HOW TO
BUILD A RUN-DOWN ‘BOTHY’
Inspired by the numerous abandoned structures close to his home, George Dent modified a laser-cut kit to portray a small rural outbuilding in a semi-derelict condition.
Resembling a typical brick or stone-built outbuilding, with a concrete or lime-based render, the finished model provides an eye-catching scenic addition.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GEORGE DENT
Since moving to rural Northumberland a couple of years ago, I’ve been struck by the number of abandoned dwellings that I’ve encountered while walking across some of the more remote areas. While many of these structures can be linked to agricultural use, others had their origins in the coal, lead and other mineral extraction industries that once proliferated around these parts.
My ultimate aim is to create faithful scale models of some of these buildings, in their current derelict state. In the meantime, however, I decided to harness this modelling impulse by modifying a simple laser-cut building kit to resemble a typical run-down outbuilding, or ‘bothy’, something that would add plenty of visual interest to a miniature scene.