Preserving and Enhancing Historical Sites in Scotland

Preservation of Historical Places in Scotland

Agencies like Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland shoulder the principal responsibility for securing Scottish historic sites for the nation. In fulfilling their duties, they are not only preserving the country's built or natural heritage but the legends of its people and pioneers. Few small countries, after all, can boast such a page-turning history. Historic Scotland's recent announcement of record visitor numbers last year surely reflects this.

UNESCO Heritage Sites

From historic buildings and monuments to underwater wrecks, sites vital to our understanding of the past are protected under law. Some of Scotland's historical gems have been ratified by UNESCO as world heritage sites for their 'outstanding universal value.' These include the Antonine Wall, the remote islands of St Kilda, Edinburgh's Old and New Towns, New Lanark's 18th century cotton mill and the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, all described as 'belonging to all peoples of the world'. This designation tasks the Scottish government with a duty to protect and preserve these special places for future generations.

Bringing Scottish History to Life

But while Scotland not only safeguards its historical sites, its guardians acknowledge the need to bring them to life for those who enjoy them. Visitors to Skara Brae cab see the best preserved Neolithic settlement in Northern Europe, spread out beside the Bay of Skaill, Orkney. Standing alone, it comprises eight ancient dwellings with interlinked passages. However, with interactive computer technology, it becomes more. The recreation of house number seven and a virtual walk-through plugs the gaps in our imagination, enabling us to connect with the people who lived there five thousand years ago.

At Stenness, the chambered cairn of Maeshowe gives visitors the chance to travel back to the heart of Neolithic Scotland and the fascinating beliefs of its earliest settlers.

The Role of Technology in the History of Scotland

Maintaining the fabric of historical sites central to Scotland's story is recognised as vital to the nation's culture but so, too, is preserving their context. Battle sites provide an interesting challenge to conservators. Often, little of visual quality remains in open tracts of peaty land. However, at Culloden's 9.5 million visitor centre, the story of 16th April 1746 is told through the eyes of computer generated characters while a 360 degree immersive film allows viewers to experience the sights and sounds of that tragic but pivotal day in Scotland's past.

At Glencoe Visitor Centre, interactive displays enable visitors to understand how the landscape was formed, even feeling what it is like to climb on ice.

Similarly at Bannockburn, a 10 minute high-definition film, researched by expert historians and re-enacted by 120 actors and extras was launched in 2009. Even where little remains in a built sense, the events and actions of Scottish history can still be remembered.

Structures and Strongholds - Castles in Scotland

Loved by visitors for their romance, Scotland's castles are links to the country's clans and the backdrop for countless key battles in the nation's timeline. In recognition, Historic Scotland's Scottish Castle Initiative encourages investment in restoration by providing detailed advice and examples of successful past refurbishments.

In Aberdeenshire, the National Trust for Scotland has completed an intricate two year project to resurface the 17th Century Craigievar Castle in lime mortar with a natural earth pigment, returning the castle to its original shade of alluring pink.

Visit Historical Places in Scotland for Free on St Andrews Day

Last year on St Andrew's Day, Scotland's most cherished Castle, Edinburgh Castle - visited by over one million people last year - was open free to the public. Urquhart Castle, overlooking Loch Ness, also participated in the St Andrew's Day celebrations by opening its doors for free in the weekend running up to the 30th, giving the public free access to two of Scotland's most iconic and photographed buildings.

One of the jewels in the St Andrew's Day crown was the free admission to the refurbished Robert Burns Birthplace Cottage in Alloway. The Ayrshire poet is seen as central to the cultural identity of Scotland, and in 2009 the Year of Homecoming celebrated the 250th anniversary of his birth. Visitors enjoyed improved interpretation facilities and a new film which reintroduced them to an ordinary Scot with an extraordinary talent for tapping into the soul of humanity.

Preserving Scotland's unique voice is just as vital as its castles. Robert Burns is proof of that.

There will be many fascinating attractions opening for free to you again this year.
Keep an eye out for updates about these and other St Andrew's Day celebrations on the links below!