Dig site is best in Britain

Fiona Howard • Published 25 Feb 2010 14:28 0 Comments

A HUGE community effort to uncover its past has been recognised as the best in Britain.

Historic evidence of rural life on the shores of Loch Long has been unearthed by a pioneering and award-winning group of dedicated volunteers who took part in an archaeological dig during some of the worst November rain on record.

The first phase of excavation at the deserted settlement of High Morlaggan was completed in November when a group of 110 people, aged from seven to 70, visited the site during the excavation.

Just over 100 community volunteers actually dug. These included children from the local primary school, kids from two young archaeology groups, and young people with learning disabilities, as well as many interested adults.

Motivated local residents, Sue Furness and Fiona Jackson, asked archaeologists from Kilmartin House Museum to run the dig, which was funded by Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park's Natural Heritage Grant Scheme in conjunction with Scottish Natural Heritage.

The High Morlaggan Project started from small beginnings, yet, at the end of February 2010, will be receiving the Robert Kiln Award for the best archaeology project in the UK run by a voluntary group or individual.

Fiona said: "We are really quite shocked! I think we were the only Scottish entry in the competition, so to win is amazing."

The award and a presentation of the project will take place at the Archaeology 2010 Conference at the British Museum in London.

Sue and Fiona will be going down to London to attend the conference and present a paper on their work on the Sunday and to receive their prize at an awards ceremony on the Saturday night.

"We are working on our presentation now." said Fiona, "and it is all quite scary!"

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