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Caithness Iron Age stone tower to be conserved

Caithness Broch Project Ousdale Burn BrochCaithness Broch Project
Over the years Ousdale Burn Broch has fallen into a poor state of preservation

An Iron Age drystone tower damaged by Victorian archaeologists is to be conserved.

The ruins of Ousdale Burn Broch, north of Helmsdale in Caithness, has fallen into further disrepair over the last 120 years.

A wall near the entrance to the broch has collapsed and a tree is growing inside the structure.

Archaeological charity Caithness Broch Project has secured £180,000 of funding towards its conservation.

The stone-built towers are only found in Scotland and more have been found in Caithness than any other part of the country.

It is thought they were used as dwellings, possibly for chiefs or leaders.

Caithness Broch Project Ousdale Burn BrochCaithness Broch Project
An aerial image of Ousdale Burn Broch

Victorian archaeologists damaged the broch in excavations and attempts to repair parts of the tower.

The funding for the conservation work has come from SSE's Caithness Beatrice Community Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and the Highland Leader fund.

Caithness Broch Project hopes the site will become a tourist attraction.

Chairman Robin Herrick said: "I think it will become a big attraction not just for visiting tourists but for regular users of the A9 from Inverness to Caithness who will have passed by many times without realising what a special place it is."