Black Isle Heritage Memories Project Launch

A new and innovative project focused on collecting memories, stories and traditional knowledge about historical buildings and archaeological sites throughout the Black Isle will be launched later this month.

Archaeology for Communities in the Highlands (ARCH) have been successful in securing funding from both Awards For All and the European Community Highland LEADER 2007-2013 Programme, for this oral history project designed to collect and record Black Isle peoples recollections about their own local heritage.

From Flint Scatters to farmsteads, cairns to coal holes, wells to woodlands, we want to know what people can remember and also what this heritage has meant to them. If you used to play within the remains of a deserted township, walked along one of the areas turf roads or remember stories about the mounds, humps, bumps and monuments that are found throughout the Black Isle, we would love to hear from you, says Project Officer Cait McCullagh.

She is inviting all those who are interested to come along to an Open Meeting at the Lecture Theatre, Fortrose Community Centre on Thursday 19th November, 7:30pm 9:00pm. This will also be an opportunity to hear more about ARCHs other proposed projects, all aimed at supporting local communities to identify, investigate and record their local archaeology.

ARCH Director and local historian, Sandra Bain from Tore is thrilled that ARCH is able to offer their first oral history project on the Black Isle: There is so much out there in terms of actual sites and also in local knowledge. There is also a great deal of local enthusiasm for finding out about the past and we hope to provide an outlet for this enthusiasm.

Cait McCullagh says that local people are an under-rated resource for research, investigation and celebration of our heritage and whilst oral history has often been used as a way to record social history, it is very rarely used as a way of focusing on historic buildings and archaeology. Given the impact that development and climate change has on this heritage and the fact that much local knowledge is kept only by older members of our communities, this recording needs to be done soon. Using old maps, photographs and artefacts as inspiration we plan to produce recordings, a print publication and a whole host of new entries for the Highland Councils Historic Environment Record..

If you are unable to attend this months open meeting and you would like to find out more about Black Isle Heritage Memories and / or wish to be added to our mailing list, please contact Cait McCullagh at 01349 867733 or archhighland@googlemail.com