03 September 2023

Volunteer opportunities to dig at this impressive Iron Age site in Caithness. Sponsored by UHI Archaeology Institute and Yarrow Heritage Trust. Volunteers of all levels of expertise are welcome. Email enquiries.orca@uhi.ac.uk or heritage@yarrowsheritagetrust.co.uk to find out how to get involved.

03 September 2023

Open Day at Inverness Emergency Operations bunker, part of Doors Open Day. Booking essential: create a username and book a slot here: https://www.supersaas.co.uk/schedule/bunkertour/doors_open

Further details on Doors Open Day website

Constructed in WW2 as a ‘filter room’ to process RADAR signals, the subterranean building was then used by the ROC, Health Board. During the cold-war it was hardened to provide a living environment for ‘high heid yins’ in the event of a nuclear strike on the UK. Subsequently used by the Council as an emergency operations centre. 

A tour with practical experience of the use of the bunker in WW2 – as a radar processing site.  Lightweight technical discussions. The School tour is focussed mainly on the WW2 use and social issues.  The longer tour (children welcome!) discovers more areas and spends more time looking at cold-war and council uses of the 2 level underground bunker

Pre-booked tours at 11am and 3pm. 

03 September 2023

As part of Doors Open Day, St Andrew's Episcopal Church in Tain will be open Saturday, 2nd Sept. 10-4pm and Sunday 3rd Sept. 2-4pm. No booking needed. Further details on the Doors Open Day website.

Technically St. Andrew’s is described as:- First Pointed Gothic with wide tracery, hood-moulded windows. It has a bell tower and porch with halls and a vestry behind. The interior is of very simple satisfying design with stained glass windows. The earliest stained glass, dated 1884, was made by Ballantyne and Gardner, a well-known firm of Edinburgh stained glass makers. The later glass is by A. L. Ward in 1910 and by W. Wilson in 1955 and 1961.

St. Andrew’s houses fine examples of the work of Robert ‘Mousey’ Thompson. In 1936 Robert installed a carved reredos. At the same time he fitted the altar rails. In 1967 the vestry commissioned this grandson to carve a lectern and later to fashion a pulpit. A lengthy enough mouse-hunting journey for anyone!

Tours of the Church which features stained glass by a variety of artists and carved oak furniture by Robert ‘Mousey’ Thompson, the earliest pieces by Robert himself and later pieced by his descendants.  Younger visitors will enjoy trying to find the trademark carved mice all around the church.  The organ is particularly fine. It was built by Hamilton and Muller, Edinburgh and has never been modified, though it was restored some years ago.  From time to time, during the opening hours, the organ will be played. Guided tours will be available throughout the opening hours or visitors may wander around reading from notices adjacent to each point of interest.

Facilities