The good old days

Kirbuster Farm Museum is the last un-restored example of a traditional ‘firehoose’ in Northern Europe. The house has a central hearth, complete with peat fire, and a stone neuk bed reminiscent of the Neolithic interiors that can be seen at sites such as Skara Brae, Orkney. Kirbuster was occupied up until the 1960s.

The extra shows the only lighting in the room, a Crusie lamp with 2 boat shaped iron bowls with a wick made from a rush, or a piece of moleskin, and filled with fish or whale oil. I have often wondered how much light they provide. The answer is not very much, not very much at all.