Rachan Mill Farm

Rachan Mill Farm

A farmstead dating from circa 1845 with later additions and alterations. The complex comprises a symmetrical two-storey, three-bay rectangular-plan farmhouse with a later single-storey rear porch, a separate steading set behind, and ancillary structures.

FARMHOUSE

The main house is built of squared and snecked whinstone with rake-jointing in places, cream sandstone dressings, and a harled southern elevation. The building features an eaves course and crowstepped-patterned eaves to the gableheads, with sandstone dormerheads. The openings are defined by droved quoins and long and short surrounds, with chamfered surrounds throughout. Timber mullions and chamfered cills are used consistently.

The entrance (east) elevation is dominated by a slightly advanced central bay containing a timber-panelled door at ground level with a plate glass fanlight and keystoned surround. Above this rises a finialled gabled dormerhead to a keystoned bipartite window that breaks the eaves. Flanking bays contain bipartite windows at ground level, each with a gabled dormerhead to a bipartite window breaking the eaves above.

The north side elevation has a bipartite window at ground level to the right and a single window centred at first floor, with a lean-to porch recessed to the outer right. The west rear elevation features an offset projecting porch to the right of centre, a single window at ground level to the right, and a centrally placed single window at ground with a gabled dormerhead to a single window above breaking the eaves. The south side elevation contains a single window at first floor offset to the left of centre. The windows throughout employ predominantly lying-pane timber glazing.

The roof is grey slate with stone-coped skews and beak skewputts. The chimneys are coped and part-rendered with circular terracotta cans. The interior was not inspected in 1999.

STEADING

The steading comprises an original single and two-storey U-plan courtyard with a later single-storey square-plan courtyard adjoined to the south. Construction is of squared and snecked whinstone with rake-jointing in places and cream sandstone dressings. The eaves course is present in part, with crowstepped-patterned eaves to gableheads. Openings feature droved quoins and long and short surrounds with chamfered details, and boarded timber doors throughout.

The northern courtyard's north range is two-storey with six bays on its courtyard-facing elevation. A gabled bay offset to the left of centre contains a timber door at ground level to the left, with a single window to the right and a single window centred in the gablehead above. A timber door is positioned offset to the right of centre with a single window to its right, and further timber doors occupy the outer left and right bays. The front (east) elevation presents a gable end to the left with a single window centred at ground level and a round-arched window above, alongside a two-bay gable end slightly recessed to the right with round-arched two-leaf doors in both bays at ground and a round-arched window centred above. A further bay recessed to the outer right contains a round-arched two-leaf door at ground level.

The west range's courtyard-facing elevation is single-storey with four bays. Two-leaf timber doors occupy two bays to the left of centre, whilst part-ventilated single windows are placed in two bays to the right.

The south range's northern courtyard-facing elevation is single-storey with five bays, containing a single window in the outer left bay and timber doors in the remaining bays to the right. Its eastern gable end features a pointed-arched window centred in the apex.

The southern courtyard's east range has a blind rear elevation. The south range's rear elevation features two large timber doors flanking the centre. The west range's rear elevation displays various openings. Timber glazing is used throughout with rooflights incorporated, and the roofs are grey slate. Interiors were not inspected in 1999.

ANCILLARY STRUCTURE

A single-storey rectangular-plan rubble-built block with a walled enclosure to its side stands to the southwest. The entrance elevation contains a two-leaf boarded timber door to the left, with a timber gate accessing the adjoining enclosure to the right. The roof is a piended grey slate covering. The interior was not inspected in 1999.

BOUNDARY WALLS

Low rubble walls partially enclose the site.