Shetland Crofthouse Museum, Dunrossness. A traditional crofter's cottage set out at it would have been in the 1870s
On entering is a short hall that leads through to a barn. The byre is to the right and the living area is to the left.
Main living room, with a peat fire just lit. Very smoky. Through the door to the right of the fireplace is the ben end.
The three photos above are the ben end, the bed room. The information on site says "There is an earthen floor here, made of earth and clay beaten to create a hard surface. This was the most common type of flooring in a croft house. The family regarded the ben-end as the 'best room', where their treasured ornaments and pictures were displayed. Important guests such as the Minister would be entertained here."
The byre. An extract from that board balanced on a log:
Generally a croft would support three cows. The cattle were the most valuable items the family owned, providing a year round supply of milk. Cattle were taken insoor to the byre every night . . . The stone floor allowed the much to dug out regularly each spring and there were three stalls which remain just as they were when the last inhabitants of the croft moved out in 1963
In the barn. A workshop and where grain was processed.
[Sheaves of grain] were threshed on the wooden floor to strip grain from straw. The grain was winnowed to remove the chaff, then drived in the kiln
...
A fire at the right of the kiln gave warm air which flowed through the central wooden platform. There, grain was spread until was sufficiently dry for milling
Inside the kiln
From the barn, looking back to the entrance doorway.
Reear of house, showing kiln.
