Auld croft steading

This old croft steading stands opposite the house where my sister-in-law lives and is thought to date back to the 17th century. The area she lives in is known as a Howe - meaning small valley - and other buildings nearby formed a small community way back. Amongst them were the smiddy, the vricht and the mill house where the blacksmith, carpenter and miller respectively worked. Just a bit away was where the coach staging used to be, where folk came to change horses, give them a drink or simply a rest. My husband's grandfather and great grandfather on his mother's side of the family actually used to live in the house where my sister-in-law now lives, as they were the blacksmiths in the Howe. My mother-in-law was born there although the family subsequently moved away .... so it is very special that my sister-in-law was able to return to the Howe and particularly to the very house where her mother was born.

In the croft steading, the door in the middle and the door on the right were originally the byre and stable, housing the milking cow and the horse. These two were separated by a half wall. The door on the left of the building led to a separate room known as a chaumer, where a single male farm worker would have lived and above him was a loft where the straw for the animals was kept. It is now used as a shed and the bits and pieces in the front of the building are obviously not part of the original.

(I hope I have remembered everything accurately!)

I am back home now and reunited with my two four legged chums, but it has been a great few days with lots of blethering and laughter but most particularly, remembered stories of days gone by and the way life used to be for the large family as they grew up.

I'm sorry I haven't had time to comment over the past couple of days but have tried to take a keek at most of your journals. Hopefully normal business will resume shortly, but not tonight as I am rather tired!