Scottish Vernacular Buildings Working Group

We are very sorry to report that our recent chair, Prof Niall Logan, died on 3 October. #SVBWG is in his debt for the big reboot he gave us. Photo from our work party recording #EastLothian’s #Innerwick corrugated-iron village hall this weekend. ⁦@VArchGroup⁩

Lamin Kongira correctly used a CO2 extinguisher on the electrical fire.

@TheDoorRestorer Perhaps forged and drilled from wrought iron, not cast?

Couple of unusual things about these c200 year old cast iron hinges. Just 3 sections on the knuckles. No markings ... no size (3") no gauge (333?) And no foundry name. So I don't know who made them, which is a shame, 'cos I'd like to praise them. Top quality hinges 👌👍

@UndisScot Coldstream

WHERE IN SCOTLAND? Where is this? This is part of an image that appears somewhere on Undiscovered Scotland. Please reply with your answers. We'll award kudos to the first correct response before posting the next in the series tomorrow.

Now out, the SVBWG journal Vernacular Building 48 covers the rethatch of 12 Lower Ardelve in Lochalsh, other vernacular materials like brick, wanton walls, underground waterwheels and healing stones. Join us!

@74frankfurt @UndisScot Only West Dudhope Mill, the harbour patent slip and Carolina Port Power station have smoking chimneys, maybe it’s a Sunday so you can see the others. Most of these mill buildings survive in other uses like Logie Works AKA Coffin Mill in foreground.

Dundee 1947: The city's jute mills dominate the cityscape.

Join our archivists for a Maps Festival with @‌NatLibScot at Causewayside tomorrow. We nominated this plan from our collection for a “Battle of the Maps”: gardens in Alloa, designed by the Earl of Mar. Find out more 👉nls.uk/whats-on/map-f…

Please RT! As editor of the online 'Review of Scottish Culture', I'd like to invite submissions to the '26 issue. Submissions at: journals.ed.ac.uk/rosc/about/sub… If you have questions, please feel free to email me directly: valentina.bold@edinburgh.ac.uk. Thank you.

@UndisScot Dufftown

WHERE IN SCOTLAND? Where is this? This is part of an image that appears somewhere on Undiscovered Scotland. Please reply with your answers. We'll award kudos to the first correct response before posting the next in the series tomorrow. Some images have been obscured.

#ThatchThursday - Looking for #WaterReed Supplies? Our friends at Tay Reed have Water Reed for sale, get in touch with them if you are looking for some UK material. bit.ly/Tayreed

New year, new case studies for the North UK Mills Group! Join us January 20th to hear from Finzean Bucket Mill CIC on the technical challenges and opportunities facing them as they try to bring a unique A-listed Scottish sawmill back to life. Book now: buff.ly/oSjqHuB

Repairing or operating a historic mill? Join the discussion at the next North UK Mills Group meeting as we hear from Finzean Bucket Mill CIC on the technical challenges involved in their journey to repair and operate a unique A-listed sawmill. Book now: buff.ly/oSjqHuB

Calling all Interpretation Consultants! Our members Birse Community Trust are out to tender for a Digital Interpretation Consultant for their exciting Ballogie Souter's (shoemaker's) shop. You can find the full details on our website. buff.ly/cYT22CJ #HeritageJobs

The 2025 Review of Scottish Culture includes an insightful piece by Petra Johana Poncarová showing how Ruaraidh Erskine's early 20th century Gaelic magazines engaged with amount of Gaelic folklore and traditions, with lasting impact: journals.ed.ac.uk/rosc/article/v… @bordnagaidhlig

Next weekend is a big one for Provan Hall - first up is our Winter Garden Gathering on Saturday the 29th, then it's our Caledonian Craft Fair on the 30th. Both events are free and run from 11:00-15:00 - find out more on our Eventbrite listings. See you there!

A croft near Rerwick, in #Shetland, circa 1900 [photo: John David (Jack) Rattar; source: HLH Archives, D1751/2/1/22]

The new issue of Review of Scottish Culture is ethnologically erudite, engaging and definitely eclectic! First up: Stephen Miller explores W.G. Black’s coinage of the term folk medicine in the Journal of the British Archaeological Association in 1878: journals.ed.ac.uk/rosc/article/v…

The superb Skye Museum of Island Life, near the tip of the Isle of Skye's Trotternish peninsula, gives an insight into a way of life common on Skye at the close of the 1800s but which has since virtually disappeared. More pics and info: undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/skye/museumofi…

Interested in a free place at the VAG Winter Conference? The topic is 'Vernacular buildings in urban contexts: the study of urban building types and integration with urban studies', 10-11 Jan 2026 in Nottingham. Bursaries are available - more info at vag.org.uk/conferences.htm.

@UndisScot Scapa Distillery, Orkney.

WHERE IN SCOTLAND? Where is this? This is part of an image that appears somewhere on Undiscovered Scotland. Please reply with your answers. We'll award kudos to the first correct response before posting the next in the series tomorrow. Some signs have been obscured.

🛠️ @HistEnvScot draft strategy outlines how Scotland’s heritage sites and collections could be cared for in future. Your views matter. Closes 23 Jan. 🔗haveyoursay.historicenvironment.scot/comms-media/pa… #HeritageStrategy #ClimateResilience