The Pound

This is the space beside the turning-place at the end of our village road. Three-sides of dry-stane dykes mark out a sort of enclosure. When the old crofting village was cleared towards the end of the 1800's and made into a large farm, this was the place that the tenant-farmer used to impound any livestock that has "strayed" onto the grazings from the adjacent villages. The crofters were then "fined" before the animals were returned. What sort of arrogant mentality could ever think that behaviour was acceptable, and what sort of society supported that? It annoys me to think about it even now!