Bonthrone Maltings, Main Street And Holm Road, Newton Of Falkland

The Bonthrone Maltings and brewery complex was established around 1600 and significantly remodelled in the early 19th century, with further alterations throughout the 19th century. It consists of North Maltings along Main Street and later South Maltings, which form a courtyard to the south, linked by an oversailing bridge across Holm Road, with a kiln attached to the South Maltings. The buildings are primarily constructed of rubble with pantiled and slated roofs, with three kilns featuring pyramidal roofs and pagoda ventilators contributing to the complex’s visual presence.

The North Maltings occupy a wedge-shaped site. They include a long, single-storey range facing Main Street, and double malt barn ranges extending south. A square-plan kiln is centrally located to the west, with the north range’s western elevation and the maltings’ western gables splaying outwards to either side. The north range, damaged by fire in 1992, incorporates earlier fabric from the 17th and 18th centuries, visible as boulder rubble in the lower courses, particularly on the west elevation. This section was rebuilt and raised to two storeys around the mid to later 19th century. The street-facing elevation has asymmetrical openings, including a segmental-arched cart arch on the right. The roof partially collapsed. The maltings themselves likely date from the early 19th century, with modifications in the mid-19th century, and are a three-storey, seven-bay, dog-leg double range with a pantiled M-roof. Window openings were reduced in size during the mid-19th century.

Internally, the North Maltings feature timber floors supported by slender cast-iron columns from the early 19th century, supplemented by thicker columns during later remodelling. The buildings contain bakers' ovens. The kiln, to the west, has a square plan. The roof was remodelled in the early 20th century, with rendered brick in the top courses, and has a replacement slated pyramidal roof and a small pyramidal cap on the square apex ventilator. The interior of the roof is timber-lined, with a wire mesh floor. A timber-clad lead pagoda-capped elevator cover is adjacent. A timber-clad bridge with a piended slate roof on steel girders connects the North and South Maltings.

The South Maltings, dating from 1874, are arranged around a courtyard. A large malt barn faces east, workshops and offices stand to the north, and stables and a cart shed are located to the south. The malt barn is a three-storey, eight-bay structure with a piended pantiled roof. An elevator cover with a pagoda roof breaks through the ridge to the north, near the kiln. The west elevation shows signs of demolition of a former grain drying range, including iron fire doors. The interior has timber floors supported by a single row of cast-iron columns, and square timber posts on the second floor. A queen post attic contains grain bins. Steps formerly led from the south end. A large square-plan kiln is located to the north, with a red-tiled roof and an elaborate pagoda-type apex ventilator. The roof interior is timber-lined; only the framework of the floor remains. A circular-plan brick chimney stalk with an oversailer and cornice on a square masonry base rises from a former brewhouse in the northeast courtyard angle. This two-storey building had a slated piend and flat roof, with rendering on the first floor where burning formerly took place. Single-storey stables, a cart shed, and workshops enclose the courtyard on the other three sides, featuring simple boarded doors. Windows throughout are partly glazed over shutters.