Kirkwall THI News Update
What else has happened so far?
All KTHI property funds are currently committed, but some current projects may not progress so please still feel free to contact us if you have an enquiry or plans for a property.
Various large, medium and small projects including 5 Main Street, Bruce’s Stores, Victoria Street and The Bay Takeaway, Bridge Street, have been completed with a few new projects also underway such as OrkneyTech, Victoria Street and 2 King Street for example. There are also several properties with grant contracts due to start works shortly and other projects still at the development stage.
Training and Complementary Initiatives Latest News
Glaitness School Book Project
This project produced an illustrated children’s book based on Kirkwall’s history and heritage. A local tour guide and Artist worked with P5 pupils to research, design and produce the book.
The main aim of this project was to develop the children's knowledge and history of their local community and develop an appreciation of their heritage. The targeted audience is local children, but it is anticipated that the book will also appeal to other children visiting Orkney.
The book captures the knowledge that the P5 children have been developing and researching. It was brought together with the help of a local designer and artist who was responsible for curating the stories and artwork that the pupils produced, in response to the heritage awareness sessions and site visits.
The book focuses on key moments, chosen by the children that concentrates on Kirkwall’s history, key historical figures and the development of its built heritage.
The book was launched at a dedicated event and sold at local outlets. Copies are also held in the libraries.
Street Signs in the Conservation Area
Work has been completed to spruce up the traditional street name signs in Kirkwall. The much-loved signs that identify some of the oldest areas of the town centre have been repainted and where needed repaired with funding from the KTHI.
St Magnus Cathedral Digital Visitor Interpretation Project
This project provides a fibre optic connection to St Magnus Cathedral. The purpose of providing the connection was to develop an accessible Wi-Fi service for St Magnus Cathedral that supported the visitor experience and servicing of the building. KTHI funding supported the costs of physically providing the connection to the cathedral from Orkney Island Council’s main operations room including the infrastructure.
This KTHI supported project relies on the provision of a Wi-Fi signal to allow the download of digital visitor information and applications that will enhance the visitor experience.
It is hoped that this project will help change the visitors interface with the built heritage and places of interest in Kirkwall. It will also play a fundamental role in enabling a much wider audience to learn about and interact with the main focal building of the Kirkwall conservation area. In addition, it will also help to deliver interpretation of the built and cultural heritage of Kirkwall in a new innovative way.
This infrastructure will help to facilitate the visit of thousands of visitors to the cathedral and provide the delivery of information and interpretation about the history of Kirkwall and St Magnus Cathedral, helping to recognise its significance as a Viking town and its subsequent evolution through the ages to the present day.
St Magnus Cathedral receives thousands of visitors each year. This project will help to ensure that all these visitors are given the opportunity to learn about the history and heritage of the building and town in a different way.
This project also means that the interpretation and story of the building and Kirkwall is available in a digital package that can be accessed, used and enjoyed by interested people not visiting the cathedral or Orkney. This, hopefully will increase even further the spread of knowledge and information about the Kirkwall conservation area and the important buildings within it.
For images relating to the above projects, please see the Related Downloads section on this page.
