Description
Cameron Farm Cottages (1830-40) are two adjoining, single storey workers' cottages of rubble construction with droved ashlar dressings and simple, unadorned interiors. They are located to the northwest of Cameron Steading (LB8262). Each cottage has one door opening flanked by two windows (unglazed, 2022) to the principal south elevation. There are straight ashlar skews to the gables. The roof has a red pantile covering and four (two gable and two ridge) brick chimney stacks. The rear elevation is largely blind (with no doors and only one window) and has no later extensions of additions.
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 (LB143), steading (LB2682) and farm cottages (LB2683) 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 Farm Cottages meet the criteria of special architectural or historic interest as part of a substantially complete example of an early 19th century farmstead in central Fife. The buildings retain their agricultural setting and together they are a good surviving Improvement-period farming group representing an important period of agricultural history in Scotland. The unaltered plan form of the cottages, with no dormers or extensions, make them an increasingly rare survival in the context of early 19th century farm worker's cottages in Scotland. The functional and spatial relationship with the farmhouse and steading adds to their interest.
Design
The plan form, materials and construction at Cameron Farm is characteristic of small-to-medium scale, early 19th century farming. The functional relationship of the farmhouse, steading and farm cottages adds to their group interest.
The cottages continue to demonstrate their form and function as simple farm workers' cottages. Their survival and proximity to the other buildings add to the collective interest of Cameron Farm as an example of a complete, little-altered, medium-scale farm of early 19th century date.
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 20th 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 farmhouse and steading 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 18th and 19th century agricultural building stock. There are more than 600 farmhouses dating from this period across the region. Around 100 of these are listed on account of their special architectural or historic interest, and at least 40 have associated steadings that are part of the same listing or are listed separately. There are eleven listed farmhouses in Cameron Parish alone, reflecting its status as a key agricultural area within central and southeast Fife.
While many 18th-19th century classical-style farmhouses 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.
The unaltered plan form of the cottages, with no dormers or extensions, make them an increasingly rare survival in the context of early 19th century farm worker's cottages in Scotland. The functional and spatial relationship with the farmhouse and steading adds to their interest.
Within the wider context of early 19th 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.