The
inventory, published by Historic Scotland and Scottish natural heritage
in 1987, provides a systematically obtained record of 275 of the more important
gardens and designed landscapes in Scotland.
It
accords with the spirit of the Government's white paper 'This Common Inheritance'
which includes the aim of providing an up-to-date record of our historic
sites, requiring a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the resource.
For
Historic Scotland assessment of gardens and designed landscapes is required
for a variety of purposes to assess priorities for grant aid, to advise
the Capital tax office on the eligibility of cases for Inheritance Tax
exemption, and to judge the impact of new development on historic landscapes
or the setting of listed buildings. The inventory is also a useful tool
simply for securing a sensitive management regime which respects the distinctive
qualities of a site.
Historic
Scotland's interest lies in sites as examples of design, historic planting
and land management, and in relation to the buildings, architectural or
archaeological features often associated with them.
The
inventory survey remains a joint project with SNH whose task is to secure
the conservation and enhancement of Scotland's unique and precious natural
heritage. SNH objectives include the promotion of projects that lead to
its improvement, support its sustainable utilisation and enable increased
public enjoyment through informal recreation. SNH also aims to maintain
and enhance the natural beauty of designed landscapes in the wider landscape
tracts within which they sit. In very general terms, therefore, SNH's interests
are linked to the natural heritage while Historic Scotland's is that of
the cultural heritage.
Both
organisations are currently funding a four year contract for extension
of the Inventory. The project is now into its fourth year with the aim
of adding about another 100 sites. With some refinement, the methodology,
analysis and assessment is the same as in the 1987 Inventory. The site
appraisal has been modified to take account of significant views, approaches,
drives and the wider landscape setting of sites as well as including a
new assessment of archaeological importance. The Inventory Steering Group
includes representatives from the RBG, the National Trust, the conservation
officer of the GHS, a former member of the 1987 Steering Group, as well
as representatives from SNH and Historic Scotland.
The
1987 Inventory was not seen as a comprehensive list of landscapes but a
representative sample of the best of the resource in Scotland. We are looking
now at landscape types which were not represented in the 1987 Inventory,
eg private and public parks, cemeteries, smaller landscapes of the 17th
and 18th centuries eg smaller Laird's Houses and picturesque landscapes
eg Falls of Clyde.