The bed-alcove tradition in Ireland and Scotland: reappraising the evidence

Abstract

The bed-alcove was a common feature of houses in parts of the north and west of Ireland during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, where it existed both as a projecting outshot and as a recess within the wall. Similar alcoves were also found in the north and west of Scotland and in other parts of Europe and Scandinavia. Although the bed-alcove tradition has been studied by a number of scholars, particularly in Ireland, numerous questions remain unanswered. Using data from physical, documentary and linguistic sources, this paper reevaluates the current evidence for the bed-alcove in Ireland, suggesting areas of further research. Evidence from Scotland is considered alongside the Irish evidence, to examine the extent to which one tradition may shed light on the other. In particular, it is suggested that the relationship between recesses and outshots is key to understanding the form, function and development of the bed-alcove in Ireland and further afield.