The Morlaggan Rural Settlement Group was formed in December 2009.

The group evolved from two friends and their interest in the deserted, ruined settlement of High Morlaggan, near Arrochar in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

After doing some documentary research, they became invovled in a Scotland-wide project called Scotland’s Rural Past (SRP). SRP taught them how to use a plane table so they could survey the ruins, and provided practical and moral support in their endeavours.

Sue Furness and Fiona Jackson continued to uncover the secrets of this hidden settlement with the help of many individuals and organisations. This culminated in an excavation of the site in 2009. Thus, the Morlaggan Rural Settlement Group (MRSG) was born.

The objectives of the MRSG are to:

1)  Stimulate public interest in and increase knowledge of the deserted settlement known as High Morlaggan, and in other  similar deserted rural settlements in the area around Loch Long and Loch Lomond.

2)  Encourage and support people to undertake documentary and field research to improve our knowledge and understanding of these deserted rural settlements.

3)  To map the locations of the deserted rural settlements in the area around Loch Long and Loch Lomond.

To date, the MRSG has presented its findings at a number of national and local conferences. It has also organised information days in the local community, and, in 2010, presented the project to HRH The Prince of Wales.

The group’s work on High Morlaggan won the Robert Kiln Trust Award for community archaeology in 2010, and was awarded Highly Commended in the British Archaeology Awards for community archaeology, also in 2010.

The group is continuing to further its objectives! Check out the Hidden Heritage project’s website (see link on the right) for the latest on what’s been happening on the heritage and archaeology front around Loch Long and Loch Lomond.