Bennachie Landscapes Project
FUNDERS & PARTNERS: Arts & Humanities Research Council, University of Aberdeen, Baillies of Bennachie, Forestry Commission Scotland, RCAHMS
LOCATION: Bennachie, Aberdeenshire
Northlight Heritage staff formed part of the core team of this joint initiative by the University of Aberdeen and the voluntary conservation society The Bailies of Bennachie. The project aimed to better understand the historic landscape of Bennachie and its environs, and to provide opportunities for various groups to engage with the past of their local area. Fieldwork focused on the 19th-century colony settlement, using archaeology to give a voice to the crofters evicted in clashes with local landowners. Our staff coordinated community engagement, analysing local capacity, assessing existing skill sets and providing training in all aspects of historical and archaeological investigation. The project built the foundations for self-sustaining community engagement with the past, encouraging people to think about the local questions they want to answer and providing them with the skills, competencies and confidence to answer them.