Not to Skaill

As promised here are a few of the items we used in our
World Heritage Day display recently.

Orkney Archive Reference: D8/4/1/2 Plan of the buildings uncovered at Skaill in Sandwick in 1867.

Orkney Archive Reference:  L8343-3 An artist's impression of the Ring of Brodgar, no date given.

Orkney Archive Reference: D2/17/4 - Letter from the Balfour of Balfour and Trenabie Collection

Dear Capt[ai]n Edmeston 

Stromness 30th Decr 1814

I'm well aware, that your ears will be assail'd at this time from all quarters on the subject of a scrape I got into on my farm in Stenness, by pulling down 2 of the stones, that stood in a field of lay ground, which I was preparing to plue up: and as I flatter myself, from this friendly attention, you have shown me hitherto that you would be sorry for a thing of this kind I write you at present to see if you would have the goodness, to speake to Mr Riddoch, or any other of the Gentlemen concerned, to assure them that I was not in the smallest degree aware of giving them, or the meanest individual in the County offence by doing so.
My Landlord was the only person to whom I thought, I was accountable, and as I mentioned to Mr Rae, the necessity of pulling down a few of those stones, for the purpose of [?] the Fields,

as he did not seem to be aware (more than myself) of any objections being made as we agreed that two or three of them should stand, namely the one on the point of the Peninsula, and another on the field, I thought these would answer as a show without doing me any detriment.
However as I cannot now recall what is done, I request the favour of you to make what use of communication you deem best to prevent any further steps being taken that might operate to my prejudice.
I have the honour to remain
Dr Captn Edmeston
your very obed. Servt.
Wm Mackay

Orkney Archive Reference: D29/2/11 - Notebook from the Hugh Marwick Collection

Letter to the Editor in the Glasgow Herald "A Prehistoric Village & Traces of Human Sacrifice" written by V. Gordon Childe in 1928 and kept in a scrapbook by Dr Hugh Marwick

Orkney Archive Reference: L7255-2

Professor V. Gordon Childe, archaeologist with workmen employed on excavations at Skara Brae, Sandwick in 1928.

Man at back: unknown; Back L-R: Willie Hourston, Willa Harvey, Professor Childe, Leslie Ritch, ? .  Front L-R: Jim Brass (Aith),  ?  , Willie Brass (Goldigarth), James Linklater (Millcroft).

Orkney Archive Reference: D8/3/11
Pencil drawing of the interior of Maeshowe, after excavation. Artist and date unknown.

Celebrating World Heritage Day

We have a pop-up display of archives in the Orkney Library & Archive Foyer for the next 7 days, excluding Sunday. So if you're in the town, do pop by to see it!

We are celebrating World Heritage Day which is on Saturday 18th April.

The display is a mixture of archives and photographs which relate to the three main sites of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, namely Maeshowe, Skara Brae and the stone circles of Brodgar and Stenness.

We have a letter written in 1814 from a farmer apologising for pulling down some standing stones so that he could "plue" the field; a plan of the Skara Brae site after excavation drawn by William G T Watt in November 1867; and a pencil drawing of the Maeshowe site after excavation with no date or artist given.

The photos show Professor V Gordon Childe, archaeologist with workmen employed on excavations at Skara Brae, Sandwick in 1928; the standing stones and dolmen at Stenness; and an artists impression of the Ring of Brodgar.

And these photos from the Tom Kent collection:

Stone circle of Stenness with dolmen TK4071

Skara Brae c.1927-32   TK3991

Maeshowe TK4045

I hope you will be able to come in the see the display, but if not, I will share some scans of the archives at a later date.

Archive references used in display: D8/3/11, D1/927, D2/17/4, D8/4/1/2, D29/2/11               

Photographic references used in display: TK4071, L854/4, L8343/3, TK3972, TK3991, TK4045, L7255/2.