Clachtoll Broch wins top award
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Clachtoll Broch has been named Rescue Project of the Year in the prestigious UK-wide Current Archaeology Magazine Annual Awards.
Historic Assynt, one of our partners, is leading the restoration work on Clachtoll Broch, which over the last 15 years has been transformed from a neglected ruin to a fascinating window into life in the area over 2000 years ago. It is one of northern Scotland’s most iconic archaeological monuments. Surviving in places to first floor level – sometimes over 3m above the bedrock – are the remains of spectacular drystone tower which the work has now made safe for visitors to view.
The most recent work was completed as a CALLP project, funded through the National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as Historic Environment Scotland, SSE, The Pilgrim Trust, Highland Council via the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, and The Robert Kiln Trust. Historic Assynt worked closely with professional consultants AOC Archaeology Group to excavate and investigate the broch and its secrets.
Current Archaeology is one of the best-selling archaeological magazines in the UK, and runs an annual awards programme recognising exceptional archaeological projects. Clachtoll Broch was one of two Scottish projects to win awards this year – the first year Scotland has received two such accolades. Projects are nominated for awards by Current Archaeology staff, which are then decided by a public vote. As our area has a population of only around 1400 it makes the achievement all the greater!
Commenting on the achievement, David Bain, chair of Historic Assynt, said: ‘The support from our partners, and from within Historic Assynt from our Vice-Chair Gordon Sleight, who has given so much time to the broch, has helped us deliver an amazing project and hopefully conserve this wonderful iron age structure for many years to come. But it is the support from our community that has made the difference in winning this award, and we want to thank everyone for voting and supporting us throughout.’
Boyd Alexander, Scheme Manager for Coigach & Assynt Living Landscape, added ‘the Partnership’s vision is of thriving, working communities within a healthy landscape, who work together to celebrate and protect their unique natural, historic and cultural heritage now and for the future. We are delighted that Historic Assynt’s Clachtoll Broch project, which fulfils so many aspects of this vision, has been recognised for the work that has been done, and the transformation it has brought to this iconic part of our history and culture.’
More information about the broch, and future plans for further work, is available at http://clachtoll.aocarchaeology.com/