Steading (South Range), Carstairs Mains

The steading, designed by William Burn in 1825, originally comprised four ranges of buildings arranged around a square courtyard, with a farmhouse attached to the south. The westernmost range of the steading has been demolished, but the remaining buildings are largely unaltered externally. The steading is constructed of stugged ashlar with droved and broached dressings, and features piended slate roofs.

The north range is a two-storey, near-symmetrical courtyard elevation, with ten bays and a central pediment containing a clock face in the tympanum. A birdcage bellcote sits atop the apex. Stabling is located in the outer bays, with four cart arches centrally placed. The stable stalls are supported by cast-iron columns. A loft above has regular rectangular windows with the original three-pane glazing arrangement to sash windows, and a timber sliding ventilator grille at the lower level.

The east range is two-storey and seven bays, with wide opposing doors at the north end; it may have been used as a threshing barn. Most internal divisions were removed in 1989, and the openings are mostly unaltered.

The south range is single-storey and eight bays, with a stack to the west. It likely served as a dairy, calf-houses, and feed stores. An opening has been widened to the east, and the east half of the roof is now covered with corrugated sheet metal.

The farmhouse, adjoining the south range by a passage, is an L-plan, two-storey gabled building. It features a narrow, lean-to porch to the southwest re-entrant corner, supported by a single Doric column. Gabled ends have canted bay windows to the ground floor. Other windows are single-light, with a hood moulding over the ground floor. All the windows have modern plate glass glazing. A flat-roofed dormer has been added over the porch. End coped skews remain with skew blocks and tall diamond stacks are present only on the north side. The farmhouse has slate roofs.

Despite the demolition of the western range, the steading retains its original character. While the farmhouse has lost its original stacks and been re-glazed, it remains an important part of the overall composition. Plans by Burn for the steadings are held within the National Monuments Record of Scotland.