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Summary

Description

Dating from around 1770 with later alterations and additions, the stables is a two-storey, elongated U-plan stable block designed in a Classical style. It is constructed in stugged and squared rubble, possibly incorporating earlier material, with red sandstone dressings and large oculi (round) openings to the principal elevation. It has a square, crenellated, two-stage tower at the northeast. There is an eaves course, and some dormer window margins project above the roof eaves.

The principal (northwest) elevation has a rusticated, round-arched central entranceway into the courtyard with later iron gates. The entrance section breaks the roof eaves with a raised pediment above. The northeast elevation has randomly placed window and door openings, suggesting this range was at one time part residential. This elevation also includes older openings that appear to have been historically blocked up. The south elevation has blocked-up former pedestrian openings.

Most of the glazing is now gone, but remnants of timber frames survive throughout. Some openings have been blocked up and there are some decorative slit openings. The building is largely roofless and there are no surviving chimneystacks. Some painted cast-iron rainwater goods remain.

The courtyard interior has a predominantly earthen floor with some concrete hardstanding to the west. There are cartshed openings in the north range and former workshop areas with late-20^th century non-traditional window frames. Steel beams are visible and some later blockwork, particularly to the east and west ranges. There is former accommodation to the east with rendered forestairs leading to the first floors. Some ironwork balusters and handrails remain.

Historical development

Treesbank was historically owned by the Campbells of Cessnock and their descendants (New Statistical Account, p.610). The current listed building record for Treesbank House notes the earlier mansion dated from 1672 (the current house dates from 1926). The estate is shown on Roy's map of 1752-55 as a sizeable country estate comprising a house and designed landscape. It is labelled on this map as Treesbarnes or Burnbank.

The Buildings of Scotland describes the stables as dating to around 1770 with later alterations and the doocot as being designed in an unusual octagonal plan, dated 1771 (Close and Riches, p.461). The New Statistical Account of 1845 notes the Campbells of Treesbank remain one of the principal landowning families of the parish and the estate is described as having beautiful grounds and views (pp.609-10).

The doocot, stables and the earlier mansion house are first shown in detail on the 1^st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1857. The stable block is shown as two parallel rectangular-plan ranges with the crenellated tower on the east range. By the 2^nd and later Edition Ordnance Survey maps of 1895, 1908 and 1938 the stables are shown in its current U-shaped footprint.

In 1975 the estate was bought by Glasgow Trades Council and became a recreational education centre for the trade union movement in Scotland, developed alongside The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) (Kilmarnock Standard). Images from 1979 show the stables was roofed and largely glazed at that time (Trove.scot).

The STUC sold the estate in the 1990s. The estate is now privately owned and there are proposals for housing development on the northeastern part of the estate (2025).

Statement of Special Interest

The plan form and construction materials of the stables is characteristic of a late-18^th century courtyard-plan steading with 19^th century alterations and later additions. Its footprint remains largely as that shown on the 2^nd Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1895 and its layout continues to show the original agricultural and stabling function of the building. While there is a loss of fabric, in particular to much of the roof structure, the walls are largely complete to wallhead and, as a whole, the building retains a significant amount of its 18^th and 19^th century fabric, its plan form and its historic character. The design quality is reflected in its large pedimented entranceway and oculi (circular windows) detailing to its principal elevation.

Stables are prolific building types that can be found across Scotland. These structures were often among the most architecturally elaborate buildings on an estate, designed to reflect the wealth of the owner. The scale and design quality of the stables at Treesbank reflects the wealth and status of the Campbell family.

Stables can be found on most 18^th and 19^th century country estates because they provided accommodation for carriages, horses and other animals as well as often housing the estate dairy, game larder and accommodation for groomsmen and other outdoor estate workers. The U-shaped, courtyard plan form was typical as the wings could hide some of the more utilitarian aspects of the building, such as workshops, accommodation and stores. While there have been later changes and some loss of fabric to the stables overall, the classical architectural features and the courtyard plan form remain, making it an important component of the estate.

While changes have been made to the fabric of the stables over time and there has been some loss of fabric, this has not adversely affected the historic character of the building overall and our ability to understand its functions within the wider estate landscape.

Listed building record revised in 2025.

References

Bibliography

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