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Inscribed Across the Landscape: The Cursus Monuments of Great Britain

Inscribed Across the Landscape: The Cursus Monuments of Great Britain

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Archaeolink - Museum in Scotland in Aberdeenshire

Submitted by Andy B on Thursday, 05 May 2011  Page Views: 37495

MuseumsSite Name: Archaeolink
Country: Scotland County: Aberdeenshire Type: Museum
Nearest Town: Insch  Nearest Village: Oyne
Map Ref: NJ6691625613  Landranger Map Number: 38
Latitude: 57.319865N  Longitude: 2.550965W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
Destroyed Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
1 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
5 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
4

Internal Links:
External Links:

I have visited· I would like to visit

megalithicmatt visited on 1st Jan 2008 It was always pretty naff, to be honest. And the price! Turned up for the wickerman each Samhain though.

aluta tyrianterror Klingon have visited here

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by aluta : The henge and recumbent stone circle at Archaeolink. Both are reproductions for educational purposes. A turf hut, built to reproduce one found in the archaeological record, can be seen in the distance. (Vote or comment on this photo)
Sadly, Archaeolink visitor centre has now closed

Prehistory Theme Park in Aberdeenshire. Archaeolink was a multi award winning living history park and visitor attraction. With indoor and outdoor exhibitions, featuring hands on activities, workshops and guided tours everyday, a dynamic historical experience for all the family.

Situated in the beautiful countryside of Aberdeenshire in the shadow of the dramatic Bennachie mountain range, the park occupies a central location in the diverse archaeological landscape of North East Scotland.

Address: Oyne, AB52 6QP
Phone: 01464 851500
Opening Hours: Currently Closed

An archive of their web site and lots of photos on Flickr.

Note: Sadly, Archaeolink visitor centre has now closed
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Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by cosmic : The modern recumbent circle at Archaeolink. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by krautrock : The Wickerman looks forward to Dunnideer Fort. (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by tyrianterror : Archaeolink Iron Age house smart blur finish (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by Klingon : (Vote or comment on this photo)

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by krautrock : The Wickerman with one top of Benachie.

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by aluta : Axe casting mold from the Bronze Age workshop at Archaeolink. Here one part is filled with pewter, which melts at a lower temperature and is easier to use for demonstrations.

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by aluta : The wicker man at Archaeolink. He will be burned in a ceremony in late October.

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by aluta : The Bronze Age workshop at Archaeolink. The axe-casting demonstrations are done here. (1 comment)

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by hangovermonkey : Firebreathing at an event at Archaeolink. More event photographs can be found at http://archaeolink.fotopic.net/

Archaeolink
Archaeolink submitted by cosmic : Entrance at Archeolink with turf roofed Exhibition HAll behind (1 comment)

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 310m SW 218° Berry Hill Enclosure* Ancient Village or Settlement (NJ6672225370)
 737m E 83° The Gowk Stane* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NJ67652570)
 939m NNW 326° Westerton of Petmathen* Standing Stone (Menhir) (NJ664264)
 1.5km NW 320° Hatton Of Ardoyne* Stone Circle (NJ65982676)
 2.2km ESE 106° Mill Of Carden Stone Circle (NJ690250)
 2.3km WSW 241° Tillymuick Ancient Village or Settlement (NJ649245)
 2.6km NNE 24° Old Rayne* Stone Circle (NJ67982798)
 2.8km ESE 116° Maiden Castle (Bennachie, Aberdeenshire)* Hillfort (NJ69422435)
 3.4km E 85° Logie Elphinstone* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ70342588)
 3.4km W 260° Newton Stone Circle Stone Circle (NJ63512503)
 3.5km SSE 158° Mither Tap* Hillfort (NJ682224)
 3.6km ESE 104° Maiden Stone (Aberdeenshire)* Class II Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ7037824714)
 3.6km W 272° Broomend Stone Circle Stone Circle (NJ63302579)
 3.7km NNW 337° South Lediken* Cairn (NJ655290)
 4.1km W 268° Westside Stone Circle Stone Circle (NJ62832552)
 4.2km N 350° Newton House* Class I Pictish Symbol Stone (NJ6623929732)
 4.6km SSE 148° Gouk Stane (Bennachie)* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (NJ693217)
 5.3km WNW 288° Wantonwells* Stone Circle (NJ619273)
 5.9km NW 308° Inschfield* Stone Circle (NJ623293)
 6.2km WNW 294° Dunnideer Fort* Vitrified Fort (NJ613282)
 6.4km WSW 237° Druidstone (Brackla)* Stone Circle (NJ6152922206)
 6.6km WSW 257° Loanend* Stone Circle (NJ604242)
 6.7km WNW 295° Dunnideer Circle* Stone Circle (NJ60862844)
 6.7km ESE 103° Balquhain* Stone Circle (NJ73502409)
 7.0km WNW 285° Hill of Christ's Kirk* Hillfort (NJ60182742)
View more nearby sites and additional images

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Great Crowns of Stone: The Recumbent Stone Circles of Scotland

Great Crowns of Stone: The Recumbent Stone Circles of Scotland

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"Archaeolink" | Login/Create an Account | 17 News and Comments
  
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Archaeolink - The End of Prehistory by Andy B on Monday, 18 February 2019
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Gavin MacGregor wrote in 2013: Three times I have been to this place, I should have been more…

The third time I visited - I had heard that the centre had closed over a year previously - but was surprised by what I encountered.

At the heart of the Archaeolink Prehistory Park was the award winning visitors centre by Edward Cullinan Architects. The clean lines of the green mound evoked prehistoric mounds and barrows (but has a subsequent Teletubby-esque cultural reference): now a thatch of gorse, elder and willow, begins to reclaim it for the woods.

More at:
https://heritagelandscapecreativity.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/end-prehistory/
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Archaeolink likely to go on the market by Andy B on Wednesday, 11 January 2012
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Efforts to save centre fail

The North East prehistory park is likely to go on the market after efforts to save it failed.

Archaeolink at Oyne, near Inverurie, which received £2.5 million in council subsidies, has been closed this year amid a wrangle over its future development.

Attendance numbers latterly ran at only 10,500 a year, equivalent to a £13 a visitor subsidy.

With thanks to Cosmic for the link
http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/2564879
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Re: Lifeline handed to Archaeolink which closed last month council budget cuts by Anonymous on Friday, 20 May 2011
People have recently been working overtime trying to find a solution for the archaeolink site.
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Lifeline handed to Archaeolink which closed last month council budget cuts by Andy B on Thursday, 05 May 2011
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A new future could be in sight for Archaeolink, at Oyne, Aberdeenshire, which closed last month

The Archaeolink centre at Oyne, between Inverurie and Insch, was shut down at the start of last month following an Aberdeenshire Council veto on any further cash for the rural site as part of its money-saving measures.

Over the previous 15 years, the local authority had ploughed £2.5million in funding into Archaeolink.

In the past five years it handed over an annual subsidy of £135,000 – equal to £13 a visitor.

Last night there was a May Day lifeline for the centre, and for the staff who lost their jobs when its doors shut in the month they would normally have been launching a new visitor season.

There was confirmation yesterday that talks ongoing to save Archaeolink had resumed and were progressing well.

“We are almost there,” said Mid Formartine councillor John Loveday, who sits on the Archaeolink Trust board.

He said talks that recently broke down – because “a breathing space was needed” – have restarted and more negotiations are planned over coming weeks.

“We are now making very good progress. I would hope we can finalise something by the end of the month. There are still some legal and technical issues to resolve but I can say that we are getting there. Agreement is close,” said Mr Loveday.

Talks have continued with the one remaining party interested in taking over the site, which features an underground visitor area and recreated Bronze and Iron Age buildings on a hillside overlooking the village. A deal would involve substantial cash investment and broadening of the scope of Archaeolink.

It could take up to £2million to make the attraction viable. The identity of the party involved in talks is not being revealed, nor details of the potential added Archaeolink attractions being proposed.

Mr Loveday said he was convinced Archaeolink could be a success by expanding its visitor appeal, while retaining the prehistory educational set-up that is written into the terms of the trust.

The trust took over the running of the attraction in 2005 and owns the facilities at Oyne while Aberdeenshire Council still owns the site.

Initially Archaeolink was hailed as a means of bringing employment and 100,000 visitors a year to rural Aberdeenshire. But annual numbers steadily declined to only 10,500.

The net assets of Archaeolink, which cost more than £4million to build, have recently been valued at around £1.7million.

Mr Loveday said Archaeolink could not survive in its present form but the revamped attraction planned would attract visitors to the heart of Aberdeenshire.

He confirmed redundant staff could be given their jobs back under new plans and added: “Their input has been tremendous over the years and that experience would be very valuable in future, assuming they were still available to return.”

Last night West Garioch councillor Allison Grant said: “I am heartened to hear there is a real possibility of Archaeolink being saved.

“It would be wonderful if the Oyne site could now realise the vision that was originally flagged up for it, by providing that spark of something new to attract visitors while retaining an educational aspect,” she added.

Fellow West Garioch councillor Sheena Lonchay welcomed news that Archaeolink could reopen and widen its scope for visitors.

Latterly little changed on the site from season to season, and it had become very much a one-visit attraction.

Archaeolink does have potential, but will need considerable investment,” she said.

“I would like to think a new future can be found for the site.

“There was a small but extremely dedicated staff at Archaeolink and I hope those local people now get the chance to work there again.


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Re: 2011 Archaeolink may close by Anonymous on Sunday, 20 February 2011
Archaeolink closure is confirmed. The staff have been given notice their employment ends March 31st 2011.

See report in Aberdeen newspaper "The Press & Journal"

What a waste of £2.5 million . . .
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Re: 2011 Archaeolink may close by Aluta on Saturday, 19 February 2011
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What a shame! My son's summer working there was one of the great experiences of his life. I always hoped to visit.
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2011 Archaeolink may close by h_fenton on Friday, 18 February 2011
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Aberdeenshire Council have decided to cease their six-figure annual subsidy of Archaeolink Prehistory Park raising doubts to whether the tourist attraction will be able to reopen for the 2011 season.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-12503980

http://www.archaeolink.co.uk
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    Re: 2011 Archaeolink may close by Andy B on Saturday, 19 February 2011
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    Meanwhile, elsewhere in local government:

    South Somerset District Council is to close its Museum of South Somerset and Yeovil Tourist Information centre. The council says that both its tourist information service and museum service will continue, but a building that houses the two services in West Hendford, Yeovil, will shut on March 31. The council says that relocating the museum service will save £30,000 in premises costs

    The museum service will continue to operate from the Community Heritage Access Centre, a storage centre on the Lufton Trading Estate. (great tourist location there, remind me to visit - MegP Ed)

    http://www.thisissomerset.co.uk/news/Council-shuts-Somerset-museum-tourist-information-centre/article-3121404-detail/article.html

    However, Phil Dolan, 54, received £569,000 of taxpayers' money in salary, pension and redundancy payments after leaving his post as chief executive of South Somerset district council. He is now acting as a consultant for other local authorities.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/8334915/The-council-fat-cat-earning-570000.html
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      Re: 2011 Archaeolink may close by coldrum on Saturday, 19 February 2011
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      The rich get richer the rest of us get kicked in the teeth.
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        Re: 2011 Archaeolink may close by h_fenton on Sunday, 20 February 2011
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        I was intending to visit this year, If it had been a bit further south I might have visited it earlier. I wasn't previously aware (before recent events) of the volume of money that it was eating up, if Aberdeenshire Council are subsiding Archaeolink to the tune of £13 per visitor then it good that it has shut.
        http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/2142756
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        Re: 2011 Archaeolink may close by Andy B on Sunday, 20 February 2011
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        Gotta say a subsidy of more than £13 per visitor is difficult to justify and 'unsubstainable' to use the current parlance. You could probably run a minibus tour of the real monuments for less.

        I hope they keep the earthwork monuments intact and don't bulldoze them, perhaps we should campaign for them to be 'listed' as a permanent memorial of the site. Hopefully they can find something useful to do with the building and protect some of the surroundings.
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          Re: 2011 Archaeolink may close by coldrum on Monday, 21 February 2011
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          Call me cynical but I doubt they will keep the monuments there. The site will probaly be sold to the higest bidder and something "more profitable" will be built there. Profitable to a few that is.
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Events 2010 by coldrum on Wednesday, 23 June 2010
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Archaeolink Prehistory Park Events 2010

June 2010

26/27th June: Ancient Lotions & Potions
Discover how our ancestors used plants to treat many everyday complaints. On the Sunday, as part of Herbal Awareness Week, Erica Hollis from Rowantree Cottage Herbs will spend the day on the park looking at native plants and how they were used.

July 2010

3rd July: Life in the Stone Age
From Stone tools & Leather working to Firelighting and Hunting skills, discover life for our first settlers.

10th July: Bushcraft
How to survive the summer holidays – firelighting, den building, cordage, rush mat weaving + lots more.

11th July: Stone Tool Technology
Demos & activities based around stone tool technologies. Flint knapping, polished stone axes & carved stone balls.

17/18th July: The Vikings
The Glasgow Vikings return to rampage round the park. Visit a Viking village with different crafts on show, take part in Viking games and shout for your favourite warrior on the battle field.

24th July: Dyeing with Plants & Barks
Fabric & Fibre dyeing demonstrations and experiments.
25th July: Iron Age Highland Games
Have you got what it takes to be a Celtic Warrior! Combat training, feats of strength & speed, stick wrestling, Warrior tattoes, scary scars.

31st July/1st Aug: Fire through the Ages
A weekend of fire related activities and demos from metalworking & cooking to pottery making. Edinburgh based prehistoric pottery worker, Orlene McIlfatrick will be making and firing pots in a clamp kiln over both days.

August 2010

7/8th August: Historic Saltire
Inverness based reenactment group return bigger and better with a weekend long show to entertain and educate in all things medieval.

14/15th August: Crafts from the past
A Green Woodworking (bodging) weekend with Kenny Grieve for Fife Based Brotus Crafts. Wood carving & pole lathe demos both days.

Intro to green woodworking course : Sat 14th with Kenny : Cost £20
Booking essential: Contact 01464 851500 for more details – max 12

21st August: Bushcraft
Another chance to learn skills used in the past. firelighting, denbuilding, plant lore & cordage.


22nd August: Wild Harvest
Explore the park and discover some of the many plants that have been used as food and medicine & some still are!
28th August: Meet the Smith
Fire up the forge for another opportunity to witness the spectacle of a bronze cast.

September 2010

4th September: Scottish Archaeology Month
Archaeology Weekend.

5th September: Meet the Archaeologist with James Kenworthy
Bring in your finds/artefacts for identification and dating. Also find out about the Archaeology of the North East of Scotland.


10/11th September: Gadiefest
In its 2nd year Gadiefest hopes to be bigger and better! Guest storytellers will inspire with tales both modern and old.

* Friday 10th - Cath Little At Queens Cross Church
* Saturday 11th – Guest tellers from around Scotland.
* Saturday evening – Open mike night of ballad, poetry and Story around the fire.

More Details to follow – http://www.gadiefest.co.uk

18/19th September: Harvest home
Archaeolink Staff will be starting to take in the crops of barley, oats and flax planted in the spring.

25/26th September: Medieval Realm - The Battle of Harlaw
What better way to spend the bank holiday weekend than with local re-enactment group Medieval Realm & Friends as they entertain with living history and battle re-enactments from 1411 when Donald, Lord of the Isles fought The Earl of Mar just North of Inverurie.

October 2010

2nd October: A

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Archaeolink Street View by SteveDut on Tuesday, 30 March 2010
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View Larger Map
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Re: Archaeolink Prehistory Park by Aluta on Sunday, 28 January 2007
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My son says he may volunteer here for the summer. I would love to hear from people who have been there, to hear what you thought of it and where else there is to visit in the area. He's quite keen on megaliths and also Roman ruins.
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Re: Archaeolink by hangovermonkey on Friday, 20 January 2006
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Travel Directions: Just off the A96, Aberdeen to Inverness road, on the B9002, at Oyne, about 8 miles north-west of Inverurie.

Photographs of Archaeolink's events
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Re: Archaeolink by Klingon on Friday, 04 November 2005
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Really worth visiting! The guided tours are terrific.
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