4 Farm Cottages, Ayton Mains

3 Farm Cottages at Ayton Mains were designed in the style of architect William J Gray from Coldingham around 1870, with later additions and alterations. The building consists of two symmetrical, single-storey ranges with attics, each featuring six bays that contain two semi-detached farm cottages with three bays each. Each range has a rectangular plan and is flanked by single-storey lean-to additions, which include porches and coal sheds. The front is constructed of squared rubble, while the sides and rear are made of heavily-pointed rubble, with red sandstone dressings throughout. The front openings have long and short droved sandstone surrounds, which are tooled at the rear, and feature architraved hoodmoulds. The windows have painted timber mullions and projecting cills, some of which are partially painted.

On the south (entrance) elevations, each range has single windows flanking the center, with bipartite windows in the subsequent bays to the left and right. The lean-to additions on the outer left (Nos. 1 and 3) and right (Nos. 2 and 4) have bracketed, corniced canopies above boarded timber doors. The north (rear) elevations also have single windows in both bays flanking the center, with blind elevations on the lean-to additions at the outer left and right.

The windows predominantly feature 8-pane glazing in timber sash and case style, along with small rooflights. The roofs are covered with grey slate and have stone-coped skews. There are corniced, brick-built apex stacks with various circular cans.

The interiors were not seen in 1999. Cobblestone paths lead to the front and between the blocks, and there are coped rubble walls that partially enclose the site.