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Summary

Description

Early 19th century. Symmetrical 2-storey and attic, 3-bay, square-plan extensive farmhouse with classical detailing. Snecked squared rubble. Ashlar eaves course; ashlar quoin strips; long and short droved quoins to NE angle (facing courtyard); raised margins. Piended roof with central chimney stacks to platform; pilastered doorway to S; canopied doorway to W. Single storey outbuildings linked to E; Early 19th century U-plan steading linked to N. 19th century summer house to SE at edge of former formal garden.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Central pilastered doorway; flanking windows (that to left blocked). 3 1st floor windows. Single cast-iron rooflight. Single storey outbuilding extension (former smiddy) to left and adjoining boundary wall to right.

E ELEVATION: 2 central ground floor windows. Central narrow 1st floor window. Projecting single storey outbuilding extension to right (semi-derelict).

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: central 20th century timber door; small ground floor window to right; ground floor window to left. Small 1st floor window off-centre left; 1st floor window to left-hand bay. 1 ? storey farm buildings (dairy) adjoin to right.

W ELEVATION: symmetrical. Central corniced doorway, plain timber door, 4-pane fanlight; flanking ground floor windows. 3 1st floor windows (that to centre blind). 2 cast-iron rooflights.

Predominantly 12-pane timber sash and case windows with horns. Piended roof; grey slates; 4 coped smooth ashlar stacks to roof platform with connecting cast-iron railings; circular clay cans.

INTERIOR: original layout mostly intact. Small vestibule to principal entrance; large dogleg stone stair to E, cast-iron balusters with palm leaf mouldings, mahogany handrail. Archways to central ground floor passage (in line with secondary entrance to W). Plain cornices to public rooms at ground and 1st floors. Palm leaf ceiling rose to centre of 1st floor landing; brass talking tube to NE of landing communicating with ground floor kitchen or servants accommodation. Additional circular timber stair from 1st floor to attic, plain cast-iron railings. Only one original plain timber chimneypiece remains in attic room to SW.

BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS: ashlar coped curved random rubble wall adjoining house to W with timber boarded door to centre and gate opening flanked by square-plan gatepiers.

Statement of Special Interest

B-Group with Auchenhard Tower and Auchenhard House (see separate listings). The farmhouse is a large yet refined early 19th century building. A U-plan steading adjoins to the rear. The horse mill has now disappeared and the inner courtyard has been covered to create a cattle court. Most roof surfaces of the farm offices have been replaced by corrugated metal. The farmhouse and steading were probably designed to complement the existing Auchenhard House and formed part the relatively elaborate and unspoilt designed landscape that was created as a picturesque setting for the late 18th century villa. (For more information on the designed landscape and related buildings see Auchenhard House notes.) Small yet carefully designed, this estate originally formed a minor part of the Cunynghame of Milcraig and Livingston estates and was probably established during the baronetcy of Sir William Augustus Cunynghame (MP for Linlithgowshire 1774-1790). Successive owners included Alexander Wilkie (1806) and David Alston (1809). On the death of Sir William in 1828, all the Livingston estates including Auchenhard were acquired by the Earl of Rosebery. Subsequently the land was tenanted until it was acquired in 1868 by James (Paraffin) Young who became the owner and occupier of Auchenhard House while he was building the Addiewell Oil Works. Young also acquired Auchenhard farmhouse and both houses remained in his possession until his death in 1883, after which time the houses remained in the ownership of Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company. The oil company occupied the ground floor of both houses; the upper floors of Auchenhard House were tenanted by the Free Church and used as a manse. Coincidentally, the upper floor of the farmhouse, was tenanted by the Established Church. It is probably at this time that an additional main doorway was inserted to the W. The W door was the new main access to the ground floor accommodation. Accommodation at 1st and attic floors was accessed via the original S door. When the Established and Free churches merged in 1929, the older house ceased to be the Free Church manse. In 1931 the farmhouse also ceased to be used as the Manse and was tenanted by the family of the current owners who occupied the house as a single dwelling once again. Both Auchenhard House and Auchenhard Farmhouse were purchased outright in the early 1980s by the current owner (2003) from Scottish Oils (formerly Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company).

References

Bibliography

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