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Berneray, Risgary
Byre (18th Century)(Possible)
Site Name Berneray, Risgary
Classification Byre (18th Century)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Macleod's Gunnery; Ruisgarry; Ruisigearraidh
Canmore ID 238271
Site Number NF98SW 42
NGR NF 93223 81527
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/238271
- Council Western Isles
- Parish Harris
- Former Region Western Isles Islands Area
- Former District Western Isles
- Former County Inverness-shire
NF98SW 3 9323 8151 and 9322 8153.
An old building at Risgary is locally called a 'Teampull', but was, in 1914, used as a byre. It bears a modern tablet which states in Latin, that this is the birthplace of Sir Norman Macleod of Bernaray (17th c.) The birthplace, however, is said to have been 20 yards N of the present building.
Source: RCAHMS 1928.
The 'Teampull', in use as a byre, at NF 9323 8151, measures 8 x 5m x 2.8m high, and is constructed of roughly coursed masonry with small stone pinnings bonded with shell mortar. It has two slit windows in the S, one in the E and one in the N wall, all of which have been blocked up. On the N side there are three almost square apertures just below the eaves. The tablet mentioned by RCAHMS is above the entrance which is in the N wall. A modern drystone building has been built on to the W end of the 'Teampull' which now has a corrugated iron roof. It is apparently the oldest building on the island.
According to Mr McLeod (D J McLeod, Risgary, Bernaray), Sir Norman McLeod was, in fact, born in the drystone building to the N as stated by RCAHMS, and which is now also used as a byre.
Visited by OS (R D) 20 June 1965.
Thatched single storey byre set at acute angle to a 2 storey granary/ barn.Both structures built of coursed rubble and gabled. Inner door to long south front; single window to either gable; drain near west end of north wall; muran thatch roof, secured with ropes and netting, stone weights over inner wall head, pegs on gable head. (Historic Scotland).
Part of a survival of an important complex of farm buildings associated with the former house of the Macleods of Berneray. Sir Norman Macleod of Berneray lived in a house believed to have stood 20 yds from the barn/ byre, which became a seat of learning and a shelter for the wandering bards immortalised in the works of poets such as Mary Macleod and Neil MacVurich. (M.Miers)
Field Visit (21 September 2014)
NF 93224 81525 Thought to be 18th century, the listed building description reads ‘muran thatch roof, secured with ropes and netting, stone weights over inner wall head [and] pegs on gable head’. The building is currently vacant and in a severe state of deterioration, particularly the roof which has lost much of it’s thatch leaving the roof structure and interior exposed. What is left of the maram thatch and turf underlay is overgrown with vegetation and the ridge has been completely lost. The entire roof remains netted, weighted down by stones and bricks that have been placed on top of the netting along the wallhead and down the skews. There is no visible evidence of the ropes and stone weights described to secure the thatch and netting in the original listing description, or the pegs at the gable head. The building is located next to a thatched barn under the same listing (survey number 247). The byre has been on the Buildings at Risk Register since 2009 (BAR reference number 3745).
Visited by Zoe Herbert (SPAB) 21 September 2014, survey no.248
