On Sunday I set out to visit all the farms I could find which retain their steam engine shed chimney stacks. There are some photos on Flickr.
Most of the chimneys which survive from the high farming period of the mid to late nineteenth century are on farms in the Traprain area. But there are three in a group at Samuelston, not far from Pencaitland. The first sits behind a steading conversion on the Pencatland Haddington road. The second, down the hill in Samuelston Mid Mains is some way from the main road and hard to see.
Chimney three, just round the corner, is in a busy working farm beside an old dutch barn. In 1845 East Lothian had eighty steam engine powered mills on farms. They were used for threshing which is now done by combine harvesters.
There's a bit of a gap after that but around Traprain chimneys become fairly common. Number four at Standing Stone Farm sits in a small cobbled courtyard by the road. It's an idyllic spot, overlooked by Traprain Law to the north-west.
Chimney five at Luggate is less fortunate. It stands forlornly amid demolition rubble and ongoing redevelopment. It looks better from further east where the steading work is hidden but number six makes up for it. At Sunnyside Farm the chimney is an integral part of a very imposing steading which is windowless at ground level but has nine stone built dormers. Most 19th century farms were built from plans printed in journals or pattern books which is why they all tend to look the same. At Sunnyside an architect was probably employed to create something a bit more imposing.
From the sublime to the ridiculous for number seven. Traprain Farm's modern steading has engulfed the old steam engine shed leaving the top of the chimney sticking out of a new grain storage barn.
I could see number eight off to the south from miles away but reaching it required a cut through to the Stenton Gifford road. Overfield Farm is bit sad looking at the moment. Only the old chimney and a few bare walls remain as it is also being re-developed. The chimney is not seen at its best from the road, sitting as it does behind a blue portaloo but at least it has been preserved.
I returned via Inveresk where the ninth and last chimney of the trip sits in Pinkiehill Farm. The steading there is on the "at risk" register but it's in a better state than several neglected steadings. I know there must be other chimneys to be found, at Markle Mains, Congleton or Eaglescairnie perhaps.
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