Images of the excavation site at Brora

The Salt mans House

In 2007 and 2009, the site of what was thought to be the Salt mans House was investigated. This may have been the building where the supervisor of the salt works lived and worked. Before excavation, the building was visible only as a slight depression in the ground, but removal of the overlying rubble revealed a substantial stone built building, measuring c. 15m long by 5m wide.


Plan of the Salt mans House

The building was divided into two rooms, each with a fireplace set into the dividing wall. The eastern room had a paved and cobbled floor. Pan scratch or stone scratch, a crust of calcium sulphate and magnesium chloride which had to be chipped from the pans at regular intervals in a process known as ‘paddling’, was found beneath some of floor slabs. This shows that at least one pan house was in operation when the salt mans house was built.

 

This photograph shows the scant visible evidence above ground of a possible building at the site of the Saltman’s House in 2005. The first structural evidence of a wall just beginning to appear from underneath a pile of rubble. A substantial, mortared building, with a partially cobbled and flagged floor.
The scant visible evidence for the Saltman's House, prior to excavation. The wall just beginning to appear from underneath the rubble. When fully revealed, the walls enclosed a partially cobbled and flagged floor.
Two members of the excavation team carefully removing a large sherd of pottery from the floor area of the Saltman’s House. The partial extent of the Saltman’s House that was revealed during the 2007 excavation.
Cathy and Nick carefully removing part of a large pottery jug from the floor of the building. The Saltman's House from the north at the end of the excavation. A lump of "pan scratch" found in the midden.

No surviving floor material survived in the western room. In front of the fireplace was a large area of ash containing a great many mussel and whelk shells – the remains of workers’ meals? Small amounts of fish, cow, sheep, pig, seabird and domestic fowl bone provide more evidence of other foods.

This photograph shows the scant visible evidence above ground of a possible building at the site of the Saltman’s House in 2005. The first structural evidence of a wall just beginning to appear from underneath a pile of rubble. A substantial, mortared building, with a partially cobbled and flagged floor.
The west room of the Salt mans House showing the fireplace and shell and fish bone rich ash deposit in front of it. The dividing wall of the Salt mans House, with the paved east room on the right. The fireplace of the east room of the Salt mans House

A few fragments of window glass found in the demolition material indicated that at least part of the building was glazed. There is no reason to doubt that the salt mans house was a domestic building. We can imagine that as the salt works developed it became necessary to increase the accommodation available for the workers, although we don’t know who or how many lived here.

There was no evidence of roofing material suggesting the roof was covered with organic material such as heather or turf. John Williams had already quarrelled with James Sutherland, the Estate superintendent about the use of turf recorded in a letter from James Sutherland to a lawyer, Mr Mackenzie on 26th July 1768

‘Williams the Coal Master used me some days ago with so much impertinence that one of a less warm temper than I am possessed of ought to have caned him, & the reason of this usage was because I would not allow him to cut Divots to cover three houses that he is building for the salters. The tenants of the Doll complained to me some weeks ago of Mr Williams incroaching upon them, Mr Gilchrist & I went to settle this matter & at that time I agreed that Mr Williams should have as many Divots as could cover one house because he represented that the work people could not work if they had no place to cover them & from this indulgence he wanted to peel the Country’.

So little remains of the building, that it seems likely that when it went out of use, most of the stone was taken away and re-used.

Back to the Site of the New Salt House

 

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