Monument record MHG15082 - Balnacruie

The surviving farmhouse is the remnant of a formerly extensive range of buildings as can be seen on Figs 3 & 4. The farmhouse itself appears to have been built or rebuilt between 1871 and 1903, as it was not shown in its present form on the earlier OS map. To the NE of the farmyard was an L-shaped range of buildings, presumably barns that no longer survive and this area is currently used as a fank. To the North of this 2 small buildings, B & C, still survive in fragmentary form. Building C may have been a horse mill. Further West was D, another small structure, possibly a lime kiln, though not listed as such on the OS map. Enclosure E, probably a stock pen, may have formed the West boundary of Balnacruie Farm.

A. Farmhouse currently occupied. Probably rebuilt to its present form in the late 19th century on the site of an earlier building.

B. Rectangular structure built with mortared masonry 5m by 6m. Purpose unknown but thought to be a shed or store. Fairly ruinous.

C. The drystone footings of an oval building 8m by 4+m survive in places here. In the centre is a rectangular hollow 1.2m by 1.5m within another chamber 3m by 3m. It is thought this might be the foundations for a horsemill. A small tree is growing in the centre of this feature and a larger one is established on the SE side. Between B & C are the remains of a concrete sheep dip now partially decayed.

D. The small kiln located here was not measured due to the hysteria of the dogs kennelled alongside! The kiln has been loosely filled in with stones. It was probably another limekiln though it is not recorded as such on the OS maps. It is in good condition but a ferret tunnel has been built into the West side of this feature.

E. The North end survives of a D-shaped enclosure shown on both OS maps. Its surviving diameter is 15m. The interior has been partially filled with a dump of stones and soil, probably derived from the demolition of buildings further to the East. <1>