Researching our Local Heritage

History and Archaeology Training and Events:

This project allowed us to run a series of free training workshops and events to help people get involved with and contribute to IFLI’s various built and cultural heritage projects (and those run by external groups and organisations - all skills were transferrable!). 

Training took place both indoors and outside, and was provided by the fabulous AOC Archaeology team – not only vastly experienced but friendly too! Desk-based workshops covered such topics as accessing heritage resources, oral history and GIS mapping. And there were a number of archaeological surveys and excavations digs, including at a waggon road in Clackmannan. We also undertook a geo-physical survey around Clackmannan Tower and its immediate environment.

In May 2016, we investigated the Orchard / Grange area of Zetland Park in Grangemouth too. You can read a blog by one of the volunteers, Charlene Forbes, here and see the results of the 3D scans on our youtube channel.  The Data Structure Report for this survey can be found here and we've also uploaded some of the photogrammetry mesh images below (provided by AOC Archaeology).

We also worked with AOC Archaeology at Bennet House, Culross in May 2016. The results of the laser scan of the building can also be found on our youtube 3D scan playlist and below.  

One weekend in July 2016, a group of volunteers carried out a variety of surveys of the Kennetpans Distillery warehouse building. Led by AOC Archaeology, the surveys ranged from producing drawings to more technical surveys such as photogrammetry and laser scanning. An example of the great work that was carried out was the photogrammetry survey of the fireplace which was produced by some of the newly trained volunteers. You can see the results of their work here.  A laser scan point cloud survey was also carried out on the building and we have uploaded below.

 

    

In 2017 there were two further public events run as part of the project.

In May we were back in Zetland Park, this time to digitally reconstruct Grangemouth's historic Town Clock. The tower sat atop the Town Chambers near the busy dockyard in the town until much of the building was damaged by fire. The tower was put into storage, and is one of the few physical remains of Grangemouth's Old Town. With AOC Archaeology and a group of local volunteers we used photogrammetry to digitally reconstruct the tower. You can see a video of the day, as well as the results of the scan, below.

The scan created was used as part of a bid by the local community to secure initial funding for the regeneration of Zetland Park.

And in September 2017, as part of the Inner Forth Festival, we again teamed up with AOC Archaeology, as well as the Valleyfield Heritage Project and Fife Council, to excavate the remains of Valleyfield Estate stables. The Estate, now largely woodland just to the north of the village, was formerly a designed landscape built for Sir Robert Preston, and is the only Scottish example of the work of Humphry Repton, a famed landscape designer. Excavation work was done around the outer walls of the stables, on flooring of both stalls for horses and office-space corridors, and in a large fountain/doocot in the centre of the structure.

You can find a full report on the findings of the Valleyfield stables dig along with reports on all of our other projects at the bottom of the page.

Further, this project allowed us to host a few lectures: We heard Dr David Clarke talk about 'Archaeologists and Artefacts', and Dave Cowley (Aerial Survey Projects Manager at Historic Environment Scotland) on the subject of 'Archaeologists and Aerial Photography'. And ceramics expert, George Haggarty, presented a talk in Alloa Tower about the Ceramics Industry of the Forth: recent research and finds.

   

Although this project has now ended and there will be no more big public events like those above, if you're interested in learning more about the types of work, and how you get started in researching your own local heritage, AOC Archaeology have made a range of introductory learning materials available for free use. You can find those in the documents section below; they cover areas like desk-based research, cartography, Canmore, photogrammetry, and more.

The Researching Our Local Heritage End of Project Report can be downloaded here.