The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) has received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Sharing Heritage grant, which will allow over 130 years of agricultural history, contained in the Society’s archives, to be digitised and published online.

Entitled ‘A digital history of RHASS – an educational resource for Curriculum for Excellence’, the £10,000 grant will see part of the Society’s extensive records and books published on the Society’s website, www.archive.rhass.org.uk
The information, held in a purpose built library within Ingliston House at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh will be available on the RHASS website from noon on Monday 20th April.
The resource will include information on Scotland’s historic geographical plans, roads and bridges infrastructure, land holding data, genealogy and agricultural information, as well as archived correspondence from some leading industry influencers and politicians
The Society was founded in 1784 to promote the regeneration of rural Scotland, as well as the preservation of its poetry, language and music.
Commenting on the award, RHASS Chief Executive, Stephen Hutt, said: “We are thrilled to have received this funding from HLF, which enables us to open up the library archives to school pupils, students, researchers and members of the public. This new online archive within our website will showcase some of the unique material that the library holds and provide an insight into the agricultural community life and enterprise dating back 130 years.”