Crofthouse, Crow's Nest, Rackwick

Crow's Nest (known locally as Craa Nest or Craa's Nest) is an 18th century croft including crofthouse with an adjoining barn and circular kiln to the west, and a detached net store or bothy to the south, restored in 1991/92 as part of a local museum. It is situated on the lower slopes of Moor Fea at Rackwick on the island of Hoy.

The layout of this group of buildings is in the traditional Orcadian style, with a narrow closs (passage) between the two linear ranges. The walls and floors are of local flagstone. The roofs were reinstated (1991/92) with hand sawn and pegged larch cabers and a straw and turf covering. Over-seamed flagstones project between the wallhead and the roof. There is a ridge chimneystack and a small chimneystack on the west gable of the cottage. The detached net store/bothy has a timber door and two windows.

The interiors were seen in 2019. On the north side of the closs, the two-roomed crofthouse has a recessed fireplace in the west wall with a stone lintel, and a sae bink (circular recess for a water barrel) near the entrance. Beside the fireplace, stone steps lead through a passage to the bedroom on higher ground to the west. Adjoining the west gable is a barn with a separate entrance and a winnowing door. The east end of the barn has a circular drying kiln with storage for grain offset to the left.