Win A Day Back In Time For Primary Schools

16th January 2011

The year may well say 2011 on your new calendar, but pupils from Caithness Primary Schools are being invited to enter a competition which will transport them back in time. The competition is being organised by The Caithness Heritage Trust volunteers who run Mary-Ann's Cottage in Dunnet. Every primary school in Caithness has been sent a copy of the DVD 'A Window into the Crofting Past' which gives an insight into what life was like at Mary-Ann's Cottage when horses were used for ploughing and harvesting was a community activity. The trustees have devised a page of questions based on the DVD, for pupils to answer. Easy so far you might be thinking?! Well, as the prize for the winning class is the cost of entry and transport for a day out to Mary-Ann's Cottage and Castlehill Heritage Centre, paid for by the Trust, there is also a tie-breaker question!

The Castlehill Heritage Centre has just released their programme of events for 2011. They are collaborting with The Brough Bay Association and Wick Heritage Society for special exhibitions of local heritage and photos from the Johnson collection. Try your hand at spinning, painting, wine making and bee keeping. Or just sit back and enjoy presentations about bobbin lace making and the Moray Firth Gansey Project. The gansey project is featured in the current issue of 'Selvedge' a magazine for contemporary and traditional textiles. There's certainly something for everyone on offer this year! The centre is open all year on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, 2.00pm - 4.00pm and run by the Castletown Heritage Society volunteers and is a Registered Scottish Charity No: SCO 27858. Visit their website for full details of what's on offer : www.castletownheritage.co.uk

Mary-Ann's Cottage is open to the public every afternoon from 2.00pm - 4.30pm (last tour 4.00pm) from 1st June to 30th September.  It's thanks a team volunteer guides that the cottage continues to open it's doors each year. They are always looking for new people to join the team. If your interested to find out more, Chris Cariss, Chairwoman of the Trust would be delighted to hear from you: tel 01847 851 765. The Caithness Heritage Trust is a Registered Scottish Charity No: SCO 19998.

Mary Ann's Cottage blog
http://joannebkaar-mary-anns-cottage.blogspot.com/
Mary Ann's cottage on Caithness.org
http://www.caithness.org/community/museums/maryanncottage/

Photo
Mary Ann's Cottage in December 2010