Description
Westray Heritage Centre is a four-star museum, archive and information centre in the island’s main village of Pierowall. As well as staging exhibitions focusing on Westray’s history and storing an archive of artefacts, documents and photographs, they have resources for those researching family history, the story of farming, fishing and other trades in the island and an insight into the ongoing archaeological investigations here.
The centre is also the home of the 5,000-year-old “Westray Wife” figurine, also known as Orkney Venus, (pictured above right), found at the Links of Noltland in 2009, and the the fabulous carvings on the Westray Stone, discovered by accident in a quarry Pierowall in 1981.
The monthly Westray island newsletter ‘Auk Talk’ is produced by the Heritage Trust and available in the island’s shops, at the Heritage Centre and by subscription.
If you are looking for Best Museums and Art Galleries in The Orkney Isles , The Highlands then you can visit Westray Heritage Centre. Westray Heritage Centre is one of the places in The Orkney Isles The Highlands for day out with kids and families. If you are searching for Landmarks and Attractions near me, then you can get all the information here.
Features
- Paid
- Host birthday parties: No
Features
Whale bones in the garden.
Over the years they have built up a large collection of black and white photos of historic significance, collated the kirkyard records from the island’s three cemeteries and gathered memories of past activities in Westray e.g. schools, kirks, sports, sea transport, Noup Head lighthouse, royal visits, fishing, crafts, World Wars 1 and 2, and continue to research a fresh subject each year.In the Heritage Centre there are now databases of many local families dating back to early 17th Century and the Trust has published a number of books and booklets on local subjects. In 1981, when quarrying, workmen unearthed a large decorated stone which was subsequently deemed to be 4000 – 5000 years old. Called the Westray Stone, it is a unique example of Neolithic carving, considered of national importance, and now has been returned to Westray for display in the foyer.
26.94 miles
