Dr. James Coull
Scottish Studies, 7, (1963).
Roads were a feature of the new order, and began relatively early - they were progressing well by 1792 in Tongue parish (O.S.A. 1792: 527); by 1840 there was a post office at Tongue (N.S.A. 1845: 180), to which Melness was connected by a ferry across the Kyle. Mail was taken thrice weekly to Thurso, and twice to Golspie by a coach which also carried passengers. In the nineteenth century too began the coasting traffic with "shop boats" from Orkney, which speeded up commercial exchange, although in 1883 the main medium of trade were smacks from Caithness which called sporadically at Tongue, whence goods had to be carried to Melness across the ferry. The last trading smack called in 1932, for they were ousted in the inter-war years by land transport.
Local artisans still flourished in the earlier nineteenth century in the parish - there were carpenters, masons, shoe-makers and smiths (N.S.A. 1845: 177) and there seems to have been at least one of each in Melness: freer exchange in the factory age has eliminated most of these - there is only one builder and one shoemaker now. Mills at Dalnafree in the Strath and at Talmine ground the home-grown grain, but these had gone out of use by 1902.
In the decline of the old community life, formal education has played a part. Melness had its own school by 1790, and in 1840 English was generally understood by the younger people (N.S.A. 1845: 177), and although the older members of the community still speak as a first language, it was finally superseded as such among the school population between the wars.
Melness to-day
In Melness to-day, the decline of the crofting way of life is very apparent: the usual symptoms - neglected croft land, decreased cattle numbers, and a top-heavy population structure are all present. Apart from the crofts (with their insufficient economic basis for a livelihood now), virtually all the employment is in services. At present (1960) the total community strength is some 170: i.e. those who have a house or a croft in Melness, and who regard it as home; but about 60 of these are outside the district, and most will certainly never return apart from holidays. There are in all 65 homes in the townships now, and 11 of these are cottars, of the crofters, only 28 can be said to be actively working the land, and the system now is geared to the rearing of sheep for market.
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