Farmsteading, Eastfield

Farmsteading, Eastfield

A quadrangular-plan steading of early 19th century date, built on falling ground and adjoining the road from Dronley to Kirkton of Auchterhouse. The farmhouse opposite forms a conspicuous agricultural group in the landscape. This is one of the oldest improved steadings in the Dundee District, with the majority of the structure apparently built in a single phase and surviving with minimal external alteration.

The steading is constructed of white-painted rubble with a grey-slate piended roof. It features rough-hewn quoins, coarsely-droved margins and dressings to original openings, and triangular roof vents throughout. Covered cattle courts were added in the later 19th century, and further additions to the west elevation date from the 20th century.

South Range

The outer elevation is dominated by a 2-storey, 7-bay cart-shed and granary block occupying the centre, with a door at the far right and four asymmetrically placed openings to the left, two of which are louvred at the top. Seven symmetrically placed part-louvred openings light the first floor, with three roof vents. To the left stands a higher 2-storey threshing barn with two windows to the ground floor and a top-louvred opening to the first floor. A half-piended bay is advanced to the centre with a window to the right return and a large sliding door to the left return. A single-storey cottage extends to the right in an L-plan towards the east range, with a door to the centre flanked by enlarged out-of-character windows and coped ridge stacks.

The courtyard elevation shows the granary and cart-shed block to the right, with forestairs to the right leading to a granary door that breaks through the eaves with a half-piended roof. A door is flanked by a blocked window and another door at the far right, with three openings to the first floor (now masked by an addition). Four square-headed cart-arches occupy the left side, the second from the left being built up, with four openings to the first floor and fixed panes to the top, plus four roof vents. The cottage to the left has a gable advanced to the far left, with a door and two windows to the inner elevations, these not being original features.

East Range

The outer elevation features a wide opening to the courtyard at the centre left. A cottage to the left has a gable with a small attic window and coped skews with moulded skew-ends. A slightly recessed bay to the right contains three windows. A long predominantly blank bay to the right displays three blocked doorways and two blocked cart-arches, one converted to form a door and window to the left. Seven roof lights and five roof vents pierce this elevation, which is topped by a coped skew to the left with skew-blocks and an apex stack.

The courtyard elevation is masked by the later cattle courts.

North Range

The outer elevation is dominated by a depressed-arch cart-entrance at the centre, breaking through the eaves with a swept roof and droved voussoirs. A blank bay to the left contains a blocked feed opening with pins, one roof light and three roof ventilators. A blank bay to the right has a blocked cart-entrance and feed opening, four roof lights and three roof ventilators.

The courtyard elevation is altered and masked by cattle court additions, though a cart-arch mirroring the outer elevation remains visible. An M-roof and half-piended cattle courts feature two large doors, with evidence of gate-piers and a wall that was built up to support the roof where the court was originally open. A later bay dates from the 20th century expansion to the left.

West Range

The outer elevation shows an original bay to the left with a door, followed by 20th century additions advanced to the centre. Three earlier bays occupy the right side, with a massive rubble ramp leading to the first floor doors of the threshing barn recessed to the far right bay, topped by a weathervane finial.

The inner elevation is masked by the later bay and cattle courts.

Historical Context and Features

The high proportion of wall mass to window and door openings is particularly impressive externally. The raised roof line of the threshing barn in relation to the adjoining roof on the south elevation is an effective architectural feature of the steading's principal elevation. A circular horse-mill is shown at the south of the west elevation on the 1860 map, and the existing ramp likely dates from its erection. Eastfield was formerly part of the Auchterhouse estate.

The interior is mostly altered, with some non-original machinery surviving in the threshing barn.