Castlemains Farmhouse, Auchterarder

A substantial, later 19th century Scots Baronial-style farmhouse (incorporating an earlier 19th century farmhouse) and a detached castellated building (incorporating some fabric of Auchterarder Castle), located to the north side of Auchterarder. The buildings occupy the site of the medieval Auchterarder Castle (demolished). The farmhouse and the associated castellated building are partly surrounded by 21st century housing development (2019).

The farmhouse is a six-bay, two-storey farmhouse of light brown sandstone rubble with pale sandstone ashlar dressings, quoins, skews and chimney stacks. The earlier part of the house, to the east, has a symmetrical three-bay south front with a shallow pedimented door piece and a central nepus chimney gable. A partially surviving date stone reads [18]25. To the left is a three-bay addition with a full-height advanced gable at the third bay, added when the house was remodelled in a restrained Scots Baronial revival style in 1889. The projecting gable has canted windows at ground and first floors, a carved panel with 1889 date and a large 'M' (for Malcolm), a moulded skew cornice and a ball finial. The two bays to the left of the gable have pyramidal-roofed dormer windows breaking the eaves. To the rear (north) of the earlier part of the house is a rounded stair outshot with a baronial tower addition that was likely added when the house was enlarged in 1889. The rear of the 1889 part of the house has a single storey outshot with a piended roof.

The windows are predominantly timber sash and case frames, those to the 1825 house having a 12-pane glazing pattern. There are gable end and ridge chimney stacks and the roofs are covered with overlapping grey slate. The rainwater goods are predominantly made of cast iron.
(Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

31 May 2023: Nominated for the Register by a member of the public noting the property is disused and in deteriorated condition. The surrounding land has been subject to development for new build houses. For Investigation.

26 March 2024: External inspection finds the farmhouse is vacant and boarded up. Close inspection was not possible from a point of public access. Of what could be viewed, the northern elevation appears to be in better condition. There are missing and slipped slates across all pitches however, most notably to the south-east, where a large section of complete loss is evident, exposing the sarking. Holes in this pitch have developed, which will be allowing water ingress to the interior. Chimney stacks appear plumb, cement render to the eastern gable's is cracked and beginning to spall, some stone decay to the others, as inspection was limited it could not be ascertained whether there is also some movement to a northern stack. Rainwater goods are intact but rusting, damp patches and algae growth to walls beneath downpipes suggest they are defective. Windows are mostly boarded or grilled. An unprotected turret window is missing a glazing unit. A curved boundary wall to the east is being encroached by vegetation. A high wooden fence has been erected to the southern boundary and metal fencing is installed to the north.
Full Planning Permission for demolition of the farmhouse and an adjacent cottage, and replacement with 12 houses was refused in 2018 (18/01549/FLL). The farmhouse was designated a category C- listed building in 2019.