Coldhome

NH92NE 40 NH 99655 26334.

This farmstead, which comprises up to five buildings, is situated on two SW-facing terraces in moorland 630m NE of Upper Finlarig farmsteading (NH92NE 26). As depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Elginshire1874, sheet xxxii), the farmstead comprised a farmhouse, standing on the E side of a garden, and two other buildings immediately to the E, one partly roofed, which formed an L-plan range, its open side facing S. The Ordnance Survey Name Book (Elginshire No. 5, p. 160) describes Coldhome as 'A small dwelling house one storey high, with offices attached, the whole thatched and only in middling repair. The Earl of Seafield, proprietor.' At this time the farm was tenanted by a Mr William Dow.

By the end of the 19th century the farmhouse had been abandoned and is shown unroofed on the 2nd edition of the map (Elginshire 1905 sheet xxxii SE). The N wing of the L-shaped range had also fallen into disuse by this time and is not depicted on the map, though the S end of the E wing remained roofed. The map also depicts a new roofed structure standing immediately SE of the range.

All three of the buildings depicted on the 1st edition of the map are still visible. The farmhouse measures 14.5m from ENE to WSW by 5.5m transversely over lime-mortared stone walls standing up to 2.5m in height at the WSW end. The remains of a fireplace are visible in the ENE end with a press to its N; at the WSW end there is a small ambry in the NW corner.

The N wing of the range measures 17.3m from E to W by 5.7m transversely over walls up to 0.3m in height. There are at least two possible entrances in the S side and a small outshot is attached to the W end. Immediately SW of this outshot are what appear to be the remains of the N end of a structure measuring at least 4.6m from N to S by 3.5m transversely over grass-grown footings 0.3m in height.

The E wing of the range measures 18.4m from N to S by 5.3m transversely over walls up to 1.2m in height at the N end. The interior contains two compartments; the entrance to the southern is in its E side, the entrance to the northern is probably in its W side.

The structure shown roofed on the 2nd edition of the map immediately SE of the range is subrectangular on plan and measures 3.4m from NW to SE by 3m transversely over grass-grown wall-footings up to 0.5m in height.

Nothing is visible of the limekiln, which stood about 35m S of the farmstead in what is now a plantation. It is depicted on both the 1st and 2nd editions of the OS 6-inch map; on the later it is annotated 'Old Limekiln'.

Visited by RCAHMS (TIP, AGCH) 12 October 2006.