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Summary

Description

18th century (circa 1780), altered mid 20th century: oven 1909. Pair of 3-storey tenements with shops at ground in irregular terrace. Harled with raised stone margins and quoin strips. Eaves lintel course.

S (HIGH STREET) ELEVATION: W block: 3-bays with modern shop at ground, full-width fascia and regular fenestration to both floors above but window at 1st floor right altered. E block: 4 bays with pend door at centre, early 20th century shop to right with in-canted part-glazed door and fanlight to centre, and flanking display windows all below corniced fascia with moulded end-stops; extension of modern shop to left of centre: regular fenestration to 1st and 2nd floors and chimney gablet at centre above. W block: 3-bays with modern shop at ground, full-width fascia and regular fenestration to both floors above but window at 1st floor right altered.

N ELEVATION: variety of elements including pitch-roofed stair towers to right and left and basket-arched pend entrance.

12-pane glazing pattern in timber sash and case windows except to altered 1st floor window and shop windows. Grey slates to W, asbestos to E. Ashlar coped skews with scroll skewputt to centre and left, the latter ropework moulded; gablet stack of cavetto coped ashlar with polygonal cans, ridge stacks ashlar and part brick with cans.

BAKER'S OVEN (TO REAR OF NO 315): low brick and rubble building with stone flags at oven mouth; roof obscured by vegetation. Oven mouth with chamfered cheeks approx 3' above ground. Interior with solid floor, large squared rubble blocks around circumference and small shallow domed brick roof scalloped above springing point (see Notes) with concentric courses at apex (approx 2'). Small furnace with cast-iron surround to right over cast-iron door to ash pit at ground.

Statement of Special Interest

A new oven and stables were built in September 1909 for Alex Seath; it is likely that the oven was built to this design to allow a good flow of hot air from the adjacent furnace although owing to naked flame entering from the right, the bake needed to be rotated to ensure even cooking. This is the only remaining oven of its kind in Kirkcaldy.

Circa 1835 a Mr Thomson moved to William Beveridge's baking premises at 309 High Street, operating from premises in Elder's Brae to the rear of the current shop; Pigot mentions the same property in 1837 as consisting of dwelling house, shop and bake-house, used as a bakery he says "for about the last 40 years". It was advertised for let in 1842 and again in 1844; taken over by Robert Drysdale from 1851-1864, with

2 apprentices in 1851 increasing to 3 men and 1 boy by 1861. Westwood names Drysdale's successor as George Whyte in January 1864 and according to the Fife Advertiser in August 1869, Alexander Ballantyne moved to 311 High Street (Elder's Brae). David Beveridge moved to Elder's Brae during the 1870s where he was a successful baker and confectioner until he retired (1899) in favour of his son Robert. Although Robert died in 1916, the name of Beveridge was linked with the baking firm until much later in the 20th century.

References

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