Fasque House: Home Farm Bothy, Fasque Estate

Rare survival of early single storey, 3-bay, L-plan vernacular cottage with evidence of adjoining structure at S and sited at edge of later Home Farm and opposite Grieve's House. Squared and snecked rubble with large ashlar quoins. 12-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows. Graded grey slates. Coped ashlar stacks with thackstanes to S and W gables.

Known as The Bothy, this cottage is an important and integral part of the Fasque Estate. The stonework is of some quality, and the building occupies a strategic position at the N entrance to Fasque House. It retains its vernacular character with its unaltered roofline, windows set close to the eaves, early glazing and boarded timber door.

It was probably adopted by the Home Farm which was built in 1872. The Bothy is larger than the traditional cramped farm servants quarters associated with its name. Although the interior of the original structure is no longer sub-divided, the remaining timber inside the door, together with markings on the ceiling suggest a typical small lobby which would have given access to rooms at right and left, and may have backed onto box beds forming a central division. The footprint of the building on the 1st edition map shows two cottages of similar size. The second cottage would have adjoined the south gable which still has evidence of a fireplace at its outer face. The second edition map shows three small extensions to the rear elevation, one of which remains.

It is likely that the extensions were added in 1872 when the Home Farm was built. Fasque House was built in 1809 for Sir Alexander Ramsay of Balmain to replace an 18th century building. It was purchased soon after completion by Sir John Gladstone, a wealthy Liverpool grain merchant and MP, father of William Ewart Gladstone, 1809-1898, Britain's longest-serving prime minister. (Historic Scotland)

March 2010: SCT is contacted by architects working on behalf of the new owner of Fasque House and estate. The estate has just been bought by the new owner and the archiects are working with Historic Scotland and the local authority to develop a masterplan for the estate.

May 2010: SCT conducts a site visit accompanied by the building owner and masterplan architect. External inspection finds this simple building in an advanced state of deacy

August 2011: Permissions are being sought for Masterplan for Mixed Use Development, Including Restoration and Refurbishment of Existing Historic Buildings, Erection of 115 Dwellinghouses (Enabling Development), Visitor's Centre, Cafe and Farm Shop and Roads Associated Infrastructure for the Fasque Estate ref: APP/2011/2355.

30 May 2012: Listed Building Consent for full demolition of the building is being sought for the property ref: APP/2012/1201.

9 January 2013: Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for demolition of the bothy and erection of a new dwelling have been conditionally approved ref: APP/2012/1201 & APP/2012/2476. Risk moved to Critical.

14 August 2013: External inspection finds the slates have been stripped from the roof leaving large holes in the sarking. The South chimney is about to collapse and the interior is ruinous.