPORT TO NESPT (Bibliographic reference). SAB3735.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, ROTHIEMAY 10 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Record last edited

Aug 22 2024 12:34PM