Cruck Cottage
@cruckcottage.bsky.social
Historic cottage museum in the village of Torthorwald, near Dumfries. Last remaining example in the south of Scotland of a once common building type, now cared for by volunteers. We explore rural history, folklore, and traditions.
www.cruckcottage.com
www.cruckcottage.com
Happy St Andrew's Day from the Cruck Cottage. We've enjoyed plenty of Scottish folk tales and traditional tunes beside the fireplace throughout this year. The cottage is such an atmospheric place to connect with Scotland's story.
November 30, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Happy St Andrew's Day from the Cruck Cottage. We've enjoyed plenty of Scottish folk tales and traditional tunes beside the fireplace throughout this year. The cottage is such an atmospheric place to connect with Scotland's story.
Today is Scottish Museums Day and 2025's theme is Mighty Objects. For us, it doesn't get mightier than the cruck beams themselves. These timbers grew crooked and are arranged to bear the whole weight of the roof, rather than on the walls. Without our mighty cruck beams, the cottage wouldn't be here!
October 3, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Today is Scottish Museums Day and 2025's theme is Mighty Objects. For us, it doesn't get mightier than the cruck beams themselves. These timbers grew crooked and are arranged to bear the whole weight of the roof, rather than on the walls. Without our mighty cruck beams, the cottage wouldn't be here!
Thank you to everyone who came to help with the gardening and limewashing day.
As a small charity without government or council funding, we rely on these volunteers generously giving up their time to look after this important piece of Scotland's history.
As a small charity without government or council funding, we rely on these volunteers generously giving up their time to look after this important piece of Scotland's history.
July 14, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Thank you to everyone who came to help with the gardening and limewashing day.
As a small charity without government or council funding, we rely on these volunteers generously giving up their time to look after this important piece of Scotland's history.
As a small charity without government or council funding, we rely on these volunteers generously giving up their time to look after this important piece of Scotland's history.
'The Old Roads'
One of our volunteers, Willie Clow, reflects on his long life and personal connections to Torthorwald village.
One of our volunteers, Willie Clow, reflects on his long life and personal connections to Torthorwald village.
July 5, 2025 at 1:28 PM
'The Old Roads'
One of our volunteers, Willie Clow, reflects on his long life and personal connections to Torthorwald village.
One of our volunteers, Willie Clow, reflects on his long life and personal connections to Torthorwald village.
Another Volunteers Week story... The @museumsassociation.org featured our chair of trustees, Sue Hughes, on their website, writing about her work volunteering at the Cruck Cottage. www.museumsassociation.org/careers/volu...
Sue Hughes - Museums Association
“I get to be hands-on and connect with my colleagues and visitors – from weeding the garden to butter making demonstrations”
www.museumsassociation.org
June 5, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Another Volunteers Week story... The @museumsassociation.org featured our chair of trustees, Sue Hughes, on their website, writing about her work volunteering at the Cruck Cottage. www.museumsassociation.org/careers/volu...
Thanks to everyone who came along to our Folklore of Butter Making day today. We enjoyed sharing stories of the Roucan Witch's strange knowledge of the kirn, fairies stealing milk, and of course making lots of butter, yum!
May 24, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Thanks to everyone who came along to our Folklore of Butter Making day today. We enjoyed sharing stories of the Roucan Witch's strange knowledge of the kirn, fairies stealing milk, and of course making lots of butter, yum!
Looking forward to sharing the folklore of butter making in the cottage this Saturday. Among the many curious tales is a local story, the Witch of Roucan and her uncanny knack for knowing who was churning butter. Pop in and churn your own, (appearance of the witch not guaranteed).
May 19, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Looking forward to sharing the folklore of butter making in the cottage this Saturday. Among the many curious tales is a local story, the Witch of Roucan and her uncanny knack for knowing who was churning butter. Pop in and churn your own, (appearance of the witch not guaranteed).
The cottage has a new clootie mat! Thanks to our volunteer @tomtelltale.bsky.social who spent hours creating it to sit in front of the peat fire.
Thanks to a kind donation of a rug frame, wool and tools, we've also got an ongoing project rug visitors can add to and create the next mat.
Thanks to a kind donation of a rug frame, wool and tools, we've also got an ongoing project rug visitors can add to and create the next mat.
April 29, 2025 at 8:14 AM
The cottage has a new clootie mat! Thanks to our volunteer @tomtelltale.bsky.social who spent hours creating it to sit in front of the peat fire.
Thanks to a kind donation of a rug frame, wool and tools, we've also got an ongoing project rug visitors can add to and create the next mat.
Thanks to a kind donation of a rug frame, wool and tools, we've also got an ongoing project rug visitors can add to and create the next mat.
A Witch Hare lantern.
Call in this Saturday 26th April to create your own lantern decorated with images from Scottsh legend.
You can also discover folklore artefacts around the building which were used to protect the cottage and listen to some traditional stories.
Call in this Saturday 26th April to create your own lantern decorated with images from Scottsh legend.
You can also discover folklore artefacts around the building which were used to protect the cottage and listen to some traditional stories.
April 23, 2025 at 6:41 PM
A Witch Hare lantern.
Call in this Saturday 26th April to create your own lantern decorated with images from Scottsh legend.
You can also discover folklore artefacts around the building which were used to protect the cottage and listen to some traditional stories.
Call in this Saturday 26th April to create your own lantern decorated with images from Scottsh legend.
You can also discover folklore artefacts around the building which were used to protect the cottage and listen to some traditional stories.
You're very welcome. A nice reminder for National Tea Day - we love welcoming folk to the Cruck Cottage. We have open days throughout the year, but if you turn up at other times the sign in the window has a list of friendly neighbour volunteers who will be delighted to show you around.
April 21, 2025 at 9:43 AM
You're very welcome. A nice reminder for National Tea Day - we love welcoming folk to the Cruck Cottage. We have open days throughout the year, but if you turn up at other times the sign in the window has a list of friendly neighbour volunteers who will be delighted to show you around.
Cruck Cottage in Torthorwald is delighted to be the first organisation in the Dumfries area to launch a digital guide with Bloomsberg Connect. Free to download and use, it's a fascinating way to explore the cottage whether on site or across the world.
Download the app here www.bloombergconnects.org
Download the app here www.bloombergconnects.org
April 11, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Cruck Cottage in Torthorwald is delighted to be the first organisation in the Dumfries area to launch a digital guide with Bloomsberg Connect. Free to download and use, it's a fascinating way to explore the cottage whether on site or across the world.
Download the app here www.bloombergconnects.org
Download the app here www.bloombergconnects.org
The cottage mirror gives a glimpse into a past age.
March 31, 2025 at 5:31 PM
The cottage mirror gives a glimpse into a past age.
We love shining a light on stories of the cottage. Why not visit us to discover life in days gone by?
March 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
We love shining a light on stories of the cottage. Why not visit us to discover life in days gone by?
We were thrilled to be included in the brilliant new Slow Travel guide to Dumfries and Galloway. There are so many gems to explore and really connect with the character and landscape of the region.
March 16, 2025 at 8:47 AM
We were thrilled to be included in the brilliant new Slow Travel guide to Dumfries and Galloway. There are so many gems to explore and really connect with the character and landscape of the region.
You can see the remains of Torthorwald's 14th century castle as you pass through the village.
Some of the stone in the Cruck Cottage walls may even have come from the ruined tower.
Some of the stone in the Cruck Cottage walls may even have come from the ruined tower.
March 13, 2025 at 8:00 AM
You can see the remains of Torthorwald's 14th century castle as you pass through the village.
Some of the stone in the Cruck Cottage walls may even have come from the ruined tower.
Some of the stone in the Cruck Cottage walls may even have come from the ruined tower.
We're looking forward to lots of fireside tales as we celebrate our year of folklore.
What's your favourite strange story from Scotland?
What's your favourite strange story from Scotland?
March 10, 2025 at 5:52 PM
We're looking forward to lots of fireside tales as we celebrate our year of folklore.
What's your favourite strange story from Scotland?
What's your favourite strange story from Scotland?
A visit to the cottage this morning by a lovely group from the North West Community Campus. They were very interested in the cottage, its history, and John Paton. There were lots of questions as well.
The sun even came out for their visit, perfect!
The sun even came out for their visit, perfect!
March 6, 2025 at 3:32 PM
A visit to the cottage this morning by a lovely group from the North West Community Campus. They were very interested in the cottage, its history, and John Paton. There were lots of questions as well.
The sun even came out for their visit, perfect!
The sun even came out for their visit, perfect!
A clyack or corn dolly by the hanging lum in the cottage. The Scots word clyack is derived from Gaelic cailleach meaning hag. These woven straw figures were thought to keep the spirit of the corn safe through the winter. We're exploring lots of folklore throughout this year at the Cruck Cottage.
March 4, 2025 at 9:36 AM
A clyack or corn dolly by the hanging lum in the cottage. The Scots word clyack is derived from Gaelic cailleach meaning hag. These woven straw figures were thought to keep the spirit of the corn safe through the winter. We're exploring lots of folklore throughout this year at the Cruck Cottage.
Torthorwald Tales - Our volunteer historian Willie Clow found that the annual rent of the Cruck Cottage in 1880 was £1 15 shillings, payable to the Duke of Queensberry.
It was home to George Campbell, Elizabeth King, and 4 children, the rent equating to a month's work for an agricultural labourer.
It was home to George Campbell, Elizabeth King, and 4 children, the rent equating to a month's work for an agricultural labourer.
March 2, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Torthorwald Tales - Our volunteer historian Willie Clow found that the annual rent of the Cruck Cottage in 1880 was £1 15 shillings, payable to the Duke of Queensberry.
It was home to George Campbell, Elizabeth King, and 4 children, the rent equating to a month's work for an agricultural labourer.
It was home to George Campbell, Elizabeth King, and 4 children, the rent equating to a month's work for an agricultural labourer.
We continue to stand with Ukraine. We've been so pleased to welcome Ukrainian friends several times in recent months. We will always be in solidarity.
March 1, 2025 at 7:26 AM
We continue to stand with Ukraine. We've been so pleased to welcome Ukrainian friends several times in recent months. We will always be in solidarity.
Torthorwald Tales - Stories of village folk.
James Burnet, born 1774 in a cottage where his ancestors had lived since the mid-17th century. A barrel maker, fined by the Kirk for fornication, James was still mowing grass and milking cows until his death aged 92 in the cottage where he was born.
James Burnet, born 1774 in a cottage where his ancestors had lived since the mid-17th century. A barrel maker, fined by the Kirk for fornication, James was still mowing grass and milking cows until his death aged 92 in the cottage where he was born.
February 23, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Torthorwald Tales - Stories of village folk.
James Burnet, born 1774 in a cottage where his ancestors had lived since the mid-17th century. A barrel maker, fined by the Kirk for fornication, James was still mowing grass and milking cows until his death aged 92 in the cottage where he was born.
James Burnet, born 1774 in a cottage where his ancestors had lived since the mid-17th century. A barrel maker, fined by the Kirk for fornication, James was still mowing grass and milking cows until his death aged 92 in the cottage where he was born.
Something cheery for this dreich day... Here's our volunteer Bob playing tunes at our New Scots kitchen ceilidh in the cottage for our Ukrainian friends last weekend.
February 21, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Something cheery for this dreich day... Here's our volunteer Bob playing tunes at our New Scots kitchen ceilidh in the cottage for our Ukrainian friends last weekend.
Something soothing for a Sunday.
Last night or volunteers had the great pleasure of welcoming lots of our Ukrainian friends to discover some Scottish traditions. More of that to come, but here's Maureen Milton playing her lever harp at the start of the evening.
Last night or volunteers had the great pleasure of welcoming lots of our Ukrainian friends to discover some Scottish traditions. More of that to come, but here's Maureen Milton playing her lever harp at the start of the evening.
February 16, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Something soothing for a Sunday.
Last night or volunteers had the great pleasure of welcoming lots of our Ukrainian friends to discover some Scottish traditions. More of that to come, but here's Maureen Milton playing her lever harp at the start of the evening.
Last night or volunteers had the great pleasure of welcoming lots of our Ukrainian friends to discover some Scottish traditions. More of that to come, but here's Maureen Milton playing her lever harp at the start of the evening.
We were very grateful to receive some badges commemorating the centenary in 1924 of the birth of John Paton. They were kindly donated by a descendant of his. Paton's boyhood home was the cruck cottage next door, (demolished in 1948), before he became a missionary to the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu.
February 12, 2025 at 8:04 PM
We were very grateful to receive some badges commemorating the centenary in 1924 of the birth of John Paton. They were kindly donated by a descendant of his. Paton's boyhood home was the cruck cottage next door, (demolished in 1948), before he became a missionary to the New Hebrides, now Vanuatu.