28 October 2014

 NWDG SCOTTISH WOODLAND HISTORY CONFERENCE

TUESDAY 28th OCTOBER 2014
The Soutar Theatre, A K Bell Library, Perth

This year, our theme is ‘Woodland Products & Processes’ The use of woods and trees in the everyday lives of people since earliest times has been significant and wide-ranging in the Scotland. It is a theme that we cover regularly at our woodland history conference because of the importance that wood products and processes have had on our woods, countryside and archaeology.

We have therefore devised a programme which includes chronologically and thematically a broad range of talks. It has been a difficult theme to get to grips with for two reasons. Firstly, the breadth of the theme, which could include anything from clog-making to charcoal burning and many other besides, so where do we start? Secondly, much of the detailed research work on processes such as those relating to charcoal and the iron industry and wood products such as bark derives from the work of Jim Lindsay in the 1970s. Only Chris Smout (along with Fiona Watson and Alan Macdonald) has systematically researched and augmented the work of Lindsay. Therefore, we are delighted that Chris has agreed to give an introductory overview of the many products and processes. Thereafter the programme follows a broadly chronological approach.

What better way to start the day than looking at the enigmatic crannogs? We are delighted to have Nick Dixon, who has worked on Scottish crannogs, especially on Loch Tay, for many years. Charcoal making has been a part of woodland history for a very long time, but the archaeology of it has also been somewhat controversial. Jonathan Wordsworth will re-visit Lindsay’s work on charcoal and link it with the archaeological evidence, with particular reference to Morvern in Argyll.

We are delighted that Peter Quelch has agreed to display some of his many woodworking tools, which will be on show upstairs in the MacKenzie Room, alongside woodworking implements from the Highland FolkMuseum and Darvel chairs courtesy of Steve Hunter. We have therefore provided a generous lunch period as well as breaks in the morning and afternoon.

The afternoon session aims to tackle the theme from a variety of angles. Donald McWhannell is an acknowledged authority on the history of boat building in Argyll, an activity with a strong tradition right into the 18th century. We are pleased to have Archie McConnel back with a typically enigmatic title, but which will essentially cover the patterns of availability and its effect on utilisation and on woodland in the south-west, but with reference to a number of other countries.

Jacob O’Sullivan, curator at the Highland Folk museum, is going to talk about using wood and woodlands as a heritage resource and we are delighted that he is going to bring along a few of the many hundred wood artefacts and implements that are held at Newtonmore. Finally, we will have Steve Hunter, known to many as a stalwart of the Argyll Green Woodworkers, who has researched the origins and social history of the Darvel chair, a popular form of chair produced in the Ayrshire town in the 19th century.

There is limited charged parking at the venue. See (http://www.pkc.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1DC98154-A86E-4995-8F2D-CD836010435B/0/ParkingGuide20102011.pdf). Free parking can be found at the nearby Dewar’s Ice rink/Leisure Centre.

Programme and booking form are available from their website: 

http://www.nwdg.org.uk/conference_27.html

Any enquiries regarding the meeting should be directed to Mairi Stewart at mairi_skye@hotmail.com, tel. 01887 829760 or about registration, membership or the group to Alison Averis at alisonaveris@tiscali.co.uk.