Drumsyniebeg Farm

Drumsyniebeg Farm is a small single-storey U-plan steading with attached single-storey and attic cottage, dated 1833. It is located on relatively flat land above the west bank of the river Goil. It is a little-altered example of a modest early 19th century steading.

DESCRIPTION

The steading faces E, towards the river, and consists of a long W range, with projecting shorter N and S ranges; the cottage adjoins the N range at right angles and has a 3-bay front elevation with central door and two pitched-roofed dormers to the roof. Although the cottage is simple in character, it does have an eaves course, which is an unusual refinement for a rural cottage of this type. However, the eaves course is largely obscured by the overhanging sparred eaves, which are mirrored on the dormer windows, suggesting that the roof may have been altered at a later period, probably when this style of roof became very popular in Lochgoilhead village in the mid and later nineteenth century.

The S elevation of the cottage bears two inscriptions; the first, on the lintel of the first floor window, reads 'Drumsyniebeg Cottage', and the second, on the return of the eaves course and partially obscured, bears the date '1833'. To the rear of the cottage, part of the N range has been incorporated into the dwelling accommodation, and a single storey lean-to extension has been added on the S side of the range. A random rubble wall encloses the front garden ground of the cottage.

The steading buildings mostly have slit ventilation openings to the outer elevations, and larger windows and doors to the sheltered inner elevations facing on to the yard. To the centre of the long range is a segmentally-headed cart-arch which led into the cart-shed. To the right of the cart shed, the end of the W range and part of the north range was used for hay and grain storage. To the left of the cart shed, the byre occupied the other end of the W range and part of the S range, and the end of the S range was used for stabling.

To the NW of the steading is a small square plan unroofed latrine building with a drainage hole at the base of the north wall.

INTERIOR

Admission not gained at time of resurvey (2004)

MATERIALS

Random rubble, painted with thin lime render in places; rear of W range not painted; rough rubble quoins, margins and lintels to steading ranges; cottage has droved narrow margins with broadly droved tabs to quoins and openings. Modern timber windows to cottage; timber windows and timber-boarded doors to steading. Pitched roofs; piended to end of S range; mostly graded slate; some Welsh slate to front pitch of cottage. Two harled coped gable-head stacks with octagonal cans to cottage; brick ridge stack to N range. Mix of plastic and cast-iron rainwater goods.