1-4 Lochandu Cottages

1-4 Lochandu Cottages is a row of mid-18th century single storey and attic, originally rectangular plan, former workers' cottages built for the Bonawe Ironworks. They were built as eight cottages arranged in mirrored pairs and have been converted into four dwellings. The row is built in rubble masonry, now painted white. They are built to the southeast of the ironworks, overlooking the furnace and Airds Bay to the north.

Each cottage had an entrance and adjacent ground floor window (the windows and doors have been replaced) in the principal elevation (north). The roof is pitched and slated. There are chimneystacks on each end gable and one central chimneystack on the ridge.

The interiors (seen in 2018 and 2019) have been substantially remodelled including the removal of partition walls between each pair of cottages and the addition of staircases. There are ground floor and dormer extensions to the rear.

Legal exclusions

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: additions to the rear, interiors and all detached outbuildings.

Historical development

The Bonawe Ironworks (scheduled monument SM90037) was operational from 1753 until 1876. It was established by the Newland Company, later known as the Lorn Furnace Company. This row of eight dwellings was part of the wider provision of residential accommodation for workers at Bonawe Ironworks. The row is believed to have been constructed in the two years after the start of operations at the furnace, in 1753. As such it is the earliest residential accommodation built on the site; two other properties – the manager's accommodation known as Bonawe House and an L-plan block of flatted housing now known as Shore House (see separate listings – LB12183 and LB52505) were built in the later 18th century. The structure appears on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map of the area, published in 1875.