Dinmurchie, Barr

This is a mid-19th century farmhouse with a rear steading, forming a visually attractive group. The farmhouse is two storeys high and has a symmetrical, classical design with three bays. It is constructed of snecked stone with smooth margins. A single-story porch with a flat roof projects from the front, and decorative cornices are present. The roof is piended and covered in grey slates, with wallhead stacks. A single-story, L-shaped steading is located to the rear.

The farmhouse retains its original symmetrical classical features. While a house at Dinmurchie is shown on maps dating back to 1775, including Andrew Armstrong’s New Map of Ayrshire, the present buildings primarily date to the 19th century. The site is historically significant as the birthplace of Robert Dalrymple, 1st Viscount Stair, a key figure in the development of Scots Law, although he was born in 1619. It is possible that earlier building elements exist within the current structure. The Ordnance Survey Map of 1858 and the New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-45) also provide information about the property.