School: Lisnagirl (1)

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1. Old Houses (continued)

   

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   and consisted of turf or sticks. In very old houses there was no chimney and the smoke went out through the door.
   The floor was of run clay or channel. When well mixed and dried it made quite a firm floor. The windows were very small, but in some small houses there were only little air holes used instead of windows as there was a very high tax on the windows.
   Half-doors were used in the day-time, as the upper half let in the light instead of a window and the tax was thus avoided. The half-door is still in use in many farm houses.
   At night the large door was closed, and a bar of wood was placed in a hole in the wall, and pulled across into a hole in the opposite side. This was better than a lock, and could only be opened by those inside.
   Resin, rush candles, bog-deal splinters were used to give light at night, and these were made at home by girls and children.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. buildings
            1. residential buildings (~2,723)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Tilly Dancey

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   12

   Address

   Beagh Glebe, Co. Cavan