Caithness Broch Project moves forward

This article is from Current Archaeology issue 407

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The Caithness Broch Project (CBP), a charity aiming to build a replica of an Iron Age broch, has finally found – after an extensive search – the perfect location for their ‘Big Broch Build’ in an area north of Latheron, known as Flygla.

Brochs are tall, cylindrical towers that were built in Scotland between 400 BC and AD 100. While the most-complete and best-known example is the Broch of Mousa in Shetland, Caithness is home to the largest number, and to highlight this aspect of their heritage the CBP has been working for more than a decade to build the first ‘new’ broch in Scotland in over 2,000 years, which will serve as a visitor attraction as well as an archaeological and educational research centre (see CA 322).

The plan is to use Iron Age construction techniques as much as possible in order to try to recreate fully how these unique structures were built. The intended building design (right) was developed in 2020, and is not based on any specific existing broch, but instead incorporates elements of a number of different examples (see CA 385). Once built, the drystone structure will be 16.5m in height with walls 5m thick at the base, and will feature a second-floor mezzanine platform accessible via a ladder – an area that, in prehistoric brochs, is believed to have been used to store grain. A full plan of the reconstruction can be found on the CBP website: http://www.thebrochproject.co.uk.

Now that a potential location for the recreation has been found, a community consultation exercise (funded by ScottishPower Renewables’ Halsary Windfarm) has begun, with a survey sent to local residents, businesses, and landowners from the Latheron, Lybster, and Clyth council areas, to be completed by the middle of January.

Robin Herrick, the charity’s chair- man, said: ‘We have found the owner and local representatives to be very supportive of our outline plans, and we look forward to consulting with the local residents and stakeholders in the coming weeks to ensure their insights and concerns are integral to the project’s next steps.’

Watch this space for more news as the project continues to move forward.

 Text: Kathryn Krakowka / Image: © Caithness Broch Project