[MR] BBC: Rethatching a Blackhouse

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends, especially Fellow Scots,

Today BBC is offering a photo feature about re-thatching a blackhouse on 
the Isle of Lewis. While the house itself dates to the 19th century, 
thatched buildings in Scotland and England certainly date to our period 
of interest. The photos offer details of how this work is done: 
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-37755821

Blackhouses themselves, according to what I've read, actually date to 
the 1700s. How they differed from earlier peasant architecture is 
unclear. Blackhouses usually were divided somewhat at the middle, with 
livestock kept in one end, and the other end for the family. The smell 
much have been absolutely horrid, but people of the time were used to 
it. Of course, exposure to animal waste cannot of been healthy for 
humans, but nobody knew about e-coli and other nasties.

Isn't it nice that we're all supposed to be at least "gentles" in the SCA?

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, That Crazy Scot