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
sally.foster@scotland.gov.uk
_____________________________________________________________
Summary of events since last Consultation Group meeting
2004
13 Jan 2004
Jan 2004
26 Feb 2004
26 Feb 2004
26 Mar 2004
Apr 2004
Apr 2004
Apr 2004
10 May 2004
May 2004
May 2004
11 Jun 2004
Jun 2004
28 Jun 2004
1 Jul 2004
5 Jul 2004
2 Aug 2004
17 Aug 2004
8 Sep 2004
16 Sep 2004
23 Sep 2004
Sep 2004
Sep 2004
HS CT meeting
PIC decides to adopt Ring of Brodgar (with ‘d’) and Maeshowe (single word)
spelling in future.
PG Meeting (Brodgar Visitor and Traffic Management/Access and Interpretation)
CG meeting (8th)
HS CT meeting
Timed ticketing formally introduced at Maeshowe.
Improvements to www.historic-scotland.gov.uk to include more information about
the WHS
Preliminary Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment of Maeshowe area by Land
Use Consultants, unpublished report for Historic Scotland.
IG meeting
Orkney Islands – Media Plan for Properties in Care, internal report produced by
Press Office
1st draft of Orkney Monuments Project Plan, internal report.
PG Meeting (Brodgar Visitor and Traffic Management/Access and Interpretation)
Carrying Capacity Estimates for the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness and
Maeshowe, report for Historic Scotland by Brian Bath, Interpretive Design.
HS/OIC Officers’ Meeting
HS CT meeting
Maeshowe, ‘Dragon’ Carving Condition Report, internal report by Colin Muir,
CTRE.
HS/OIC Officers’ Meeting
HS CT meeting
HS CT meeting in Orkney
Draft Maeshowe. Summary analysis of water ingress through the existing
structure, internal report prepared by J MacPherson.
HS Environmental Monitoring meeting.
Ring of Brodgar Business Plan, 2nd draft
Decision on revised footpaths, etc at Ring of Brodgar. New path layout is being
partly implemented to monitor effectiveness this year.
Sep 2004
Sep 2004
Sep 2004
Sep 2004
Sep 2004
Sep/Oct 2004
Oct 2004
Nov 2004
Nov 2004
Nov 2004
Dec 2004
2004
2004
2004
2004 ongoing
2005
Jan
2005
forthcoming
15 Feb 2005
16 Feb 2005
Apr 2005
forthcoming
forthcoming
forthcoming
forthcoming
forthcoming
OAT excavations at Ness of Brodgar, including input by Jon Cluett for HS-grantaided soils studentship.
Orkney WHS Ranger Proposal Progress Report and Programme, internal report by
HS IU.
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.
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.
Tormiston Mill DDA issued by consultants, unpublished report for Historic Scotland.
Follow up stereocover, photogrammetric and laser scanning surveys of Skara Brae
House 7 and Maeshowe, commissioned by Historic Scotland.
Addendum to Environmental Statement submitted to OIC Planning Department,
dealing with landscape issues in greater detail.
Works to extend Skara Brae Visitor Centre.
OIC grant planning approval for works to new carpark at Ring of Brodgar.
OIC confirm that they are developing a policy to permit the introduction of 40mph
speed limits in the World Heritage Area.
WHS Ranger service posts advertised.
GSB Prospection Geophysical Survey Report Orkney World Heritage Site Phase IV,
unpublished report for OAT and HS.
Economic Impact Assessment by Brian Burn Associates.
Skara Brae topographic survey completed by in-house HS staff.
Parking and road safety improvements at Maeshowe (scheme approved by OIC Feb
2004).
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
CG Meeting
PG Meeting (Brodgar Visitor and Traffic Management/Access and Interpretation)
Initiation of Ranger Service for World Heritage Area, a partnership between
Historic Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage.
Case Study in the Role of Community Research in Heritage Management PhD
(McClanahan).
Historic Scotland guidebook for Ring of Brodgar/Stones of Stenness/Maeshowe
area.
Texts for new series of information panels prepared by Historic Scotland.
Initiation of Arts Discovery programme partnership with Arlene Isbister.
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 Barnhouse Village 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 short term, 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
Inverness Museum).
In the short term, 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 Scotland is continuing to explore how visitor access and
interpretative provision for Maeshowe can be improved in the long
term.
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
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/world_heritage_scotland
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 support Jane
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 Skaill Bay 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,
Oxford University 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 Stirling University 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.