Rare find at Brora salt work excavation
The excavation at the site of one of Scotland’s oldest surviving salt works on Brora’s Back Shore, dating to c1600, is in its second week and more discoveries have been made about the oldest building in Brora.
The excavation has been funded by Historic Scotland and managed by The SCAPE Trust, based at St Andrews University, and locally by Clyne Heritage Society.
There has been fantastic local support and volunteers have travelled from all over the Highlands to take part in the dig, including members of the North of Scotland Archaeological Society. The dig has proved a major attraction for the many visitors walking along the shore.
Undeterred by the weather, midges and a recent bout of minor vandalism at the site, the excavation team have made great progress and have moved several tons of sand and rubble to reveal the rest of the old salt store house.
The discovery of the week was an external staircase which must have led up to an upper floor and a further exciting find was broken bits of very thin window glass dating to the early 1600s. This is a really rare find for this part of the Highlands and shows there must have been at least two windows high up in the walls.
The next step is to reveal the floor of the building, last walked on nearly 400 years ago, where we should uncover many more artefacts.
Clyne Heritage Society member and excavation organiser, Jacquie Aitken, said: "I am delighted that we are learning more about Brora’s early industries and that the information will be there for future generations – it makes me feel proud!"
There will be a public tour of the site on Saturday at 1.30pm. All those interested in attending are asked to meet at the excavation site where the tour will begin.
In the evening Clyne Heritage Society members and partners are invited to a ceilidh in Brora Golf Club at 7.30pm. For more information on the dig go to www.shorewatch.co.uk/brora