Description
Earlier to mid 19th century with later 19th century
additions. Quadrangular traditional farm steading sited
on ground falling toward Pressmennan Lake, with power
house and stalk adjoined to SW corner. Red sandstone
rubble with droved ashlar dressings.
E RANGE: segmental carriage pend in raised bay at
centre, with spurs and piended roof. 4-bay cartshed
flanking to right with cast-iron columns; 4th bay to right
with 2-leaf doors; taller (apparently raised) corner
bay to outer right with later machinery doors, and blank
return to N range. 4 doors to left of centre, grouped 1-1-2.
N RANGE: taller slate roofed barn and hayloft/granary at
NE, later 19th century, with sliding machinery doors to
barn, 3 granary windows above and 1 hayloft door with
swept dormerhead, flanked to outer right by still taller
bay with door, and hayloft door above with piended
dormerhead.
POWER HOUSE AND STALK: pantiled piended roof power
house at right angles to W range with 2-leaf door to W
and circular section red brick stalk in re-entrant angle to
right, set on tall sandstone base; neck band and moulded
cornice to stalk.
W RANGE: section demolished to right of stalk.
INTERIOR: cattle courts swept away circa 1985; courtyard
now covered-over.
Red pantiled retained on principal ranges and to power
house, with semi-circular ridge tiles; grey slates to
some later sections.
Statement of Special Interest
Pressmennan Wood covers the hillside looming up behind the
steading to the south, across the Lake. The steading
constitutes an austere, traditional example of
post-improvement farm building. The Adair map indicates
that some property stood on the site in the mid 18th
century, known as Presminnen. The William Forrest survey of
1977 shows the land to have belonged to William Hamilton
Nisbet of Biel and Dirleton.