Thanks to the help and expertise of many members SVBWG hosted the annual spring conference of the Vernacular Architecture Group (VAG) very successfully.

Based at Stirling University from 9-12 June the programme included day visits to a wide range of buildings with evening lectures at the University. The conference kicked off with a lecture by Prof Richard Oram, University of Stirling, who set the scene for the 58 delegates with his lecture on ‘Living in a Cold, Wet Climate: Environment, Materials and Vernacular Buildings in Scotland’. Day visits were made to: Stirling’s old town and a personalised tour of Stirling Castle; the following – very wet – day to Innerpeffray Library and Chapel, Killin village, Moirlanich Longhouse and Castle Menzies; and on the final day to Bannockburn House, Culross village and Palace and Sauchie Tower.

The other evening lectures were given by Tom Morton, Director Arc Architects, on ‘Patterns of Place in Scottish Built Culture’, Stephen Jackson, National Museums Scotland and SVBWG Committee, on ‘A Vernacular Furniture Tour of Scotland’ and on the final evening Lena Sideri, PhD student, spoke on ‘The Future of Vernacular Buildings’.