Many historic sites can present difficulties for visitors with disabilities. In July 1996 Historic Scotland produced Access for Disabled Visitors, a guide to Historic Scotland’s properties for people with access difficulties or impairments. The publication provides information on access to properties in State care along with descriptions of the types of display and the tactile qualities of artefacts, which are available. It is designed for use with Historic Scotland’s Guide to Over Sixty Historic Sites in Scotland and is intended to ensure that, where possible, visitors to the properties can enjoy what is being offered.

This Technical Advice Note is the 7th in an occasional series of notes on practical and technical issues, which arise in safeguarding the nation’s heritage and promoting its understanding and enjoyment. It intends to give guidance on the principles involved in providing access for disabled persons to historic buildings and monuments open to the public. It is not intended to be used as a prescriptive document or as definitive specifications for provisions on site.

Although primarily aimed at offering advice and information for use by Historic Scotland staff, its content is of value to others who have to consider proposals to improve access, for visitors with disabilities, to historic buildings and monuments that are open to the public.

When such works are proposed for a site or property which is scheduled or a building which is listed, the appropriate approvals. Scheduled Monument Consent in the case of the former and Listed Building Consent for the latter must be obtained before any works are undertaken. The fact that advice is given and recommendations are made in this Note does not in any way imply that a proposal will receive consent. Where work is proposed on a scheduled ancient monument situated on Government land, scheduled monument clearance will be required through Historic Scotland. Work carried out to a listed building, other than a monument listed in Schedule 1 of Part A of the Technical Standards for compliance with the Building Standards (Scotland) Regulations 1990, will also require a building warrant. Where a listed building is a Crown Building, any new work will require assessment by an independent building control certifier as, although new work must comply with the regulations, Crown Buildings are not subject to the procedures administered by local authorities. Where it is the case that work to a listed building is unable to comply with the regulations in all respects a waiver must be sought.

The Note is based on field research carried out between October 1993 and August 1995. The study investigated access provision at a number of Historic Scotland sites and at two National Trust for Scotland properties. It was researched and written by Victoria Young (Research Assistant) and Dennis Urquhart (Project Director) of the Masonry Conservation Research Group and the photographs were supplied by Peter Duncan, all at The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. The rear cover illustration and Plates 2 and 5 were provided by Chris Hutchison, Historic Scotland Photographic Unit. The project was managed and coordinated by Robin Kent, Senior Conservation Architect, Technical Conservation, Research and Education Division, Historic Scotland.

Particular thanks are due to all those individuals and organisations that participated in, and contributed to, the study and supported the pragmatic approach which it adopted.

INGVAL MAXWELL Director, TCRE