Latest news with #OrkneyIslandsCouncil
The National
5 hours ago
- General
- The National
Archaeologists identify 250-year-old shipwreck in Orkney
Expert say the vessel discovered on the island of Sanday last year is most likely the Earl of Chatham, a former Royal Navy vessel called HMS Hind that was later renamed once it became a whaling ship. Historic Environment Scotland (HSE), which funded the research, said the sixth-rate 24-gun frigate saw many years of active service, including sieges of Louisbourg and Quebec in the 1750s and the American Revolutionary War in the late 1770s. Once it was decommissioned, it was sold and renamed the Earl of Chatham, becoming a 500-tonne whaling ship. (Image: Orkney Islands Council) HSE said this was common for Royal Navy ships because their build quality allowed them to withstand the icy conditions of British whaling routes. As the Earl of Chatham, it completed four seasons in the Arctic before ultimately meeting its end in the Bay of Lopness in March 1788. It carried 56 sailors on board at the time, all of whom survived. READ MORE: Glasgow Commonwealth Games official mascot unveiled Wessex Archaeology, along with with Dendrochronicle and volunteer community researchers, began working on its origins following its discovery in February 2024. Analysis of the wood determined the ship was built with timber from south and south-west England. Archaeologists from Wessex Archaeology, local community researchers, and the Sanday Heritage Centre then spent several months working with archives and community records to find the most likely candidate for the ship. This research was also supported by Sanday [[Heritage]] Group and Orkney Archaeology Society. The Sanday Wreck was revealed last year thanks to changes in the climate. Increased storminess and unusual wind patterns led to removal of the covering sands which had hidden and protected the wreck for centuries. Changes to coastlines, which are predicted to accelerate in coming decades, could make similar finds more common. Ben Saunders, senior marine archaeologist at Wessex Archaeology, said: 'It is thanks to our dedicated team of community researchers and the evidence they have gathered that means we have been able to identify the Sanday Wreck with a reasonable degree of confidence. Ben Saunders (Image: Orkney Islands Council) Ben Saunders (Image: Orkney Islands Council) 'Throughout this project, we have learned so much about the wreck, but also about the community in Sanday in the 1780s. 'Sanday was infamous for shipwrecks at the time, called 'the cradle of shipwrecks in Scotland', but the community was equally well-known for its hospitability as it looked after sailors who fell afoul of the area's stormy seas. 'We are grateful to the support from our partners, and we're delighted to be able to share our work on this intriguing wreck.' Alison Turnbull, director of external relations and partnerships at HES, said: 'The discovery of the Sanday Wreck is a rare and fascinating story. READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne dies 'surrounded by love' at the age of 76, family says 'Wessex Archaeology worked closely with the community of Sanday to discover the ship's identity, which shows that communities hold the keys to their own heritage. 'It is our job to empower communities to make these discoveries and be able to tell the story of their historic environment. 'We are proud to have grant-funded this work, which supports both Scotland's archaeology strategy of making archaeology matter, and Scotland's national strategy for the historic environment – Our Past, Our Future.' Nick Hewitt, culture team manager for Orkney Islands Council, added: 'It has been a wonderful team effort so far between many and one we're proud to have been a part of, and will continue to be as we support the Sanday community explore the future possibilities for their wreck.' The timbers are currently housed in a freshwater tank at the Sanday Heritage Centre to conserve them. There visitors can find out more about the wreck's story and Sanday's history.
Scottish Sun
08-07-2025
- General
- Scottish Sun
Major bonfire & fireworks display in Scotland axed after 30 years
The decision was made after concerns were raised over its impact on local wildlife FIZZLE OUT Major bonfire & fireworks display in Scotland axed after 30 years A POPULAR Scottish bonfire and fireworks display has been axed. The community event has been a November tradition for the past three decades. 1 Kirkwall Bonfire display has been axed after running for three decades Credit: Orkney Islands Council But the organisers of Kirkwall Bonfire in Orkney have pulled the plug. The decision was made after concerns were raised over its impact on local wildlife. Organisers called off the popular display at a community council meeting last night, as reported by BBC Scotland. The event, hosted by Orkney Rotary Club, has been held over the past 30 years. The bonfire and fireworks display usually took place at the Peedie Sea on the outskirts of Kirkwall, Orkney's main settlement. The marshy area is home to a variety of bird species, including ducks and swans, and is a popular spot for birdwatching. Concerns had been raised over the impact of noise from fireworks on swans Orkney Rotary Club withdrew from hosting the annual event in March and Kirkwall and St Ola community council couldn't find a new location or host. Last year's bonfire and fireworks were scaled down amid concerns. It is understood that campaigners have criticised the location of the event due to the prevalence of birdlife in the area. Detectives search for gun used to murder Scots gangster almost 100 miles away But the display could be held again in the future if another venue is found. Earlier this year, North Lanarkshire Council announced it would be cancelling its annual Strathclyde Park display, near Glasgow. The local authority said "major ongoing construction work" led to the decision in a post on social media . The event is currently not scheduled to take place in 2026 either.
BBC News
04-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
HMS Vanguard: World War One ship's bell recovered after 108 years
A bell from a World War One battleship - which sank with the loss of hundreds of lives in Scapa Flow in Orkney over a century ago - has been recovered by other artefacts from HMS Vanguard - a metal badge from one of the the main guns and a protective plug from a gun barrel, known as a tampion - have also been brought to the will eventually be loaned to the Scapa Flow Museum in Orkney by the National Museum of the Royal Navy (NMRN) after conservation work has taken objects were identified by a team of divers who surveyed the wreck in 2017 as part of commemorations to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking. The project has taken three years of planning and has involved the Ministry of Defence, Orkney Islands Council (OIC), the NMRN and the Scottish sinking of HMS Vanguard is believed to be the biggest accidental loss of life in a single incident in the history of the Royal St Vincent-class dreadnought - a veteran of the Battle Of Jutland - was anchored alongside the rest of the Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow on 9 July 1917 when an explosion in a magazine saw her blow up and sink in just a few short moments. Only three of the 848 men onboard survived, one of whom died later from his wreck lies at a depth of 34m (110ft) and is protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act (1986) as a Sovereign Immune permission was secured to bring the artefacts to the surface which lay outside the wreck's current exclusion zone. Wendy Sadler lost her great-grand uncle Henry Metcalf in the sinking of HMS Vanguard and is leading a project to try and find photos of as many of the crew as said it was an emotional moment to be able to see and touch the bell."A hundred years-plus ago your relatives looked at it, heard it ringing," she said."To think of what happened to them that night, losing their lives, and it is not seen for another 110 years - it is a privilege and an honour."We can't stop doing things like this - them fading into history - we've got to keep their memory alive somehow." Experts believe that the tampion is made from horse hair and leather and could have been preserved by bell is distorted from the force of the explosion. It was found about 200m (650ft) from where the ship would have been Hewitt, a naval historian and also the culture team leader at Orkney Islands Council which runs a number of museums, thinks the bell will resonate with those who see it. "Our visitors will look at the bell and they will immediately feel what happened to that ship because it is distorted from the explosion - it is missing the crown that should be on top," he said."It has a hole on the top instead of a crown."Our plan is not to fully restore it, it is not going to look bright and shiny like the Royal Oak bell in the cathedral." The project to recover the objects came about after survey work was undertaken by a team of divers led by Emily Turton, leading up to the centenary commemorations in spent a total of 500 hours mapping together the wreck site, which is spread over a large said it was emotional to be involved in a project which she had been part of for a number of added: "It was lovely to find artefacts that really pertained to the ship, rather than wreckage, along with other personal artefacts."There are musical instruments on Vanguard, there are the clothes and shoes they would have worn so those really have a personal connection."
Telegraph
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Orkney ditches plan to break from UK
Civic leaders in Orkney have abandoned plans to loosen ties with the UK after a report concluded that it would be too expensive. Officials on the islands, ten miles north of Scotland, spent two years exploring opportunities for greater autonomy, which included becoming a self-governing territory of Norway. However, Orkney Islands council has accepted that it must remain part of the UK after an investigation into 'alternative governance' concluded the proposals were too difficult and costly to pursue. Members have agreed instead to explore a single authority model to reform how public services are delivered. Orkney's bid to break away from the UK made headlines in 2023. It stemmed from frustration with the financial support it received from both the Westminster and Holyrood governments. James Stockan, the former council leader, was backed by his fellow councillors, who voted by 15 votes to six in favour of exploring 'alternative models of governance'. Mr Stockan, who stood down from the council in January last year, said at the time that Orkney did not get fair funding with its current relationship within the UK. He argued that funding from the Scottish Government was significantly less per head than Shetland and the Western Isles received to run the same services. Mr Stockan also pointed out that, despite Orkney contributing to the Scottish economy over four decades through North Sea oil, 'the dividend we get back isn't sufficient to keep us going'. He said he wanted to consider the model of Crown Dependencies such as the Channel Islands and overseas territories such as the Falkland Islands. He suggested Orkney could be like the Faroe Islands, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark, and floated the idea that Orkney could rejoin Norway. The islands were gifted to Scotland, along with Shetland, by King Christian I of Denmark and Norway in 1472 as security for a wedding dowry. The debt was never repaid and the islands remained part of Scotland. When the report Mr Stockan set in motion finally appeared before councillors, its conclusion that Orkney had no realistic prospect of changing its relationship with the UK was accepted without comment. Instead, the council is mapping out a new direction with the Scottish Government to reform how local services may be delivered in future through the single authority model, with preliminary talks already held. Heather Woodbridge, Orkney's current council leader, assured members during their meeting that this was just the start of a more detailed appraisal and implementing the model was not a foregone conclusion. The Scottish Government believes the single authority model could also work in Argyll and Bute and the Western Isles. It has indicated it will publish more details and a timeline for implementation by the end of this parliament next year.
The National
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Orkney council ends investigation into leaving UK
In July 2023, the local authority passed a motion that looked into various models for 'alternative governance' after the former council leader said Orkney does not get fair funding with its current relationship within the UK. Council officials explored changes which included changing Orkney's status in the UK or even potentially becoming a self-governing territory of Norway. READ MORE: MSPs pass bill giving Gaelic and Scots official status in Scotland However, a report to councillors concluded that the proposals were too difficult and too expensive, and members agreed to investigate a single authority model to reform how public services are delivered instead. The local authority is now mapping out a new direction with the Scottish Government to reform how local services may be delivered in future with preliminary talks already having been held. Orkney's current council leader, Heather Woodbridge, assured members during their meeting that this was just the start of a more detailed appraisal and implementing the model was not a foregone conclusion. Orkney's bid to cut ties with the UK made the headlines two years ago after former council leader, James Stockan (below), said he wanted to explore a future for the area to be similar to Crown Dependencies like the Channel Islands and overseas territories like the Falkland Islands. (Image: Orkney Islands Council) At the time, Stockan said many areas in Orkney were being 'failed dreadfully' by both the UK and Scottish governments and that the islands have a 'huge affinity' and a 'deep cultural relationship' with Norway after previously being part of the Norse kingdom. Orkney was gifted to Scotland, along with Shetland, by King Christian I of Denmark and Norway in 1472 as security for a wedding dowry. The debt was never repaid, and the islands have remained part of Scotland ever since then. Stockan's motion was backed by his fellow councillors in 2023, who voted by 15 votes to six in favour of exploring 'alternative models of governance'. Stockan left his leadership role and stood down from the council in January last year.
