Historically, what's the uses for heather?

[tomtom]

I often wish that highland Scotland was more forest and less moor. But I guess that boreal forest is common, and grouse moor is rare, so perhaps I need to rethink this.

I don’t think you need to rethink this, in fact I agree..
less than 10% of UK heath land is 'natural' it occurs naturally in Cornwall and on some Scottish islands but if it wasn’t for management it would be extremely rare in Scotland, naturally heath land would be quickly over taken by vegetation succession normally in to grassland (which in turn would be followed by further succession and in the high lands this would probably end up at Boral forest 'CCC') this is why at the end of its life cycle the vegetation succession is broken either by burning or by grazing (or cutting in some areas) so the heath is artificially "conserved".

Something about needing a different depth of heather to nest in, then another to mate in and so on.

This is correct and it is also the reason they cut/burn in rows is (as someone already said) heather need long (older) heather for cover and nesting and short (young) heather for feeding on, grouse hold territories in their breeding pairs and the rows allow for each breeding pair to have an area of young and older heather in their territory.

In answer to the original question i have only ever heard of it being used as a stuffing material for mattresses etc as its smell is not only pleasant to sleep upon but also puts of nasty critters who might decide to take up residence in said mattress.

 

[Viking210]

On Snilesworth Moor in North Yorkshire a small area of heather has been cut for a number of years and is then bailed and removed by an artic.

I'm told that it is used in a water filtration/purification process in either Norway or Sweden.

 

[demographic]

It's most likely as Doc says, burning in rotations of patches for grouse. It looks like strips because they start at one end and the wind carries the fire forward, and if it doesn't slow and go out naturally, the keepers beat the flames out. The Lanarkshire moors are used for sheep too though and they help keep the grassy bits open.
Sometimes the moors have been stripped for peat in the past and the heather is growing on the banks of the haggs.

Cheers,
Toddy

Aye, looking at it another day it's maybe that.
The lines are fairly straight with a fair few right angled ends (if you get my drift) but look in pretty random directions

It was just near Leadhills if that means anything to you.