Brora Harbour, Brora

Brora Harbour

Brora Harbour dates from 1813–14 and was designed by William Hughes. It is a compact tidal harbour located at the mouth of the River Brora in Sutherland, with two quays on the south shore of the river. The roughly rectangular basin is enclosed to the north by an artificial bank that connects the shore to a small island, with vegetation growing on top.

The south and west harbour walls are constructed from coursed and dressed stone blocks. Steps are cut into the harbour wall at the western and eastern ends. The dockside quay is approximately 10 courses high and gradually decreases in height as the harbour wall curves around the western extent of the basin. The harbour walls are slightly battered. Iron mooring rings and remnants of timber posts set in concrete are positioned back from the harbour edge. Galvanised metal mooring rails and ladders, dating from the 20th and 21st centuries, are bolted into the top of the harbour walls. The landward side of the harbour is a tarmacked public road. A launching slip to the west of the artificial island dates from the early to mid-20th century and first appears on the 1970 Ordnance Survey map.

Historical context

Coal mining and salt panning began in Brora in the late 1500s but were abandoned by 1630. These industries resumed in the mid to late 18th century. By the early 19th century, improvement schemes were rolled out across the Sutherland estates by Elizabeth, Countess (later Duchess-Countess) of Sutherland (1765–1839) and her husband, the Marquis of Stafford (later Duke of Sutherland).

An earlier harbour at Brora is described in the Statistical Account of Scotland of 1794 as "a tolerable harbour for boats and small ships" at the mouth of the river. It imported goods from London and Aberdeen and exported linen yarn from imported lint and kelp grown on the shores of Brora and neighbouring parishes.

In 1811 mining engineer William Hughes was employed to sink a 76-metre shaft into the coal seam. A coal mine and brick and tile works opened to the west of the Brora in 1813, and improved saltpans were constructed to the east by the river mouth. Brora Harbour was modernised in 1813–14 to export coal, salt, quarried stone, bricks, and whisky from the newly opened Clynelish Distillery, and later herring and other white fish. Warehouses, a curing yard, and an icehouse (early 19th century) were constructed around the harbour. The mine, brickworks and saltpans were connected to the harbour by a horse-drawn railway. Plans dated 1811 and 1820 show a railway line running alongside the harbour and crossing Brora Bridge. The village of Brora was further developed during this period, and 'Brora New Town' was laid out in 1814 on a gridiron plan.

Saltpans produced salt for fish-curing, which was shipped to larger Moray Firth ports during the salmon and later herring fishing industries. The coal mine, saltpans and brickworks closed by 1828, partly due to poor coal quality and partly because the end of import tax on salt reduced the need for locally produced salt. An 1871–75 Ordnance Survey Name Book describes the harbour as small and compact, noting it was the property of the Duke of Sutherland.

The 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1872 shows the harbour with two quay walls along its southern extent and mooring posts (since removed and replaced by modern mooring rings and rails). An icehouse dating from around 1820 appears to the west of the harbour. The 2nd Edition map of 1904 shows little alteration beyond a change in the shape of the island extending from the north harbour wall.

An 1847 report describes the need for clearing mud from the channel and harbour and removal of large rocks and stones at the river mouth. An 1855 survey by David and Thomas Stevenson shows proposed excavation works to the basin and harbour entrance due to silt build-up. The extent of these excavations is unknown; however, historic newspapers from the early to mid-20th century record the need for urgent dredging and deepening because boats were getting stuck.

The coal mine reopened and the brick industry resumed in 1872, reinvigorating Brora's economy. However, the arrival of the railway in 1871 made rail transport preferable to sea transport, and harbour exports subsequently declined from the mid-19th century onwards. Ownership of the harbour changed from the Duke of Sutherland to the local authority sometime in the mid-20th century. The harbour is now used for leisure craft and lobster fishing.