Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority

Probably late 18th century or early 19th century, renovated from derelict with additions to west end and rear by Findlay McKinnell Associates in 1997-2000. Linear range of two single-storey thatched cottages (now joined to form one cottage) comprising three-bay cruck-framed cottage to east; slightly taller and longer three-bay cottage to centre; two-bay section to west. 1997 extension at right-angles to rear of larger cottage.

Each former cottage has a central door with flanking windows. Two-leaf timber-boarded door to central cottage and half-glazed timber door to east cottage. 1997 rubble chimney stacks replacing original rendered stacks on east gablehead of each cottage. Although a once common form of vernacular construction, very few cruck-framed cottages now survive. This is a good example of a cruck-framed thatched cottage, occupying a prominent position by the A85.

Interior: the east cottage has a cruck-framed roof with two central crucks braced at top with two cross-beams and three purlins to each side supporting closely-laid common rafters. 1997 rubble chimneypiece to east cottage. Arched rubble chimneypiece to central cottage (kitchen). East cottage is open to rafters with roof construction exposed.

Materials: random rubble, including some large boulders, mostly at base and quoins. 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows. Tay reed thatched roof with turf ridge. Corrugated metal roof to rear addition. During renovation the harl was removed and the stonework pointed and left exposed.

Statement of Special Interest

This cottage was formerly Easter Auchraw Croft.

It is generally thought that the cruck-framed part of the cottage is older than the rest. The owner believes that this part of the cottage dates from the 17th century and that the central part of the cottage dates from the 18th century. It is, however, unlikely that this is the case. Although Easter Auchraw is shown on General Roy's map of circa 1750, none of the buildings shown have the same relationship to the road as the present one, and it is very unlikely that a simple cottage, such as this, would survive from that date.

Cruck-framed construction continued until the 19th century, and the building is more likely to date from the late 18th or early 19th century when Lochearnhead was developed as a village of crofts to resettle families from over-crowded 'fermtouns' (see Stewart). The two-bay section at the west end of the building was originally a one-room addition to the west cottage (shown on 1st edition Ordnance Survey map), and was extended in 1997 to its present size.

In 1997 extensive renovations were carried out to the cottage, which had fallen into dereliction and was in poor condition. The cruck frame was rebuilt using, where possible, the original timbers, and is no longer load-bearing. The chimney-piece in the east cottage (now sitting room) was built as part of the renovations, but the one in the west cottage (kitchen) is believed to be original: there are no old photographs of it, but the listed building consent indicates that the existing chimneypiece was to be kept.

Before it was renovated the cottage had a corrugated iron roof over old thatch. In 1997 the cottage was re-thatched with two different types of thatch to distinguish between the two building periods. The east cottage had heather thatch and the rest had marsh reed thatch with a heather ridge. In 2009 the building was rethatched in Tay reed.

The boundary walls, garage and workshop were all built in the late 1990s.

It is among a relatively small number of traditional buildings with a surviving thatched roof found across Scotland. A Survey of Thatched Buildings in Scotland, published in 2016 by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), found there were only around 200 buildings of this type remaining, most of which are found in small rural communities. Thatched buildings are often traditionally built, showing distinctive local and regional building methods and materials. Those that survive are important in helping us understand these traditional skills and an earlier way of life.

Listed building record revised in 2020 as part of the Thatched Buildings Listing Review.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.