Meet Cathy Parkes, a Senior Archaeologist with the Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU) and a passionate rower with the Roseland Gig Club. Cathy has combined her love for both archaeology and rowing, leading her to embark on an exciting new project called ‘Porths and Gigs of the Isles of Scilly.’
Cathy shared her plans for this fascinating project with us.
As an archaeologist with Cornwall Archaeological Unit (CAU), and also a rower with Roseland Gig Club, I’m excited to be starting on the ‘Porths and Gigs of the Isles of Scilly’ project, with survey and scanning work on the islands this summer. Ruins of gig sheds of the age of sail can be seen in places around the islands, and more can be discovered from old maps. Some are Scheduled Monuments, yet they are exposed to erosion by the sea.
Some of the ruins, with slipway paving, and passages you can see at low tide, go back in time even before the maps and records of the last 200 years. Similar remains occur in Cornwall, but on Scilly their survival is outstanding, and they connect us with the powerful living rowing tradition and historic gigs still in use there.
It’s a striking experience for gig rowers to see these sites, maybe when looking around the islands after the Championships, when there’s a sense of being in the home of the sport. Some remains are near the wild western approaches, where gigs saved lives from wrecks as well as taking pilots to ships. Porth Askin on St Agnes is one evocative site, with ruined sheds, including the ‘house’ of the old Cetewayo, predecessor of the island’s newest racing gig, named after her.
Old shed of the gig Cetewayo at Porth Askin, St Agnes, a Scheduled Monument at risk
‘Porths and Gigs’ will produce virtual 3D model ‘bubbles’ that capture sites in their settings, and other results you can explore through a project website to follow. You can share in the discoveries, by attending an event on the islands in September, and staying updated via the St Agnes Gig Club,other island facebook groups and, of course, GigRower.
Our team includes specialists in survey and scanning, Mark Bowden and Tom Goskar. We’re planning work with the Isles of Scilly Community Archaeology Group (CAG), and hope everyone interested will get involved, contribute knowledge of the sites, join in with fieldwork, or follow discoveries.
Old thatched gig sheds, Tresco, from ‘A Sailor’s Wedding Party’ c1862 by James Clarke Hook
CAU are grateful for grant funding from Historic England, Farming in Protected Landscapes, and Cornwall Archaeological Society, and support in developing the project from the Duchy of Cornwall, Tresco Estate, the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust and CAG, St Agnes Gig Club, and the CPGA.
We look forward to updating you soon with forthcoming project event dates. In the meantime, if you are interested in this project and would like to get involved please contact cathy.parkes@cau.org.uk.
No Comments on "Uncovering Gig Shed Heritage"