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Quarriers who put Easdale Island on the map may do so again

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The causeway between quarries copy

[Updated below with comment from Michael Russell MSP] Easdale Island – the slate quarries that roofed the world. Sounds like a grand title, doesn’t it – but that’s what made this small island just 16 miles south of Oban world famous – slate. The photograph above sums up Easda;e’s past and present – a land bridge between two slate quarries – now a causeway between two flooded former slate quarries.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries  millions of tons of slate were dug out by hand from 7 quarries on Easdale and shipped to the all corners of the world – and muh of it to this day keeping the rain off peoples’ heads.

Once the centre of the British slate industry, Easdale had more than 500 men working seven quarries,
digging slate out to depths of 300 feet below sea level. This slate was then transported to as far afield as Australia, Nova Scotia, New Zealand and Ireland.

In 1850 came ‘the great storm’ that flooded most of the quarries and, in days before pumps, virtually wiped out the slate quarries – and the island’s sustainability – overnight. `Some digging was reported to have continued until 1950 but the giant seas that swept the island that night changed it and its community forever.

The gunpowder store copyThe forge and timber for steps copy

Above is the Gunpowder House and the forge, with timber for a present-day project.

For several years now Historic Scotland has been considering scheduling parts of  Easdale as an Ancient Monument. This would give Easdale the same status as other scheduled monuments within Argyll, such as the 13th century monastic remains on the island of the Garvellachs – not far to the south west of Easdale; and the cradle of Christianity in the UK, Iona Abbey – away to the west, off the Ross of Mull.

Twelve months ago Historic Scotland gave a presentation to the Easdale community, spelling out why they felt so strongly that the scheduling process should begin.

since then discussions have been ongoing with the island owner, Jonathan Feigenbaum;Eilean Eisdeal; and members of the community.

The national importance of Easdale slate quarries

Easdale has a well preserved industrial landscape and slate quarrying is a key element in the story of Scotland’s industrial heritage. Easdale has substantial remains of quarries, slate waste, processing and transport infrastructure, showing its history in living detail.

Together with the quarry workers’ housing and the harbour, this contributes to the understanding of the 18th & 19th century industrial manufacturing processes and social history.

Below is the Engine House and machinery mountings inside it.

The enginehouse copy Machinery mountings in enginehouse copy

Why schedule?

Scheduling would recognise the value and importance of Easdale island’s unique heritage and the story of the shocking end to the industry that gave the island grouo its name – the Slate Isles.

In preserving the best of the past for future generations to experience and value – and in this case preserving the industrial past that is not a common feature of the Scottish west coast and islands, scheduling would give the island protection from future intrusive development.

The UK has one of the best records in the world of protecting its ancient and living monuments. It can’t  be understated how significantly Easdale’s slate featured on the world stage. The only other remains of this kind of slate quarrying are at Llanberis in North Wales – and it has just been proposed  to grant these quarries world heritage status.

What would ascheduling mean for Easdale?

It would mean:

Yes – to enjoying all that the island has to offer, its natural historic heritage, its wildlife, swimming in the quarries, full open access to the community and tourists alike.

Yes – to the annual stone-skimming world championships.

Yes – to Sea-fari boat tours.

Yes – to a normal everyday living, working community.

The ‘win, win’ for Easdale

With scheduling come additional benefits.

Easdale would be added to Historic Scotland’s list of Scheduled sites, which would increase year long tourism to the island, benefiting local businesses that depend on tourism and embedding the island on the natiional mapa of unique places to see.

Easdale boasts many attractions – the Puffer Bar cafe/pub, Sea-fari adventure boat trips, the island museum and the uniquely characterful Community Hall with its summer arts programme, including fabulous music.

Greater numbers of tourists coming to Easdale would generate the opportunity to maintain and further develop the sustainability of the island, with an increase in local jobs and more prosperous local businesses.

Below is the tunnel and the Boiler House.

The tunnel copy The boilerhouse copy

Management and grants

Historic Scotland encourages the active management of scheduled monuments.

There are Historic Scotland grants available for some works to maintain scheduled areas; and there is the Adopt a Monument programme which can be great fun for communities and is all about united community engagement.

Big Lottery money and the Heritage Lottery Fund are available to support a range of programmes on merit, It would be all up to the island community as to how much – or little -  they wanted to do.

Myth busting

Scheduling would not affect the everyday living and working of the island community.

Islanders and tourists would still have full and open access to all the scheduled areas.

The world stone-skimming championships would still take place.

The lifeline ferry service would be unaffected.

The ownership of the island would be unaffected.

The ownership of homes and other properties on the island wold be unaffected.

Scheduling respects island life as it is lived today, as well as respecting and celebrating the lives of the hard-working quarriers of the past who helped to roof the world,  who made these islands famous and now may do so once again.

Support from local MSP

Michael Russell, MSP for Argyll and Bute, is strongly supportive of the Historic Scotland scheduling, putting the Easdale industrial archaeology and remains, on merit, on a deserved par of significance with the traditional structures and places most associated with Historic Scotland. He says:

‘I think the scheduling of Easdale would be a very positive step not only because of the attention it would bring to the slate islands in general (another of which, Luing, will have its own dedicated visitor centre shortly which will tell the important story of slate quarrying in this area) but also because of the way in which scheduling can open up possibilities for the preservation and up to date presentation of key features of the island including the attraction of funding.

‘I have been arguing for  the scheduling of the Tinkers Heart  beside Loch Fyne in recent months and had a good  meeting with Historic Scotland about the issue just last week.   Scheduling of the Easdale  landscape would  be another move towards  helping Scotland to understand that the  context and the experiences of history, including industrial history,  can be  as important as the structures we already preserve such as our magnificent castles and churches.’


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