12, Lower Ardelve, Dornie

Traditional Lochalsh single storey, 3-bay cottage. Whitewashed rubble, rounded corners, heavy boulder footings. 4 pairs scarfed crucks. Centre door with later projecting corrugated iron porch; flanking 4-pane sashes; small 4-pane sash window rear. Gable end chimney of Skye type in west gable; straw "lum" with wooden cap and lining within piended thatched roof at east, bound with thatch and twine. Rush and/or straw thatch with some heather at eaves, pinned at ridge and eaves with bent hazel wands. Interior: 2 rooms right and left, with small "press" room at centre rear. Left room (south) has projecting fireplace (served by straw "lum") with flanking "cheeks" and metal canopy. Rare survival, particularly the "lum". (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

20 December 1985: Press reports note that the cottage is threatened due to deteriorating thatch, which is currently covered with plastic sheeting. The owner now lives nearby. 23 January 1986: Press reports note that the local authority has been unable to offer grant aid for rethatching because the cottage does not have a kitchen or bathroom. However, the Historic Buildings Council has indicated it would look on a grant applicatrion favourably. 22 January 1987: Press reports note that the cottage has been rethatched by the Friends of Thatched Houses. August 1995: External inspection reveals the cottage to be empty and deteriorating, The roof is now once more in need of attention. April 1996: Local planners report that the roof has recently been re-thatched. The owner may be interested in repairing the interior for use as holiday accommodation. October 1997: Permissions are sought for repairs to the porch and for internal alterations to provide a kitchen and bathroom. January 2004: Local planners report that the roof is now repaired, though the cottage remains vacant.

September 2008: External inspection finds that the building remains disused. There is plant growth in the thatch. The render has come off on the east side of the north elevation. The window frames are in poor condition and one frame is broken.

October 2008: Local planners report the thatched roof has been repaired with aid of Historic Scotland‘s Thatched Buildings Grant Scheme and that a watching brief is kept by the thatcher, Duncan Matheson. Some work was done to the roof earlier this year. A scheme for converting the property to holiday let was approved, but at this time not implemented.

August 2010: External inspection finds the building remains derelict. Outwardly, it appears to remain in fair condition. Some work has been done on the thatch but grasses are re-establishing themselves, especially to the rear. The window frames continue to deteriorate.

August 2011: Local planners advise planning permission & listed building consent, to improve the building for use as a holiday let, have been lodged with Highland Council, ref: 11/02010/LBC & 11/01845/FUL .

6 June 2013: External inspection finds no signficant change from the previous site visit. Permission for restoration into a holiday let was conditionally approved 2011.

24 October 2016: A member of the public advises the restoration of the cottage has not yet commenced and there has been general deterioration in condition: the roof is mossy and walls appear damp.

15 May 2017: A member of the public advises the building remains un-restored: the thatch is in deteriorating condition as is the corruated-iron porch.

3 February 2021: A project to restore and rethatch the roof of the cottage has secured grant-aid of £14,375 from HES. As part of the project, community outreach activity will engage the public with vernacular heritage, traditional building materials and the reuse of historic buildings.

17 February 2021: The re-thatching has now been completed and works to the interior are anticipated to be undertaken during the course of 2021. Move to Restoration in Progress.