A NEW crannog has been unveiled on the banks of Loch Tay after a devastating fire five years ago, with a special ceremony held to mark the occasion.
The Scottish Crannog Centre, which is also a museum of life in ancient Scotland, has held a special ceremony to mark the building of the new crannog following a fire in 2021.
The centre was rebuilt after the blaze engulfed the site shortly before midnight, with the tourist attraction reopening in 2024 without its centrepiece.
Reconstructing the crannog itself was much "a much more complex undertaking" with work beginning in October 2024 at a cost of £700,000.
Now, the crannog – the name given to the Iron Age dwellings which appear in Scottish and Irish lochs around 2500 years ago – has been built by a team of specialist craftspeople and apprentices, with eight of them working in two teams on the structure at any one time.
It will open to the public next month.
Award-winning singer Barbara Dickson, who has sold more albums than any other female Scottish artist, performed to mark the occasion and First Minister John Swinney, who represents Perthshire North and lives in the area, has unveiled a plaque.
The First Minister said: "The fire that destroyed the previous crannog was catastrophic and a huge cultural tragedy. The fact that, five years later, the Crannog Centre is open at a new, larger site and with a brand-new crannog is a testament to the drive, dedication and hard work of all those involved in the management of the centre. I also wish to extend my congratulations to all those who have worked on this new crannog – it is a genuinely stunning piece of work.
"As the centrepiece of the new centre, this crannog will undoubtedly become a beloved local site and will be of huge interest to all those who visit. I look forward to watching the Crannog Centre grow from strength to strength in the years to come."
The team explained that while workers have used modern tools and equipment to meet construction site standards, ensure wellbeing and safety, and make headway, a range of traditional skills, such as roundwood timber framing, hazel coppicing, hurdle making and thatching have been at the forefront of the build.
Around 300 European Larch trees were acquired for the crannog from a variety of local and Scottish woodland suppliers, including a tree felled from the roadside.
Mike Benson, director of The Scottish Crannog Centre said: “Since the blaze we’ve been a bit like a Van Gogh museum without Van Gogh.
“Although we relocated to a larger site and built a new visitor centre, museum and Iron Age village within three years, constructing a new crannog, as you might imagine, was a much more ambitious project.
"The crannog is an incredible structure but it’s not just a building: it’s part of our community. As well as the centre staff, we have committed volunteers and interact regularly with a range of charities and the people they support. Many consider our centre a home and a place of sanctuary.
"People come to learn about the past and find out what role it can play in our future. Aside from the crannog itself, we have a number of thatched buildings in which our team demonstrates traditional skills, such as weaving, blacksmithery and woodworking to our visitors, keeping these crafts alive and introducing them to new generations.
“Our museum too is very much living and thriving. It houses an amazing collection of items belonging to the crannog dwellers who lived only a few yards away and we invite people from different backgrounds and countries regularly to examine the objects, share their stories and give their own cultural perspectives on their possible uses.
“With our new crannog, people will not only be able to see and experience what such an amazing building is like, but we now also will have more space to expand the diverse activities of the Centre.
“Today is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff, and the wider team involved in the build, who have pulled together to help make the new crannog a reality. In short, it’s a remarkable achievement of which we are all extremely proud.”
