Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM5012_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600010917)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the roofless remains of a large distillery built in the 1770s to supply malt spirit to the London gin distillers. The main block is 3 storeys in height, with 1 and 2 storey buildings adjoining. There is an engine room for an early steam engine. To the SW of this is a group of buildings, now reduced to exterior walls, which were almost certainly maltings and bonded stores. In the angle between the two blocks are the piled remains of

a wooden pier used for shipping spirit both from Kennetpans and from the nearby Kilbagie distillery, and later used for shipping coal. To the east are remains of a stone quay, and an earth mound, probably a ballast bank. Kennetpans closed in 1825, and was later used as a store. By the early 1900s the buildings were roofless. Despite long abandonment the complex gives a remarkably complete picture of the scale, layout and construction of a major 18th century industrial enterprise.

The area to be scheduled is approximately 190m by 190m overall and includes all of the features described together with surrounding land and the mouth of the adjacent creek. It is bounded on the S by the Forth, on the E by a line running around the perimeter of the ballast bank, on the N and E by a drainage ditch and by a line 10m beyond the

N wall of the main distillery block, on the W partly by the E boundary wall of the access road to the W pier and partly by a line 10m beyond the walls of the former maltings and store block. The boundary wall of the track is included in the scheduling. The area is outlined in red on the accompanying plan.

Statement of National Importance

The large-scale distilleries of E central Scotland were in the 1770s and 1780s among the largest capitalist enterprises in Scotland. Most survived to be converted into grain whisky distilleries in the period 1825-50, and were subsequently modernised from time to time. Others were demolished or converted to new uses, such as the neighbouring Kilbagie, for many years a paper mill. Though ruinous, Kennetpans is now the most complete survivor of these once economically important concerns, which helped to transform the economy of the region by converting barley from improved agriculture into high-value spirit, by encouraging growth of local coal-mining, and by providing nutritious by-products for the large-scale rearing of cattle and pigs. Its location where a stream-mouth keeps open a navigable channel into the Forth illustraes the importance of water transport for a large industrial unit at that time, and the steam engine house is one of the earliest of its type in Scotland. For these reasons the monument is unquestionably of national importance.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

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.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

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