Rural Housing / Taigheadas Dùthchail
BBC ALBA, first episode Monday 23 January, 8.30pm – 9pm
A new four-part series on BBC ALBA examines the dramatic development of rural housing In Scotland over the years. Builder Ewen MacKinnon, who has a passion for the beauty of construction, takes us on a fascinating and revealing journey through Scotland’s rural housing landscape – telling a story of place, people and home.
The history of traditional buildings in the Highlands and Islands resonates particularly with people today as an increasing number of people are choosing to build new homes using the materials from early 19th century homes and in line with much-loved styles such as the blackhouse.
The first programme takes a look at some examples of the earliest dwellings in Scotland, dating back to the Iron Age. The programme explores their key qualities, and what they teach us about those who lived there. Over the generations, we can see the changing relationship between crofters and their animals, the changing status of crofters and the relationship between Islanders and outside influences.
Amongst the buildings we visit – the impressive Isle of Lewis stone structures, the Bosta Iron Age House on Great Bernera, Uig the Norse Mill in nearby Shawbost, the s-shaped house named Oran na Mara on Harris, the Hebridean Earth House on South Uist and the Carloway broch, Isle of Lewis. These structures have also inspired numerous impressive new island homes.
We also find out about the fascinating wooden crannogs, which were built on stilts on Scotland’s lochs, the restored Gearrannan Blackhouse Village on Lewis which has a new life as holiday accommodation and visit a unique reconstruction in Perthshire.
Rural Housing / Taigheadas Dùthchail – a stylish new series which explores the many unique elements of our built landscapes, and their influence on the dwellings we live in today.
Rural Housing, a four-part series produced by MacTV for BBC ALBA, will be broadcast on Monday 23 January, 8.30pm – 9pm and thereafter on Monday 30th January, 6th February and 13th February at 8.30pm.
