Scottish Thatched Crannog Fire – Can you help?

Recent Devastating Fire

Before the Scottage thatched crannog fire

Almost a year ago we wrote an article on Crannogs – ancient dwellings (iron age roundhouses) usually built like an artificial island, connected by a bridge or accessed by boat.  We were so saddened by the news of the devastating Scottish thatched Crannog fire, which occurred last month.

The crannog reconstruction (picture above), which was built on wooden stilts on the Loch Tay shore, at Kenmore in Perthshire was part of the Scottish Crannog Centre.  It has been totally destroyed by the flames (pictures below).

Scottish Crannog Centre - Crannog after the fire wide view 1

Loss of the crannog

As you can see from the before and after pictures, the fire damage to the thatched Crannog (which had been part of the Scottish Crannog Centre for 25 years) is a huge loss to the site.  Luckily the Museum Collection is intact and the Museum and Iron Age village is still open to visit.  So they still have the artefacts as well as wonderful demonstrations of the crafts, textiles, cooking and technologies.  However, they want to rebuild and have a great plan.

Redevelopment of the Scottish Crannog Centre

Scottish Crannog Centre - rebuild plan

The Plan

The museum team have made a huge effort and are now looking to speed up the planned development of a new Crannog Centre.  This eagerly anticipated development will be for the north shore of the loch at Dalerb.  They want to renew this part of Scottish history and need help.

It will be “a new development and a new and exciting future for the museum”.

These plans include “three Crannogs, an Iron Age Village, a woodsman’s yard, artist hubs and workshops, performance spaces, a café and a gift shop”.

How you can help

They have launched a Crannog Centre Just Giving Crowd Funder.  So all contributions will be appreciated and spreading the word may help get more funding.  They need to speed the process and keep the team together.

If you are interested in supporting them, please click on the link, read more about it and donate if you can.  Share this information with anyone who you may think be interested too.

We will keep you informed of progress

The Thatch Advice Centre wish them well with their fundraising and plans.  They need to raise money to progress after this thatched crannog fire.

We will update everyone on their progress in our next Newsletter.

UPDATE – April 2022

Their fundraising  is going extremely well and to date they have reached 60% of their £30,000 target.  Well done and big thank you to all contributors, so far…..

We will keep updating everyone on progress.

UPDATE – June 23

We are pleased to report that since the devastating fire, the Crannog Centre have reached almost 75% of their target (over £22K), on Just Giving, which is nearly…. but not quite.

June 23 crannog fire update pic 2

Work has Started

Since the fire, work has now started on building a New Museum and Centre on the other side of Loch Tay. Next to the remains of 2 Iron Age Crannogs out in the water, the new museum brings together the skills of thatchers, green wood workers, coppicers, dry stone wallers, volunteers, archaeologists, contractors and more. By co-designing the plans and the build, the Scottish Crannog Centre is ensuring that anyone can contribute – their aim is to have 1000 fingerprints and 1000 voices over the whole build, from start to finish! Volunteers are welcomed to the site every weekend to make their mark on this new museum in Scotland.

Thatching

Thatching will be a huge part of the new development.  There are 7 buildings including an Iron Age Roundhouse needing to be thatched.  It is planned to work not only with reed from the River Tay, but also heather and bracken.  This will showcase the traditional thatching techniques of Scotland. Training people, and keeping these skills alive, is a major part of their sustainability mission.  Opportunities to learn from the master thatcher and other craft specialists involved is a big part of the museum development.

Thatching Progress and Ongoing Help

Watch this space for further updates on the “thatching progress”, just giving and the build.

For more information about the build or volunteering opportunities, please email: info@crannog.co.uk

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