Mapa Scotland – the future, July 2023

In June 2023 the lease granted by the Barony Castle Hotel to Mapa Scotland in 2013 for the restoration of The Great Polish Map of Scotland expired. Our restoration objectives were completed in 2018, the 100th anniversary of Polish independence.

Our charity, Mapa Scotland, no longer has the physical resource to maintain the map. That responsibility now lies with the owners, Barony Castle LLP.

Mapa Scotland will continue with its broad educational and historical objectives, to which our existing and future revenues will be devoted. This will cover all endeavours (including The Great Polish Map) to preserve the historic and cultural links between Poland and Scotland. Leaflets will continue to be distributed. Your generous donations will continue to serve our educational and cultural objectives.

Press release

MAPA Chairman’s report 2022 – 2023

You can find MAPA Chairman’s report 2022 – 2023 here.

Progress Report for 2023 AGM

You can find the Progress Report for the 2023 AGM here.

Funders acknowledgments

We are very grateful to our sponsors for their continuous generous support. This year in particular we
are indebted to:
– The Consulate General of Poland in Edinburgh for their financial support towards the publication
of the educational book about the map and sponsoring of the book launch, and for the purchase
of the new flagpole,
– The Polish Ex-Combatants Association in London for enabling us to purchase signs for The
General Maczek Path which was officially opened on 3 rd April, and for their significant donation
towards the educational film about the map,
– The Scottish Polish Cultural Association for a one-off donation.

Progress Report 2022

Great Polish Map of Scot land – Educational movie (EN & PL)

 

 

Map of Memories – ebook

On the 3rd of April 2022, there was an official presentation of a book based on the story of the Great Polish Map of Scotland, “The Map of Memories” written by Iga Maj who came all the way from Warsaw for the launch. The newly published, the educational book was a result of cooperation between Mapa Scotland and the Polish Centre for Education (ECP). The book was published thanks to the support of the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh and is available in English and Polish. Copies will be gifted to local schools.

You can download it for free from our website.

Map_of_Memories – ebook (EN)

Mapa_Wspomnien – ebook (PL)

Mapa Scotland supports brave Ukraine.

Progress Report at June 2023

 

The restored map on 30 June 2023 On 30th June 2023 the 10 year lease granted by Barony Castle LLP to the charity, Mapa Scotland SCIO, expired. Ownership and responsibility for maintenance of the Great Polish Map of Scotland returned to the hotel. The Charity Mapa Scotland SCIO continues with its remit to promote the historical and cultural links between Scotland and Poland.

Progress at March 2019

Mapa Scotland
Progress Report, March, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/mapascotland https://www.mapascotland.org

1. Summary

2018 was the 100th anniversary of Polish independence. By a happy coincidence, we were able to mark the completion of the map restoration objectives we embarked on when we finally secured the required grant aid needed in November 2013. During restoration, we unearthed more challenges than we anticipated, particularly the serious condition of the map foundations, pipework and leaky sea-bed. These discoveries led to the need for more money and time. Our principal sponsors plus public and member donations delivered the money and our small team of volunteers and contractors delivered the work.

On April 12th 2018 we celebrated completion with a reception and gathering at Barony Castle, with representatives from Polish and Scottish Government Ms Fiona Hyslop, Edinburgh Polish Consul Mr Dariusz Adler, Minister Jan Józef Kasprzyk, Head of the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression Warsaw, UK Polish Ambassador Dr Arkady Rzegocki, Historic Environment Scotland, Scottish Polish Cultural Association, Polish ex-Combatants’ Association and many other representatives of our region’s Polish diaspora.

The rest of the year was spent in consolidation of our position with routine maintenance work, stumpery and planting, new benches, new leaflets (Polish and English), construction of a new access path to the map rim and addition of direction signs from the hotel car park, many public talks to interested groups. We have noted a dramatic increase in visitor numbers and leaflet take-up.

2. Promotion and education

The Mapa Scotland website and Facebook site will continue as our main sources of historical and educational material. We are very pleased to have established support links with the General Maczek School Edinburgh, Abbeyhill Primary School Edinburgh, Edinburgh Polish Scouts, Saturday Polish School in Hawick.

3. Further development

There is never a shortage of suggestions from visitors for ways to improve the map. Regular suggestions:

Higher viewing platform
Colour shade/contour the topography (high maintenance)
Add location labels (we already have a location board on the viewing platform)
Model ships, railways etc. (??)
Son et Lumiere?

All such possibilities are subject to future fund raising and decisions by future officers.

Social media feedback varies from “amazing and unique” through “worth a visit” to “boring” thankfully with the bias heavily towards the favourable:

• “Visited the Polish Map of Scotland at Barony Castle. What a wonderful piece of history. Maybe could do with a little colour, but when you think of the love and passion that has gone into the building of this, map and the information written, it becomes quite emotional.”

• A delegation from The Salvation Army was at Barony Castle for a conference and church venue last autumn. The Great Map was bathed in light for evening prayers under the starlit sky. “What an incredible job on the restoration – it looked fantastic!”

• “Boring. “Totally rubbish …waste of a day …. ugly lump of stuff not even good to look at …”

• “Great display of wonderful masonry work on a grand scale. This presentation of Scotland is fabulous and the attached history makes it a great sight to see for all, young and old.”

• “An amazing piece of workmanship with a fascinating story behind it.
Don’t understand how being from the Edinburgh/Lothians area I hadn’t heard about this sooner. Would highly recommend if you’re in the area and hopefully funds can be raised to make a higher viewing platform as this was the only slight downside.”

• “Amazing. An extraordinary historic map. Situated in fantastic, lovely woodland paths. Boards with map stories. Viewpoint next to the map.”

• “Hidden gem. Wonderful piece of history. Well worth a visit. We visited a few years ago during its restoration. What a difference. Situated in lovely woodland walks.”

• “This presentation of Scotland is fabulous and the attached history makes it a great sight to see for all, young and old.”

4. Funds and Membership

Future funds to support maintenance and development will depend on the strength of our membership and public donations through our collection boxes at the map and hotel.

5. The Future

Mapa Scotland’s lease of the map with Barony Castle Hotel LLP runs until 30th June 2023. Until that time Mapa Scotland will continue with routine maintenance within the capabilities of our volunteers, our maintenance funds and future public donations.

We now need more local community involvement along with other local interest groups. Without this the long- term future of the map will be at risk again. The current committee needs new blood to prevent this unique piece of local history from ever being lost and forgotten again.

On behalf of all our volunteer force,

the Mapa Scotland Trustees: Keith Burns, David Cameron, Roger Kelly, Majka Kozlowska, David Peck.
c/o mapascotland@gmail.com

Time line for the Great Polish Map of Scotland
1974 – 2014
Commissioned: Jan Tomasik, 1974
• Designed and built: Dr Kasimierz Trafas and team from Krakow, 1975 – 1979 along with local labour.
• Abandoned early 1980s
• “Rediscovered” late 1990s
• Mapa Scotland restoration campaign launched, 2010
• Debris and vegetation clearance started, 2010
• Mapa Scotland Charity established June 2012
• Main funding in place, November 2013
• Restoration works and heritage research started, February 2014

2014 – 2017
• Safety fence installed, pit wall repaired and rendered, new coping added
• 250 tonnes of debris removed and recycled as foundations for landscaping
and stumperies
• 300m of underground pipework replaced and seabed sealed with bentonite
• All insecure foundations of rusty cans and rubble replaced by frost resistant
concrete; damaged surface repaired with frost resistant mortar
• New viewing tower designed and built
• Heritage Lottery and European Leader Fund completion audits cleared
January 2017
• Map development and heritage promotion continue
• European Heritage Conference, Krakow, Summer 2017
• Royal Geographical Society, London, Summer 2017
• Foundation and topography repairs completed, August 2017
• Surface stabilisation, protection and painting completed, December 2017
• Total concrete and mortar added, 14,000 litres
• Total weight added: 34 tonnes. Equal to a concrete cube 2.4m x 2.4m x 2.4m

April 12th 2018
Opening ceremony and reception hosted by Polish Consulate Edinburgh.

Major Grant providers for restoration:
Barony Castle Hotel LLP, Blackwood & Smith, Borders Council, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh, European Leader Fund, Polish Foreign Ministry, Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Environment Scotland Support Fund, Landfill Communities Fund, Maczek Memorial Trust, Polish Connections Scotland, Scottish Borders Council, Scottish Polish Cultural Association, Wojtek Trust, two major anonymous donations, and you the public.
Volunteers:
The Mapa Scotland volunteer squad, The Royal Highland Fusiliers 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, EDF Torness, Royal Bank of Scotland, Local scouts, guides, cubs and brownies.
Major Contractors:
Ladywood, Glendinning Groundworks, Differentia Design, Prettybright Design, Gordon Wilson (Peebles), I W Design, A1 Sprayers Edinburgh, Elmbank Printing, The Blazing Blacksmith.

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