Highland Thatched Cottages: a photo record
The vast majority of Highland dwellings were thatched in the 19th century. Whilst the material required constant maintenance, the thatch ensured that the houses blended into the landscape beautifully, some barely visible from afar. This slide show gives some idea of the variety that existed.
Because of complications when I was moved from Simplesite to one.com, you may have to click on an image to see the full photo if it appears cropped, and also to see some of the later photos I have added since the move. You can then advance manually if you want.
Highland Cottage, Duntaylor, Aberfeldy.
A George Washingto photograph.
The Pier, Mallaig, showing a Dailriadic type house in the foreground, with a Skye type beyond. A Valentine postcard sent in 1905.
Neil Gow's Cottage, Inver, Dunkeld. A Woodall series postcard. Neil Gow was a celebrated fiddle player.
Highland Hut. A Shurey postcard.
Crofter's Houses, Stornaway. A Valentine image c1900. The use of stones to weigh down the thatch just above the walls was a common feature of such cottages.
Garabost Crofters, Lewis (upper image), and Crofter's House, Stornaway. Two views of the same house, which seemingly grows out of the wall on the right, and the peat stack on the left.
"Fisherman's House. Getting the Lines Ready, Stornoway." The same house again: clearly its photogenic properties were much appreciated! Posted 1906. Published by Thos. Nicolson, Stornoway.
Highland Cottage. A Reliable series postcard. The thatching required constant attention. This roof seems to have been patched with stone slabs at the far left hand end, and wooden planks on the right. The 'chimneys' incorporate boxes.
Crofter's Cottage, Stornaway, with occupant spinning at the door. A photograph by George Washington Wilson.
Crofter's Cottages, Isle of Lewis. A Valentine image, 1925.
Castlebay, Barra? A James Valentine postcard, 1910.
Two photographs of the same property, probably both by George Washington Wilson. The larger titled Ben Eay, from Glen Torridon, and the smaller, A Shepherd's Shieling in Glen Torridon, Ross-shire. Such shielings were only used in the summer months, when the cattle and sheep were taken up to higher p...
Possibly the same property, this time with Liathach, faintly seen in the distance. From a GW Wilson stereoview card.
At the Head of the Gairloch, by G.W. Wilson. Another lonely shieling.
Old Cottage, Aberfoyle. Photographer unknown.
Entrance to Glen Nevis, Fort William. A Valentine photo registerd in 1878.
Unknown place (on Lewis, possibly), photographer unknown. A well cultivated farmstead, with geese and vegetables visible on the left, and hayricks, etc. towards the right.
Skye Crofter's Home. A postcard by G.W. Wilson.
Shetland Ponies, another G.W. Wilson postcard.
Crofter's Houses, Skye. A Valentine photograph, registered in 1890.
A Crofter's Cottage, Daliburgh, South Uist. A postcard sent in 1932.
Loch Ousie, near Dingwall. A postcard sent in 1905.
Post and Telegraph Office, Eriskay, South Uist. Photographer and date unknown.
Peasant's Cottage in the Highlands. A Shurey postcard. A lady is spinning at her doorway.
Two images of the same properties, by different photographers. The upper one by Valentine, the card sent in 1903, and the lower one Cottages at the Entrance to Glen Strae (near Dalmally), by G.W. Wilson. The thatching has been carefully battened down.
Looking up Loch Long, a G.W. Wilson postcard sent in 1908.
Highland Hut, Lochaber. A postcard sent in 1905.
Bracora, Loch Morar. A Valentine photograph registered in 1896.
The Highest Inhabited House in Scotland, Wanlockhead. A Valentine card, 1909. Perhaps disappointingly, Wanlockhead is in Dumfries and Galloway rather than the true Highlands!
Crofter's Cottage, Lewis. Photographer and date unknown. The figure carries a basket (for peat, or seaweed?) and is furiously knitting.
The hut behind the Hoy Express employs both turf and stone slabs on the roof. A photograph by George Washington Wilson.
Glen Mohr, Inchnadamph, Sutherlandshire. A scarce view up a remote Glen in Sutherland. I think the peak in the distance i Ben More Assynt. Note the splendid peat stack on the left. Photographer unknown, but dated 1885.
Croft, Lower Bornish. A photo taken in June, 1905. Photographer unknown. From a glass negative.
Scotch Crofters, 3 Generations. Photographer unknown. A good view of the stones neatly hanging from the roof.
Scottish Thatched Houses, from an American magic lantern slide.
Crofter's Dwelling Skye. From a magic lantern slide by G.W. Wilson.
Ben Lui from Letter, Loch Awe. A photograph by G.W. Wilson, c1900.
Cottages in Glenfinlas, trossachs. From a magic lantern slide by G.W. Wilson.
Skye Crofters. Unknown photographer, but a magic lantern slide dated 1897.
Crofter's House, Camusnagaul. From a magic lantern slide taken by WVJ?
Scuir Uran and Scuir na Carnich, Ross-shire, by George Washington Wilson. Looking down Glen Shiel, which is lined by the Five Sisters of Kintail. Notice again how the houses blend beautifully into the landscape. That 2nd on the left has a good fire going.
The Smithy, Kinlochewe. A WR&S postcard.
Another view of the Blacksmith's cottage at Kinlochewe, by G.W. Wilson.
Sutherland Home Industries Association, Golspie Scotland. A card sent in 1918, informing "Dear Madam, We very much regret we do not stock homespun wool." The association was created by Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland, in an attempt to revive the homespun industry in the Highlands.
Skye Crofters. A WR&S postcard, unposted.
Skye Crofter's Dwelling. A G.W. Washington postcard sent in 1904. Clearly a card sent by the father to his young daughter - see nrxt photo for what he wrote.
![Dear Edith, This is the sort of place you have to live in here. This is a very good one. They have no chimneys - the smoke find the way out. They are very cosey inside. There is one here with no top [roof] on. I am thinking of takin it then you can all come. We can live cheap. Best love, Dad.](/____impro/1/onewebmedia/i285415639450337377.jpg?etag=%2255136-638d3d4d%22&sourceContentType= "Dear Edith, This is the sort of place you have to live in here. This is a very good one. They have no chimneys - the smoke find the way out. They are very cosey inside. There is one here with no top [roof] on. I am thinking of takin it then you can all come. We can live cheap. Best love, Dad.")
Dear Edith, This is the sort of place you have to live in here. This is a very good one. They have no chimneys - the smoke find the way out. They are very cosey inside. There is one here with no top [roof] on. I am thinking of takin it then you can all come. We can live cheap. Best love, Dad.
Titled "Dune of Calloway" the broch is also known as Dun Calloway, or Carloway. Here, with a fine example of a Hebridean type of cottage. My page on Highland Houses has a postcard view of the same building. This is a GWW photograph.
"Kelp Maker's Hut, S Uist." A photo by George Washington Wilson. My page on Highland Houses shows a similar dwelling - possibly the same one, though GWW calls that one a Lobster Fisherman's Hut.
The Lobster Fisherman's Hut on S Uist, by GWW.
"Loch Glendhu" by George Washington Wilson. A superb view across Loch Glencoul at Unapool. Of particular interest to geologists.
A Poorhouse on S Uist. A photograph by George Washington Wilson.
A seemingly productive croft on S Uist, photographed by george Washington Wilson. A Hebridean style of cottage, with cow and plenty of peat.
"A Well-to-do Crofter's House", a photo by George Washington Wilson.
Uig Bay, by GWW.
A Township of thatched cottages. A photo by George Washington Wilson.
"Weaver's Cottage, Harris." A lovely photograph, with the weaver's cloth spread out along the walls. Two girls can be seen at the far end of the house - maybe the two seen dying the wool in the photo on the 'Women at Work' page.
"Thatched Dwelling, Bernera, Isle of Lewis." Date unknown.
"Main Street, Centengaval, Barra." It is evident that the architecture and life in the Highlands is much better documented by photographs, etc. on the islands than on the mainland - an indication of the difficulties faced by the traveller on the mainland.
"Storneway. Crofter's Dwelling. An early 20th century postcard issued by Davis S. Turpie. The cottage is a fine example of a Hebridean style of building, the roof perched on a wider wall.
"Tighnalechan". On the back, the location of this cottage is given as "Old Crieff Road, out of Aberfeldy."
"The Ferry Cottage and Loch Tay at Lawers." Sadly, the entire village of Lawers seems to have vanished - see Mark Bridgeman's "The Lost Village of Lawers."
"Erbusaig, near Kyle of Lochalsh." An early 20th century photograph, on a postcard published by the Kyle Pharmacy.
A neatly thatched house, probably North Scotland on the mainland. Photographer unknown. c.1920
"Cottages and Skipport, North Uist." A Valentine photo registered in 1907. Loch Skipport separates North from South Uist.
"Clachan, North Uist." The Valentine photographer obviously liked what he saw, and returned to North Uist in 1910 for this and the next photograph.
"At Garnish, North Uist." Valentine, 1910.
"A Highland Loch." An early Valentine card of Loch Duich, with the 5 Sisters of Kintail in the distance. A neat Clachan can be seen on the right.
A postcard advertising Caledonia Tweed. A neat thatched cottage, place unknown.......
....The back of the postcard extolls the virtues of their product.
"This is a funny place to live in..." writes the sender of this 1904 card. Hardly a house, and it is not clear if these are inhabitants or just day-trippers, but the name implies the cave sometimes provided accommodation.
A Skye Crofter's Home near Sligachan.
An Abraham postcard posted in 1913.
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