Farmhouse And Steading, East Balbairdie

This is an 18th-century farmhouse and steading, altered in the late 20th century, situated at Easter Balbairdie. The buildings form a U-shaped courtyard, with the farmhouse being a 2-storey, 3-bay rectangular structure and the steading largely converted to dwellings as a single-storey range. The farmhouse is harled with painted margins, while the steading wings are of rubble construction with ashlar margins. The farmhouse exhibits a crowstepped gable, a feature characteristic of Fife vernacular architecture. A segmental-headed cart arch with voussoirs is present. Timber sash and case windows feature a 12- and 16-pane glazing pattern. Modern pantiles cover the roof, and there are harled stacks with thackstanes and cans.

The south-east (courtyard) elevation of the farmhouse is symmetrical, with a central door and a single window above, derived from a former doorway. Bipartite windows are located in the flanking bays at both ground and first floors, and a further window is in a single-storey bay to the left. The steading’s right wing has a bipartite window and a door to the outer right. The left wing of the courtyard includes a modern patio door, a window, and two further windows, with a small boarded timber door set high up on the outer left-hand side. The right wing of the steading has a cart arch on the outer right and a door to the left.

The north-west (rear) elevation of the farmhouse has a small window centrally, with flanking windows and another small window centrally on the first floor. Lower flanking bays have two windows to the outer right and eight very small windows to the left. The north-east elevation is a long, low range featuring a row of small windows. The south-west elevation exhibits a variety of altered openings, including a new porch to the outer left.

This represents a good early example of a traditional U-plan steading with an integral 2-storey farmhouse, reflecting Fife vernacular practices. The building’s category was changed from B to C(S) in August 2006.