Cultybraggan POW Camp

Cultybraggan Camp 21, near Comrie, Perthshire, has been assessed by Historic Scotland as a Unique Heritage Asset of International Value. It is the last remaining WWII high security Prisoner of War (PoW) Camp in the UK. Named PoW Camp No 21 also as the “Black Camp of the North”, it was built in 1941 to house up to 4,000 Category A prisoners. It had a notoriously hard reputation housing dozens of SS officers, members of the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe & Marine Corps among others.

After the war, from 1948, it was used by the MOD as a training centre and was touched by every major post-war conflagration including Vietnam and the troubles in Northern Ireland. During this period until its closure in 2004, it was used by many thousands of military personnel from TA, RAF Auxiliary to cadets. It was subsequently bought by Comrie Development Trust, on behalf of the village, in 2007 using community right to buy legislation. It now has mixed uses from Allotments, Community Orchard, a catering company, Cheese Making, other Commercial uses, artisan workshops, storage, a future Self-Catering development, a Heritage Centre and in the future it is intended to convert the “A” listed huts into a Museum to tell the story of the camp throughout its lifetime, together with other

The Camp comprises a large site of 13.8 hectares including some 80 Nissen huts, sports fields, the last nuclear bunker built in the U.K. and a small arms firing range. The first hut, at the entrance to the camp, before you get to the cattle grid, is a small exhibition centre and is open to visitors, together with the camp, from dawn to dusk every day except Christmas Day. Look at the displays, pick up a Self-guided tour leaflet and tour the Camp on your own.

In addition Comrie Heritage Group offer a fantastic opportunity for you to explore the Camp in the company of local guides who are enthusiastic about the preservation of the heritage of both the locality and the Camp together with the current mixed uses of the Camp.

Public Heritage Tours are run, from the Heritage Centre, on the first Sunday of every month from May to October from 11am with the last tour leaving at 3pm. These cost £4 (adults), £3 (concessions), free for under 16s. Ticket prices are Adults (£4), Concessions (£3) and children under 16 are free. Anybody with a British Forces Discount Card will be entitled to a further £1 reduction on the ticket price. Refreshments are also available on tour days.

Tour dates for 2017 are: 7 May, 4 June, 2 July, 6 August, 3 September and 1 October.

Please contact CDT to arrange Group tours or Private tours at other times.