Pictish 999: Apology as telecoms pole appears at ancient Scottish site

Now in 2024, the chief adversary at Doorie Hill on the edge of Burghead Fort proved to be a telecoms engineer after a 25ft telecoms pole was “negligently” installed within the boundary of the ancient and protected site.

Openreach has now apologised for the error in installing the pole next to Doorie Hill, the last remaining cross rampart of the fort and scene of the annual Burning the Clavie celebration, which marks the coming of the old New Year on January 11.

Dan Ralph, trustee of Burghead Headland and Burghead’s Clavie King, who leads the fire ceremony every year, said he was “angered” at the site of the pole at Doorie Hill.

He said: "Anger was my first reaction. For someone to do this to our beloved Doorie Hill without asking was unquestionable. It is a very, very sensitive historic site. Doorie Hill is not only part of the Clavie burning, but it is all that remains of one of the cross ramparts of the Pictish fort.

“Sadly back in Victorian times, the ramparts were demolished to make way for streets and houses and Doorie Hill is the only bit that remains of the main cross rampart that stopped invaders getting to the aristocracy who lived in the fort. It is treated with great respect.

"Open Reach, or some contractor, dug a big hole and stuck a big pole in it and connected it with wires. I discovered it recently. We are planning to put a beautiful, traditional dry stone dyke around Doorie and I was out with an archaeologist when we saw it.

“They have been very accommodating since they were pulled up about it, but it was totally negligent. It was also in danger of being burned on Clavie night as well.”

Burghead Fort sat at the heart of the Pictish kingdom of Fortriu, which was concentrated around the modern region of Moray.

The dramatic and imposing fort, which was three times bigger than any comparable site, was occupied between the sixth and tenth centuries, with the structure destroyed by fire at a time Vikings were raiding the Moray cost.

A spokesperson for Openreach said: “Unfortunately, this pole was put up by a contractor in error at the very edge of the Pictish site during a fibre broadband upgrade in Burghead. We’re working closely with Historic Scotland and a local archaeologist on plans to remove it – and that’ll be done under expert instruction once consent is in place.

“We’ve also changed our network routing plans to avoid any further issues. We completely understand local concerns and we’re sorry for the mistake.”

A pre-application letter from Openreach to Historic Environment Scotland (HES) for scheduled monument consent to remove the pole said it had been installed “negligently”. HES said a decision would be made shortly on the pole’s removal.