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Summary

Description

Cameron steading (1830-40 possibly incorporating earlier fabric) is a rectangular farm office range with central cattle court. The principal (north) elevation is two-storey with a segmental-arch pend accessing the inner court, and three segmentally arched cartsheds (concealed by later metal doors), five loft windows above. There is a loft door and two windows at the ramped west end. The inner elevation of the north range has four doors, three windows and three blocked windows. The north range has a piended slated roof and an ashlar stack. The west range retains evidence of an early mechanical threshing machine, and to the southwest has remains of timber animal stalls. The east range of the quadrangle has a roofless and partly missing section towards to north end. There is a cattle shed of rubble construction within the courtyard, having a later metal roof covering. A small detached former byre to the east of the courtyard steading is currently roofless (2022) having previously had a piended roof with pantile covering.

Historical development

Cameron Farm in central Fife has been an agricultural settlement dating from at least the early 17th century. The Second Statistical Account of Scotland (1845) notes that the name of Cameron Parish was most likely taken from the farm which was owned by Andrew Law of St Andrews in 1640. The 1845 account also states the farmhouse and steading at Cameron were erected, and the farmland much improved, within the last fourteen years. This indicates a likely construction date of around 1832.

The 19th century was a period of significant improvement in farming practices across Scotland as subsistence farming gave way to the creation of larger, commercial farming practices. This change, known as the Agricultural Improvement period, saw innovations in land use and drainage, introduction of new crops and crop rotation, improved understanding of animal husbandry and increased length of farm tenancies.

The 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1853 shows Cameron farmhouse, steading and cottages occupying the same locations as they do presently. The farm buildings at Cameron are described in the 1853 Ordnance Survey Name Book as 'a large farmhouse two stories high with offices and threshing machine and a farm of about 365 acres of arable land, tenanted by Henry Miller and the property of the East Anstruther Sea Box Society'. The farm has remained in agricultural use since then. The farmhouse has not been tenanted for several years (2022).

Statement of Special Interest

Cameron Steading (old part only) meets the criteria of special architectural or historic interest as part of a substantially complete early 19^th century, courtyard-plan farm in central Fife. The buildings retain their agricultural setting and together they are part of a good surviving Improvement-period farming group representing an important period of agricultural history in Scotland. The steading retains much of its plan and character, with the details of the north range being particularly well preserved.

Design

The plan form, materials and construction at Cameron Farm is characteristic of small-to-medium scale, early 19^th century farming. The functional relationship of the farmhouse, steading and farm cottages adds to their group interest.

The steading, with adjoining enclosed walled garden or paddock area to the south retains much of its plan and character, with the details of the north range being particularly well preserved. The three large cartshed openings, the ventilation slits, evidence for stabling, and threshing machine apparatus all show the steading was used for arable and livestock farming. It is common for farm ancillary buildings to be altered over time to increase space and accommodate new functions. There have been some additions and alterations to the steading, however overall, these changes are not unusual for a site that has remained in use as a farm until the present day.

In their present form the agricultural and domestic functions of the buildings continue to be illustrated by the listed buildings at the site.

Setting

Cameron Farm is surrounded by agricultural land at the centre of Cameron Parish in central Fife, to the southwest of St Andrews. The farm is accessed by a long unpaved track joining the A915 road to the west. Cameron Reservoir, built for public water supply in the early 20^th century, is located 150 metres to the south of farm. Overall, the survival of this wider rural setting contributes to the special interest of the listed buildings, adding to their authenticity as historic farm buildings and contributing to an understanding of their function in the landscape.

The immediate setting of Cameron farm largely remains the same as that shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1853. The functional relationship between the farmhouse, steading and cottages remains in evidence.

Age and Rarity

Fife is a particularly rich agricultural area of the country, and this is reflected in the quality and quantity of its 18^th and 19^th century agricultural building stock. There are around 100 farms with elements listed on account of their special architectural or historic interest, with at least 40 have associated steadings that are part of the same listing or are listed separately. There are eleven listed farmhouses and steadings in Cameron Parish alone, reflecting its status as a key agricultural area within central and southeast Fife.

While many 18^th-19^th century classical-style farm steadings survive across Scotland, some have been substantially extended and/or reconfigured internally. Those that retain their character, design integrity and historic setting are likely to be of special interest for listing.

Other nearby examples of this building type for this period include Cassindonald steading (LB2643, Category C) and Harestanes Steading and Farmhouse (LB43659, Category C). While the latter has had later alterations to the farmhouse, it remains of special interest for listing owing to the relationship between the adjoining farmhouse and the steading.

Within the wider context of early 19^th century farming in Fife, the buildings at Cameron Farm represent a largely complete and little-altered example of an Improvement period farmstead which retains its early-19th century plan form and setting.

Social historical interest

Cameron Farm has some social historical interest for its long-term ownership by the East Anstruther Seabox Society, a local maritime friendly society that has provided financial aid for sailors and their families using funds raised through subscription and via rent of lands in possession of the Society, since 1618. The society was incorporated by royal charter in 1784.

Listed building record revised in 2022.

References

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