The souterrain

In a field on Braehead Farm, near Tullich Church lies a souterrain, a concealed underground space, thought to date back two thousand years. 

The souterrain entrance on Braehead farm

Around 0 AD, the period the souterrain is thought to date back to, the North East of Scotland was occupied by small communities, or tribes, of Pictish people. They later came into conflict with the Romans around 83 - 84AD.

The purpose of the chamber is unknown. It may have been to store grain, or for the community to hide in when they were attacked by their enemies, or a combination of both. A discovery of deposits of greyish-white deposits in the chamber, presumably ash, during exploration in the 1920s suggests the chamber may possibly have been used for rituals of some kind. 

The date of discovery of the souterrain is unknown. There is reference to work being carried out on it in the 1920s but no contemporaneous record of such work survives. 

The entrance leads to a 7' high passage, now largely infilled.

The entrance to the souterrain is a square depression in the ground surrounded by stone slabs. Descent through the entrance leads to a larger chamber which now has been largely infilled with earth but originally lead to a passage 5 1/2' wide by 7' high. The passage leads about 50' northwest. 

The souterrain now seems to be largely filled in, the work in the 1920s suggests that it appears to be filled with sand which suggests it was flooded by the Dee at some stage. 

The souterrain is free to visit but it is on Braehead Farm, a working farm, so please ensure that if you do visit it you make sure that you do not disturb any farm animals or damage any crops and please close any farm gates that you pass through behind you. 

Features on:
Old Railway Line to Cambus o' May
Ballater to Cambus o' May and back

Information courtesy of scotlandsplaces.gov.uk.