On Haystoun Estate...

In a different age, a different economy, the Scottish "fermtoun" was an integral unit... houses, sometimes a church, sometimes a school, gathered round the big farm or estate.   All who lived there were dependent on the owner for their living and their accommodation.

Today these cottages will have been sold off to private owners.   Gamekeepers, stock people, gardeners, labourers, all those who used to live in the cottages have close to disappeared.   One near by estate used to have 12 gardeners, today there is one.