AN ANCIENT Shetland settlement that will eventually crumble into the sea as nature is allowed to take its course has for the moment been taken under the wings of its concerned community thanks to a St Andrews University coastal erosion project.

The huge undertaking at Sandwick Bay, Unst, was led by the SCAPE (Scottish Coastal Archaeology and the Problems of Erosion) Trust, and sponsored by Historic Scotland.

They teamed up with the Council for Scottish Archaeology’s Adopt-a-Monument scheme to help rebuild structures on the site after excavation work was finished in the first ever exercise where an eroding site has been reinstated.

Local people worked with archaeologists and ancient building specialists, and it was decided the structures would be rebuilt in their original position in spite of the fact the site would be lost to erosion.

Now the site will be maintained and monitored as the remains are washed away.

The attitude being taken is that erosion is inevitable and—as the archaeological information has been retrieved—nature should take its course.

It is hoped the structures will survive for a few more years to let visitors see what they have found.

An interpretation board and leaflets are being produced to allow visitors to understand the remains.

A display will also be arranged in the local heritage centre, which will include information about a skeleton found with an unusual polished stone disk beside its head.

SCAPE project coordinator Tom Dawson said excavation of the structure has been finished, leaving some of the walls untouched, but removing other walls.

“Before taking the walls down, we photographed and drew them, as well as marking the stones, so that we could put the walls back in place,” he said.

“The rebuilding phase was remarkably quick, and it helped to round off the project.

“It meant that when the project was finished, there wasn’t just a hole in the ground, there was something to see.”

Tom also believes the Unst community is a shining example of what hard work and dedication can achieve.

“This is one of thousands of threatened coastal sites and this project sets a great example for other communities to help raise awareness of the impacts of climate change upon Scotland’s coastal heritage,” he said.

The work was carried out with members of the Unst Heritage Group under supervision of Helen Bradley of the Adopt-a-Monument scheme.

Helen said she is delighted the project has been such a great success, and that the local group are taking this site into stewardship.

Noel Fojut, head of archaeology at Historic Scotland, said the site is a fascinating one, but there is only a short amount of time to explore, study and understand it.

“The strength of local support and community involvement in the Sandwick excavation has been remarkable and is genuinely deserved,” he said.

Another community project is planned next year, seeing the collaboration of SCAPE and CSA, on the island of Bressay, Shetland.

In this case, the local group want the structure excavated and dismantled, then rebuilt outside their heritage centre.