SCAPE Project

SCAPE is run by St Andrews University

and seeks to record coastal archaeological sites which are being damaged and lost due to coastal erosion.

There are a number of sites in Papa Stour which are recorded on Canmore and on the SCAPE website.

In 2017 funding was obtained by the North Atlantic Fisheries College from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project to record coastal archaeology in Papa Stour, Fair Isle, Out Skerries and Foula.

An introductory day was held in Isleburgh House in Lerwick where a representative from SCAPE explained the project, supplemented by talks from the Shetland Archaeologist Val Turner and others.

The project was led by Charlotte Slater who lead a number of visits to Papa Stour during the summer of 2018. A number of coastal archaeological sites were identified on Papa Stour from the SCAPE website and from Canmore. The sites visited included four sites at Housa Voe and the fishing station at Hamnavoe together with ruined fisherman’s booths and boat noosts also at Hamnavoe.

These sites were visited and photographed, condition records were made and measurements were taken.

Volunteers came to Papa Stour to assist islanders to visit and record the archaeological sites. Also, volunteers were invited to the Shetland Archives to continue research into the at-risk sites by consulting old records and maps.

At the end of the project, a booklet was produced By Charlotte Slater called “From Myths to Meids, Maritime Heritage of Fair isle, Papa Stour and Skerries.” This book is available from the Shetland Library.

For further information about the Papa Stour sites contact Peter Bardell by email.

Aerial photo credits: Tommy Jamieson