The Hidden Heritage Project

Project

The Hidden Heritage Project is a community heritage project aiming to:

Involve the community and schools in investigating and understanding the heritage of our isthmus landscape through voluntary action
Train the community and schools in documentary research and other archaeological techniques like surveying, excavation and post-excavation
Interpret our landscape and our heritage in a range of stimulating ways, including publications and art
Promote our area, our heritage and our landscape to visitors in order to boost the local economy
Understand Viking activity in the Strathclyde region

Vikings: We are proud of the Viking heritage in the area. It has become an exciting theme of the project and has attracted many to become interested in our work - particularly the young people! We have made an effort to understand the archaeological evidence surrounding Viking activity in the region, and our report will soon be published. We are especially proud to be supported by Dr Colleen Batey, local resident and Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Glasgow. We are extremely lucky to be working with Colleen, who is an internationally renowned expert in Viking and Late Norse Culture of the North Atlantic and Scotland. She presented a fascinating first day-long workshop for the project entitled 'The Vikings in Scotland: myth and reality' - which was attended by over 40 participants. Authentic artifacts were handled, while the Glasgow Viking re-enactors provided living-history support.

Funding: We are fortunate to have received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Argyll and the Islands LEADER so that we can fund these services. We are working with Northlight Heritage and other experts to help us achieve this.

Thanks: Thanks also to Glasgow University for donating Dr Tessa Pollard's time and expertise to train us and survey parts of the landscape using geophysics. Other support has come from Luss Estates, the Robert Kiln Trust, Forestry Commission, Arrochar & Tarbet Gala, Arrochar, Tarbet & Ardlui Heritage Group, Arrochar Primary PTA, and Babcock International and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

This website will develop over time as results emerge and new activities and events take place. Participants will contribute images and content and these will be added as the project progresses.