Scar Steading: View of drying kiln from N

Description Scar Steading: View of drying kiln from N

Date 10/8/1996

Collection Scottish Farm Buildings Survey

Catalogue Number D 3356

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 738865

Scope and Content Drying kiln from north, Scar Farm, Sanday, Orkney Islands Scar is a coastal farm on Sanday, an island of the Orkney group. Sanday is low-lying and almost treeless with only a few low hills to shelter it from the wind. It has good soils and enjoys a temperate climate favourable for the island's agricultural economy. This shows the tall drying kiln, part of an extensive complex of U-shaped, farm buildings. Farm kilns were used for drying grain and malted bere, with which the Orcadians brewed ale. This kiln has stone walls and a roof of corrugated cement asbestos sheeting. The floor of the kiln was made of cast iron tiles. The kiln was in use until the first half of the 20th century. Bere was a popular grain in Orkney because it ripened early and was therefore well suited to the brief Orcadian summers. Scar was the seat of the Traill family, merchant lairds who traded with Norway and mainland Scotland. Norway supplied much-needed timber to the Orcadians in exchange for grain. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/357233