1 Dairy Cottages, Crichton Farm, Dumfries

A pair of single-storey, former dairy workers' cottages dating from around 1910. They have a shallow U-shaped plan form with crowstep-gabled end bays, red sandstone ashlar walls, flush margins and moulded skewputts. The roofs are pitched and slated with exposed rafter tails and tall ashlar chimneystacks. The main (east) elevation is five-bays but the entrance doors are located to the rear (west). No. 2 has a small flat-roofed addition of red brick added to the rear. The windows are predominantly in a four-pane glazing pattern and are uPVC replacements. The cottages are located next to Crichton Royal Farm (listed category A, ref: LB6693), which formed part of the Crichton Royal Institution asylum complex, on the southern outskirts of Dumfries.

The interiors (seen in 2022) largely contain late-20th century to early 21st century decorative schemes.

Historical development

The exact date of construction for the dairy workers' cottages is unknown but they were built between 1907 and 1913, as an addition to the earlier Crichton Farm complex (listed category A, ref: LB6693). The cottages first appear on a site plan of the Crichton Royal Estate from 1913 (Welcome Collection), shown with a shallow U-shaped plan form. By the Ordnance Survey map of 1929 (published 1931), a small rectangular plan outbuilding has been added to the west. The cottages have remained relatively unchanged since this date, except for a small porch addition to the rear (west) of No.2 and the insertion of uPVC windows and doors.

Crichton Farm was developed as part of the psychiatric treatment facilities of the Crichton Royal Institution, which had been established in the 1830s from the bequest of Dr James Crichton. Farming first began at Crichton Royal Institution in 1867 and farming practices steadily increased until 1890 when building began on the main farm complex. The group provided accommodation for 80 male patients who worked on the farm as part of their treatment. Expansions to the farm included the production of butter in 1898 and the purchase of a milking machine in 1907 (Welcome Collection).

It is likely that the cottages were built around 1910, to accommodate new worker's that were employed as a result of these improvements to the farm. They may have been designed by Sydney Mitchell and Wilson, who were responsible for the expansion of the institution during the late 1890s and early 20th century. This was the first stage in a project to expand the asylum on modern lines with departments for the different classes of patients. Other buildings they designed during this period included the Crichton Memorial Church (listed category A, ref: LB6695), a new laundry block (Johnston House, listed category B, ref: LB3815) and four villas, including the nearby Annandale (listed category C, ref: LB6697) and Eskdale, listed category C, ref; LB6700).