Bag of dirty toilet roll left on ancient monument in Orkney as the number of offences at Scotland’s historic sites grows
A history writer described those who left a bag of used toilet roll on an ancient monument in Orkney as “feral”.
David C Weinczok came across the filthy litter while visiting the Dwarfie Stane on the isle of Hoy during a recent visit.
The stone is a scheduled monument and around 5,000 years old with the tomb cut into a single piece of rock.
Mr Weinczok, author of The History Behind the Game of Thrones and presenter and writer of The Castle Hunter, said: “This is a heritage crime and just a feral thing to do.”
The author reported it to police but it is understood the matter would not be classed as a heritage crime, given there was no damage to the Scheduled Monument.
The discarded toilet paper at Hoy comes as heritage chiefs and police deal with a growing caseload of offences at Scotland’s historic sites.
The incidents are being driven by the rising number of people venturing into their home country as foreign travel remains restricted.
Peter Mcgrath, head of security of Historic Environment Scotland, said a lack of awareness of scheduled monuments and the protection they had in law was often behind incidents.
Recent cases include fire pit damage in the grounds of St Bridget’s Kirk at Dalgety Bay and the theft of a 16th Century millstone from Aberdour Castle, also in Fife.
Historic sites have become gathering points over lockdown, with incidents of antisocial behaviour at Ravenscraig Castle, where walls have been scaled and damaged.
At Lincluden Collegiate Church in Dumfries, one teenager was hospitalised after falling from a high wall at the historic site.
Further north at Ardvreck Castle in Assynt, there have been reports of people climbing on the high walls of the ruin, putting both themselves and the structure at risk. Issues of fires being lit nearby by tourists have also been raised.
Petermcgrath,headofphysicalsecurityathistoricenvironment Scotland, said there had been a “growing trend” in petty damage,illegalmetaldetecting, vandalism, graffiti, fire setting and general antisocial behaviour reported across sites in Scotland,particularlyinthelast year since lockdown.