The Caithness Broch Project (CBP) is a registered Scottish charity (SC046307) founded upon the collective enthusiasm of two local lads for Caithness and its history. Our aim is to rebuild an Iron Age broch in Caithness, which would serve as an iconic tourist attraction and vivid learning experience, as well as provide a much welcome economic boost to the county. Caithness has for too long depended
on Dounreay to provide financial security in the area. However, as Dounreay begins to wind down, Caithness needs to look to new avenues of growth, and diversify its employment sector. There are areas which offer hope and potential for economic growth, not least the expansion of renewable energy projects in the county. At the core of these energy developments is the ethos of sustainability, and the fact that it exploits previously overlooked resources which our county has in such abundance. We believe the Caithness Broch Project shares the same principles - it would prove to be sustainable, and keys into the idea that Caithness's rich, vibrant heritage, both historically and archaeologically, is a valuable resource which has been vastly under-exploited for too long. Brochs are possibly the finest examples of ancient British architecture. Built between 400 BC and 100 AD, the purpose of these buildings has been much debated. It can be agreed that these were impressive buildings, some reaching up to 45ft in height, which would have made an imposing presence on the landscape. There are several reasons to build a broch in Caithness. Firstly, Caithness has an abundance of brochs; indeed Caithness has a higher concentration of brochs than any other area in Scotland. It makes sense to build a broch in what was once a broch hotspot! In addition to providing an iconic tourist attraction, the building of a broch would have several other benefits. It would provide employment, from the construction phase, through to long after the building has been completed. The construction phase would help bring the dying trade of Caithness drystone dyking to the attention of the public. Drystone dyking workshops would be provided, allowing the public to come and try out a once-thriving skill. The Caithness flagstone used to build the broch itself would also serve as a magnificent platform as a durable and product to not only Scotland, but to the rest of the world. Caithness Flagstone has seen something of a resurgence lately and is once more being used in projects and cities across the globe - the broch would be the ultimate example of building with Caithness Flag! Our construction phase would involve elements of experimental archaeology, providing archaeologists and builders alike with constantly developing insights into Iron-Age building techniques, and becoming an important academic study and resource. Once the structure has been completed, we plan to furnish it with items and ‘furniture’ of the time, as well as employing re-enactors and craftsmen to showcase what life was like over 2000 years ago. The activities and stories would fascinate tourists and locals alike; we would also hope to inspire local schoolchildren, as well as pupils from all over Scotland, with a piece of ‘living history’. The broch will be a hub centre for pointing tourists to interesting places around Caithness via the proposed network of signposted sites with improved access, parking areas and interpretive panels at each site. We would hope that even after the broch’s completion, the CBP would continue to further strengthen Caithness’s position as a heritage tourism destination. A full-scale, ‘living history’ broch would undoubtedly be an impressive and welcome addition to the heritage tourism in both in the Highlands and the all of Scotland; we need only to look at Orkney to see the importance of heritage tourism. 2014 saw the publication of ‘Our Place in Time’, Scotland’s first ever historic environment strategy, which prioritized heritage tourism, as well as “enhancing participation” and a “broad-ranging approach to learning” – we believe the CBP fits well within these ideas. We believe the CBP has the potential to really make a difference: boosting the county’s heritage tourism trade; creating a variety of jobs and teaching skills; becoming a valuable academic study; and providing a very special and inspiring icon for Caithness.
