Visitors will soon be able to delve into the maritime heritage of a picturesque Scots fishing village when two of its historic harbour buildings open their doors to the public.
On Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, the Salmon Bothy and the Boatshed in Portsoy will open for the annual Doors Open Days festival.
The former working salmon house dates back to 1834 and housed a bothy, ice house, fish preparation area, workshop and storage accommodation.
The areas were restored and reopened in 2009 to create a museum, family history research base and community space called, Upstairs at the Salmon Bothy.
Run by a team of volunteers, visitors can view displays, artefacts and information about Portsoy’s historic harbours, the fishing industry and trade.
READ MORE: Historic Scots harbour saved after buildings pass into community ownership
Richard Thorne, development manager of Portsoy Community Enterprise said: “Portsoy’s 17th century harbour was a bustling hive of activity, not only a main fishing port, it was also the base where several associated industries were developed including manufacturing and engineering.
"Whilst the sea was a significant employer for the community, Portsoy was also a key exporter of marble, thanks to its unique geology. Visitors can learn more about the area’s seafaring stories through the old photographs and displays, which have been preserved within the Salmon Bothy.”
Participating in Doors Open Day for the first time, the Portsoy Boatshed will also welcome visitors to learn more about the community projects, and school programmes, being delivered to keep traditional boat building skills alive.
Built upon the ruins of a former boatshed, in 2015 Portsoy Community Enterprise transformed the building into a permanent premises for wooden boat building. The Boatshed’s team of volunteers will be on hand to share their knowledge, skills and demonstrate intricate woodworking techniques.
Richard continued: “The Boatshed is a fantastic space which is fully set up with traditional and modern tools for woodwork and boat building. It is part of the community, and people are welcome to come and have a chat with our volunteers about any projects they would like support with.
"There are a range of projects underway which visitors can view, and we will have children’s activities to engage and entertain our younger attendees.”
The participation of Portsoy Harbour in Doors Open Days event comes after it was saved for future generations in July after the six historic buildings at its heart passed into community ownership.
The harbour, which has been used as a filming location on productions such as Peaky Blinders and the remake of Whiskey Galore!, now has a secure future after the portfolio of buildings officially passed into the custodianship of the North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT).
The work to secure the legacy of the buildings - a gift from local benefactor Tom Burnett-Stuart - was supported by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF).
NESPT, with feasibility funding from the AHF, has been developing plans to bring four currently underused or disused harbour buildings back into productive use: the Marble Warehouse, the Marble Workshop, the Granary Building and the Rag Warehouse. These were buildings at the heart of the thriving harbour where grain, herring and salmon were exported mainly to the Baltics, and coal imported.
Celebrating the wealth of culture and heritage across Scotland, Doors Open Days is the largest free architectural event in the country.
It is coordinated nationally by the Scottish Civic Trust and is part of European Heritage Days alongside Scottish Archaeology Month, coordinated by Archaeology Scotland.
When Doors Open Days began in 1990, 44 events took place in Glasgow and Ayr. In the past 30-odd years, the festival has expanded to reach all 32 council regions of Scotland with visitors enjoying access to nearly 1,000 events.
Portsoy Salmon Bothy will be open from 10am – 4pm on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd September. The Boatshed will be open on Sunday only from 12noon – 4pm. For more information on Doors Open Days visit: www.doorsopendays.org.uk.
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