Culture chiefs are facing fresh calls to relocate a collection of Crieff’s most important historical artefacts.
The town’s Mercat Cross, a set of punishment stocks and the Pictish burgh cross are on display in the basement of the old town hall.
However, local history campaigner Ian Hamilton has raised concerns about the worsening state of the display area – which he describes as a “cultural slum” – and has urged Perth and Kinross Council and Culture Perth and Kinross to review the display as a matter of priority.
The artefacts are available to view on Thursdays only and appointments must be booked in advance.
Mr Hamilton said that despite repeated requests to officials “the Crieff monuments continue to fester in the basement of Crieff’s old town hall”.
He said: “I check this display area on a monthly basis and have regularly noted the continuing ingression of damp in the display area and the stairs leading to it – this is despite £178,000 of remedial expenditure three years ago.”
He said none of the three iPad displays work, and plaster and paintwork is peeling off the walls.
“It is a cold and uninviting environment,” he said. “Perth and Kinross Council need to be quite frank and honest about the failure of their visitor arrangements strategy. It is totally naive.”
Mr Hamilton has suggested moving the items to the Strathearn Community Campus, a move that he estimates would cost £20,000.
A local authority spokeswoman said: “Perth and Kinross Council is aware of Mr Hamilton’s views on the current display arrangements for the Crieff Monuments. Both the council and Culture Perth and Kinross have, in the past, been in very extensive dialogue with Mr Hamilton about his concerns.”
She said: “The decision to retain the town hall as the venue for displaying the monuments was taken after consulting with the local community in Crieff, the majority of which wished to see the monuments kept in the Town Hall.
“The council is satisfied that the current arrangements for display and care of the monuments are appropriate and proportionate, bearing in mind the need to ensure access to a large number of historic collections and sites across Perth and Kinross.
“Both the environment and the visitor numbers to the monuments are monitored.”
