Aberdeenshire HER - NJ42NW0007 - BLACKMIDDENS FARM

Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ42NW0007
NameBLACKMIDDENS FARM
NMRS Card No.NJ42NW11
NMRS Numlink106031
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Incomplete
Details The remains of a farmstead with a horse-mill platform, with several other buildings based around a central courtyard, stand on a slope above an area of moorland. It is shown on an estate plan of 1827 as a quadrangular steading, the farmhouse contained in an extension from the southeast end of the northeast range. It is depicted on the OS 1st and 2nd edition maps as an almost rectilinear steading with a central open court, orientated northeast-southwest. A further range extends to the northeast from the southeast end of the northern range. A small building lies to the south and another with attached enclosure to the north. In the yard to the southwest there are ten rick bases. The houses lie in the northeast range, within one of which there is a large fireplace with lintel of cut granite, which is alleged to come from Lesmoir Castle. Inside the mill is a wooden fixed-barn horse-powered threshing mill with a wooden peg drum. Part of the northwest range has a corrugated iron roof overlying an earlier turf roof. The walls of this building are clay-built and would appear to predate the remaining part of the farm with several built up doors and windows visible. The south end of this range and the southern range are all slated, but now in a deteriorating state. Blackmiddens had a legal distilleryi(NJ42NW0102) in the mid 19th century, with James Smith as the licensee, although there does not appear to be a good water supply in close proximity. Measured survey of the farmstead was carried out by Historic Environment Scotland in 2020. At the northeast end of the farmhouse is a wash house. The steading includes a byre, barn containing a wooden threshing machine, cart shed and stable. Remains of three other small buildings were recorded one east of the wash house, and two southeast of the steading. Narrow boulder-walled enclosures northwest of the steading were constructed in the late 19th century as windbreaks. Overgrown remains of a quarry lie to the southwest of the barn.
Last Update02/04/2025

National Grid Reference: NJ 4257 2599


Easting: 398070, Northing: 818360

CompilerMKG
Date of Compilation09/06/1997

Event Details

Event DateEvent Type
1900 Survey

Excavations and Surveys

Date MDate YTypeDurationDirector / OrganisationAuspicesFundExtent
121997  MKORCMRCM 
 2020 Survey  HES   

Artefact and Ecofact


Ecofact

Samples 
Palynology 
Ecofact Notes 

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
BYRES REMAINS OFM100
STABLES REMAINS OFN100
LINTELSGRANITE I100
ROOFS TURFEDJ100
ROOFSCORRUGATED-IRON K100
FARMSTEADS REMAINS OFA100
HORSE-MILLS REMAINS OFB100
MILLSWOODENREMAINS OFC100
ENCLOSURES REMAINS OFD100
ENTRANCES ARCHEDE100
STACK-BASES  F100
HOUSES REMAINS OFG100
FIREPLACES  H100
DISTILLERIES REMAINS OFL85

Google Map for NJ42NW0007


National Status

Regional Status


Photo Details

SourceReferencePhoto TypeFilm TypeDate
RCMC 8652/7-9 Ground Black & White 16/12/1997
RCMD 4407/17 Ground Black & White 16/12/1997
RCMD 4406/11,15 Ground Black & White 16/12/1997
GRACOLOUR TRANS Ground Colour Negative 09/06/1997
ASSGR/05/CT140-175 Ground Colour Transparency 29/06/2005
AASAAS/GR/97/CT195-223,302-3 Ground Colour Transparency 09/06/1997
GRALCi 1-12 Ground Black & White 09/06/1997
AASAAS-GR-19-04-099 - 169 Ground Digital 12/04/2019
AASAAS-Gr-19-04-174 - 191 Ground Digital 12/04/2019

Bibliographic Detail

Bib Ref NoTitleAuthorDateOthersEditorPublishedDetailsDate MDate Y
04535BLACKMIDDENS; BUILDINGS AND ARCHITECTURAL TRADITIONS IN NORTH EAST SCOTLANDP R RAWLINGS1996  Project submissionStudent project rep 1996
09326A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF BLACKMIDDENS FARM ABERDEENSHIRE; REPORT FOR THE CABRACH TRUSTM STEWART2020     2020
12772BLACKMIDDENS, RHYNIE, ABERDEENSHIRE: A MEASURED SURVEY OF A 19TH CENTURY FARMSTEAD AND DISTILLERY 2020     2020

Location

Historic Administrative Area Name Rhynie
Positional Accuracy Centred at
Buffer Zone 15-20m
Buffer Type Bespoke
Capture Scale Unknown
Spatial Feature Type Polygon: Unknown Extent

Environment

Constraints Privately owned, access by arrangement - easy access.
Altitude390
Geology 
Topography Moderate Slope
Aspect 1 
Aspect 2 Open
Current Land Use Agricultural
Vegetation
Soil Type 
Hydrology 

Measurements

Plan 
Shape 1
Shape 2
Diameter 
Length 
Width 
Thickness 
Depth 
Area 
Height 

Historic Land Use


Period Details

PeriodOrderProbabilityRadiocarbon DatesDate BuiltDate of DestructionDate of Loss
Post-Medieval (from 1560 AD) A100    

Period Notes

Period Notes

Architect Details

Architect Details

Maritime Archaeology

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