Report to Consultation Group on ongoing developments in The Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site
The Consultation Group last met in February 2004, and the next meeting is set for 15 February 2005. Meantime, behind the scenes, the various local and national agencies have been gradually progressing many of the projects identified in the Management Plan and previously discussed with the Consultation Group. The aim of this short Report is to advise the Consultation Group and other interested parties of their progress.
Please address any queries about this Report, or suggestions for a future meeting (including anything listed below you would like to hear more about), to Sally Foster, Historic Scotland, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh, EH9 1SH Tel 0131 668 8658
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Summary of events since last Consultation Group meeting
200413 Jan 2004 / HS CT meeting
Jan 2004 / PIC decides to adopt Ring of Brodgar (with ‘d’) and Maeshowe (single word) spelling in future.
26 Feb 2004 / PG Meeting (Brodgar Visitor and Traffic Management/Access and Interpretation)
26 Feb 2004 / CG meeting (8th)
26 Mar 2004 / HS CT meeting
Apr 2004 / Timed ticketing formally introduced at Maeshowe.
Apr 2004 / Improvements to to include more information about the WHS
Apr 2004 / Preliminary Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment of Maeshowe area by Land Use Consultants, unpublished report for Historic Scotland.
10 May 2004 / IG meeting
May 2004 / Orkney Islands – Media Plan for Properties in Care, internal report produced by Press Office
May 2004 / 1st draft of Orkney Monuments Project Plan, internal report.
11 Jun 2004 / PG Meeting (Brodgar Visitor and Traffic Management/Access and Interpretation)
Jun 2004 / Carrying Capacity Estimates for the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and Maeshowe, report for Historic Scotland by Brian Bath, Interpretive Design.
28 Jun 2004 / HS/OIC Officers’ Meeting
1 Jul 2004 / HS CT meeting
5 Jul 2004 / Maeshowe, ‘Dragon’ Carving Condition Report, internal report by Colin Muir, CTRE.
2 Aug 2004 / HS/OIC Officers’ Meeting
17 Aug 2004 / HS CT meeting
8 Sep 2004 / HS CT meeting in Orkney
16 Sep 2004 / Draft Maeshowe. Summary analysis of water ingress through the existing structure, internal report prepared by J MacPherson.
23 Sep 2004 / HS Environmental Monitoring meeting.
Sep 2004 / Ring of Brodgar Business Plan, 2nd draft
Sep 2004 / Decision on revised footpaths, etc at Ring of Brodgar. New path layout is being partly implemented to monitor effectiveness this year.
Sep 2004 / OAT excavations at Ness of Brodgar, including input by Jon Cluett for HS-grant-aided soils studentship.
Sep 2004 / Orkney WHS Ranger Proposal Progress Report and Programme, internal report by HS IU.
Sep 2004 / Production of AJ McClanahan The Heart of Neolithic Orkney in its Contemporary Contexts: a case study in heritage management and community values, unpublished report for Historic Scotland [copies placed in Orkney Library, SMR and NMRS; pdf version widely circulated]. Project grant-aided by Historic Scotland.
Sep 2004 / Orkney Island Council submits planning application for works in Ring of Brodgar/Stones of Stenness/Barnhouse Village area. Accompanied by Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site Proposed Improvements. Environmental Statement, prepared by AURORA Environmental.
Sep 2004 / Tormiston Mill DDA issued by consultants, unpublished report for Historic Scotland.
Sep/Oct 2004 / Follow up stereocover, photogrammetric and laser scanning surveys of Skara Brae House 7 and Maeshowe, commissioned by Historic Scotland.
Oct 2004 / Addendum to Environmental Statement submitted to OIC Planning Department, dealing with landscape issues in greater detail.
Nov 2004 / Works to extend Skara Brae Visitor Centre.
Nov 2004 / OIC grant planning approval for works to new carpark at Ring of Brodgar.
Nov 2004 / OIC confirm that they are developing a policy to permit the introduction of 40mph speed limits in the World Heritage Area.
Dec 2004 / WHS Ranger service posts advertised.
2004 / GSB Prospection Geophysical Survey Report Orkney World Heritage Site Phase IV, unpublished report for OAT and HS.
2004 / Economic Impact Assessment by Brian Burn Associates.
2004 / Skara Brae topographic survey completed by in-house HS staff.
2004 ongoing / Parking and road safety improvements at Maeshowe (scheme approved by OIC Feb 2004).
2005
Jan 2005 forthcoming / Publication of J Downes, SM Foster and CR Wickham-Jones (eds), The Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site Research Agenda, published by Historic Scotland
15 Feb 2005 / CG Meeting
16 Feb 2005 / PG Meeting (Brodgar Visitor and Traffic Management/Access and Interpretation)
Apr 2005 / Initiation of Ranger Service for World Heritage Area, a partnership between Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.
forthcoming / Case Study in the Role of Community Research in Heritage Management PhD (McClanahan).
forthcoming / Historic Scotland guidebook for Ring of Brodgar/Stones of Stenness/Maeshowe area.
forthcoming / Texts for new series of information panels prepared by Historic Scotland.
forthcoming / Initiation of Arts Discovery programme partnership with Arlene Isbister.
forthcoming / Ring of Brodgar: 2nd epoch of topographical survey with erosion monitoring indicators.
Site Management Strategy
Management Plan
The revised version is due in 2006, thereafter 2011/12. The later version will be produced after, and informed by, the first formal periodic report on the WHS, which will have been submitted to UNESCO by the State party. Such formal reporting is required every six years.
Monitoring Indicators
Historic Scotland has drafted key monitoring indicators in consultation with members of the Steering Group and others. These identify what can and needs to be monitored to measure how successfully the outstanding universal values of the WHS are being maintained. The Steering Group will play the lead role in overseeing the implementation.
Projects
Proposals for improved traffic, visitor access and interpretation in the Brodgar/Stenness/Maeshowe area
The Project Group and its sub-group continue to meet regularly to progress the proposals developed earlier in liaison with the Consultation Group. Orkney Islands Council has led on the submission of a planning application (accompanied by Environmental Statement) for works to introduce:
- a new car-park at Dyke o’Sean for Ring of Brodgar;
- new access from here to the Ring of Brodgar;
- footpath network from Ring to BarnhouseVillage via RSPB footpath and Stones of Stenness;
- new information panels;
- improved carparking at Stones of Stenness.
Orkney Islands Council also leads on seeking external funding for relevant components of this project. Planning permission was granted for these works in November 2004.
Historic Scotland’s Interpretation Unit is taking the lead in developing proposals for enhanced interpretation of the monuments and their context. These include a series of new information panels for the area (content to be developed in 2005/6) and a new guidebook for the area (2005/6). Plans are well developed for the establishment of a Ranger Service for the World Heritage Area from April 2005, in partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage. In the shortterm, this service will be run from offices at Skara Brae. (Historic Scotland has also appointed a new Education Officer for its North Region: Patricia Weeks, formerly of InvernessMuseum).
In the shortterm, a new tour has been introduced for visitors to Maeshowe. Training for stewards is an important component of this. Timed ticketing introduced in April 2004 has been welcomed and is deemed to be a success, and we are continuing to explore how to improve this service.
Tormiston Mill carpark.
Historic Scotlandis continuing to explore how visitor access and interpretative provision for Maeshowe can be improved in the longterm.
Broch of Gurness
Historic Scotland has developed preliminary proposals for ways to improve visitor provision at this monument so that coach operators can make greater use of the site as an alternative to elements of the WHS (such as Ring of Brodgar).
WHS Website
The Historic Scotland website now contains a section relating to World Heritage Sites in Scotland, with a part devoted to The Heart of Neolithic Orkney. We have plans to develop this further. See
Skara Brae Coastal Protection
Historic Scotland has commissioned a scoping study to assess the scale of the coastal erosion problem at Skara Brae and to identify options to address this. The need for some short-term measures has been identified. In the near future Historic Scotland plans to issue an Executive Summary of the Scoping Report to all interested parties and thereafter will be in discussion with relevant parties, including the Consultation Group, about future options.HS has requested that OIC become more involved in this project.
Skara Brae extension of Visitor Centre
Construction has commenced on the extension to the visitor centre to provide additional staff accommodation. It is anticipated that works will be completed by April 2005.
Maeshowe and Skara Brae House 7
Historic Scotland initiated an 18-month period of monitoring of the interior of these structures, to be completed in April 2005. This involves environmental monitoring, photogrammetry to monitor structural movement, stereo-photography and digital laser scanning. The results of this will be reported to the Consultation Group in due course.
Travel Trade Group
Historic Scotland will continue to participate in the Travel Trade Round Table, formed to improve communication between the various stakeholders. The focus of discussion is improving the movement of group traffic between the sites, including the components of the World Heritage Site.
Research Agenda and Strategy
The Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site Research Agenda (J Downes, S M Foster and C R Wickham-Jones (eds)) is being published by Historic Scotland. Copies will be distributed to members of the Consultation Group early in 2005.
ICOMOS guidelines for the management of World Heritage Sites recommend that mechanisms are set up to devise research programmes and to promote and co-ordinate research in the area. Historic Scotland was therefore delighted to be able to supportJane Downes of the Orkney College UHI to organise and co-ordinate the production of this Research Agenda for Scotland’s first archaeological World Heritage Site, the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.
This Research Agenda for the World Heritage Site and its setting can be read on many levels. Not only is it a wonderful resource for the Site Managers and future researchers but, at its core and of wider relevance and interest, is that it is the most up-to-date overview of the present state of knowledge of Orcadian archaeology of all periods.
The approach of the Agenda is to consider how people have engaged with the world about them through time, identifying the gaps in our present knowledge. Multi-authored by experts from a range of disciplines, the Agenda aims to encourage inter-disciplinary research which will contribute, through greater knowledge, to enhanced preservation, conservation, management and interpretation of the Site for the enjoyment of all.
This project was grant-aided by Historic Scotland, Orkney Islands Council and Orkney Heritage Society, with support from Orkney College UHI.
Buffer Zones
Geophysical Survey of WHS and Inner Buffer Zones
Orkney Archaeological Trust’s long-term project is ongoing, with funding and in-kind contributions from Historic Scotland, Orkney Islands Council, GSB (Bradford), Orkney College and Orkney Archaeological Trust. The results are intended to enhance our understanding of the area that includes the WHS and our ability to manage and interpret the wider landscape. The results continue to yield exciting surprises. In 2004 a further 35 hectares were surveyed using magnetometry.
Further survey between the Ness of Brodgar and the Ring of Brodgar (centre HY 299 131) revealed boundary features, possible unknown burnt mounds and barrows, and areas where the background magnetic response is increased. This response is similar to that surrounding the Neolithic complex on the Ness of Brodgar which test-pitting has shown is the result of Neolithic midden-enhanced soils.
The area to the NW of Maeshowe (centre HY 314 129) was dominated by geological anomalies and modern disturbance. However, isolated features may represent a possible new settlement site and other archaeological features.
A variety of responses were detected to the southwest of Maeshowe (centre HY 314 126). The northern half of the area is dominated by zones of magnetic disturbance generated by igneous dykes and a series of land drains. Potentially archaeologically significant anomalies were however noted in the southwest, including suggestions of a weak oval enclosure and general areas of increased magnetic response. In addition, a group of well-defined anomalies suggesting possible enclosures has been located further south.
Geophysical Survey of SkaillBay area
A team lead by Dr David Griffiths of Oxford University has undertaken two seasons (2003 and 2004) of geophysical survey and trial-trenching at Buckquoy and in the hinterland to Skaill Bay, both on the western coast of Mainland, Orkney. The project aims to prospect within the coastal and Aeolian landscapes using broad-scale magnetic susceptibility, selective magnetometry surveys, coupled to topographic survey and ground-truthing. The objectives are to define the landscape contexts for known archaeological monuments, determine the nature and extent of hitherto unknown elements of that landscape and advance our understanding of the re-use of settlement foci within those landscapes. The project is funded by Orkney Islands Council, OxfordUniversity and Historic Scotland.
Ness of Brodgar
In light of the discovery of a large prehistoric complex on the Ness of Brodgar in recent years, further evaluation and assessment of the site was undertaken in June 2004. A total of eight test trenches were opened in order to examine the depth, nature and extent of archaeological deposits. The trial trenches showed that the dense concentration of features revealed by the geophysical surveys was only the 'tip of the iceberg'. Although the trenches were deliberately located away from significant geophysical anomalies, in only one trench was it possible to reach 'natural' without structural archaeology being encountered. The preliminary results would appear to indicate that much of this substantial mound is artificial, comprising structures, middens and deep midden-enhanced soils dating to the Neolithic. In one trench, part of a previously unrecorded chambered cairn was revealed. A substantial double linear feature revealed by resistivity, and thought prior to excavation to be probably medieval, now appears to be prehistoric and probably relates to other Neolithic activity on the site.
WHS Inner Buffer Zone Soils Research Studentship
John Cluett of StirlingUniversity is now in his second year of his PhD under the supervision of Professor Ian Simpson, with funding from Historic Scotland. Relict and fossil anthropogenic soils identified within the Heart of Neolithic Orkney WHS Buffer Zones can retain detailed, soils-based, information of early land management. This project assesses the extent to which soils-based information is retained by these soils under present-day land use. Sampling has been undertaken in and around the World Heritage Area (e.g. at Brodgar Farm) and is now being analysed.