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Denmuir, Steading And Dunmore House

Farmstead (19th Century), House (17th Century)

Site Name Denmuir, Steading And Dunmore House

Classification Farmstead (19th Century), House (17th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Ayton

Canmore ID 31431

Site Number NO31NW 1

NGR NO 30265 18876

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/31431

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

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Administrative Areas

  • Council Fife
  • Parish Dunbog
  • Former Region Fife
  • Former District North East Fife
  • Former County Fife

Archaeology Notes

NO30NW 1.00 30265 18876

(NO 3023 1888) Denmuir and remains of Dunmore (NR).

OS 6"map (1959).

NO30NW 1.01 NO 30306 18850 Dovecot

The barn and granary of the existing steading of Denmuir represent the remains of a late-seventeenth-century two-storey house, formerly known as Dunmore. Above its entrance is a small armorial panel of the Paterson family, who have owned the estate since the time of James III.

On the upper floor is a simply moulded seventeenth-century fireplace, inserted within a still older and wider fireplace.

A Laing 1876; RCAHMS 1933, visited 1925.

Dunmore House. The remains of a rectangular building which has been completely altered to suit the requirements of the barn and granary. Internally, part of the E wall has been removed to enlarge the barn.

All sides except the S front have been altered and the windows filled in. The armorial panel in the projecting entrance is dated 1635. The present name of the farm is Denmuir.

Visited by OS (J L D) 30 October 1956.

No change.

Visited by OS (R D) 26 May 1970.

This is a much altered seventeenth-century, formerly domestic, range with a nineteenth-century water wheel for threshing and a twentieth-century grain dryer. Its flanking ranges house byres and stables. There is an extensive roofed cattle court to the east, which was said to have had the largest pantiled roof in Fife.

RCAHMS and NMS, 1998a.

Activities

Field Visit (11 June 1925)

Denmuir Farm.

The barn and granary of this farm, which stand 600 yards north of Ayton Farm, represent the remains of a two-storeyed house of the late 17th century, formerly known as Dunmore. An angular projection contains the entrance, which is back-set and chamfered at jamb and lintel; above is a panel space, into which has been inserted a small 17th century armorial panel of oak (Fig. 45). It has a moulded border. Above the shield is a helm and mantling, the helm bearing, for crest, a hand grasping a rose. The shield bears: Three pelicans feeding their young, for Paterson of Dunmore (1672-7). Below the shield are the letters ... MUS, all that is left of the motto, HUC TENDIMUS OMNES.

On the upper floor of the building there is a simply moulded 17th-century fireplace, inserted within a still older and wider fireplace, above which the plastered wall has been painted with a bold flowing design in red, black, and green.

[NO31NW 1.1] DOVECOT. Immediately east of the farmhouse is a two-chambered dovecot, built of rubble and oblong on plan, measuring 29 by 15 ¾ feet. The gables are crow-stepped, and there is one string-course, stepped at the gables. Each compartment has an entrance of its own. The eastern lintel is dated 1724, the western has initials G.P. (Paterson) and R.S. or R.B. separated by two hearts. The nests are entire and are still used.

RCAHMS 1933, visited 11 June 1925.

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