Iron Age Site (Outer Hebrides) (Hansard, 18 April 1996)

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

My right hon. Friend provides resources to his executive agency, Historic Scotland, to fund its rescue archaeology programme and other activities. The sum of £1.8 million has been allocated in 1996–97 for rescue archaeology. It is for the agency to decide on relative priorities, including whether and to what extent to fund individual projects.602W The agency's chief executive is writing to the hon. Member to explain Historic Scotland's involvement in the excavation at Bosta, Great Bernera.

Letter from Graeme Munro to Mr. Tam Dalyell, dated 18 April 1996: I refer to your Parliamentary Question of 16 April to the Secretary of State for Scotland. As you will know from the reply from Lord James Douglas-Hamilton I have been asked to reply on the particular project at Bosta. The excavation at Bosta, Great Bernera, Outer Hebrides, is a research project being undertaken by the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Field Archaeology with the assistance of a grant from Historic Scotland. Initially the University requested a grant of £23,500 which was provided. Following a site visit by one of our Ancient Monument Inspectors to the important new discoveries made in recent weeks, Historic Scotland has allocated a further £45,000 to ensure that these are properly investigated and recorded. Digging will recommence at the end of April for a four-week period, and there will probably be a third episode of excavation in September. In due course financial support will be provided for the all-important process of analysis and publication of the discoveries. The archaeological site contains the remains of several houses of late Iron Age date. It is at threat from active marine erosion (hence the dig), but urgent investigations are being made by the Western Isles Islands Council into the feasibility of saving the site, possibly enlisting help from major private sector concerns working locally. There is keen interest in Great Bernera and beyond in attempting to preserve or reconstruct at least part of the excavated remains, preferably on-site. This will be physically difficult, but Historic Scotland will provide technical advice on this aspect. The archaeological excavation work is a necessary precursor to any such preservation effort. An on-site meeting of all concerned will take place in early May, once the next phase of excavation has begun. Historic Scotland are well aware of the public interest in this site, and our staff are doing everything they can, but it must be borne in mind that this is but one of many dozens of archaeological sites known to be under threat from marine erosion. To put the recent discovery into context it is certainly of national interest in relation to the archaeological evidence we can hope to obtain from the excavations, but the stonework is in poor condition and would be difficult to consolidate. The site would not, on present evidence, be a contender for bringing into State care. I hope this information is helpful.