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Summary

Description

A large Scots-classical farmhouse dating from 1770 or earlier, occupying an agricultural site on the ridge of a shallow hill around one mile northwest of Alloa town centre. The two-storey, three-bay building is harled with margins and has a notably high piended roof. The central doorway is Venetian-style, flanked by two canted bays with piended roofs to ground floor. There is a single window at the first floor above the doorway.

Historical background:

Lornshill is noted on James Stobie's 1783 map of the Counties of Perth and Clackmannan (NLS). The Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1861 notes that Lornshill is the property of the Earl of Mar, and describes Lornshill as "a large farmsteading, dwelling house and offices of two stories, situated on a prominent hill, the property of the Earl of Mar". The scale and design of the building illustrates the ambitious drive for agricultural improvement by many landowners during the mid-18^th century.

The Earls of Mar believed that economic and industrial development would lead to the restoration of Scotland's political autonomy following the Act of Union of 1707. The New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845) notes that John Francis, late Earl of Mar, was responsible for many great improvements in agriculture and rural economy in the later 18^th century.

The house is described in the RIAS architectural guide as a "striking classical farmhouse (c.1770) with a steep hipped roof and round-headed Venetian doorway". (RIAS Guide, p.84.). The steading buildings at Lornshill were photographed in 1995 for the Scottish Farm Building Survey - https://canmore.org.uk/site/94079.

Extensive tree planting on ground to the immediate northeast of the house after 2001 means that the house is no longer visible on its rise of land from the main road.

Statement of Special Interest

In our current state of knowledge, we have found that Lornshill Farmhouse meets the criteria for listing for the following reasons:

• As a large, Improvement-era farmhouse with its classical proportions, steeply pitched roof and Venetian-style doorway adding to its design interest.
• The exterior remains largely intact. Later alterations have not adversely affected its historic character.
• As a farmhouse of notable status dating to the mid-late 18th century, it illustrates the period of agricultural improvement in Scotland.

Supplementary information in the Listed Building Record updated, 2024.

References

Bibliography

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