What is Scotland’s rural past?
Scotland’s rural past is the evidence of historic rural life and settlement in Scotland. It encompasses evidence deriving from the Medieval and Post-Medieval periods, both before and after the clearances and agricultural improvements. Its study embraces a variety of subjects, including archaeology, architecture, folk culture, local history, family history, place-name evidence, ecology and environment.

What is Scotland’s Rural Past Project?
Scotland’s Rural Past Project is a national initiative supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland. It aims to encourage interested individuals to find out more about historic rural settlement in their locality and, if possible, to become involved in researching, recording, interpreting, preserving, conserving and even promoting them. The initiative will help to establish locally-based projects and will aim to supply these with professional and financial support where needed. Any information collected about historic rural settlements will be incorporated in publicly accessible national and local historic archives. Initially, it is hoped that a number of locally-based projects will run for a period of up to five years with funding assistance and, where possible, expand beyond this time period and generate more widespread public interest.

Why do we need to know about Scotland’s rural past?
Traditionally archaeological studies have been more concerned with evidence of earlier periods in Scotland. However there is an increasing realisation that the evidence of Scotland’s historic rural settlement has been neglected, with the result that we now know little about this element of our past. While these remains are still quite extensive in the countryside, they are gradually disappearing, through a combination of natural ruination and removal for the purposes of re-development or agriculture. The vast majority of these remains are unprotected. We need to be able to identify the best examples for long-term preservation and generally improve our knowledge and records of them both nationally and locally.

How do recover evidence about Scotland’s rural past?
Evidence about Scotland’s rural past survives in the form of ruined buildings and archaeological remains in the landscape. These remains typically include farmsteads, shielings, townships, crofts, mills, field systems, cultivation earthworks, boundary dykes, limekilns, corn-drying kilns and sheepfolds. Other evidence about rural settlement can be recovered by studying historical documents, old maps and photographs, and by researching local family history, e.g. in local parish records and estate records. Related evidence of folklore, traditions and technology can be recovered through oral history and written descriptions. Further information can be gleaned by looking at historic artefacts recovered or passed down from such sites.

How can the project help my community?
Support from the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as Historic Scotland will ensure that this initiative can involve a wide variety of individuals, whether or not they already form part of a local group. No skills or experience are necessary and all ages and abilities are welcome. There are a variety of ways and levels in which people can become involved. The project will offer individuals the chance to work together, to learn more about this valuable aspect of our heritage and to help preserve it and promote it for the benefit of future generations.

How can I become involved?
If you wish to be involved in the project, please fill in the brief questionnaire (contact details for returning your complete questionnaire can be found above). You may wish to undertake library or archive-based research of historic documents, maps or photographs, or you may prefer to engage in the project by undertaking field survey to find or record various aspects of historic rural settlement remains. Other activities will revolve around helping to preserve and maintain these remains, and to promote selected sites to potential visitors. Ultimately a collection of interpretive leaflets, trails and educational packs for local schools might result from successful local projects.