Black House plan

Black House plan

ID: QZP99_94157_04_04 DESCRIPTION: Sketch showing a common arrangement of the Old or Black House in the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland. Black houses were common across Highlands and Western Isles. The houses were long and narrow with an outer and an inner wall of un-mortared stones. The gap was filled with earth and peat. They were usually thatched and generally had no chimney. Like the brochs, a family and their animals would live under the same roof. The term 'black house' distinguished these houses from the new houses introduced in the middle of the 19th century which were coated in lime wash and known as 'white houses'. This image comes from a collection gifted to Edinburgh Central Library by Dr Isabel F. Grant. The collection includes photographs taken by a number of different photographers. PLACENAME: N/A SOURCE: Edinburgh and Scottish Collection, Edinburgh Central Library COLLECTION: I F Grant Photographic Archive Asset ID: 38764 KEYWORDS: