31 Main Street, Auchencairn

Late 18th century, 2-storey, 3-bay house, part of a domestic corner block at Main Street and Wellwood Terrace. The building is constructed of rubble (painted white) with a central door flanked by paired windows to ground. Upper floor has timber sash and case windows with four-pane glazing. The roof has a slate covering, and coped end chimney stacks. There is an external forestair to the left gable, accessing the upper floor (part of No. 29 High Street, see separate listing).

The coursed rubble stone construction is typical for the building's date. There are also architectural features which are typical of the late 18th century, such as the position and proportions of the upper windows abutting the eaves.

Historical background

Auchencairn is a village situated near the south shore of Dumfries and Galloway. It was established in the 17th century as an agricultural village, with associated fishery and small port at nearby Auchencairn Bay. The village grew around a corn mill and the oldest houses in Auchencairn are those nearest the now demolished corn mill site to the west of the village. No. 31 is part of this group of earlier buildings within the village, retains its domestic use, and its exterior form survives with relatively little change to the principal elevation (2023).