PICTURE SPECIAL: Search for ancient Caithness tower continues with new archaeological dig
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The archaeological dig at Sarclet for the remains of a 15th-century stronghold called Thurster Tower has started up again this year with great community involvement.
Dr Roland Spencer-Jones is chairman of Yarrows Heritage which is leading the excavation and at the site near Sarclet/Thrumster there is currently a team of professionals from AOC Archaeology along with local enthusiasts and children using the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of historic Caithness.
“Although I live in Beauly I’ve been part of Yarrows Heritage for a number of years,” he said.
“What really interests me is the way that Yarrows Heritage has involved and continues to involve the local community in archaeological projects. For the Highlands that’s really unusual. It’s rare for people in Caithness to have this opportunity to dig and learn archaeological skills. It’s just wonderful to see the variety of people we have here today.”
In 2022 Yarrows Heritage used funds from a local windfarm trust to search for the remains of the “lost” towerhouse which appeared in 16th-century documents as Thurster Tower. There are numerous historical references to this tower, but it was probably destroyed in the early 17th century. Its exact whereabouts are unknown, although local tradition locates it in a field known as Long Greens close to Thrumster.
AOC archaeologist Isobel Littlewood has recently joined the excavation and showed a piece of unusual material that she had uncovered which was initially thought to be seaweed, possibly used to fertilise the land for agricultural use.
Stuart Munro, another field archaeologist from the AOC team, said: “We’re still in higher layers of the building and it’s [the seaweed] probably associated with how they’re using it on the land. They would have had big stores of organic material to spread for their crops.”
Stuart worked on the same dig last year when the area of the dig was scoped out and work began on one half of the structure hidden within a mound in the field.
“We’re now investigating the other half of the structure,” he said.
“Last year, we dug what appears to be the byre part of a dwelling where they would have kept animals and their food. This year, we’re getting into the exciting stuff where people were living, eating and sleeping. It’s a typical byre-dwelling from the post-medieval period and this is what you’d expect from farming groups living here.”
He added that “it’s early days” and there is much to be discovered including possible traces of Thurster Tower which may lie beneath the farmhouse. “We are finding large pieces of masonry that seem to have been reused as foundations for the most recent phase of the structure.
“It could be these are from a much larger structure which could have been a tower or been reused from another building which may be somewhere else and brought here as foundation stones.”
The byre-dwelling appears similar to many other ruins across Caithness in that it has a double gable and a hearth on either side. These features are generally found in buildings created after the Highland Clearances of the 19th century.
Stuart added: “What we may find, when we dig underneath this phase of the building, is another where they had an interior hearth and that would be a very interesting story to see how they changed their construction style.”
Clear delineated walls are appearing as the team delves deeper within the site after the initial hotchpotch of stones were initially uncovered after the turf was first removed at the start of the dig last year.
A mum from Auckengill, Camilla Manson, was at the site along with her four boys who were coming across some interesting artefacts. Eleven-year-old Enzo said it was his first time there, adding: “It’s pretty amazing and the whole site is really coming on.” He showed what appeared to be a large iron door hinge that he helped to uncover.
“It’s good for them to learn and see what’s going on in their own area,” said mum Camilla. “They love digging and finding bits and pieces.”
Katie O’Connell is public archaeologist with AOC at Edinburgh and said: “There could be multiple phases.
“We’re working from its destruction back down and we’re already getting signs there are multiple phases in terms of the walls. The large stones may be from a much earlier structure.”
Katie added that if there is an older tower, under the building currently being excavated, there could be pottery from that period scattered within it.
Over 30 local volunteers including three local schools were involved in last year’s dig and Yarrows Heritage said that comments from the children were “insightful, reflecting their enthusiasm at being part of the excavation and seeing it change over time”.
It is hoped that more such volunteers will be involved in the archaeological work for this session.
The dig runs from April 14-28 and anyone interested can pop along to the site which is clearly marked on the road between Thrumster and Sarclet. You can also email the Trust for more info at: heritage@yarrowsheritagetrust.co.uk
Yarrows Heritage thanks landowner Peter Stewart for access to his land and also Foundation Scotland and the Lybster and Tannach fund for help with the costs of the dig.
