Olrig Observations

Birkle Hill on the south-east edge of Castletown may not be high in absolute terms, but it offers a commanding view of the surrounding farmland, the village of Castletown and Dunnet Bay.  Muriel researches the derivation of the name 'Birkle' and explores some of the features associated with the hill, uncovering many connections with the humble Birch tree.

The Custer Tablecloth is a unique and poignant memento of the many service personnel who were based at RAF Castletown during WWII.  The story behind it gives a flavour of the impact such a large military operation had on the village of Castletown and the surrounding area. The very existance of the tablecloth is down to the forward thinking of a young woman who captured evidence of an importan...

This unusual clock featuring braille markings and an engraved plaque ' St Dunstan's 1915 - 1965 ' was donated to Castlehill Heritage Centre a few years ago by the decendents of the original owner, local man Walter Mackay. The story behind the clock reveals some of the terrifying ordeals he experienced as a young man during World War I and his bravery and indomitable spirit after the war.

Lindsay Broomfield, a professional costume maker with a passion for heritage costumes reviews the Castletown Heritage Society entry to the virtual Highland Threads Exhibition , an innovative on-line exhibition showcasing a treasured costume from each of fourteen museums from across the Highlands of Scotland.  Our entry, a late Victorian mourning outfit dates from the turn of the twentieth cen...

A time-worn ninetheenth century oil painting of the Barque Samarang passing the Rock of Gibralter sparks an investigation into the three-masted vessel's fascinating history, and during the voyage of discovery a lesson is learned that all is not always what it seems....

Whilst out walking on the Dunnet Head peninsula, Muriel enjoys the panoramic view of the Parish of Olrig and reflects upon some aspects of the influence the Vikings and the Church had upon past life in the Parish.

James Forbes ('Forbie') Sutherland started his career as a farm labourer on the Castlehill Estate in the Parish of Olrig, but was quickly recognised as having 'above average intelligence'.  Thanks to the benevolence of his employer, James retrained as an Able Bodied Seaman and was subsequently recruited by James Cook to join the crew of the 'Endeavour' on its expeditionary journey to the sout...

Muriel reveals some reminiscences of William Waters from Bowermadden, whose passion to become a successful overseas missionary in the late 1700s didn't run entirely to plan....

The fascinating story behind a postcard posted in Castletown, Caithness, Scotland, in November 1909.