Balnakeil Craft Village lies about one mile west of Durness, within sight of Balnakeil Bay with its historic house and church. This collection of unusual buildings was built in the mid 1950's as an M.O.D. early warning station in the event of nuclear attack. However, it was never commissioned, and in 1964, the camp born of Cold War fear in the 50's, began its rebirth as a 60's cradle of creativity.
Originally, the county council acquired the buildings with the intention of establishing small scale industrial units. However, not enough interest was shown in this and an imaginative development officer of Sutherland District Council suggested its conversion to a Craft Village.
Originally, the county council acquired the buildings with the intention of establishing small scale industrial units. However, not enough interest was shown in this and an imaginative development officer of Sutherland District Council suggested its conversion to a Craft Village.
Advertisements were placed in national newspapers offering the buildings for minimal rent to those who had skills and viable business plans. The Far North Project, as it was known, attracted applicants from all over Britain, and eventually the first pioneer residents made their way north to embark on a new experiment in living.
The buildings were empty concrete shells with no plumbing or electricity. Some had no glazing and were barely habitable. The conversion of the bleak and deserted barracks into homes and workshops was daunting. During the early years there was also help from the International Voluntary Service who erected electricity poles and ran power cables. The county councillor, Mr. Christie Campbell, offered a great deal of support to the early settlers. These first inhabitants not only had to make comfortable homes for their families, but also seek out sources of supply, organise reliable deliveries and produce work with no guarantee of an immediate income.
The buildings were empty concrete shells with no plumbing or electricity. Some had no glazing and were barely habitable. The conversion of the bleak and deserted barracks into homes and workshops was daunting. During the early years there was also help from the International Voluntary Service who erected electricity poles and ran power cables. The county councillor, Mr. Christie Campbell, offered a great deal of support to the early settlers. These first inhabitants not only had to make comfortable homes for their families, but also seek out sources of supply, organise reliable deliveries and produce work with no guarantee of an immediate income.
A coffee shop, pottery and the first commercial transport to Cape Wrath were instigated by founder members, Paul and Yvette Brown. Over the next few years, many new residents arrived, bringing with them children who greatly boosted the school roll in Durness Primary School. It was not until around 1970 that any kind of association was formed. Meetings were held to discuss such things as advertising and the improvement of the common ground. Eventually, tenants began pressing the County Council for a chance to buy their buildings, and in 1980 Highland Regional Council offered to sell the properties to the sitting tenants, and the residents took up the offer to buy. There were at that time sixteen independently owned businesses.
This made Balnakeil Craft Village not only the first establishment of its kind in Britain, but also the only one to be owned by its residents, and this situation continues to the present day. In the early eighties, Balnakeil Craft Village Community Co Operative was formed. This was a social development project to provide facilities and services to residents and visitors. The co-operative ran a visitor centre with exhibition and coffee shop and a regular commercial bus service to Ullapool and Tongue. The community cooperative was an ambitious project, and although it ran successfully for several years, was eventually wound up in late 1986.
The Road to Balnakeil is a documentary made by the BBC in 1974 about Balnakeil Craft Village at that time. Here are links to the documentary which has been uploaded on youtube.
|
Research on BalnakeilHave you ever worked or lived in Balnakeil Craft Village? We would love to hear from you. Where did you stay, what did you do, when did you come and when did you leave? Please send any memories, stories and photographs to Lotte - Lotte@lotteglob.co.uk or Ronnie - Ronnie@cvsnorth.co.uk
|
