Special history exhibition to grow
Donation to showcase
A special exhibition designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Strathearn Archaeological and Historical Society is set to expand.
The showcase – curated in conjunction with the Society’s members, friends and library staff – began in October and is scheduled to be on show inside Crieff’s Strathearn Community Library until the middle of January.
Accessible during library opening hours, the exhibition already features Crieff High School’s collection of museum-quality replica artefacts based on key archaeological finds discovered close to the school and at the nearby Dundurn Pictish fort.
And the collection is due to be added to imminently thanks to a donation to the school of ‘chance field finds’ by wellknown Scottish metal detectorist, Hugh McCreadie.
Society vice- chair Ian Hamilton explained the ‘youngest’ items are two Crotal bells, which could date as far back as the late medieval period.
These items were used at the time to alert pedestrians to approaching horses or horse-drawn carts and carriages.
Mr Hamilton said the larger of the pair is “plough damaged”, but the smaller one
still rings true.
There are also coins from the reigns of Edward I, Henry III and George III , covering periods between 1239 and 1819.
Among the more unusual other finds are a child’s metal ring and a cast copper alloy dress pin.
The ring is dated between 1600 and 1700 AD, with the pin believed to be from around 1300 AD.
Mr McCreadie’s collection also includes an 1820 Perth Communion token, lead musket balls and buttons from the late medieval/early Tudor period.
Mr Hamilton told the Herald the majority of the finds were made in
Strathearn and declared to the Treasure Trove Unit at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, as is standard practice under current legislation governing discoveries using a metal detector.
Mr Hamilton continued: “We were delighted to receive Hugh’s donation and to be able to add this to the High School’s growing collection of archaeological artefacts, which includes both original items and replicated ones.
“Hugh has always been an advocate for public engagement with the work of metal detectorists, especially the young – so Crieff ’s centre of education and
learning, with its existing collection, was the obvious ‘home’ for his kind gift.”
The new items are set to join the existing collection, normally displayed within the school and not readily available to view by the public, later this month.
Among the items currently on show are nails from the famous find of almost one million excavated at Inchtuthil Roman Fort, and hypocaust tile fragments from a Roman bathhouse – both almost 2000 years old and loaned by Society members.
There is also a cannonball, found near the ruined Innerpeffray Castle and kindly loaned for the exhibition by Innerpeffray Library.