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27th. July 2007

Ceannabeinne and Taggart

Picture attached

SMG Productions based in Glasgow are making a Television programme following a similar theme to the very successful “Coast” production on the Highland Clearances. As part of the programme to be screened on STV and the History Channel the production crew and presenters were in Durness last Sunday. Currently Durness Development Group is working with local groups at Ceannabeinne Preclearance Township on Durness Common grazing. The community-focused project, aimed to consolidate and conserve, identify the visible and accessible archaeological features of Ceannabeinne Township for promotion to the public and provide informative access and interpret the biggest well preserved pre clearance farm town in Sutherland fits into the theme of the programme being produced for a wider audience on national and international television. Chairman of the Development Group Graham Bruce discussed the local aspects and events to the clearances and their part in the overall occurrences that happened as a result of the actions that became known as the Highland Clearances.

The presenter of the programme is TV crime drama Taggart star John Michie who plays Detective Inspector Robbie Ross. John loves the outdoors when he gets time off from filming Taggart; he heads for the West Highlands of Scotland. Hill walking has always been a hobby for him and he has a deep interest in Scottish History particularly the period of the Highland Clearances.

SGM makes hundreds of hours of high quality popular programming for UK and international television networks and expects the programme to be screened in 2008.

Coinciding with the filming Glasgow University Archaeology Research Division has returned to carry out the second phase of the archeological dig. In June a survey and trial trenching of the possible monastic/hermitage site on the rock stack at Traigh na h'Uamhag, at the coastal edge of Ceannabeinne was carried out. On this occasion the fieldwork will involve examining the remains of Ceannabeinne Township through a programme of topographic survey and trial trenching. The results should provide insights into the nature of life in the township up to its clearance in 1842. It may also help establish how long the township had been occupied and whether that occupation extended back into the late Medieval period. Anyone interested in participating or visiting the site should contact Graham Bruce in the first instance 01971511282. The archaeologists are on site until 3 August.