The Arnol Blackhouse

A blackhouse is a traditional dwelling found in the Outer Hebrides as well as in some parts of the Scottish Highlands and Ireland. There are two authentic blackhouses in Arnol on Isle of Lewis that can be visited. There is a ruined blackhouse at no. 39, and another well-preserved blackhouse on the other side of the road, at no. 42.

This tradition of blackhouses in the area is difficult to date, as not many examples have been excavated, but it is estimated to be around 1,000 years old. The lack of historical evidence is due to the natural and hence biodegradable materials used for building. However, the blackhouse at no. 42, despite its ancient look, is actually not that old, and was built in 1880.

The structure of a blackhouse is usually a long oval, with rounded corners, no windows and no chimney. Both people and their animals would live under the same roof. Blackhouses were still in use 100 years ago, but new health regulations around housing paved the way for whitehouses (which are more like the kind of houses that we would see today).

To visit the interior of the blackhouse, which has been turned into a small museum, there is a fee of £6 - this is open daily except for Sunday during the summer season. The ruined blackhouse on the other side of the road should be free to visit at all times - that’s all we saw when we visited in September 2020, because the other place was closed due to the pandemic.