Salt Pan Houses
Date 30 May 1990
Event ID 900614
Category Management
Type Site Management
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/900614
Built circa 1760 for the salt boiling industry, as the Maryburgh Salt Works, probably salt pans with housing above. Pair parellel blocks linked by (later) wall which has been heightened and which was originally open at centre. Arrangement is broadly symmetrical. Blocks are 2-storey, rectangular-plan, gabled, with end stacks, rubble-built with squared dressings (south block part harled), each block with wide opening in west gable at low level (timber-lintelled at south, concrete at north); also forestairs; slate roofs; deep skews with moulded skewputts suggest roof covering may originally have been pantiles or thatch.
Although what remains is incomplete, Whatley describes surviving buildings as "certainly the most complete upstanding remains of the (saltboiling) industry on the west coast". In fact, they appear to be most complete to survive in Scotland.
The Prestwick burgh/records of 12th February 1480 uses the term "salt pan hous" which suggests the existence of the industry locally by that time. The burgh records also discussed applications for erecting of salt pans on 25th June 1763 and 7th Sept. 1765 (Information provided by Kyle & Carrick civic society). (Historic Scotland)
