Bee Boles are rows of recesses in stone walls often facing the south of the morning sun. Made for the benefit of protecting the bees from the elements, while facing the morning sun.
Each recess is large enough to hold one skep ( hive) The Scots word "bole" means recess in a wall.
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| Be Boles at Ballingarry Castle evidently only about a dozen of these 16th century structures are recorded. from http://myhome.iolfree.ie/~arrow/Ballingarry.htm If you are from New Orleans, these might look familiar! but their use is entirely different.  Imagine that! This is a photo from St. Louis #1 and yes- they are facing the East. ( http://cache.virtualtourist.com/15/3411814-St_Louis_1_rear_wall_tombs_New_Orleans.jpg ) |
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| Bee Boles in Tolquhan Castle from http://www.scottishcastlesassociation.com/rec-id-238-cat_id-1-highlight-2.htm |
All About Bee Boles from the Garden History Society
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| Bee boles that were originally part of the large walled kitchen garden belonging to Remnantz, Bucks. Photo by Geoff Wood |
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| Sturdy stone bee boles in Fife, Scotland. Photo by Penelope Walker |
and from the
IBRA BEE BOLES REGISTER
"Records of bee boles and other beekeeping structures built in the past. Started by Dr Eva Crane in 1952, the Register now contains paper records for 1522 sites, and photographic prints and/or transparencies for most of them. To improve accessibility to the records and to encourage conservation and further recording, the Register was put into a database and made available online in 2005. The work was organized by Penelope Walker, with the help of those mentioned inAcknowledgements.
This database was last updated on 23 July 2012."
