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.

Mystery Objects and Boxing Day Opening

Our archive of local related documents, photographs, objects and ephemera is a fascinating trip down memory lane - we gratefully accept donations of local themed objects that help tell the story of our area. Every object has a story to tell, sometimes personal to the person/family that donated it, sometimes just evidence of a trade, organisation, business or pastime that thrived at some point in our rich local history.

Can you identify these two recent donations to the Castlehill collection? Are you able to tell us what they were used for, or perhaps a story about them? Do drop by Castlehill Heritage Centre to let us know, or contact us by email. We would love to know more about them!

Castletown is looking resplendent with our new Christmas lights and the festive season feels well underway. You are invited to come along to Castlehill Heritage Centre on Boxing Day for some mulled wine, mincemeat pies and a good chinwag with friends old and new. You can be assured of a warm welcome! We'll be open from 2pm to 4pm, perfect for warming up after a post lunch stroll along Dunnet Beach.

Sweet music and our new podcast booklet at Castlehill

The last few weeks have been really busy at Castlehill, with our Pastimes from Past Times exhibition proving to be very popular with visitors. From board games and sport to music, handicrafts, and everything in between, the exhibition features articles, photographs and artefacts from recent times to a bygone age. Pictured are some visitors enjoying the sweet sound of an antique music box, and the less sweet sound from an early gramophone!

We know from our platform analytics that there have been almost 1200 downloads of episodes from our Olrig Observations series of podcasts - fantastic! Each podcast explores a variety of topics, ranging from objects of interest and stories of characters from history, to reminisences about past events of importance or amusement! Created by our volunteer members, each podcast offers a sometimes personal glimpse into some aspect of the social, industrial, agricultural, maritime, military and archaeological heritage of the village of Castletown within the Parish of Olrig in Caithness. All episodes are available to listen by clicking here or via the 'Podcasts and Videos' tab above.

It occurred to us that not everyone is 'podcast friendly' so we have transcribed and collated a selection of the podcasts and published them in booklet form. Olrig Observations - Volume 1 is now available to purchase for £5 - collect your copy at Castlehill Heritage Centre. Perfect, perhaps, for that Christmas stocking filler or sending to family members and friends, or why not treat yourself!

In our latest podcast released today - Apprenticeships -Muriel explores the concept of learning through an apprenticeship, a process which has, of course, a very long history. Looking into local examples from the past throws up some interesting facts! To listen to the podcast click the PLAY button.

Beekeepers Workshop at Castlehill

A large number of beekeepers and their families took part in a recent workshop at Castlehill organised by Olrig and District Beekeeping Association. Under the watchful eye of tutor Bryce Reynard they learned the art of constructing traditional bee-skeps from straw. Some participants also made straw hats with the same material. The photos below show the beekeepers hard at work.

Look out for more of the beekeepers' activities based at Castlehill Heritage Centre.

Pastimes from Past Times Exhibition

After a very successful run over the summer months, our ever popular Flagstones exhibition has now been replaced with Pastimes from Past Times, which explores how local people spent their leisure hours in times gone by.

From sport to music, handicrafts, and everything in between, the exhibition features articles, photographs and artefacts from recent times to a bygone age.

As usual, Castlehill Heritage Centre will be open from 2pm to 4pm every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon throughout the winter period (Christmas Day and New Year's day excepted).

Caithness & Sutherland Vintage & Classic Vehicle Club visits Castlehill

Castlehill Heritage Centre was delighted to host a visit from Caithness & Sutherland Vintage & Classic Vehicle Club on Sunday. Some forty enthusiasts arrived in an impressive range of beautifully tended vintage cars, classic cars, and commercial vehicles. Small groups of visitors were shown round each area of interest within the heritage centre by our knowledgeable guides.

By the end of the visit the volunteers at Castlehill had renewed old acquaintances, made many new contacts and were able to share stories of the flagstone industry, and the Second World War and its local impact. Also on display was our recently curated collection of fossils from Caithness and Sutherland, donated by the family of renowned amateur palaeontologist Jack Saxon.

With the visitors' interest in engines it is probably fair to say that the star attraction for most was our Rolls Royce Merlin engine from a war-time Hurricane aircraft. On hearing that the topic for the next exhibition was to be "Pastimes in past times", some of our weekend visitors immediately offered to contribute objects to the display. This is the spirit of collaboration from the public that makes Castlehill Heritage Centre such an interesting place to visit.

40th Anniversary Photo Competition Winner!

Over the summer months, as part of our activities to celebrate the 40th birthday of Castletown Heritage Society, we have been running a Photography Competition, the aim of which was to encourage children and young adults under 18 to become more aware of our wonderful Caithness landscapes, people and heritage. The results, as they say, are now in!

We are delighted to announce that Castletown youngster Jack Robertson was the winner with his entries in the landscape and heritage categories, both of which had a sea theme. The judges were impressed with his entries and offered helpful comments on how he could improve his technique even further.

Renovation of the old mill at Stanergill progressing well

We are delighted to see the progress in the renovation of the Old Mill at Stanergill. Congratulations to Martin Murray and Dunnet Bay Distillers for taking on the challenge of transforming this historic local building into a whisky distillery. The archives at Castlehill Heritage Centre have provided them with various forms of help both photographic and documentary.

The latest collaboration is evident in the firm's new product - a blended whisky aptly called Castletown Mill, whose labelling features James Traill of Rattar and Castlehill with the House at Castlehill in the background.

Mystery Object - Can you help identify it?

Whilst sorting through our eclectic collection of artefacts, we were puzzled as to the purpose of this object. The nameplate on the top states that is was manufactured by Melvin Bros Ltd, Causewayside, Edinburgh, and may date from the late 1940s/early 1950s. There is a perforated container set into the top surface (a strainer?) which is closed off by a sliding flat plate. There is a tubular canvas bag between the top and bottom wooden plates, with a hose connection at the edge of the bottom plate. There are two 'D' rings on the top surface - might this suggest that it is intended to be worn on the body using a strap of some sort? All suggestions welcome!

If you think you are able to help us identify the object and it's purpose, please get in touch by email, or why not drop into Castlehill Heritage Centre for a closer look? We are open every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2pm - 4pm.

40 Years and still going strong!

Hugh Crowden, the current chairman of Castletown Heritage Society was eager to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the society in 1984 - as well he might, as he was one of the original committee members. For many years the society met and held events without a base until the present premises at Castlehill steading were finally secured in August 2004.

An evening of reminiscences was arranged to which were invited people who had contributed to the acquiring and restoration of the former farm steading close to the site of the flagstone works. Thanks to them contributing time and expertise the rough walled dairy was transformed into a bright, vibrant community led heritage centre. Hugh had no hesitation in choosing Neil Buchan to lead the audience through the forty year life span of the society. Neil is a former chairman and has been involved in the practical and technological development of Castlehill Heritage Centre right from the outset. Furthermore, as an avid photographer he was able to illustrate the building's progress through some of his vast store of photos. The audience marvelled at the speed with which bare walls were sealed, insulated, plaster boarded and painted; lighting and heating installed; and drainage and access paths laid. The vast majority of the work was undertaken by a small band of society members and their families. This first successful phase was followed by work on other parts of the building and the laying out of the courtyard garden.

It was particularly gratifying to welcome back John Crowden, John Moar, Gordon Buchan, David Swanson who along with Hugh and Neil were the main construction volunteers, plus Tony Birdsall of A J Building Services, who supported us in creating our Archaeological Research Facility. Roy Blackburn joined the team for later phases of works.

Neil then presented an alphabetical list of well over two hundred and thirty events, talks, exhibitions and projects undertaken by CHS within the centre since it opened, and on occasion elsewhere. From Basket Making workshops to WWII concerts, even long term members were amazed and proud of the achievements.

The occasion was also chosen as the moment to officially open an area of the building newly dedicated to WW II, including artefacts illustrating the impact on the village of the arrival of RAF Castletown in 1940. Drew Guttridge, a well-known local war-time historian ably declared the display open. We were delighted to welcome the family of the late Don Mason (latterly of Thurso) who have loaned us mementoes illustrating his heroic career as a bomber pilot and navigator. We were pleased to share the evening with representatives of our fellow heritage groups in the county and of the local interest groups which regularly use our premises.

Drew Guttridge reflects on RAF Castletown

Our friends at Wick Heritage Society have amassed a fantastic collection of 'Wick Voices' - audio recordings of people describing aspects of their life or interests in respect of the social heritage of Wick and Caithness in general.

One of their latest offerings is by Drew Guttridge from Dunnet, in which he reflects on the impact of the WWII fighter airfield RAF Castletown, and the many personnel associated with it, on the village of Castletown during WWII. He also describes his role in the steering group for the recently launched Caithness At War heritage trail project.

To listen to Drew's recording, click here: https://www.wickvoices.co.uk/voices_listen.php?id=1405202420120111572

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Latest podcast now available

Muriel, our fastidious researcher has been very busy over the past few weeks creating our latest podcast "A Wartime Photograph" . Click on the PLAY button to listen.

Ramsay Macdonald film premiere a reflective success

Last night's insight into the family life of a politician was enjoyed by an interested audience.

The name Ramsay MacDonald, the first Labour Prime Minister, probably rings a distant bell with most. Having watched the film on his life curated by Yvonne Lindsay at Castlehill last night we were struck by the similarities endured by present day politicians. Torn by conflicting political ideals, hounded by opponents, the victim of vandalism on his home, ostracised by one time allies, accused of cronyism.

But it is the domestic realities faced by this man, who as Prime Minister of Great Britain and with little or no income, found himself as a widower with a young family which made an impact on the audience. No 10 Downing Street was at the time was unfurnished. Ramsay's young daughter clad in a home knitted cardigan had to act as hostess at her father's side entertaining all manner of dignitaries.

Yvonne's film which included family cine film and was narrated by family members and old friends of Macdonald surviving at the time, brought the political and personal life of this unusual man to life. The fact that the audience left with much to reflect on, is testament to a well thought out presentation.

40th Anniversary Photography Competition Launched!

As part of the activities to celebrate the 40th birthday of Castletown Heritage Society we are holding a Photography Competition. Our aim is to encourage children and young adults to become more aware of our wonderful Caithness landscapes, people and heritage.

The competition is open to all amateur photographers aged 17 years or under and is free to enter.

Full details, rules and entry form can be downloaded HERE, requested by email, or collected from Castlehill Heritage Centre.

Get snapping!

Castletown Heritage Society AGM 2024

The Annual General Meeting of Castletown Heritage Society took place at Castlehill Heritage Centre on Wednesday 24 April 2024 at 7.30pm. Approximately twenty persons were in attandance. Following acceptance of the Chairman's Report presented by outgoing Chairman Hugh Crowden, and the Annual Accounts by Hon Treasurer Helen Gunn, Neil Buchan took the chair as Interim Chairman for the election of the following officers and members of the Management Committee:

The formal business of the meeting being over, the audience were treated to a very entertaining and informative presentation by Isobel and Angela from Above and Beyond Tours of Caithness.

If you would like to get involved with, or wish to find out more about the activities of Castletown Heritage Society, please contact us HERE.

Flow Country talk a great success

Big thank you to Milly from RSPB Forsinard for a hugely interesting talk last night. Who knew there was a blanket bog in the Congo! That a blanket bog heaves the odd sigh. Or that we have to maintain the peatlands or else the malevolent genie (carbon) will escape from the bottle.

If you missed this one, Milly is returning in the autumn. She should have news of their UNESCO Heritage Site bid.

WWII Coastal Watcher memorabilia donation

Today we welcomed the three daughters of Dorothy Calder who was a young woman from Murrayfield, Castletown in the 1940s. They were eager for the war-time role of their mother to be honoured and publicised. Dorothy was one of a small group of Coastal Watchers who observed aircraft and ships in the Pentland Firth from a base on top of Olrig Hill. They were led by Stroma Sinclair, whose father Admiral Edwyn Sinclair built Dwarwick House aka the House of the Northern Gate. Completing those from Castletown were Lizzie Junor and Vida Houston. They had an envied reputation in accurate spotting and skilled identification. Among several objects relating to her time in the Coastal Watchers, her daughters brought Dorothy's leather satchel for carrying her pencils, pens and a tiny notebook containing beautifully hand-drawn images of the sea and aircraft to spot and report.

We at Castlehill were particularly delighted to accept the objects on long term loan as a new display area in the centre is almost ready for visitors. This will focus on the role of RAF Castletown and the impact the WWII had on the life of the village. Dorothy Calder's memorabilia will help to complete this story.

Standing room only at Drew's talk!

It was standing room only as the last attendees arrived for the talk on RAF Castletown by Drew Guttridge on Tuesday 27 February. His fascinating presentation included photos, plans and contemporary aerial shots of the aerodrome. Drew took the audience through the early days of its birth from the compulsory purchase of the land, its necessary drainage and the laying of runways using rubble from the slag-heaps dating from the days of the flagstone industry.

As squadrons arrived, work on the layout and surfacing continued. Drew outlined the types of action undertaken by each squadron and the aircraft used by each. The roll call of illustrious visitors from princes to air vice -marshalls and squadron leaders emphasises the importance placed by the Ministry of Defence on this remote and relatively tiny airbase. Gradually the need for the site as an RAF base faded and landings of aircraft diminished. For Drew the last arrival was symbolic of the future of air power. A Hoverfly helicopter from 771 Squadron landed in 1945. It later became the first aircraft to land on an ordinary ship, proving the advantages of manoeuverable helicopters in years to come.

The audience greatly appreciated the amount of research done by Drew over time and the engaging way it was presented. As CHS Chairman Hugh Crowden said in his thanks, it is important that people go home and tell the next generation about this vital spell in the history of our village.

Watch Out - Latest Podcast

While checking her watch, Muriel ponders on the local history of the timepiece.

Click on the PLAY button to listen.

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Evening talk on RAF Castletown - Tuesday 27 February 7.30 pm

The outbreak of World War II thrust Caithness into the front line, not least due to the threat of German invasion from Norway. In late 1939 the site for a new airfield for fighter aircraft was chosen at Castletown and, on 7 June 1940, just one day before the fall of Norway, RAF Castletown became an operational fighter station of No 13 Group, Fighter Command.

Drew Guttridge reveals the fascinating story of RAF Castletown - its birth, facilities, operations and demise.

All at Sea at Castlehill

Our highly successful Castlehill House exhibition has now drawn to a close. Castlehill Heritage Centre will be closed to visitors for the next two weeks to enable our latest exhibition "All at Sea" to be installed, and will re-open on Saturday 20th January.

“All at sea” will look at the maritime heritage of the area with stories of heroes and villains at sea, the earliest examples of sea going craft, the importance of our local harbour and much much more.

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New Year visitors to Castlehill House Exhibition

Among the many visitors to our Castlehill House themed exhibition over the festive season, young Brooke Bain was delighted to discover and play with dolls furniture which had belonged to her great grandmother in the early 1900s.

The exhibition, which closed this weekend, featured photographs, documentation, stories and memorabilia from the era when Castlehill House was the centre of the Traill Estate. James Traill's house proudly overlooked Castlehill Harbour, which was purpose-built to enable the export of finished flagstone from the adjacent Castlehill Pavement Works. Sadly the house fell into ruin following a devastating fire in 1967.

Merry Christmas from Castletown Heritage Society

Castletown Heritage extends seasons greetings to all our friends, members, visitors and supporters.

Castlehill Heritage Centre will be open as usual over the festive season - why not drop in to explore the Castlehill House exhibition - Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays 2-4pm.

Or join us for our special Boxing Day opening 2-4pm - enjoy some mulled wine, mincmeat pies whilst exploring the special display of artwork from members of the Castlehill Monday Night Art Group - you might be amazed!

Refurbished WWII display area starting to take shape

Thanks to the efforts of volunteers Neil, Hugh and Roy, the creation of an improved display area within Castlehill Heritage Centre have taken a step forward. After three days of concerted activity, bare stone walls within a section of the Archaeological Research Facility currently used to display the Merlin Engine have been framed out, plaster boarded and taped ready for painting. Wiring has been installed to allow for socket outlets and radiant heating plus connection to our IT network. The aim is to transform this area to create enhanced displays focusing on Castletown's history during the Second World War.

As well as telling the story of our much admired Rolls-Royce engine from a Hurricane fighter aircraft which flew from RAF Castletown, there will be a tribute to Flight Officer Don Mason from Thurso. We are delighted to have been given a selection of war-time memorabilia from his days as a pilot and navigator in the RAF. A new interpretive section will also portray life in Castletown village during 1939-1945 and the impact of the nearby RAF Castletown, which was built on Thurdistoft farm.

True to our environmentally friendly credentials the purchase of new materials in the refurbishment is being kept to a minimum by the judicious re-use of existing stocks of wood etc., and upcycling of unused cabinets and such like.

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Welcome!

We are delighted to have made contact with Gary Eisenhauer, micropalaeontologist, who has recently moved to the area. He has been introduced to the Jack Saxon Collection of fossils curated by Castletown Heritage Society. Gary hopes to begin working in the New Year on the plan to preserve, display and interpret the world class collection for a wide audience.

Latest podcast released - 'Daisy's Map'

Join Muriel as she tells the story of Daisy's Map. 100 years ago Margaret Sinclair (known as Daisy) emigrated to Canada as a twelve year old. Homesick for Castletown she drew a map in pencil of the village. Now the map has returned to Caithness and provides an insight into life as Daisy saw it. Click on PLAY button to listen.

Muriel nails it with John Calder of Dunnet evening talk

Tuesday night saw the first of our winter series of evening talks. An appreciative audience were taken through the life story of John Calder -a crofter from Dunnet, born in 1785. Subtitled "Guest of Napoleon" the career of John Calder on land and sea was presented by Muriel Murray. The content was based on previously assembled historical notes and family recollections, and bolstered by new research. It was particularly gratifying that many Calder descendants from Dunnet and Castletown were at the talk to learn about their ancestor. During conversations afterwards new information on the story emerged from members of the Calder family!

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"Caithness Birds" by Castletown Primary School pupils on display

Visitors to Castlehill Heritage Centre can admire pieces of art work done by pupils from Castletown Primary School in a special display entitled "Caithness Birds". Mrs Clarke from Dunnet has combined her joint interest in bird life and art to encourage the youngsters to depict some locally seen birds. Some examples are shown below - come along and see the rest!

The local branch of Scottish Ornithological Club meets at Castlehill during winter months. Look out for their series of regular talks and filmshows.

Evening talk - John Calder of Dunnet

In the first of our winter 2023/24 series of evening talks, Muriel Murray pieces together what is known of John Calder born 1785 and brings to life the story of this local sea-farer as he finds himself caught up in momentous events.

Perhaps of particular interest if your name is Calder!

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Latest exhibition unveiled - The life and times of Castlehill House

After a very successful showing of our annual Flagstone exhibition over the summer, it's all change at Castlehill with the opening of a fascinating exhibition exploring Castlehill House and policies, from its beginning in 1770 to its sad demise in 1967.

Come along and discover information on the owners, guests, employees and their lifestyle; examine artefacts reflecting life over the years; and ponder reminiscences from those who recall the house and estate. There's a lot more to Castlehill House than meets the eye!

Cruise Ship Visitors

The nearby port of Scrabster, just seven miles west of Castlehill, is now well established as a regular port of call for cruise ships. The local attractions for visitors are obvious - The Castle and Gardens of Mey, Mary Anne's Cottage, the Rock Rose Distillery, and Wick Heritage Museum to name but a few. Thanks to the efforts of our stalwart committee over the past couple of years, Castlehill Heritage Centre has gradually been added to the options available to those cruise passengers wishing to make local visits within their time-restricted schedule.

We were delighted recently to welcome some visitors from the cruise ship Hebridean Skye, who arrived at Castlehill in glorious sunshine, and were able to take full advantage of the glorious blooms in our Heritage Garden.

Cream teas proving as popular as ever

Of all our annual events, the cream teas served every Sunday in August always prove very popular - friends old and new meet up for a chat and to enjoy some good old fashioned home baked scones and cakes. This year has proved no exception, the weather so far being kind enough to enable seating outside in the heritage garden, which is proudly showing its late summer blooms. We are most grateful to Helen and her team of volunteers for organising these ever popular events.

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Visitor strikes it lucky researching his family history

One of our international visitors today turned out to be a descendant of James Smith of Olrig (1760 - 1853) who had emigrated to New Zealand in the early 1800s. Our visitor was delighted to discover that not only had we amassed an extensive archive of information on James Smith Esq, but that Muriel had delivered an evening talk at Castlehill on the life of Smith in 2016.

As he was staying in the village for a few days we were delighted to provide extended access to the archive to enable him to gather information on his family history.

Map conservation underway

The volunteers at Castlehill are all too aware of the responsibility they accept when donations of photos, paintings, documents, objects and maps are received from members of the public. Very often this involves the regular updating of catalogued material. We are indebted to Margaret S for undertaking this task.

As can be seen in the photograph to the left, sometimes old maps and charts become fragile and brittle and require painstaking care, repair and special storage. Mary, Jayne and Muriel are undertaking this slow business using the skills acquired at a two day hands-on workshop held at Castlehill last year. The workshop was led by Helen Creasy, paper conservator at the Scottish Conservation Studio in Hopetoun House, Edinburgh.

Give and Take

As well as hosting exhibitions on local history and serving delicious August cream teas, Castletown Heritage Society is frequently involved in local research on behalf of visitors both real and virtual. Recently we have provided assistance through our vast archive of information on local people and places over many centuries. For example we have helped a university student towards a thesis on the use of hedging in Caithness, delved into the history of a croft house on Birklehill for its renovator, and produced information and memories of the former farm of Harland, Castletown for a descendant of the family brought up there in the 1800s.

On the other hand we have been given a large quantity of documents on one of Castlehill's schooners the "Barrogill Castle", researched by the great-grandson of its former crew-member and owner. This welcome resource has been added to our collection of stories on the days of sail from our once busy harbour.

Latest podcast - Lost in the Post

When Muriel is handed a letter, handwritten by a Caithness businessman in early 1806, the upsetting contents prompt her to find out more. Her investigations reveal that the social consequences arising from the north mail robbery of 1805 stretched far beyond mere financial loss. To hear the episode click on the PLAY button.

Don't forget to visit our digital media page to explore our range of local heritage podcasts and videos.

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Hayve Basket Making Workshop a resounding success!

Strong fingers, a good memory and focused concentration were all required over the three day weekend workshop at Castlehill, as ten participants from all over Britain gathered to make rush baskets. Under the tuition of acclaimed basket maker Tim Johnston now based in Spain, bundles of locally harvested soft rush were slowly transformed into round baskets known as a "hayve". These containers were originally used by Caithness fishermen for carrying bait. The technique is ancient and intricate. Tutor Tim Johnston challenged the participants on day one, saying "This is not an easy basket to weave, but it is so important to bring the skill and knowledge of its making back to Caithness, its home."

During a well-attended public talk on the Saturday night Tim explained the research he had done on the technique, known as Neolithic braid used in the basket's construction, examples of which are found in diverse locations from Africa to Europe. Apart from a similar heather made basket in Orkney, no other example has been found in Britain. His investigations continue and he is anxious to appeal to any locals who may have seen such baskets, to get in touch with Castlehill Heritage Centre.

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Blooming Lovely!

Whilst wlaking through the heritage Garden at Castlehill Heritage Centre Muriel captured these images of some of the lovely blooms on display.

Never a dull moment at Castlehill!

One of the things we love at Castlehill Heritage Centre is hearing the stories of our visitors and sharing our knowledge of the village of Castletown and the Parish of Olrig. A core passion of our team is assisting visitors with information, if we can, to assist with their family history research.

A recent example was the Taylor family (left) from Canada who visited the centre last Thursday. Their ancestor was born in Hayfield farm in the 1880s and emigrated aged 19 to work on the Canadian Pacific railway. We were able to direct them to places of family interest and gave them several new leads to help piece their family history together.

Usually our volunteers are able to show visitors examples of old local photos from our collection. This weekend however a couple from the south arrived with a vintage family photo album. They hoped to identify some of the people and places on the photos to piece together their family story. We were delighted that the album contained some Castletown images we had not seen before like this family group (right) outside Manu House, Murrayfield.

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A team from the Environmental Research Institute (ERI), based in Thurso, visited Castlehill Heritage Centre on Friday 9th June. They were holding their end of year session so each group could report back on the year’s activities and accomplishments. They enjoyed the home baking and tea and coffee provided by Castlehill volunteers. Following the formal activities they had a quiz and looked around the Flagstone Industry Exhibition and the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The group included overseas students from Serbia, France, Portugal and other countries.

Feedback was very positive with the ERI team saying they thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Castlehill and gave many thanks for the informative information and the beautiful home baking which went down a treat! The volunteers were also thanked for all being such lovely hosts and looking after them.

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We were delighted last week to host a much awaited visit of members of Aberdeen Geological Society to Castlehill. In order to take a professional look at our recently acquired collection of fossils fish collected over a life-time by renowned local paleontologist Jack Saxon, three eminent members of AGS spent a full day at Castlehill. They helped us categorise elements of the collection and identify unrecorded specimens. They advised on storage and display of the specimens. With their wealth of expertise they suggested ways of interpreting the development of life on earth through the study of fossil fish.

Although there is still much to do before the collection is ready for public viewing, it promises to become a hugely important part of the offering of CHS and the North of Scotland.

1st Castletown Brownies and Rainbows help in the Heritage Garden

1st Castletown Rainbows and Brownies visited Castlehill Heritage Centre this week to help in our Heritage Garden. They spruced up their adopted 'pollinators' flowerbed and checked up on the status of the insect hotel they installed a couple of years ago. They all got stuck in with weeding the gravelled areas and watering the flowers. Well done girls!!

		Photos: Alex Groves

Wick Befrienders visit Castlehill

Today we were delighted to welcome a group from the Wick branch of the Befrienders organisation, who enjoyed exploring our 100 Years Not Out farming exhibition. The North Highland Woodturners Association assisted with the visit, laying on a hands-on demonstration of wood turning techniques, with each visitor making their own wood-turned keyring. Photos: Muriel Murray

Castletown Heritage Society AGM 2023

The Annual General Meeting of Castletown Heritage Society took place at Castlehill Heritage Centre on Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 7.30pm. Approximately thirty-five persons were in attandance. Following acceptance of the Chairman's Report presented by outgoing Chairman Wendy Newton, and the Annual Accounts by Hon Secretary Jayne Blackburn, Neil Buchan took the chair as Interim Chairman for the election of the following officers and members of the Management Committee:

The formal business of the meeting being over, the audience were treated to a well researched and thoroughly engaging presentation by local historian Andrew (Drew) Guttridge on the secret history of the World War II military installations that were constructed and operated on and around the Dunnet Head peninsula between 1940 and 1946. Following a lively Q&A session, Drew was awarded a hearty thanks for his extremely informative presentation.

If you would like to get involved with, or wish to find out more about the activities of Castletown Heritage Society, please contact us HERE.

Coronation Exhibition at Castlehill

In support of the events taking place over 'Coronation Weekend' in Castletown (and indeed throughput the UK) to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III, we staged a small display of coronation themed artefacts and memorabilia, examples of which are shown below.

			Photos: Muriel Murray

Rush Basket Making Course returns to Castlehill

We are delighted to announce that at the beginning of July we will be hosting another of our very popular rush basket making courses led by internationally acclaimed basket maker Tim Johnson. Tim, from the Isle of Wight, has travelled the world studying and teaching his art. This will be Tim Johnson's fifth visit to Castlehill as part of the ongoing programme of traditional skills tuition organised by Castletown Heritage Society. His focus this time will be on the manufacture of a Hayve, a unique style of bait basket. The hands-on course will be run over three days - Friday 30th June, Saturday 1st July and Sunday 2nd July, from 9:30am to 5:00pm each day.

The tuition fees are £50 per day so £150 for the full course. Payment in full must be made and cleared by 1st June. Tea/coffee and biscuits will be provided throughout the day, however participants should bring their own lunch.

The course will be limited to ten participants and places are already filling fast! If you wish to take part, and for further details, please contact us HERE.

The Art of Husbandry

It is so satisfying when things come together unexpectedly. Regular visitor to Castlehill Heritage centre and bee-keeper Robin Inglis recently brought a selection of items to donate to the society. All very welcome were vintage bee-keeping magazines and equipment, a 19th century pyrography kit and a few books on agriculture. But what caught our attention was not the iconic and weighty "Watson and More - The Science and Practice of British Agriculture" published in 1949 and used by students until fairly recently, but a modest leather bound volume entitled "The Art of Husbandry" by J Mortimer. The writer dedicated it to the Royal Society.

Consisting of ten sections on every aspect of farming imaginable, from land types to pests and from farm buildings to stock varieties, it was written towards the end of the 1600s and was first published in 1705. The edition we were given was the fourth and appeared in 1716, illustrating the increasing interest in the systematic and scientific study of farming at the time. Here in Caithness early experiments in agriculture really began in the 1790s with innovators like Sir John Sinclair of Thurso East and James Traill of Castlehill.

A closer examination of our volume revealed handwritten notes on the frontispiece in faded ink. It was just possible to make out that they were farming records, giving for example the price of white and black oats in 1837 and '38. The signature "David Banks" was also visible in an equally faded ink. This confirmed what we had been told by Robin Inglis, the donor. The volume had belonged to the Banks family of Sunnybrae, East Mey, in Caithness. Robin had been gifted the book as it contained a section on bee-keeping.

The reason for the book having special significance today is that our current exhibition at Castlehill Heritage Centre features farming and crofting over the years. Alongside our display of old implements, artefacts and photographs we are hosting a wide selection of memorabilia loaned by members past and present of the Young Farmers Association. They are celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the movement which was started in Lanergill, Watten, Caithness by farmer John Robson of Lynegar.

The image to the right shows a plaque erected in February 2013 inside Watten Village Hall commemorating the foundation of that very first Young Farmers Club in 1923.

The image on the left features Bower Young Farmer Jak Murray reading our copy of “The Art of Husbandry".

Clyne Heritage Society Celebrates 25 Years

Our good friends at Clyne Heritage Society in Brora are this month celebrating their 25 year anniversary. In order to mark this significant occasion they have been holding a series of special events during March, with a further fifteen events still to take place in April - see the schedule on right.

If you would like to take part in any of the activities and help them celebrate simply drop them a line at info@clyneheritage.com or call on 01408 621338.

Well done everyone! Here's to the next 25 years!

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Castletown Heritage Society AGM

The Annual General Meeting of Castletown Heritage Society will be held at Castlehill Heritage Centre on Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 7.30pm.

All Members, friends, supporters and interested parties from the Caithness community are welcome.

The guest speaker will be Andrew Guttridge.

A Unique Pipe Banner is added to our Collections at Castlehill

A pipe banner is attached to the bass drone of a set of bagpipes, and usually displays heraldic insignia showing the affiliation of the pipe band concerned - clan, regimental, etc. A new addition to Castlehill Heritage Centre is a pipe banner which captures part of local military history through this heraldry. In 1908 the Territorial Force of part-time soldiers was formed from the existing volunteer force. The new units became battalions of the local regular regiment, which in the case of the north Highlands was the Seaforth Highlanders.

There were three territorial battalions of the Seaforths - the 4th in Ross-shire, the 5th in Sutherland and Caithness, and the 6th in Morayshire. All Seaforth battalions, with one exception, wore MacKenzie tartan, the MacKenzie stag's head badge, and used the MacKenzie motto Cuidich 'n Righ 'Aid the King' - the Seaforths had originally been raised by Kenneth MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth. The exception was the 5th. They wore the Sutherland 'cat-a-mountain' badge, the Sutherland tartan, and the Sutherland motto Sans Peur 'Without Fear'. This was because the Dukes of Sutherland had been closely associated with the battalion's volunteer predecessors and it was seen as appropriate to commemorate and continue the association. All three Seaforth territorial battalions served on the Western Front in WW1. Some territorial units were amalgamated as part of post-war reductions in the Territorial Force. These included the 4th and 5th, who were merged to form the 4/5th Seaforths.

The pipe banner on display at Castlehill is from that period and so it carries the badges of the two original battalions. On one side is the standard Seaforth badge of the stag's head and motto together with a ducal coronet and the letter 'L'. This is the cipher of Leopold, Duke of Albany (a grandson of Queen Victoria) and refers to one of the Seaforth's subsidiary titles - 'the Duke of Albany's'. The background colour of the banner is a reference to the Seaforth's other subsidiary title - 'the Ross-shire Buffs'. On the other side of the banner is the unique Sutherland cat-a-mountain badge of the 5th Seaforths. As WW2 approached the 4/5th split into its original two battalions - both would serve in North Africa and Europe. Not only does this pipe banner capture the history of the unit, but also part of the military history of a notable Castletown soldier.

Concealed behind the Union flag on both sides of the banner are the embroidered initials 'GDKM' - Lieutenant Colonel GDK Murray commanded the 4/5th in the 1930s, and this was his personal pipe banner.

George David Keith Murray - widely known as 'Rogie' - was born into a farming and merchant family in Castletown in 1898. In 1915 he enlisted in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and very quickly, just shy of 17 and a half, was commissioned in the Seaforth Highlanders. He was soon in France with the regiment's 8th Battalion. A week short of his twentieth birthday, the London Gazette announced him being awarded the Military Cross 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in a raid on the enemy trenches. When his party was held up by machine-gun fire he forced his way through the enemy's wire and bombed a machine gun. Finding that the rest of the party had been forced back, he rallied them and twice led them to the assault under heavy machine-gun fire. He displayed magnificent coolness and determination under most difficult circumstances.' His wartime service was also rewarded by the French. His 'resilience, valour and continuous good humour in the face of adversity in pursuit of the enemy' gained him the Legion D'Honneur, and his 'devotion to duty on the field of battle during military offensive' the Croix de Guerre with palms for gallantry.

After the war Rogie Murray continued his military service as a territorial in the 5th and then 4/5th Seaforths, which he commanded from 1932 to 1937. During the Second World War he raised and commanded a territorial anti-aircraft artillery, and after the war served on the staff of the Military Governor of Osnabruck - a job he relished, finding that it was relatively easy for a Scot to work with the Germans locals. He remained involved with the territorials until 1953, while also playing a large part in the farming and civic life of Caithness. He was knighted in 1959 and served as Lord Lieutenant of Caithness from 1964 until his death the following year.

Rogie's son Keith still lives in Castletown and is particularly proud of the pipe banner which belonged to his father Brig Sir Keith Murray. He thanked Alan Bruce of CHS for his work on researching and displaying the item.

Forss Young Farmers at Castlehill

A group from Forss Young Farmers visited Castlehill this afternoon. After perusing the "Mucking in for 100 Years" exhibition they had a go at the “guess the object “ competition and tried their hand at raking hay the old way.

Latest Podcast - A Load of Old Rope

Rope is a commodity that is perhaps taken for granted - it is readily commercially available with sizes and specifications suitable for a myriad of applications, such as securing loads, hauling fishing nets or towing vehicles. Murial takes us back to a time before the era of industrially manufactured rope, to when rope and string was made from whatever materials were available to hand locally, such as straw, rushes, grasses, and even daffodil leaves!

To hear the episode, click on the PLAY button

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Castletown Heritage Society AGM

The Annual General Meeting of Castletown Heritage Society will be held at Castlehill Heritage Centre on Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 7.30pm.

All Members, friends, supporters and interested parties from the Caithness community are welcome.

The guest speaker will be Andrew Guttridge.

Weekend visitors meet Bronco the horse!

A couple of young visitors had fun at the weekend trying out Bronco - our Mobo toy horse which dates we think from between 1947 and 1950.

The Bronco horse was made by D. Sebel & Co. Ltd who were based in Kent and who made a range of Mobo branded toys. Our 'Bronco' horse was one of the most popular of their creations and can be ridden and moved by pushing down on pedals which in turn moved the horse’s legs backwards and forwards - surprisingly realistic! Broncos were available in several different colours including dapples (like ours), brown and black. It might be over 70 years old but it can still bring a smile to the face of a young rider!

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A stitch in time saves a precious donation

We were recently delighted to receive the donation of a very special WWII flying jacket featuring a yellow coloured integral fur lined hood. So far as we were aware, flying jackets of the time did not have integral hoods, however our investigations thus far have revealed that jackets like this one were only worn by air crew flying with Coastal Command. We also established that the standard survival gear provided in an aircrew dinghy included yellow skull caps that tied under the chin - the yellow colour of the hood means that Coastal Command aircrew would not have need of that.

When we received the jacket it was a little worse for wear with some of the stitched seams coming apart, especially where the hood attached to the jacket. We have just received the jacket back from having the seams lightly restored and it now looks quite resplendent and ready for action!

The jacket will form part of our plans to expand our WWII display area - watch this space for further details!

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Evening talk - Helen Moore - Landscapes

Our next evening talk will be presented by local artist Helen Moore on Tuesday 21 March at 7.30pm.

Helen will discuss the impact that the Caithness landscape has had on her work and how this has changed her work over the last 10 years. Helen takes the striking landscape of Caithness as her starting point, addressing themes of how rural space is used in the modern day, and the impact that humans make in the environment.

New exhibition opens today - Mucking in for 100 Years!

Our latest exhibition opened its doors to the public today and features themed displays of stories, photographs, tools and implements from our local Olrig farming heritage.

The exhibition is being run in conjunction with the Caithness District Young Farmers Association which is celebrating its centenary this year.

The exhibition is open from 2pm to 4pm every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Jane Coll reveals the Northern Saints Trail

Local author Jane Coll opened the Winter series of Castlehill Heritage Centre talks with a presentation exploring the Northern Saints Trail. Jane explained the history of the pilgrimages in North Scotland and the modern goals behind the Saints Trails. Following the presentation Jane answered a great range of questions including the growing popularity for modern pilgrimages, to how pilgrims identified themselves to take advantage of the obligation for hospitality. The enthusiastic questioning could have gone on late into the evening if time had allowed. The map of the trails was a popular acquisition for many of the attendees, as well as Jane’s newly published book, ‘In Their Footsteps - exploring a northern pilgrimage way’. Report and photos by Wendy Newton.

Olrig Observations - Latest podcast - Lady Janet's Elusive Daughter

Muriel investigates the curious story of Wilhelmina Barbara Traill, the eldest daughter of Lady Janet Traill and, she reveals, the surrogate daughter of Mary Dehaney, fiance of the lamented Sir John Sinclair, the 11th Earl of Caithness.

The story starts with the donation of a heavy circular brass plaque to Castletown Heritage Society.....

To listen to the podcast click on the PLAY button or visit the Podcasts and YouTube tab above

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Harbourmaster William Baikie

Don't forget to visit our latest YouTube video where Muriel explores the story of William Baikie, believed to have been a harbourmaster and pilot at Castlehill Harbour during the heyday of the Castlehill Pavement Works in the mid 1800s.

To listen to the video click HERE or visit the Podcasts and YouTube tab above

Visitors call the tunes at Castlehill

One of our regular Castletown Heritage Society supporters came along the other day to donate a small bundle of sheet music from the 1930s, mainly comprising Scottish songs and tunes, including some rousing WW1 marches with patriotic lyrics.

In amongst the well used but cared for sheets was a real gem of a find - a copy of "The Wick Song" with words by Ian McHardy and music by Alex M Small. The lyrics wistfully recall Bridge Street in Wick, Papigoe, Staxigoe and the Grey Bools - a local geological feature comprising cliff-top storm deposits of large Caithness flagstone boulders near Oldwick Castle. The music proved a real hit with two of our visitors that day - who happened to be from Wick! Now all we need is a piano, a pianist and a singer... any volunteers?

Be it a flagstone worker from the 1800s or Bronze Age hut dweller, activities involving dressing up in period costume have always proven popular with our younger visitors - and some older ones too! We were delighted recently when a young visitor from Orkney donned a long cloak and flowing beard to play the part of a Viking trader, complete with weighing scales and basket of fleeces. The Norse did not have currency of their own so the scales were important to check the weight of gold used as payment. He drove a hard bargain, but then, none of our volunteers were brave enough to argue....

Can you help identify this mystery object?

Happy New Year everyone!

One of our local friends of Castletown Heritage Society has just brought along this small object found in an old cottage in Murkle, near Castletown. Click on the images to see a larger version. It has caused a bit of head scratching - can you help identify it or suggest a use? Domestic? Some form of handicraft? Fishing?

If you have any ideas or suggestions as to what it is or is used for, please do get in touch! Contact Us