A Perthshire prisoner of war camp is set to be redeveloped thanks to a major funding grant.
Historic Environment Scotland has given £108,810 to Comrie Development Trust to revamp Cultybraggan POW Camp.
The money will be used to redevelop 11 of the camp’s B-listed Nissen huts.
Five of the huts will be turned into high-quality, self-catering accommodation units, and the others will be turned into a furniture store, a laundry to support the self-catering units, and a number of commercial units, including a pop-up cafe.
A self-guided heritage trail has also been installed at the camp, with information boards placed throughout the site for visitors to learn more about particular buildings and areas of the cap.
Cultybraggan POW Camp near Comrie is the last remaining World War II prisoners of war camp in Scotland and was built in 1941 to house up to 4000 prisoners.
It was known as Camp 21 and Black Camp of the North and housed some of the most dangerous German prisoners, including dozens of Nazi SS officers and members of the Wermacht, Luftwaffe and Marine Corps.
During the war, the camp saw one of its prisoners murdered by his fellow inmates, and numerous escape attempts by German POWs.
The last wartime prisoners were released in 1948, and from then on the camp was used by the MOD as a training centre.
During this time, it was used by thousands of military personnel, including the Territorial Army, RAF Auxiliary and cadets.
Almost every regiment in Scotland spent some time at Cultybraggan, and every international conflict involving the UK since World War II is connected to the Comrie site, for example Vietnam veterans were taken to the camp, and soldiers were trained at Cultybraggan before heading to the troubles in Northern Ireland.
And during the Cold War the camp had a Royal Observer Corps underground post and the regional seat of government nuclear bunker is located at the camp.
The camp ceased being a training centre in 2004, and Comrie Development Trust bought the camp in 2007 on behalf of the village.
It now includes allotments, a community orchard, a catering company, a cheese maker, a sourdough baker, artisan workshops and a Men’s Shed group. The money given to help revamp Cultybraggan is part of the Historic Environment Scotland historic environment repair grant, which supports buildings and ancient monuments which are of special architectural, historic or archaeological significance across Scotland.
Amy Eastwood, head of grants at Historic Environment Scotland, said: “From offering public access to creating co-working spaces, these projects are fantastic examples of how conservation and re-use of historic buildings can make a positive contribution.
“These funds will allow the projects to undertake the necessary high-quality, specialised conservation works required to help ensure a sustainable end use and continue Scotland’s story.”
