Clachtoll Broch Icon of the North

Clachtoll Broch
Icon of the North
Clachtoll Broch, Assynt
Icon of the North
Clachtoll broch is one of the most iconic monuments in northern mainland Britain. This document
outlines the vision for a ground-breaking inititative appropriate for heritage development in the 21st
century. Founded on the latest international academic, conservation and presentational principles, the
project will stimulate community development and cultural tourism in one of Scotland’s most rural areas.
The multi-disciplinary partnership will unite past and present, creating a healthy and confident future.
Historic Assynt
Excavation
1
Conservation
2
Presentation
4
Participation
5
Tourism
6
7
Historic Assynt:
For the Study, Conservation and Promotion of Assynt’s Past
Foundations
Sutherland, situated in the far North of the
Scottish Highlands, is one of the largest
counties in the UK and one of the least
populated areas in Europe. On the west
coast of this remote county lies the Parish of
Assynt, an area of outstanding natural
beauty with a landscape remarkable even by
Highland standards.
The iconic sandstone mountains of Quinag
and Suilven dominate the skyline, casting a
shadow over an intricate coastline with a
landscape of low rocky hills and scattered
lochans rising up into moorland slopes and a
complex hinterland of empty glens, dark
lochs and flows. The clarity of light enjoyed
by northern latitudes and the intimate
relationship between earth, sea and sky
serve to enhance the grandeur and expanse
of a landscape where the old marriage of
land and water runs deep. Crofting and
fishing settlements lend the coast a distinctive edge and highlight this relationship
further.
The sparse population is nowadays mainly
concentrated on the coast, and, despite the
effects of the Highland Clearances and
Community
depopulation, local communities still have a
real affinity with their land. Archaeological
and historic sites, including a number of
scheduled monuments and listed buildings,
trace this human story over some 10,000
years.
Limitations in archaeological knowledge in
the Assynt area are emphatically not
matched by the quality of the surviving
remains and unlike many better known
areas, western Sutherland has not seen the
large scale agricultural improvements that
have destroyed or seriously damaged such a
large proportion of the archaeological
record elsewhere. In Henshall’s survey of the
Neolithic chambered cairns of northern
Scotland, many of the most spectacular and
well preserved monuments were to be
found in Sutherland, while the effects of the
Clearances on the county have meant that
Assynt contains some of the most complete
post-medieval crofting farmsteads in
Scotland. Assynt can rightly be considered
one of Scotland’s hidden archaeological
treasures, the potential of which is waiting to
be realised.
Historic Assynt works on behalf of the local
community to preserve and enhance access
to all aspects of Assynt's historic, cultural and
natural heritage.
The main activities of the society are focused
around the following aims:
To save the most important built
heritage assets in the Parish, much
of which is at severe risk of loss
To bring the archaeology to a wider
public audience
To provide or improve physical
access to the heritage
Following this survey phase, in 2011 Historic
Assynt excavated and conserved three key
monuments in the parish as part of the Life
and Death in Assynt's Past project. Two of
these monuments provided book-ends for
the chronology of human activity in Assynt,
in the Neolithic and modern periods, at Loch
Borralan East chambered cairn and Glenleraig cleared village respectively.
The third monument included in the project
was Clachtoll broch, the iconic monument of
prehistoric settlement in Assynt.
To raise the profile of the local
archaeological heritage and
enhance its role in tourism and
community development
Over the last decade Historic Assynt has
undertaken a number of projects related to
improving the condition of and access to the
built heritage.
The Inchnadamph Project successfully
secured the consolidation, conservation and
interpretation of Ardvreck Castle, Calda
House, the Macleod Mausoleum, and the
restoration of Assynt Old Parish Kirk. The
first two were in imminent danger of final
collapse, the others long-neglected. These
projects were funded by Heritage Lottery
Fund, Historic Scotland, Highlands and
Islands Enterprise, European Leader
Programme, Highland Council, Scottish
Natural Heritage and others. In excess of £1
million has been raised.
Aerial view of Clachtoll beach
first Neolithic settlers to the Clearances of
the 19th century and later. 1
In 2009 to 2010, Historic Assynt embarked
on a new phase of the strategy for the study,
protection and promotion of the archaeology of the parish. The Assynt Hidden Lives
project was a community/professional
partnership survey which aimed to record a
large percentage of the archaeological sites
in the parish. Two phases of walkover and
detailed topographic survey resulted in the
production of a report on the archaeology of
the parish, ranging from the evidence for the
Glenleraig, clearance period village
1. See www.aocarchaeology.com/assynt
1
Clachtoll Broch:
The Icon of Sutherland Archaeology
The local community all agree that Clachtoll
broch is the site that defines Assynt. At a
public consultation event held in 2010 and
attended by over 50 people, the clear
consensus was that Clachtoll broch had to
be the priority for future development.
The broch at Clachtoll is notable in its local
context, but also in the wider research
landscape of Iron Age Scotland. The site was
clearly a broch tower, displaying many of the
engineering characteristics that signify the
design of a tower-like structure. One of a
small number of brochs in north western
Sutherland, the site is exceptional within this
group for the scale and quality of its
construction; the broch was undoubtedly an
important settlement in later prehistoric
Sutherland. In architectural style, the
building most closely resembles the Hebridean brochs, being galleried at ground level.
“
BE
DR
OC
K
What is needed is a site like Scalloway broch in Shetland but with
signs of a sixth century cataclysm
which is of a general rather than a
local nature. Clachtoll broch in
Assynt might suit.... the interior is
full of rubble and part of the
underlying occupation layer should
still be there, possibly containing
clues about what happened.
“
Initial conservation works undertaken in
2011 has begun to unlock the potential of
the site. Uniquely, there is now direct
evidence that the tower suffered some form
of catastrophic collapse in antiquity, and this
aspect adds considerable importance to the
potential of surviving deposits. Charcoal
recovered from the scarcement ledge was
dated to 111 BC to AD 55. This implies that
the tower collapsed in the first century BC
and, very unusually for a broch structure,
may not have been rebuilt and reoccupied in
later centuries. As a result, therefore, the
internal levels of the broch may very well
contain uncompromised Iron Age occupation deposits directly relating to the monument's original use. As such, they represent
an invaluable opportunity for the investigation of broch occupation. Very few
excavated brochs have ever encountered the
original occupation levels, and none have
been found undisturbed by later activity. The
potential of Clachtoll broch is indisputable.
But the iconography of the site goes beyond
the broch.
The presence of short stretches of walling
within the rubble surrounding the broch
may indicate that external buildings
surround the building. Many of the brochs
investigated across Scotland through
excavation have shown that the construction
of additional buildings took place towards
the later end of the lifespan of the broch,
typically in the first millennium AD, although
recent work in Caithness and Shetland has
shown that these external structures may
relate to activity in the early centuries of that
millennium. It is possible, therefore, that the
external structures at Clachtoll similarly
relate to activity contemporary with the use
of the tower. The opportunity for the
exploration of intra-site spatial analyses and
the identification of different activity zones
across the settlement- hinted at by other
excavated 'broch villages'- offers a further
promising avenue of research.
The aspiration of the community is to
undertake the following work at the broch:
Excavation
Conservation
Presentation
Two sherds of pottery were found in the first
floor gallery of the broch during the conservation works carried out in 2011. Stylistically,
these sherds are similar to Iron Age pottery
found in Hebridean brochs, suggesting links in
material culture as well as architectural style.
Euan Mackie, Oxford Journal of
Archaeology 2010
Plan of Clachtoll broch
2
The Future of Clachtoll Broch:
Excavation
Removal of the rubble inside the
broch tower to reveal the living
space and wall galleries
Excavation would provide access
through the broch entrance to
the monument interior
External rubble would be stepped
back to uncover buildings and
enclosures outside the broch
Suggested excavation strategy
During the conservation management
assessment carried out in 2009, it was
identified that removal of quantities of
rubble from within the broch without
complementary excavation outside the
tower would present the possibility of stress
to the surviving walls as a result of the
unsupported weight resting on the broch. As
a result, it is proposed that the interior of the
broch is excavated with a concurrent
reduction of the rubble mass outside the
tower, reducing that level to below that at
which pressure is placed on the broch wall
on the eastern side of the monument.
Excavation of the broch would be undertaken by a team of experienced professional
archaeologists, with volunteers from the
local community and the archaeology and
heritage groups of the Highlands taking an
active role in the excavation and recording
of the monument under archaeologists'
supervision. As a consequence, the project
will provide the opportunity for the develoment of excavation, survey and recording
skills in the third sector.
1
2
3
Survey has demonstrated that
the mural cells are preserved to
over 3m in height
The excavation of Clachtoll has three
concurrent aims: firstly, to understand the
history, economy and identity of the occupants, and the structural and architectural
history of the broch as a settlement.
Secondly, the excavation aims to make the
broch more accessible, clearing the central
occupation area of the rubble debris of the
broch's collapse and opening access to the
well-preserved mural cells. Thirdly, the
excavation project is designed as a vehicle
for the public engagement with the archaeology of Iron Age Scotland and with the
process of archaeological investigation more
generally. This fundamental aspect of the
project rationale is discussed in more detail
on page 6.
Excavation will be carried out in such a way
as to retain the character of the monument
and leave the site in a state that reflects our
understanding of its history. Processes of
collapse and decay are as much a part of the
history of the broch as its construction and
use, and the excavation would aim to reflect
the post-abandonment biography of
Clachtoll. In particular, much of the overlying
rubble in the talus slope to the east of the
broch would be left in place, with excavation
being carried out so as to step the rubble
back from the excavated structures, allowing
the visitor to appreciate the formation of the
site as a rubble mound in the centuries
following its abandonment.
The broch tower itself would be made
accessible, with excavation of the entrance
levels carried out to allow access on foot
through the original entrance and into the
guard cells. Removal of the rubble within the
central living area of the broch would also
allow access to the mural cells and staircase,
allowing the visitor to fully appreciate how
the monument functioned as a living space
during its use.
Excavation would be carried out by volunteers
under direct supervision of professional
archaeologists, providing a means for participants to engage directly with the conservation
and study of their heritage, and learn skills in
archaeological excvaation and recording.
4
3
The Future of Clachtoll Broch:
Conservation
A Sensitive Approach
A conservation management plan (CMP) for
the broch at Clachtoll, first drafted in 2010,
has now been redrafted to take account of
changes in legislation and regulation, on
the one hand, and, on the other, the results
of the successful excavation and conservation programme undertaken in 2011.
Clachtoll broch is in urgent need of conservation. An area of immediate hazard on the
north of the broch, in the entrance area was
resolved during remedial work in 2011.
However, much remains to be done. For
example, further areas of concern have
been identified on the east, south and west
of the broch wall. The erosion hole under
the outer wall-foot of the south side has
been the subject of an engineering study at
Edinburgh University Architecture Department and it is planned to use the results of
this study to design a customised solution
to this problem.
View of the entrance to the broch, following stabilisation works in 2011
Access to the right hand guard cell at the
wall head was blocked off to prevent
further damage to the monument and
further hazard to visitors. However, access is
still possible to Cells 3 and 4, on the east
and south eastern sides of the broch. The
2011 excavation and conservation works
revealed the need to excavate and downtake the slope of loose rubble from the
outer face of the wall, replacing it with
horizontally footed and horizontally
coursed masonry to resist the continuing
erosion of the broch wall on this side. This
would structurally reunify the entrance area
with a short segment of original outer
wallface on the east side and this in turn
with the endangered wallface on the south
side. Some removal of rubble from outwith
the wallhead on the outside will be
required to achieve this part of the
programme and this will further reveal the
original outer face of the broch wall on the
landward side.
It will also be necessary to excavate the
interior of the broch and a number of areas
outwith it. This will be controlled to prevent
the development of unbalanced forces
through the wall fabric of the structure.
As noted, the 2011 excavation demonstrated that the broch wall had, at least in
part, fallen into the interior space. This is
exciting because it implies that the broch
interior should contain its Iron Age fittings
and contents, free of the complications of
early medieval material. In any event,
coastal erosion will in time remove all of the
interior deposits, and quite probably, the
whole of the broch with them. It is therefore proposed to excavate the internal void
completely, to bedrock or to undisturbed
geological deposits. The loss of cultural
value that this entails is described as the
reduction in the monuments potential to
inform this and future generations about
the human condition of the creators and
authentic users of this monument over
time. However, it also materialises a great
part of this cultural value by substituting a
publicly-accessible, detailed record for the
monument and its contents and this will
inform the interpretation and presentation,
not only of this broch but of others as well.
With the reduction of the rubble field
around the east and southeast sides, the
corresponding reduction of the internal
rubble will obviate unbalanced pressures
on the wall and reduce access to the friable
wallhead, which, at that stage will only be
possible from the broken west side of the
broch. It is proposed to consolidate the
edges of the breach and to install a permanent barrier to access to the wallhead from
this area.
4
The Future of Clachtoll Broch:
Presentation
The intervention will not create new enclosed
space, rather an impression of how originally space
was configured and used by the community who
built the broch. It will perform an educational role
by means of its own form. As an open-air project, it
will have a strong and inspiring presence on the
landscape, a beacon of belonging.
The Vision
A Light Spiral
The vision for the site goes beyond excavation and conservation: it aims to offer a
cultural experience for locals and visitors
and to reclaim its presence in the
landscape. The broch will become a beacon
of belonging, both landward and seaward.
To achieve this ambition, a light spiral
installation is suggested. An impression of
permanence will be expressed using a light
steel structure that recreates the original
proportions of a broch tower but sits
independently from the archaeological
fabric and is unobtrusive in the landscape.
The key idea is to guide the visitor along a
spiral path that replicates access to the
upper levels of a broch tower. The spiral will
lead safely to a small viewing platform,
allowing the site to be experienced in its
original proportions through the route.
Nothing will obscure the interior of the
fabric, as the structure will visually stitch
the solid remains and the imaginary
geometry through an experience.
The archaeological excavation will reveal
the ground level and significant features
such as remains of a hearth or post holes
that will be left in situ. The spiral design will
be updated once a clearer picture of the
location of these, and other structural
features, are revealed. The architectural
design will highlight the presence and scale
of the monument and the tectonic character of the irregular and monumental
stonework.
The proposal is a light metal structure that
sits independently from the fabric but with
a significant degree of visual integration.
There are a series of experiences in other
countries, specially Germany, Italy and
Spain, where new contemporary structures
have been incorporated in scheduled
monuments , historic buildings and
archaeological sites to support its conservation and enhance the visitor’s experiences
and presentation. This has been done by
re-qualifying the spaces (Great Court,
British Museum), by the musealisation of
the ruins (Columba Museum, Cologne and
Roman ruins, Chur), by a didactic recreation (Sanctuary, Portonaccio and Crypta
Balbi, Rome) or by improving accessibility
to the ruins (Fori Imperiali, Rome).
5
Archaeology and Participation:
an opportunity for an exemplary partnership
Aside from the academic, conservation and
presentation aspects that can be drawn out
of any future work at Clachtoll, the project
will stimulate community development and
cultural tourism. Just as with current and
past projects Historic Assynt wish to marry
preservation of their monuments with
programmes of education and community
involvement, and in doing so unite past and
present in underpinning a culturally healthy
and confident future.
Education and Outreach
‘Clachtoll’ by Sybil Small
Life and Death in Assynt’s Past, 2011
Number of public visitors
Number of individual participants
Participants in fieldwork and training
Attendees at seminars and workshops
Local school children who visited excavations
700
450
100
350
29
Population of Assynt
989
In a real sense, the local community wish to
continue to use the monument to draw
people, both local and visitors, into their
landscape. They wish to use the broch as a
way to increase enjoyment of the area with
programmes of exploration, consolidation,
interpretation, training, and education which
would ultimately add to our knowledge of
the past.
As with previous projects, central to any
work will be public engagement
programmes, including: training workshops,
seminars and lectures, schools visits and
educational packs for teachers, online and
social media.
Arts and Creativity
The project will invite engagement with all sectors of the community,
with particular emphasis on young people. Through a programme of
reconstruction and creative activities, participants will be invited and
encouraged to engage with their heritage in creative and imaginitive
ways, encouraging learning through study and experiment.
“
Most people need more than a tumble of
stones to be able to grasp the past. A bit of
woodsmoke and some appropriate food can
help to create the right atmosphere, but if
we really want to imagine the Broch builders,
to really get under their skin and envisage
who they were, what their lives were like and
what motivated them to do what they did,
we must invoke all the senses. For that we
need the help of imaginative and creative
people. Painters, sculpters and other visual
artists can help us to see back thousands of
years ago. Musicians and textile workers can
open up the sounds and rhythms of that
world. Craft workers working in wood, bone,
wool, pottery and wicker can recreate some
of the textures and shapes in people's
homes. And words can help us to begin to
hear their voices and imagine the stories of
their lives.
Collaboration between artists and archaeologists works both ways. Just as creativity
can bring the past to life, the knowledge,
technical skills and understanding of
archeaologists can generate the material for
a piece of art or spark a new creative idea.
The broch at Clachtoll has already inspired a
wire sculpture, by Nigel Goldie, it has been
painted on ceramics by Highland Stoneware
and captured in photographs and paintings
by numerous local artists. It was following
discussions with archaeologists during the
excavation of the broch that Mandy Haggith
decided to set her next historical novel in the
period of its builders. There must be many
more synergies waiting to happen, just
needing the archaeologists, artists and other
members of the local community to be
encouraged to let their imaginations run
riot among the ruins.
Today I touched two little pieces of red fired clay, saw how they fitted together and tried to imagine the design of the
whole pot. I could almost feel the fingers of the potter who added a pellet of clay then pressed it into a dimple, possibly one of a ring of dimples all the way round the neck of the vessel. Two shards of pottery – a whole human soul.
Mandy Haggith
6
“
Economic Impact:
The contribution of heritage to the local economy of Assynt
The economy of Sutherland is dominated by
the public sector and tourism. Income from
tourism supports local services and the
proportion of the working population in
tourism grew from 24% in 1991 to 28.6% in
2001 and continues to rise as industries like
fishing rapidly decline. Tourism, therefore,
plays a very important role in the local
economy and is almost wholly dependent
on the natural heritage.
However, although Assynt’s attractions are
spectacular there is a need to develop the
cultural heritage of the area. This will provide
a balanced and quality tourism product that
will attract a high value, low volume visitor
base, broaden the attractiveness of the area,
add length to the season and, both directly
and indirectly, create further employment
opportunities.
The Scottish tourism brand is based upon
Scotland’s natural assets, culture, history and
people and the heritage tourism sector
contributes to the Scottish economy in a
number of ways including:
•
An estimated value to the Scottish
economy of around £3.7 billion
•
The sector directly supports around
80,000 jobs, rising to 100,000 jobs when
spin-off benefits in other sectors are
included accounting for up to 5% of
Scotland’s total employment (rising to
between 60% and 70% in some rural areas).
•
The sector is estimated to contribute more than £1.4 billion in employees’
income
•
It is estimated that the sector’s
contribution to the national economy is
equivalent to 4.2% of Scottish GVA (Gross
Value Added)
•
The historic environment is
estimated to account for between 30% and
40% (between £70 million and £90 million)
of all visitor expenditure to attractions in
Scotland
Tourism growth is critical to the economic
future of rural areas like Assynt and heritage
tourism should be a key component of this
growth. Capital investment in heritage
assets like Clachtoll will have a fundamental
role to play in the development of rural
heritage tourism, providing an anchor for
local community efforts to develop a ‘cluster’
approach to their tourism product
and develop a powerful and attractive offer
for visitors.
Ardvreck Castle, conserved by Historic Assynt
7