Take a trip back to the Middle Ages
Perth and Kinross residents can now delve hundreds of years into the past to experience how the city looked in the Middle Ages.
The council has installed a series of 12 interpretation panels around the city centre - with a state-of-theart digital twist that tells the story of its burghs from the year 1440.
In addition to the use of text and images, each panel will also link to virtual reality environments created by 3D modelling and gaming technology to transport people back through time and to meet characters who will act as virtual tour guides.
The project was devised by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and delivered by them with Pavo
Interpretation of Perth which researched the panels and Smart History of the University of St Andrews, which has created the digital 3D environment and the characters who will appear in the immersive mobile app.
Trust director David Strachan explained:“Perth was a very important and wealthy burgh back in the Middle Ages, known for the high quality of the crafts it produced.
“We know a huge amount about everyday life thanks to archaeological remains and finds, such as those from the High Street excavations in the 1970s.
“We’re hoping this exciting new approach to sharing the past will help us to reach new audiences with a tech interest.”
The virtual characters encountered will include real people from history, such as Andrew Lufe, a goldsmith and burgess.
App users will be able to find out more about his life and work directly from his digital avatar.
Research fellow in computer science at the University of St Andrews Sarah Kennedy said: “We used 3D modelling and gaming technologies to bring to life the busy streets, markets, religious buildings and homes of Perth in the Middle Ages.
“We hope this shows people how the medieval street layout is still recognisable in the Fair City today.”
Perth and Kinross Council leader
Murray Lyle said: “Perth has a long and illustrious history and these boards do a fantastic job of showing what life would have been like here in the 15th century.
“We’re also looking to do more to bring visitors to the city centre and I’m sure these will be of huge interest to tourists and residents alike.”
A link to a taster video can be found at https://vimeo. com/455716281
A promotional leaflet to accompany the boards has been distributed as part of a soft-launch of the boards, while the material is also being made available online through the trust’s website at www. pkht.org.uk
Cllr John Duff and director of Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust David Strachan at the Smeaton’s Bridge panel