In the former eighteenth century farm that is Sonairte today, you will find a unique structure known as a bee boles.

“Bole” Definition: A Scottish term for a small recess in a wall.

Bees were kept to produce honey (the main sweetener before sugar was widely available) and wax for candles to provide light. Honey was a very valuable resource, and keeping the bees healthy was an important job. Traditionally, bee hives were made from straw ( called “skeps”) and in order to protect them from wind and rain during the winter months, they would be moved indoors and stored in these alcoves. This allowed the beekeepers to keep hives close to the home, protecting the bees from harsh winter weather and assisting in monitoring for swarms.

Originally, there were two bee-boles at Ninch farm, but only one of these survives today. Now the Bee Museum, you can learn where the history of the site is displayed and where artefacts found in the garden and during restoration work are on view.

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