COMMUNITY
History lives on in the Slate Islands Heritage Trust Museum
by Emma Crichton T
ucked away in a coast- al corner of Argyll, a
tiny white house is not all it seems. From the outside it looks no different from all the others in the row, in fact the little build- ing once housed a family like the rest still do. But inside hides a treasure trove, visited by 14,000 peo- ple last year. Even in the recent harsh win- ter months, when an icy sea battered the village of Ellena- beich, 1,600 history enthu- siasts sought warmth in the snug rooms of the Slate Is- lands Heritage Trust Museum.
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Inside, the well-documented past of Seil, Easdale, Luing and Belnahua is proudly dis- played, covering everything from the slate industry to Lu- ing cattle and domestic life in the 19th century. But if you scratch the surface, there is a wealth of lesser- known information just wait- ing to be uncovered. In a quiet corner of the mu- seum sits an inconspicuous display of what appears to be the basic history of a local church. On closer inspection it is revealed that Kilbrandon Church on Seil is the only church in Scotland with five 20th century stained glass windows designed by the
revered artist Douglas Stra- chan. The plaques next to the photographs explain that Glasgow Catherdral and St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh also have windows by Stra- chan. ‘But we’re the only one that has five,’ volunteer Helen Clennie announces proudly. ‘They’re absolutely beautiful. People stare at these photo- graphs for ages because they keep finding new stories in the pictures.’ If you venture to the back room of the museum, you would be forgiven for thinking you had stumbled upon the office. Shelves are stacked with files
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