Cooking in Northern Scotland, up until the 19th century when stoves were introduced, was done at the open hearth, at floor level. If there was a stone chimney, a sway, links and cruik were used to hold the cooking pots over the fire. Usually cooking was done over a peat or turf fire, although very poor people sometimes used dock stalks or animal dung as fuel. This is a 19th century brander from a hearth at Darnabo, Fyvie, Aberdeenshire. The links hold the brander, or barred girdle, nearer to the fire and its height can be adjusted. The quality of the sway, cruik and links often denote the prosperity of the household. All the equipment here is good quality.]]> ABDUA:8783]]> ABDUA:63463]]> ABDUA:63462]]> ABDUA:8013]]> ABDUA:8653]]> ABDUA:8665]]> ABDUA:8662]]> ABDUA:8530]]> ABDUA:8661]]> ABDUA:8660]]>