Heritage Centre tells the story of Wyre
By Brian Flett
(from The Orcadian dated 3 August 2000)

The entire population of Wyre has rallied round to create a brand new attraction on the island – its own heritage centre.

The old community hall has been transformed into a living museum with photographs and items donated by current and former islanders to illustrate the history of Wyre. Prominent among the exhibits are early drawings and maps of the excavations of Cubbie Roo’s Castle and St Mary’s Chapel alongside.

Apart from Wyre’s Norse past, there were several displays about the island way of life during the 20th century. Its ferry service, and the important part played – and still being played – in that by the Flaws family. The community life of the island, including the formation of the Wyre Band who entertain all over Orkney, is also featured. The conversion of the former community hall into a heritage centre for the island has been carried out under the auspices of the Wyre Community Association.

In welcoming the 60 or so people to the official opening ceremony on Saturday afternoon, association secretary, Mr Clive Temple, said: “We’ve tried to make it a personal heritage centre, with snippets of information of yesteryear, and we hope it will grow as past residents, and people who’ve got relatives on Wyre, offer other exhibits.”

Orkney’s museums officer Mr Bryce Wilson performed the opening ceremony.

He said: “Wyre has a cultural and historical significance well out of proportion to its status as one of Orkney’s smaller inhabited islands. Strong personalities pervade its history and influence its future.”

He spoke of the Norse influence, which included giving the island its name, Wyre, which means spearhead, from its obvious shape. Mr Wilson said that by the 12th century, the island belonged to the Norse chieftain, Kolbein Hruga, better known as Cubbie Roo, whose castle can still be seen near the home farm of the Bu. He added that it was considered to be the earliest surviving castle in Scotland.

Mr Wilson went on to describe Cubbie Roo’s second son, Bjarni, who joined the church and eventually became Bishop of Orkney. He initiated the second phase of building on St Magnus Cathedral and also persuaded the Pope to sanctify Earl Rognvald. But Mr Wilson said that Bjarni Kolbeinson was internationally remembered as a poet.

He linked this Norse literary figure to Edwin Muir, who also spent a few formative years of his childhood, at the Bu on Wyre. The Muir family had to leave the island through successive rent increases by the then owner, Colonel Burroughs of Trumland in Rousay. Edwin Muir had a distinguished literary career and was regarded as one of Scotland’s leading poets of the 20th century. Bryce Wilson believed that Muir’s poetic imagery owed much to his short period of life at the Bu, which he looked back on as “a kind of Eden”.

Mr Wilson continued: “In recent decades, for economic reasons, many families have followed the example of the Muirs in leaving the outer isles of Orkney, and there’s been a strong tendency for the population to centralise in the Mainland, in and around Kirkwall. We must always remember that Kirkwall grew and exists to serve the rural and island communities, and that these communities nurtured the qualities of Orkney life and character that we most value today.”

He went on to speak about the importance of having local interpretation or heritage centres, saying: “The interpretation of local history is an important feature in preserving pride in an island community, at a time when external cultural pressures are extreme. Also today, Orkney is heavily dependent on tourism, and the interpretation of the island’s history and prehistory is an important feature of that industry. At the Orkney Museum in Kirkwall, local people and tourists can acquire an overview of Orkney life and culture, but island communities are now rightly providing local interpretation centres. Each island has something unique to offer, as Wyre amply demonstrates. Artefacts will be loaned from the Orkney Museum to local interpretation centres once approved display facilities are in place. The Wyre interpretative display highlights, in addition to the past, the natural history of the island and the life of the modern community.”

He concluded: “Margaret Flaws and her friends are to be congratulated on their display, the first stage in a project, which they plan to set up in a more durable format. I have great pleasure in declaring the Wyre Interpretation Centre open.”

Speaking after the ceremony, the instigator of the project, Margaret Flaws said: “Its something we’ve been needing for a while for visitors. This is just a start, because there’s so much information in the archives, and the photographic archive at the library. We have to thank everyone who’s helped already. Colin Rendall in the archive department, Tommy Gibson from Rousay has been a tower of strength with all his photos, and he’s got lots more. There are a number of former Wyre folk who live in Kirkwall and round about who I hope will contribute to the display. The good thing is this will be a permanent display. We did think of putting a temporary exhibition in the community centre for the summer months, but it would have to be taken down at the end of the tourist season, whereas this building is now available all the time.

“Every single body on the island has helped in some way, whether in converting the building or painting it, or putting up the displays. It won’t be manned, but we’ll leave a kettle so that visitors can make a cup of tea, while they look round the exhibition. If there’s a visiting group, I’m sure one of us can come along and explain more. The centre is currently run through the Wyre community association, but I would think if we want to take it further, we’ll have to set up a formal trust before we check out grants and so on. But I’m delighted with what we’ve achieved in just two months, since we started on the building itself.”

OIC’s heritage officer, Mr Steve Callaghan, who attended the opening ceremony on Saturday, said: “This is a perfect example of a well-achieved small scale community project. When a community identifies a scheme of this kind, we’ll help wherever we can. I’ve successfully got the council to agree to a policy of lending out artefacts to communities, where appropriate, provided the security and environmental conditions are acceptable.

“As small sums of money become available, we would be looking at supporting projects of this kind. We wish them well in the future.”

The opening event was followed by a barbecue in the evening and a dance with the music provided by none other than the Wyre Band.