Muriel packs them in!

In her recent illustrated talk at Castlehill heritage Centre, ‘The Captain’s Wife,’ which atracted an impressive audience of over 40, Muriel Murray brought together the threads of a letter, a contested will, and census records along with her experience as a researcher and storyteller to bring to life the time of sailing ships when Castlehill was ‘a vibrant export harbour’ with as many as seven schooners anchored in the harbour.

Christine Dunnet (nee Gunn) married John Dunnet in 1857 at the age of 31, after having been for many years a dressmaker—an essential role before ready-made clothing was available. John Dunnet, a farmer’s son from Brough, who began an apprenticeship at sea at 23 years old, spent 20 years as an able bodied seaman, a mate, and finally achieved his master’s certificate in 1845.

Castlehill Heritage Centre has among its many artefacts, paintings of schooners like the first ships that John Dunnet owned. Those allowed listeners to visualise the ships. In addition, Muriel was able to offer a piece of the ship, schooner the ‘James,’ which collided with one of Dunnet’s ships in a storm: the ‘deadeye’ a piece of wood used in the rigging of the ship. The deadeye, as well as pieces of flint used as ballast were found on the shore by a local farmer, who recognised them, and offered them to Castlehill.

As early as 1869 John Dunnet was showing signs of phthsis - as tuberculosis was then known. Often associated with urban slums in the overcrowded cities, it was also common among sailors who also spent long periods in close quarters that were damp and poorly ventilated. In October 1871 only nine days before his death, he signed his will in the presence of close business associates, John Smith of Olrig House as Justice of the Peace, and his wife. The will offers information not only about the value of his estate and the contents of the house, but also the value of his shares in the two ships he now held. Christina did not inherit his entire estate. She was granted permission to live in the house for her lifetime along with an annuity. The bulk of the value of the estate lay in John Dunnet’s ships. Hence the subtitle for Muriel’s talk: ‘the money was all afloat’. In today's money, the total would be worth more than £152,000.

However these ships and their cargo were vulnerable. In 1879 the same fierce storm that resulted in the Tay Bridge disaster, caused the loss of the ‘Castlehill.’ Worse still, it was revealed that there was no insurance. There were repercussions for many families in the village, but the loss for Christine Dunnet was partially offset by the second ship, ‘The Caithness-shire.’ Unfortunately in 1883 ‘The Caithness-shire’ was wrecked at Ackergill. The straitened circumstances in which she now found herself may have been what prompted her to contest her husband’s will.

Mr George Alexander, manager of flagstone works and a ship owner, forwarded the money necessary to complete the children’s education. Apparently, Christina had bought shares in Mr. Alexander’s ship, ‘The Flower of Olrig’, pictured right.

In 1898, Christina died, but the story begun with the copy of a letter continues into the present. Hillview, Main Street, which is still named the same today, was finally identified as the home of the Dunnets. Her daughter Jessie married Rev Ebeneezer Davidson, one time minister of the Original Secession church in Olrig. The building is now the Mason’s hall in Waitside, Castletown. Christine’s daughter, Catherine, was employed as a housemaid in 1881 in a grand Perthshire house, where a closer inspection revealed that Jessie Mackay of Castletown, Olrig parish, also worked there. It was her family’s home in Castletown, Ivybank, which offered the photographs of the interior of a home that helped set the tone for the talk about Christine Dunnet and her times.

J Gunn - Castletown Coal merchant - Can you help?

Tucked away in our archives was this photograph of Castletown coal merchant J Gunn loading coal onto their lorry at the goods siding in Thurso railway station. In the background can be seen Thurso High School which was built in 1958, so the photo would have been take after that.

Can you help us with any further information relating to this photograph? (Click on the image for a larger version.) A more accurate date for when it was taken? Any information about the lorry? Any stories relating to the activities of J Gunn, coal merchant?

If you are able to assist, please contact us HERE, or call into Castlehill Heritage Centre between 2 pm and 4 pm any Wednesday, Saturday of Sunday afternoon. We would be delighted to hear from you!

Castlehill Heritage Centre reopens bang on schedule

Our planned internal works were successfully completed last week and the Centre is back open for business as usual.

We are open every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2 pm to 4 pm. The Centre is fully accessible throughout with ample parking available, including spaces adjacent to the main gate reserved for those having mobility issues. For full accessibility information and a guide on how to plan your visit CLICK HERE.

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Breaking News - Behind the Scenes

On Tuesday 10th March between 7 pm and 8.30 pm we will be offering a unique opportunity to enjoy a special evening opening of the Heritage Centre for hands on exploring of the collections and the building. For example:

• Hear stories about artefacts and how they have been saved from ancient fossils in flagstone to a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine pulled up from the peat.
• Hold fossils embedded in stones millions of years old.
• Share your own memories prompted by the items in the collections.

Castlehill is run entirely by volunteers who will be on hand to share their own stories with you and your family.

Tea, coffee, juice and shortbread will be on hand as well!

CHS declares 2026 as their 'Year of Ancient Local Skills'

Our enthusiastic team have been busy over the winter months developing the forward programme for the year, a key element of which will be a series of hands-on workshops featuring ancient skills from times gone by. All workshops will be held at Castlehill Heritage Centre. Already in place or under development are the following:

Willow Basket making - A willow basket-making workshop using local materials, echoing a time when all containers were home made and used locally available materials. The tutor will be Karen Rollinson from Blushful Earth Handmade who are based a few miles away in Brough.

Manuscripts - Thomas Keyes from Cromarty will deliver a one day hands-on workshop on the production of parchment manuscripts. The morning will cover making inks and cutting quills and practising on scraps of parchment. In the afternoon participants will work on a final piece such as, depending on individual experience, a simple capital letter plus some simple text or a more complex example. 

Stone Carving - Under the instruction of local scultor Tamara Hicks, a small group of participants will learn the skill of stone carving. The aim is to replicate the 'roughly incised image of a greyhound' dating from Pictish times which stood for some time at Craig of Hattel, Castletown, until disappearing. It's is probably still there but used as a drain cover for hundreds of years.

Rope Making - Back by popular demand, an in-house workshop featuring the skill of rope or 'simmans' making, producing rope twisted by hand   and by a variety of devices used in the past on farms and crofts.

Keep an eye on the 'What's On' page for individual workshop dates, details and prices (paid up members of CHS get a discount) and how to register to take part.

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Three cracking talks to kick off 2026

Tuesday 24 February 2pm - The Captain's Wife

An afternoon talk by Muriel Murray giving an insight into the hard life and times of Christina Dunnet, a Castletown shipmaster's wife in the days of sail.

Thoroughly researched and amply illustrated by images from our vast archive of local photographs.  Some recently discovered artefacts from the incidents described will also be on display.

Tuesday 31 March 7pm - Railway History told through Posters

A truly fascinating evening talk by Michael Willmot who will present an illustrated history of railways as revealed by railway posters across two centuries.

From the earliest days of rail travel, poster advertising was used to encourage people to take the train.  Through the artwork of, and captions on, such posters we can catch a glimpse of not just the advances in engineering and in design, but also the contemporary social concerns addressed in the advertising slogans.  But if you are not so interested in the history there is much to admire in the work of a glittering array of artists and poster designers stretching over a 200 year period.

Friday 24 April - Manuscripts by the Monks of Murkle Monastry

An illustrated evening talk by Thomas Keyes from Cromarty revealing some of the amazing manuscript work done by monks working in the Murkle monastery in the early days of the Church. Time TBA.

All talks are free and held in Castlehill Heritage Centre. Keep an eye on the 'What's On' page for individual talk details and updates.

Latest podcast - What ever happened to the Traill Family?

A very happy New Year to all our visitors, members and supporters! To kick 2026 off, we have just released our latest Olrig Observations podcast - What ever happened to the Traill Family? Visitors to Castlehill Heritage Centre often ask if there are any surviving members of the Traill family living locally. To try to answer this, Muriel reveals her research into what the future held for James Traill and his large family.

Listen to it now by using the media player below. There are 33 other Olrig Observations episodes to enjoy - just click on the Podcasts and Videos tab above to access the full set of podcasts and YouTube videos

Castlehill Heritage Centre internal building improvements

Castletown Heritage Society prides itself on opening Castlehill Heritage Centre all year round, one of the very few heritage visitor attractions in Caithness to do so. This year however we have decided to undertake some internal building works during the relatively quiet winter period, focused on improving the storage capacity for our ever growing collection of local artefacts and ephemera. In association with this we will take the opportunity to review and reorganise the storage of individual items and update our records. Sounds easy, but there's lots of stuff!!

Castlehill Heritage Centre will therefore be closed to the public from Wednesday 17th December, re-opening on Wednesday 4th February 2026.

We look forward to welcoming you back at the beginning of February!

Dr Gary's Mortichnia fossil find

We are delighted to share the image (left) of a specimen recently discovered by Dr Gary Eisenhauer, our fossil expert. The fossil was uncovered in Achanarras Quarry, Caithness and is a potential rare 'Mortichnia' specimen - i.e. a fossil depicting traces of life alongside the subsequent corpse remains. It is rare to find traces of living fish as opposed to the more commonly found fish cadavers. The image on the right interprets and illustrates the key features of the fossil visible in the image on the left - a trail of grooves to the rear of the remains of a juvenile pterichthyodes fish.

Gary's discovery has been published in the Scottish Journal of Geology.

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We're Pumped at Positive Feedback

This photo was taken earlier in the summer by visitor Walter Blakemore who was impressed by the view from inside the wind pump tower and loved Castlehill Heritage Centre!

Dr Gary's fossil talk is a big hit!

Although wintry road conditions challenged both audience and speaker, Castlehill Heritage Centre hosted a very successful and well attended talk last week. Dr Gary Eisenhauer, qualified micro-paleontologist and self-confessed fossil fan, delivered an engaging explanation of this county's enviable number of fossil fish embedded within local flagstone. Gary has been instrumental in cataloguing and displaying some of the vast collection of fossils gathered by the late Jack Saxon of Thurso, kindly donated to us by his family. Jack's internationally renowned collection can now be viewed within our dedicated fossil area.

Thanks to Gary they can also be digitally accessed on our eHive artefact archive. Additional illustrations and graphics help to complete the picture. We are also indebted to Dr Hercules Robinson who initially photographed the fossils and to Bob Davidson, Sidney Johnson and Alan Holmes from Aberdeen Geological Society who did an early assessment of the collection.

Gary began by outlining his fascinating career which has taken him to most corners of the world. His talk tackled a complicated topic with total clarity and a good deal of humour. As one visitor said afterwards "You welcomed us in from a stormy night and were happy to chat. Your part-time palaeontologist spoke wonderfully and answered questions I didn't know I had about the subject." There is still much work to do on the Jack Saxon Fossil Collection. We hope that as it expands visitors will continue to enjoy the unique display.

For information on how to view the high resolution images of the fossils on-line via eHive, contact the team at Castlehill.

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Pennyland Primary School P5 pupils visit Castlehill

We were delighted last week to host a visit from well over thirty P5 pupils from Pennyland Primary School in Thurso along with their teacher and parent helpers. Divided into suitable groups our volunteers introduced the young visitors to the main display, the artefacts store, the fossil collection and the World War Two area.

The pupils were admirably well-behaved, eager to listen and to answer our questions. They also had many of their own to ask. Some of which taxed the knowledge of the volunteers!! Star moments probably were trying on a vintage warm bed-cap, wrestling with a war-time stirrup pump and guessing the mystery objects.

Hopefully the youngsters will now bring their parents along and show them round our displays.

Out of the shadows - donated treasures revealed!

It sometimes happens that objects donated to us don’t necessarily conform to a theme. Our latest exhibition reveals an eclectic selection of interesting local items from the artefact store at Castlehill Heritage Centre store which have seldom seen the light of day. Until now!

The new exhibition is on display at Castlehill Heritage Centre from 2pm to 4pm every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

A selection of images from the new exhibition		Definitely no theme here!
A collection of photo albums from Castletown Primary School

Evening Talk - Jack Saxon's Fossils

Despite his passing in 2005, Jack Saxon is still a name familiar to many, both in terms of his wonderful water colours and his contributions to the fossil fish records of Caithness and Orkney. His collection of fossil fish has been donated to Castlehill Heritage Centre where a selection of specimens are now on display to the public.

Come to our illustrated evening talk on Tuesday 18th November at 7 pm. Local amateur palaeontologist Gary Eisenhauer will describe some of these fossil fish specimens and reveal their context and meaning to the geology and past environments that underlay most of Caithness, Orkney and beyond some 382-393 million years ago.

Another new podcast! - Hugh Thomson's memorial stone

Muriel interviews Janet Thomson from New Zealand, a recent visitor to Castlehill Heritage Centre, who tells the fascinating story behind a memorial stone which stands proud on nearby Dunnet Head and commemorates family member Hugh Thomson who died when he crashed his WWII Spitfire there in February 1942.

New podcast released - Castlehill in Verse

Inspired by the now deserted buildings at Castlehill, two visitors to Castlehill Heritage Centre recall in verse those who lived and worked at this once vibrant site. [Sea sound effect courtesy of bbc.co.uk – © copyright 2025 BBC]

Castlehill Chat

Locals and travellers through the village of Castletown have been thrilled to watch the progress being made on Traill Hall as it is transformed into a family home. Hot on the heels of the masterly renaissance of the former Established Church into a lofty landmark, now comes the renovation of the diminutive lodge at the old entrance to Castlehill House and grounds. Originally built as a house for the gatekeeper or coachman to the big house, in 1881 it was home to the Campbell family consisting of three adults and five children. Mr Campbell was employed as butler to the Traill family. During the second world war it served variously as the servicemen's post office and the guard-room where any miscreants on a charge stood in front of the officer to "face the music".

Although Olrig Parish is our main focus, at Castlehill Heritage Centre we are only too happy to welcome enquiries about neighbouring parishes. Yesterday volunteers were delighted to help a visitor from Melbourne, Australia to dig deeper into her family history. Her ancestors came from the Brabsterdorran area in Bower parish. With the help of our considerable collection of local records and personal reminiscences we were able to help our visitor trace her grandmother's family before they left Caithness in the 1800s for New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia. She was also able to eliminate some "red herrings". As she was delving into the archive her husband was fascinated to learn about the stone quarries including the photo of Royal Terrace in Melbourne paved with Caithness flag. A walk down the corridor to admire the Merlin engine in our WWII exhibition made his day. Two satisfied customers. All in a day's work.

It is always a bonus when a new piece of information on the uses of Caithness flagstone comes our way. Yesterday we were given photos of the ground standing sundial which was a gift from the people of Caithness to the late Queen Elizabeth when as a princess she married Prince Philip in 1947. It was designed and dressed in Spittal Quarry by the family of George Sinclair who feature in the photo. The images will complement our flagstone exhibition.

New book by Caithness Family History Society

Our friends at Caithness Family History Society have just completed a new publication. Volume Three of The Unreturning Brave contains family and service information, photographs and newspaper articles about all World War One personnel from the parishes of Dunnet and Olrig who are commemorated on the war memorials in these places.

The book costs £16 (£15 to CFHS society members) and will be launched at Castletown Heritage Centre on Saturday 6th September between 10.30 and 12 noon.

Latest podcast - The languages of Caithness

Episode 31 of our Olrig Observations podcast series is now available to listen.

Society member Sharon Pottinger explores the history and use of the three official languages that are written or spoken in Caithness today: English, Scots, and Scottish Gaelic.

Child languages icon Designed by Freepik

Jack Saxon Fossil Collection appeals to all ages!

Castletown Heritage Society is extremely proud to curate, interpret and make accessible to the community the unique and substantial collection of fossils from Caithness and the far north of Scotland that was collected, researched and documented by Jack Saxon, a local but widely recognised and published amateur palaeontologist.

The collection, some of which is shown above, was gifted to the Society by the family of the late Jack Saxon. The focus of the collection is fossil fish of Caithness from the Denovian period - c. 380 million years ago - however the collection contains items from other periods e.g. plants from the Jurassic period - c.175 million years ago. Over the past couple of years specialists from Aberdeen University have assisted us in creating a permanent interpretive exhibition.

The exhibition is proving to be extremely popular with visitors and researchers alike, and feedback received has reinforced our belief that the collection is of more than local significance.

There's something there for everyone, including a range of specimens that are available to handle and examine in close detail. Alexander, dinosaur daft grandson of one of our volunteers, was particularly excited by a specimen that closely resembles a dinosaur's tooth!

The interpretive exhibition is open to the public during Castlehill Heritage Centre normal opening hours.

Castlehill Heritage Centre closed on Saturday 19 July

The 2025 Caithness County Show, the premier agricultural event in Caithness, will be held on Saturday 19 July at Riverside Park in Wick. Many of our volunteers at Castlehill Heritage Centre will be involved in some way at the County Show, so we have decided that the Centre will not be open that day.

Service resumes as normal the next day on Sunday 20 July!

We look forward to seeing you there!

NORSE STONE workforce visit Castlehill Heritage Centre

There was no need to explain the nature of flagstone to the group visiting Castlehill Heritage Centre this week. Michael Ronaldson and his workforce from NORSE STONE represent one of the remaining flagstone businesses in the county. Working in their quarries at Lieurary and Banniskirk, they were well acquainted with the modern methods of quarrying, cutting and dressing the stone, but we were able to surprise them with stories of working conditions, techniques and transportation of stone from Castlehill Harbour in the 1800s.

Their visit was an excellent opportunity for us at Castlehill to learn from those involved in the industry in the present day. Our collection of fossils was also of interest to them, many of the visitors having come across examples in the course of their work.

Latest podcast - Hugh Ross Alan

Episode 30 of our Olrig Observations podcast series has just been unleashed!!

Whilst researching the history of his house in Dunnet, local historian Drew Gutteridge uncovers the fascinating story of a previous resident - Hugh Ross Alan, who was a marine salvage diver and decorated WWII hero.

Click to hear Drew tell Hugh's story.

New Castletown Heritage Society Facebook page launched

Castletown Heritage Society has this week launched its new facebook page. Click on the image or just search for Castlehill Heritage Society - note the slightly different name!

Make sure to Like, Friend and Follow to keep up with all the latest news!

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Castlehill Heritage Garden is blooming lovely!

On a sunny day like today the courtyard Heritage Garden at Castlehill Heritage Centre was definitely the place to be. Christine, our volunteer gardener, really has been working her magic!

Flagstones Stories Exhibition opens at Castlehill

Come and enjoy the themed displays of tools, records, photographs and stories exploring the fascinating industrial and social history of the Flagstone Industry in Caithness. Explore the lives and experiences of those involved in, and connected to, the industry.

Exhibition open every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons between 2pm and 4pm at Castlehill Heritage Centre.

Open Day at Castlehill Heritage Centre a great success!

It was the last day of the "Moving in, Moving on" exhibition. To mark the occasion CHS offered a variety of activities. As well as the display on immigration and emigration, and the much appreciated World War Two display, the North Highland Wood-Turners opened their studio to visitors.

Visitors had the chance to enter a quiz on the stories featured in the current display and the opportunity to plot on a world map where John Polson might have emigrated to in the 1800s. Identifying by-gone tools and implements was easy enough for more mature visitors but taxed the imagination of the young. Fossil fish rubbing with wax crayons entertained some, while budding archaeologists were able to use a trowel to reveal the hidden artefacts in the sand trays.

Genealogy is one of the lesser known areas of our activities. On display were three examples of recent family history enquiries. One from England referred to the Campbell family from the Castlehill lodge. We were able to send them many details of the family and where they went. A second enquirer from Canada was seeking information on a James Lumsden, grandson of the village blacksmith in the 1800s. A full life-story was found and even surviving relatives still living in the village A third came from a Londoner now 83, billeted on a "kind and hospitable" local farming family during the war. Not only did we find the family -the Weirs -and the farm at Tain of Olrig but we were able to trace their history back to Stroma.

We were delighted to put on show, courtesy of Sheena Budge, the family cradle made in 1861, obviously home-made, probably using drift-wood from the Stroma shore. It is thanks to our collection of objects donated to us by local people, that we can bring to life these family stories.

To complete the day a selection of delicious home-baking was provided by our volunteers to accompany a cup of tea or coffee.

Result of the "Plot the Spot where John Polson emigrated" competition: The winner was Luca whose sticker was closest. John Polson used his master's certificate to become a pilot on Puget Bay, living in the new settlement of Seattle.

Come to our Open Day at Castlehill Heritage Centre on the last day of the "Moving on Moving in" exhibition.

Lots of fun activities for adults and children, such as "Were you paying attention?" - a quiz based on the exhibition, "What's that old object for?", Plot the Spot - where did John Omand emigrate to? Pack your kist - draw what you would take in your emigrant's kist - in 1850 and now. Have a go at sand tray archaeology.

An ideal opportunity to get some insight into the wide range of activities Castletown Heritage Society does.

*! Free entry with tea/coffee and home-bakes !*

Extraordinary General Meeting - success!

A welcome number of members, friends and supporters attended the EGM of Castletown Heritage Society last week. As a result a full complement of office-bearers and committee members was elected allowing the continued running of the Society and Castlehill Heritage Centre. This included two new committee members.

In addition a satisfying number of people volunteered their services in a wide range of ways. It was pleasing to have such a substantial turn-out reflecting local support.

Newly elected Chairman Roy Blackburn thanked all who attended and particularly to those who offered their help.

Latest podcast - Donald's Military Career

In the early 1800s Britain was on the brink of war with Napoleon. The exchange of letters between a Caithness father and son reveals familiar tensions as young Donald Williamson starts out on his military career. His demands, emotions and ultimate end reflect the story of many young servicemen in subsequent wars.

Click to hear Muriel reveal Donald's tale, the latest in our Olrig Observations series of podcasts.

Extraordinary General Meeting - 7.30 pm 29 May 25

The recent Annual General Meeting of Castletown Heritage Society was unable to elect the required number of Office Bearers to the Committee as defined by the Society's Constitution. All interested parties are invited to attend this Extraordinary General Meeting, the purpose of which is to elect a Committee to ensure the continued operation of Castletown Heritage Society and Castlehill Heritage Centre. Anyone wishing to attend but are unable to do so in person may request attendance via Zoom.

If you would like to attend the EGM via Zoom, please contact us

Ironwork Workshop

Many thanks to all the volunteers who participated in our recent work afternoon. Great progress was made. Our collection of early flatirons and the selection of cobbler's lasts received some TLC. Look out for details of the next open work day. Come and join us!

If you would like to know more about our workshops and activities, please do get in touch with us!

Looking cool at the Moving In, Moving on exhibition

Our current exhibition 'Moving In, Moving On' is proving to be a big hit with visitors and locals alike. The displays reveal the stories of some of those who emigrated from this area - for many a hazardous undertaking - and also about some of those who travelled here to settle in and around our Parish on a temporary or permanent basis.

This delightful group of visitors from Sri Lanka enjoyed dressing up as 1900s emigrants.

Castlehill Heritage Centre is open from 2 pm to 4 pm every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Open Workshop

Come along to our open workshop on Tuesday 8th April at Castlehill Heritage Centre. We will be cleaning, de-rusting and polishing up some of the metal artefacts in our fascinating collection. Tools, gloves etc will be provided. Tea and coffee on tap.

Join us to work or pop in for a chat. 2pm to 4 pm.

If you can't make Tuesday but would still like to help, please do get in touch with us!

Latest Mystery Object Challenge

Earlier this month we received another mysterious object as a donation to our ever growing collection of locally relevant artefacts. The spiral shaped object on the left is some five feet long and made of iron. Can you guess what it is for? We believe it played an important role in an aspect of our heritage in the mid 20th century.

The object pictured right was spotted recently standing proud in the banks of the Burn of Garth. Not completely identical and rather more corroded, but potentially used for the same purpose?

If you can guess the purpose of these objects, or have a story to tell about them, please do get in touch with us!

Recent Visiting Groups at Castlehill Heritage Centre

In addition to the steady stream of tourists and local visitors during our normal opening hours, Castlehill Heritage Centre regularly hosts visits by local groups.

We recently welcomed a group from the Bayview House Care Home in Thurso. What was the highlight of their visit- the Wartime display? Fossil collection? Artefacts store full of vintage objects? For two visitors it was the chance to dress up as part of the emigration/ immigration exhibition!

Earlier in the month we were delighted to invite fellow heritage sector volunteers from the Wick Society, and Halkirk Heritage and Vintage Vehicle Society to a conservation workshop. Will Murray from the Scottish Conservation Studio shared his vast experience of the care, protection and storage of metal, wood and leather objects in heritage collections.

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Spring is definitely in the air, and the bulbs and plants within the Heritage Garden are starting to put in an appearance. The daffodils in the planters along the access path are particularly eye-catching at present, and a welcome reminder that warmer weather is (hopefully!) just around the corner.

The garden is tended by our volunteers, led by Christine, who ensures that a stunning display is on show to welcome visitors throughout the year. The afternoon cream teas held on the patio every Sunday in August are a particular delight!

Latest Podcast - The Life and Times of Traill Hall

Originally built as Public Reading Rooms in 1866, the imposing Traill Hall remains an icon of the Traill legacy in Castletown. The new owner reveals aspects of the history of the hall and some of the features revealed during its ongoing renovation and conversion into a family home. Click play button to hear podcast.

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Evening Talk - Stanergill Castle

The origin of 'castle' in our Castletown village name has long been a topic of debate as there is no obvious castle-like structure now remaining in the village. During this evening talk Muriel will focus on the story of Stangergill Castle.

Did this castle give the village its name? Where was it? What did it look like? Who built it?

Come along and find out! Tuesday 18 March at 7.30pm in Castlehill Heritage Centre

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Exhibition - Moving in, Moving on

Our latest, exciting new exhibition telling the stories of some of those who emigrated from this area - for many a hazardous undertaking - is now open.

Learn also about some of those who travelled here to settle in and around our Parish on a temporary or permanent basis.

Open 2pm - 4pm every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Other times by arrangement.

Castletown Walking Group at Castlehill

Castletown Walking Group meet every Wednesday outside the Drill Hall in Castletown at 10.30am before heading off to explore the local area. Absolutely anyone is welcome, no matter age or ability. The walking group allows the opportunity to get out of the house and get some fresh air and catch up with friends and family in a safe environment and surroundings. Anyone is welcome to just turn up on the day.

The group meet after the walk at various locations in Castletown for a brew and a natter too, and on Wednesday this week we were delighted to welcome them to Castlehill Heritage Centre for a cuppa and some of Helen's home made pancakes.

If you would like more information about the group contact Pat Groves at patgrovesuk@yahoo.co.uk

It's a wiffletree!

At the beginning of December we appealed for information relating to a couple of recent donations to the Castlehill collection, one of which was the wooden bar on the right. It transpired that the bar is part of the coupling harness between a plough horse and the plough, and is known as a swingletree/whiffletree. Whilst we are grateful for the names provided, we suspect that there might be a more local Caithness name for the bar. Are you able to help?

The other object (left) is an iron stamp called a 'buist', and is used for marking livestock, or possibly sacks, using tar or paint.

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Sewing machine brought back to life

Within our extensive collection of locally sourced artefacts we have several treadle sewing machines of various ages and styles. We were delighted recently when Phyllida Sales offered to recommission one of them, a Singer dating from 1870.

Singer sewing machines were first manufactured in America by I. M. Singer & Co. in 1851, the brainchild of Isaac M. Singer. The company was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865. In 1867, the Singer Company decided that the demand for their sewing machines in the UK was sufficiently high to open a local factory in Glasgow. Demand for sewing machines outstripped production and by 1873 a new larger factory was completed on James Street, Bridgeton. By that point, Singer employed over 2,000 people in Scotland, but they still could not produce enough machines. (Source: Wikipedia)

If the dating of our machine is correct, then it may well be that it is one of the earliest machines manufactured in Scotland at the original factory.

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Pastimes from Past Times will soon be in the past!

Our current exhibition, 'Pastimes from Past Times' has proven to be very popular, but the time approaches to move on to a different theme. We are in the process of preparing our next offering, so if you haven't explored the Pastimes on display then time is running out!

Castlehill Heritage Centre is open every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2 pm to 4 pm.

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Beardychiel!

Beardychiel, better known (perhaps!) as John Glen is a licensed Wedding Celebrant, performer, former teacher at Wick and Thurso High Schools, designer, knitter, and tutor at Beardychiel Designs and winner of the best Christmas jumper in Kirsty Allsop's Handmade Christmas 2020 (Ch4).

Hear his fascinating story at this afternoon talk at Castlehill Heritage Centre at 2 pm on Tuesday 28 January.