Preparation underway for Antonine bid visit

4.26.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th May 2007

The Auld Kirk Museum in Kirkintilloch houses an exhibition of Roman artefacts

The bid to grant World Heritage Site status to the Antonine Wall is nearing a crucial stage.

A UNESCO delegate will travel to East Dunbartonshire later this summer to evaluate the bid, and Jo Swinson has joined with representatives from Historic Scotland, East Dunbartonshire Council and the Auld Kirk Museum in Kirkintilloch to prepare for the visit.

Commenting after the meeting today, Jo said:

"Later this summer, a UN delegate will visit the Antonine Wall site to evaluate the World Heritage bid. The site visit is crucial in determining the eventual outcome of the bid.

"Achieving World Heritage Site status would be a fantastic coup for the Antonine Wall and for East Dunbartonshire.

"The site of the Antonine Wall in Bearsden and the Auld Kirk Museum in Kirkintilloch, which houses a permanent exhibition of Roman artefacts, are both great places to start learning about East Dunbartonshire's Roman history."

Jo has put forward a motion in Parliament, which has received cross-party support from 53 MPs so far, welcoming the nomination of the Antonine Wall for World Heritage Site status.

Related Links:

Full Text of Jo's Early Day Motion

Historic Scotland

Roman Britain: The Antonine Wall

UNESCO