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• Type

  Map

  Title

  Map for Pirnie Lodge (LB15312)

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600039336)

Summary

Description

The building is a two-storey, three-bay farmhouse, built in 1735 with a single storey L-plan extension, dating to at least 1867, with map evidence for an earlier range on a similar footprint, attached to the southwest gable.

The principal (east) elevation of the farmhouse has a grey rendered wall with painted stone windows and door surrounds. The slightly off-centred entrance features roll-and-hollow moulded jambs and a stepped lintel bearing an inscription in bold letters on sunk panels reading 'MR/WHIS 1735'. The panel refers to the initials of Reverend William Hastie and his wife Isabella Shaw and the date of construction of the house as 1735. There are single windows flanking the door on both sides with two single windows above at first floor set close to the roof eaves.

The northeast elevation features a grey rendered wall, a crowstepped gable with stone steps and moulded kneelers and an ashlar gable-end chimneystack. There is a stone plaque bearing the date of the reconstruction of this wall as 1989. The rear elevation is grey rendered and features a timber four-pane casement window at right on the ground floor and a central small window at first floor, lighting the staircase inside. There are three roof lights on the slope of the roof.

A single storey L-plan range dating to at least 1867, adjoins the southwest gable of the farmhouse and it is internally connected to it. This range reuses the footprint of an earlier pre-1860 southwest range and possibly incorporates earlier fabric. The east elevation of the range adjacent to the farmhouse features a grey ashlar wall with dressed yellow sandstone margin, three single windows at centre and a panelled door at the left. The southwest and rear elevations are random rubble with ashlar margins. Its southwestern crowstepped gable features a panelled door at right, a central altered window with round oculus above and a stone roof finial at the top. There is a central door and irregular fenestration on the rear elevation with a winnowing window at the far right.

The attached perpendicular range features a random rubble front elevation with central panelled door, small single window at right and a winnowing window at left. The rear and side elevation are of random rubble. The crowstepped gabled eastern elevation features two central windows with narrow slit opening and plaque with the date of 1867 above and a stone finial on top. There are two single windows and a winnowing opening at right on the rear elevation.

The interior of the farmhouse was seen in 2024. The interior has been largely modernised during the 20^th and 21^st centuries with few features of the 18^th or 19^th century decorative schemes surviving. A wall-set stone bowl is located below the small window on the staircase landing.

There is a detached single storey stone outbuilding northwest of the farmhouse with thick random rubble walls and a single opening on the front (west) elevation with large jamb quoins. The roof is covered with bituminous sheeting. An exposed timber framed roof structure is visible from the interior. A single storey, flat roofed brick extension is attached to the left of the stone outbuilding, a small arched opening connects the two structures.

The roof of the farmhouse is slated and features crowstepped gables, with stone steps and kneelers and gable-end chimneystacks. The roof of the L-plan range is slated with a rendered chimneystack located at centre of the wing adjacent to the farmhouse. The windows of the farmhouse and L-plan range are mainly timber two panes sash and case.

Historical development

Pirnie Lodge was built by Reverend William Hastie, minister of Slamannan parish, in 1735 as detailed on the lintel of the front door of the farmhouse. The farm horse tax rolls of 1797-1798 records William Hasty as 'master of Pirney Lodge' in 1797.

The farm is shown on successive maps and by the date of the First Edition Ordnance Survey map (surveyed 1860, published 1862) the farmhouse is shown and a row of three outbuildings adjoining the house at southwest and a further perpendicular range with small block in front located on the right of the linear outbuildings. A further detached structure was located northeast of the house.

The single storey L-plan range adjacent to the house follows the footprint of the earlier pre-1860 southwest outbuildings. A plaque on the gable of the perpendicular section of this range shows that it was added in 1867 but it possibly incorporates earlier fabric.

According to Stirlingshire: An inventory of the Ancient Monuments (1963) the front windows of the farmhouse were enlarged. The two windows on the back wall appear to have been slightly reworked, the central window had originally rounded arrises and the one at ground floor was smaller. There were two windows on the northeast elevation which no longer survive and the roof of the farmhouse was originally thatched and later replaced with slates

The L-plan range of the farm is shown unroofed in some historic photographs dating to 1975. Images from Falkirk District Council dating to 1989 show restoration works taking place to the L-plan range and the farmhouse. The works included some alterations to the openings of the L-plan range and the removal of the small single storey block in front. The farmhouse was re-roofed and partially reconstructed at this time. The images from Falkirk District Council show that the rear and the northeast elevation were rebuilt in brick and the front elevation was re-rendered.

Statement of Special Interest

Pirnie Lodge meets the criteria for listing for the following reasons:

• It retains a good degree of authenticity in its surviving exterior form, floorplan and layout as well as in its 18^th century architectural detailing.
• Later alterations including the alteration of the interior have not adversely affected its historic character.
• Its setting is largely intact with the surviving farm buildings forming a good group that retains its historic character.
• Dating to the early 18th century it is an early and rare survival of small-scale pre-Improvement farmhouse and farm buildings.

Architectural interest

Pirnie Lodge built in 1735, it is an early, pre-Improvement farmhouse which largely retains its exterior form and footprint. The first-floor windows set close to the roof eaves, the crowstepped gables and the small and randomly disposed windows on the rear are evidence of its early date.

The front elevation features symmetrically disposed openings which show the initial influence of classical architecture in rural buildings, characterised by symmetry, while the rear elevation is still retains small and asymmetrically disposed openings typical of vernacular buildings.

The surviving doorpiece with moulded jambs and stepped lintel with the date and marriage inscription is finely detailed and is a rare surviving feature which adds to the special design interest of the building. The footprint and internal plan form of the farmhouse also survive despite the interiors being modernised. The interior layout of the farmhouse with central stair and rooms at both sides remains largely unchanged (and as described in Stirlingshire: An inventory of the Ancient Monuments).

While the farmhouse and L-plan range underwent extensive restoration works in 1989, overall, there is a good degree of survival of early fabric and later restoration works are in keeping with original design, helping to retain the buildings' early 18th century character.

The adjoining farm buildings and stone outbuilding also retain their footprints and with the farmhouse they form a cohesive group that retains its historic character.

Pirnie Lodge is located in a rural area of the parish of Slamannan, south of Falkirk. The house is surrounded by farmlands and its wider setting is substantially unaltered and retains its rural and isolated character. The immediate setting of the farmhouse also largely survives with the farm buildings and stone outbuilding still standing next to the house. In more recent years there have been some small alterations to the setting with the construction of the linear timber stable block and some modern buildings.

Historic interest

Farmhouses are not a rare building type, however, examples dating to the earlier 18^th century are rare. Pirnie Lodge is a rare surviving example of a small-scale pre-Improvement farmhouse and farm buildings. Its continuous use as working farm into the 19^th century is also of historic interest.

From the mid-18^th to the mid-19^th century, agriculture in Scotland was transformed as small-scale subsistence farming gave way to the creation of larger, commercial farming practices. This radical change in farming, known as the Improvement or Agricultural Improvement period, saw the construction of new farmhouses and associated buildings and many of these small-scale buildings would have been replaced or 'improved'. Their survival into the 21^st century is quite rare. Pre-Improvement farm buildings that do survive are often significantly altered or extended.

Pirnie Lodge also forms part of a small number of surviving 18^th century farmhouses located in the Falkirk area which are also listed. These include the 1794 Lochgreen Farmhouse - (Category B, LB13326) in Falkirk and Candie House dating to 1817 but possibly earlier than 1752 - (Category B, LB15323) in Muiravonside.

Category of listing changed from B to C and supplementary information in the listed building record revised in 2025.

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.

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Images

Map