National Lottery Heritage Grants £10,000 to £250,000
The Tomb of Eagles, on the cliffs of South Ronaldsay, has been a crucial part of the islands’ history for 5,000 years. As many as 341 people were interred here, representing the largest number of Neolithic burials in Orkney or any megalithic tomb in the UK and Ireland.
The site closed to visitors during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, as its previous owners retired. Facing the prospect of its sale on the open market, the South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust has raised funds to take the land into community ownership.
Our grant will bridge a final budget gap and support staffing for the reopened site’s first full season. It will also help fund the construction of an accessible replica tomb, adjacent to the visitor centre – so that visitors using wheelchairs can experience the atmosphere of the original tomb.
As well as attracting thousands of visitors to a remote area of the islands, the Trust aims for the tomb to become a focal point for employment, volunteering and training opportunities. This includes fostering a relationship with the University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute – establishing a community archaeology programme and opening the site for new research.
Ruth Owen, Chair of the South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust said: “This really is the final piece of the funding jigsaw to acquire and re-establish the site; we can now say with confidence that the Tomb of the Eagles will reopen to the public. We would like to thank National Lottery players and indeed all our funding partners for giving the community this opportunity.”
From the clifftops of Orkney to the Solway Coast, learn more about projects we’re supporting across Scotland.
