Image: Moirlanich Longhouse by John Adams, 13 May 2006, sourced from Wikimedia Commons and licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
A remarkably intact dwelling and byre preserves the construction, furnishings and working arrangements of a Highland farming household.
Quick facts
- Date
- Probably late 18th or early 19th century
- Architect / designer
- Vernacular construction; individual builders unrecorded
- Type
- Cruck-framed longhouse combining dwelling and byre
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB8263)
- OS grid reference
- NN 56215 34141
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
A single low roof covers three domestic rooms and a cattle byre. Split-timber crucks support cabers and remnants of thatch beneath corrugated iron, while box beds, wallpapers, a hanging lum and cobbled byre survive inside.
Its story
Several generations of the Robertson family occupied the house as tenant farmers and horse breeders. The final resident left in 1968; the National Trust for Scotland acquired the building in 1992 and conserved it with its contents.
Why it is included
Category A listing recognises an exceptionally rare cruck-framed longhouse whose near-complete interior makes an ordinary rural building unusually informative.
What to notice
- Cruck blades visible within the byre.
- Layers of wallpaper lining rooms and box beds.
- The hanging lum above the kitchen hearth.
Reading the surroundings
The house has limited seasonal opening and guided visits. Floors are uneven and lighting is low; check current times, use the designated approach and follow staff guidance.
Timeline
- Circa 1800 The surviving longhouse took shape within the Moirlanich farming settlement.
- 1968 Departure of the last inhabitant ended continuous domestic occupation.
- 1992 The National Trust for Scotland acquired the building for conservation.
- 2007 Its designation was upgraded to Category A after reassessment of its rarity.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The building cannot be given a single exact construction year, and its fabric may incorporate several phases.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Moirlanich Longhouse, LB8263 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- National Trust for Scotland: Moirlanich Longhouse — Current visitor use, surviving interior features and the history of the last household.
- National Trust for Scotland: planning your visit — Current seasonal opening, access conditions, facilities and booking information.
Location
OS grid reference NN 56215 34141 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; the independent source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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