Farmhouse, Sandside, Graemsay

Farmhouse, Sandside, Graemsay

This is an early 19th century Laird's house with later alterations and additions, sited on the island of Graemsay. The main building is 2-storeys tall with a 3-bay rectangular plan and symmetrical principal elevation. To the right (east) is a single-storey, 4-bay wing, and to the left (west) a single-storey, single-bay wing. The main block is harled, while the west wing is constructed of roughly coursed rubble. An eaves course runs across the building, with first-floor windows set close beneath. A U-plan steading comprising a granary, byre and stables stands to the east of the main house.

The principal (south) elevation features a part-glazed timber-panelled door at ground level in the central bay, with a window above at first floor. Windows flank at each storey in the outer bays. A boarded door is set to the left in the west wing.

The rear (north) elevation has a window in a lean-to porch at ground level, offset slightly left of centre, with a boarded door in the left return. To the right are windows at each floor in two bays. The left bay contains windows at each floor, while the recessed west wing has a centred window. Three evenly spaced doorways open from the recessed east wing, with a window in the penultimate left bay.

The west side elevation is blank except for a gablehead stack to the west wing and another gablehead stack above to the main block. The east side elevation has a blank gabled wall to the east wing and a blank wall with gablehead stack above to the main block.

Windows throughout are predominantly 8- and 12-pane timber sash and case type, with small rooflights present. The main block and west wing have stone slate roofs, while the east wing is covered in modern felt tiles. Stone ridges run across; the main block and east wing have harled and corniced or coped gablehead stacks, and the west wing has a rubble corniced gablehead stack. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted.

Internally, the farmhouse retains boarded dado panelling to the lean-to kitchen at the rear, along with timber skirting boards, architraves and panelled doors. Plain pilastered and corniced fire surrounds survive. A timber staircase features turned timber balusters, a timber handrail and a ball-finialled newel post.

The steading to the east comprises three separate ranges.

The granary is a 2-storey, 5-bay rectangular building in roughly coursed rubble, with a single-bay lean-to addition at the east end. The south elevation has a window at ground in the centre bay and a large square-headed doorway to the right, with a deep-set boarded door in the outer right bay. At first floor is a window in the penultimate left bay, with another window at ground in the outer left bay and a wide square-headed entrance to the lean-to at the outer left. The rear (north) elevation has a window offset to the right of centre at ground, a deep-set boarded grain loft door breaking the eaves in the right bay, and a small window in the lean-to bay at outer right. The west side elevation has windows at each floor below the gabled wall. The east side elevation is blank at ground where the lean-to sits, with a boarded window above in the gablehead.

The granary roof combines corrugated iron and stone tiles, with flagstone slabs covering the lean-to addition and coped skews. Internally, timber floor divisions with a timber stair lead to the grain loft at first floor. A timber-framed threshing and winnowing machine survives at ground level with a connecting grain feeder from the loft above. Cast-iron sack-winding machinery sits above a rectangular opening in the floor. Exposed rafters and tie beams are visible.

The byre is rectangular in plan with a derelict store or byre range abutting at right angles and extending west. It is built of roughly coursed rubble. The east side elevation is blank, while the west side has three evenly spaced windows set high. The south elevation is blank, and the north (entrance) elevation has a large sliding door at ground and a narrow light to the gablehead above. The roof is modern felt-tiled.

Inside, a central slurry channel runs through. Concrete animal stalls line the east wall, each with individual cast-iron water troughs and cast-iron tether poles. Exposed rafters and tie beams remain visible.

The stables form a single-storey, 3-bay rectangular range in roughly coursed rubble, with a further derelict range abutting to the south. The west (entrance) elevation has a boarded door in the central bay with windows in each flanking bay. The roof is stone-tiled with a stone ridge. Within are exposed rafters and tie beams, boarded stalls with shaped upper edges to the north half, and lower concrete water troughs at the south end.

A long curved rubble slipway stands to the east of the steading and house, with a longitudinally set rubble and flagstone surface. The slipway has slightly battered sides and features diamond-set stone anchor rods positioned between the surface flagstones.