Orkney Heritage Society

Orkney Heritage Society
Name	Orkney Heritage Society
Formation	1968
Type	Charity
Purpose	Preservation of cultural and natural heritage
Headquarters	Kirkwall
Region served	Orkney Islands

Orkney Heritage Society is a Scottish charitable organization dedicated to conserving and promoting the cultural, archaeological, and architectural heritage of the Orkney Islands. Founded in the late 1960s, the Society engages with local communities, national institutions, and international partners to protect monuments, traditions, and landscapes associated with Neolithic Orkney, Viking Age, and later historical periods. The Society collaborates with museums, universities, and government bodies to support research, education, and conservation projects across islands such as Mainland, Orkney, Hoy, and Rousay.

History

The Society was established in 1968 amid growing interest following high-profile excavations at Skara Brae and scholarly work by figures associated with Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, and National Museums Scotland. Early patrons included archaeologists involved with the excavations of Maeshowe and advocates from local bodies like Orkney Islands Council and heritage organizations such as Historic Environment Scotland. During the 1970s and 1980s the Society contributed to responses to planning disputes related to sites near St Magnus Cathedral and coastal archaeology on South Ronaldsay, interacting with national debates linked to Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1947 implementations and conservation policy shaped by entities like the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Later decades saw partnerships with international researchers from University of Glasgow, University of Cambridge, and collaborators connected to projects at Links of Noltland and maritime studies referencing Hoxa Head wreck investigations.

Objectives and Activities

The Society's objectives encompass safeguarding monuments from erosion and development, promoting archaeological research, and fostering public appreciation of Orkney's heritage. It works with organizations such as Historic Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, and academic departments at University of Aberdeen to prioritize sites including Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, and maritime locations near Scapa Flow. The Society advocates for policy engagement with bodies like NatureScot and liaises on cultural tourism issues that involve attractions such as Skara Brae Visitor Centre and events connected to St Magnus International Festival. Educational activities have links to schools in Kirkwall and community groups associated with Orkney Islands Council heritage schemes.

Publications and Research

The Society publishes newsletters, monographs, and conference proceedings that document archaeological reports, architectural surveys, and oral histories. Its outputs reference contributions from researchers at University of York, University of Stirling, and international collaborators involved in studies of Neolithic chambered cairns, Pictish remains, and Norse settlements. Publications have covered findings from excavations at Midhowe, studies of brochs such as Broch of Gurness, and maritime archaeology related to World War I and World War II wrecks in Scapa Flow. The Society also supports cataloguing of archival materials held in repositories like Orkney Library and Archive and promotes digitization projects in partnership with British Museum curators and specialists from Historic Environment Scotland.

Events and Outreach

Annual lectures, guided walks, and conferences are central to the Society's outreach, often featuring speakers from institutions such as Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and visiting scholars from University of Oslo and Stockholm University. Public programmes have included site tours of Maeshowe and community workshops linked to traditional crafts from Orkney Folk Festival contexts. The Society has participated in collaborative festivals and commemorations involving St Magnus Cathedral services, heritage open days aligning with national Doors Open Days initiatives, and educational collaborations with Orkney College UHI and local museums like Orkney Museum.

Membership and Governance

Membership comprises local residents, professionals in archaeology and architecture, and international supporters with interests in Neolithic Britain and Norse heritage. Governance follows a charitable trust model with a committee and trustees drawn from figures connected to Scottish Charity Regulator guidelines, often including academics from University of Edinburgh and representatives of Orkney Islands Council. Funding streams have included subscriptions, grants from bodies such as Heritage Lottery Fund, and donations coordinated with partners like National Trust for Scotland and private benefactors associated with conservation trusts.

Notable Projects and Conservation Work

Key projects include surveying and advocacy for the Ring of Brodgar and Stenness Standing Stones landscape, conservation support for St Magnus Cathedral fabric repairs, and involvement in mitigation work for coastal erosion at sites on Sanday and Stronsay. The Society has contributed expertise to maritime conservation efforts concerning HMS Royal Oak and wreck sites in Scapa Flow, liaising with maritime archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology and conservation scientists associated with National Museums Scotland. It has backed community archaeology at sites like Links of Noltland and broch excavations at Gurness, and has funded oral history projects preserving traditions connected to Orkneyinga saga narratives, Norse placenames, and local craft practices.

Category:Charities based in Scotland Category:Organizations established in 1968