ACHDN J

In the 1970's ACHDN J was derelict, but was rebuilt by the Auchindrain Trust.

In the mid 1800's it had been a house, for John and Catherine McCallum and their ever changing visiting nieces, nephews and other related children.
and then it became one of the Munro barns.

here it is in the 1970's - it is the rubble in the foreground
flickr:9603870467

It is possible that building J is indicated on the 1789 map of suggested "improvements" to the township by Langlands.

John McCallum 1800 - 1878 and his wife Catherine Tait join the community from Kilmorich (Cairndow) living in the lower end of the township in 1841, but in the 1851 census they are up beside the Munros.

In 1861 John is described as a farmer of 10 acres, and the dwelling has 2 rooms with windows.

In the next decade, when so much reorganisation is happening in the township, with the community simplified and the number of dwellings reduced, John and Catherine move to the lower part. Probably to ACHDN R
In 1871 the tenants have become spread evenly between the top and bottom, and there are few other households.
There are the 6 tenants; and three other legacy houses : McGougan, labourer; Bell a'Phuil; McNicol, weaver.

It is suggested that the building is then converted or reverted to being a barn.
Maybe the productivity had increased so requiring more barn space in the better location where threshing was most effective.
Maybe productivity had declined?

PICT0287.JPG

This is the description on the interpretation board

Munro's Barn
The walls of Munro's Barn are drystone and at the turn of the 20th Century the roof was thatched. Early in the 20th Century, when the Munro family were raising more cattle that the byre attached to their house could hold, they portioned off one end of the barn and converted it into a byre. The additional door which they built still remains, as does the drainage trough in the floor for the cattle's urine.
Outside of the barn, surrounded by a turf and stone wall, is the stackyard where corn stacks (oats) were built following the year's harvest. Still to be seen there is a stackbase - a circular base of stones on which the stacks were built. In winter the stacks were built. In winter the stacks were dismantled and the corn brouhgt into the barn for threashing - separating the grain from the straw - and winnowing - separating the unwanted chaff and dust from the grain. Oats were an important field crop at Auchindrain. Well into the 19th Century, the threshing of the oats - removing the oat grain from the stalk - was carried out by beating the corn on the floor with a flail. The winnowing was done by two opposing doors, so that the through draught blew the dust and chaff from it. Later in the 19th Century the threshing machine and the winnowing michine were introduced and life became a bit easier for the Munro family.

from flickr album

{"module":"wiki\/image\/FlickrGalleryModule","params":{"photosetId":"72157637020098876","perPage":"100"}}