Perched on top of a hill in Argyll is a farm that has been there for hundreds of years. It once formed the two townships of North and South Leac na Ban. Fourteen years ago my parents moved there from suburbia with one dog, one cat, and, temporarily, two sons to help them move, in two 40ft pantechnicans and three well packed estate cars. Between then and now they have added to the livestock, with chickens, ducks and geese, sheep & Highland cows; several dogs have come and sadly gone, three more cats arrived and the sons moved on to do their thing. The daughter got married and moved from the east coast of Scotland to the west coast and moved nearer and nearer her parents with each house move. Now just 8 minutes drive away she is bossily organising them and the barn.
In the last couple of years Alex and Polly have taken part in the Art Map Argyll project and have had a temporary exhibition of art work set up in the end of Alex’ workshop in the Steading. The exhibitions included work from both Alex and Polly, and the lovely Norman Rae, a local, Tayvallich, artist, who works in oils, (and I snuck some of my craft work ~ cushions, candles, and cards in too!)
Inspired by the success of this venture Alex and Polly decided that this year the exhibition would be open for the whole of the holiday season starting in June rather than just one weekend and rather than use the Steading again they would use the Victorian Barn. For many years the family has discussed the use of this barn and several possible plans have hit the dust. However, the current and seeming to be final, plan is to convert it in to an art studio/workshop. With three art/crafts people in the fanily it is space that is much longed for. But before that can happen – planning and permissions and builders all take time to arrange - they decided that a temporary space could be set up and they could gauge how successful it might be. I jumped on the idea too. All very exciting ~ but a LOT of hard work.
First it was a week of emptying the barn. For the last fourteen years and for several years before that it has been used for storage.
Many trips to the tip, the second hand shops, several bonfires, and shifting of 'stuff' to other 'home's' has taken place.
It used to be a cow barn and the cow’s names and feed instructions are still chalked up on the stalls.
(Note to self: find out what sort of cows they were! ~ update, 'They were of indeterminate breed'!)
In spite of the dust, dirt and many cobwebs the empty barn is really quite beautiful and interesting.
Raineach checking out all the interesting smells!
Watch out Raineach I might shut you in there, it’s just your size!
The evidence of its former life is still in situ:
A wooden feed trough
Iron tethering chains,
some with knots of hemp rope
and farmers’ ubiquitous orange twine
Feeding instructions
Hay manger
Horse harnesses still hung over the post with a white (remarkably white) handkerchief
knotted on the end to prevent one from walking in to it.
(If you look carefully you can see a horse with a white blaze down its nose!)
Next job ….. cleaning ……
The canoes 'upstairs' are staying put for now
Wow, that is another interesting project - have fun! Hope to come and see it when it's all ready :-)
ReplyDeleteSOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much Barn Envy . . . . would LOVE to do what you are doing . . .
ReplyDeleteTeri - thanks for being our first follower! Do drop in when it's up and running.
ReplyDeleteWW - Thanks for dropping by, maybe see you there sometime?!
The joy of Barn Envy is that despite everything, this current vindictive government has failed to take the fun out of it.Barn Envy is still available to the masses, hoo ray.
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