Photos and the City

Category: Sotland

The Arnol Blackhouse

It was time to visit the restored Arnol Blackhouse finally. Or taigh-dubh as a blackhouse is called in Gaelic.

Right next to the blackhouse is a little information centre and tiny shop, telling more about the blackhouse and the people who used to life there. I really enjoyed seeing this overview of the house.

A blackhouse usually comprised a long narrow building, often with one or more additional buildings laid parallel to it and sharing a common wall. The walls were made from an inner and outer layer of unmortared stones, the gap between them filled with peat and earth. The roof would be based on a wooden frame, resting on the inner stone walls, giving the very characteristic wall-ledge. (Undiscovered Scotland)

The blackhouse didn´t have a chimney, the smoke of the peat fire would find its way out through the thatches and also helped keep insects at bay.

The smoked thatch was also an excellent fertiliser and was used on the fields after it was stripped down and renewed every year.

The animals would be on one side of the house with earth flooring, without any flagged floors like in the living areas. The whole design of the blackhouses was based on the housing we know from Skara Brae 5000 years ago, but the houses themselves were built more recently. This specific at Arnol No 42 was built in 1875.

And in 1960 there were still nine blackhouses in use in Arnol: while the group now restored as the blackhouse village at Gearrannan, further along the coast, was only abandoned in 1974. (Undiscovered Scotland)

The Arnol Blackhouse at No 42 gives a good insight on how living in a blackhouse might have been, even if it is a slightly “cleaned up” version. The thatched roof is built differently and wallpaper had been removed. But one still smells the smoke of the peat fire and this smell lingers in the clothes forever.

On the other side of the road there is not only a “White House” included in your visit (see next blog post) but also the remains of other blackhouses, which had a bit different layouts.

View back to the Blackhouse at No 42.

14/02/2023
Arnol

I arrived in Arnol, a little village on the Isle of Lewis to visit the Arnol Blackhouse, but was too early for my slot. And little did I know that there are so many remains of Blackhouses in Arnol. I used my time to walk around the village and look for all the blackhouses and how they are used today.

Parked at the Arnol Blackhouse and started my walk around…

Arnol is situated on the west coast of Lewis and is a pretty typical settlement, maybe except for the number of blackhouses that are still to be found.

The older ones have rounded ends and appear as a series of conjoined cells typically with a central living area/byre with a porch and barn on either side. The later ones can be identified by their gabled end walls and the presence of a stone dividing wall between living area and byre. (Wikipedia)

The Arnol Blackhouse museum at No 42 is a great example of how people used to live, it is still in the conditions after the former residents moved out in the 1960s. Around this time the Historic Environment, which cares for the Arnol Blackhouse, asked the residents to not destroy the other remains of blackhouses or reuse the stones for other buildings.

But the blackhouses are still in use, one of my favourite ones is used as a playground, and others offer storage or just walls for sheep to stay on.

09/02/2023
Traigh Shanndaigh – Eoropie

Eoropie – the most northern village in the Isle of Lewis. I basically came for two things, the beach and St Moluag’s church.

Teampall Mholuaidh (St Moluag´s church)

Constructed somewhen between the 12th and 16th century, this little church looks so whimsical, sitting within all the wildflowers. I couldn´t go inside as the church was closed but enjoyed a little walk around the church.

The church is associated as a place with healing powers, especially for mental health.

Many people were brought here in the hope of healing, and even those who could not reach the church sent wooden effigies of their afflicted parts. (wikipedia)

A visitor in 1603 noted that people had sent portions of their lame arms or legs to have lain under the saint.

Eoropie Beach

The first thing you see, even before reaching the dunes is a huge playground. It really is a huge and fabulous playground for all ages. During the week there even seems to be a little kiosk for hot drinks and snacks.

I walked through the dunes and arrived at the endless (and pretty empty) beach.

You will understand the next photo if you have read the “Lewis Trilogy” by Peter May – in these books set in Lewis he always talks about the big churches “looming” over the villages and while driving through Lewis I really understood these words.

07/02/2023