Page 6 - Hall of Clestrain - Conservation Plan

context, to establish its cultural-heritage significance. There follow policies to guide
future use, alterations and management.
Following international best-practice, this conservation plan uses a five-level scale for
assessing cultural-heritage significance. Clestrain has been assessed as having some
historic values of Outstanding or international significance. These include its
association with John Rae and the architecture of the south front in its setting as a set
piece of Scottish 18 Century architecture which is both unique and characteristic.
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Most of the surviving building is in the second level, of ‘considerable’, cultural-
heritage significance. The definition of ‘considerable’ means that the building overall
and the elements within it are of national importance, and the individual elements
contribute substantially to the importance of the building overall. There are individual
elements categorised as being of moderate significance, and the lower levels of
significance, some elements being of ‘negative’ significance. Where elements are
categorised as negative, there is an imperative for change.
The policies section provides both strategic conservation policies, and detailed
recommendations and methodologies to sustain, reveal and enhance the cultural-
heritage significance of the building, and help manage change as part of the project of
restoration by the John Rae Society.

Figure 2 Conjectural Restoration of original appearance of the south elevation (S&B)

4 Hall of Clestrain, Orkney – Conservation Plan