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Summary

Description

Probably 18th century. Rare survival of early single storey, three-bay, rectangular-plan vernacular cottage retaining thatch under corrugated iron with five pairs of cruck couples, and associated barn and bothy, both also single storey and rectangular-plan. Random rubble with small openings, cottage whitewashed.

West Cottage: symmetrical entrance (southeast) elevation with boarded timber door at centre and windows in flanking widely-spaced bays. Blank gable ends and two timber-lintelled windows (enlarged with brick) in rear.

Four-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows; rear windows multi-pane lying glazing pattern in timber casement windows. Corrugated iron sheets cover thatch. Ashlar chimneystacks with slate cornices. Some timber bargeboarding.

Interior: walls now lined with timber boarding revealing crucks at wallhead (see Notes). Walls, ceiling and exposed parts of crucks retain early wallpaper coverings. Cabers in situ supporting thatch beneath corrugated iron. Timber partitions form two small rooms at centre; larger outer rooms forming kitchen at west with large fireplace opening incorporating parts of range with swey and timber surround, living room at east with large stone fireplace and bracketted timber mantel shelf.

The Barn: long, slated rubble gabled barn on ground falling to south. Broad timber-boarded door below small cast iron rooflight to entrance elevation at west, hayloft opening at north, and tiny centre window with two small cast iron rooflights at east. South gable partially collapsed.

The Bothy: converted to dwelling around 2000. Boarded timber door flanked by non-traditional fixed light windows, replacement straw-thatch with concrete ridge and skews.

Statement of Special Interest

Once part of the estate of the Menzies of Castle Menzies, these buildings together with East Cottage (see separate listing, LB5751) formed the small fermtoun of Nether Tullicro, now known as Tullicro. Such survivals are increasingly rare and are important sources for informing our understanding of rural life and work in Scotland prior to the 20th century. It is rare for a cruck framed cottage to survive in such little-altered condition, and the collection of buildings at Nether Tullicro appear much as they would have when first built. This contrasts vividly with the paucity of remains at the once similar group at nearby Upper Tullicro.

In its well-preserved (2008) state, the interior shows evidence of continued use well into the 20th century, with patterned wallpaper covering every available surface and the ceilings similarly paper-lined. The boarding which now lines the walls obscures the heavily battered original wall surface, resulting in a gap ranging from a couple of inches to perhaps as wide as twelve inches in places. Where the crucks are necessarily exposed at the wallhead, these too are encased in wallpaper. A further unusual element at West Cottage is the existence of what appears to be a double cruck adjacent to the door. While this may be a primary construction feature, it is possible that is secondary, indicating that the wallhead may have been raised.

West Cottage appears on the 1859 map with a much longer footprint. This may indicate that it was built as part of a longhouse, a building type once found across Scotland and variously named longhouse, blackhouse or byre dwelling. The plan form, combining dwelling and byre under a single roof, became a well-established and practical solution rich in local variations of materials and building techniques according to vernacular diversity. Tullicro is just a short distance east of the very rare well-preserved longhouse at Camserney (see separate listing, LB25653).

At Whitsunday 1839 a record of the Rental of The Estate of Menzies in Appin of Menzies (or Dull) notes that Upper Tullicro was tenanted by Angus McGregor at a rental of £70 per annum, and Nether Tullicro was divided between John McGregor and Duncan Menzies, each at £32 per annum.

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.

Immediately to the northeast of West Cottage is a small thatched building known as Garden Cottage. This was originally a single storey and loft, two-bay cartshed and has been converted into a small dwelling.

Formerly listed as separately as 'Cottage (Empty 1975) Nethertullicro, West Cottage' and 'Camserney Cottage, Nether Tullicro, Including Associated Steading Buildings to North-East and South-West'. The listings were merged in 2008 and the listed building record revised.

Listed building record revised in 2019 as part of the Thatched Buildings Listing Review 2017-19.

References

Bibliography

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