THE historic Antonine Wall is being held up as an example of best practice in cultural heritage throughout Europe.

The recent ‘Rediscovering the Antonine Wall’ project is the only UK heritage initiative chosen among 30 sites being included in the European Guide for Cultural Heritage in Action, picked from thousands of applications.

It was chosen following an application made by Historic Environment Scotland in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council and the other four local authorities the wall runs through en route from Bo’ness to Bowling.

The Antonine Wall marked the most northerly point of the Roman Empire, and the local authorities in West Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire, North Lanarkshire and Falkirk joined forces with Historic Environment Scotland to bring its fascinating story back to life.

The £2.1million project aims to improve awareness of and engagement with the UNESCO World Heritage Site among local communities along the line of the wall and with visitors from further afield.

Roman-themed play parks, like the one at Golden Hill Fort in Duntocher designed with local schoolchildren, are being created at sites near to the wall so children and young people can explore and play while finding out about its history.

Councillor Diane Docherty, Antonine Wall ambassador at West Dunbartonshire Council, said: “The inclusion of the Rediscovering the Antonine Wall Project in the best practice guide for this industry is high praise indeed. I would like to congratulate the whole project team for their hard work so far in bringing this important part of Scottish heritage back to life for generations to come.”

Emma McMullen, project manager for the Antonine Wall, said: “The Rediscovering the Antonine Wall project has established innovative approaches to engaging communities with their local heritage over the last two years.

“We are delighted to be held up as an example of best practice of cultural heritage in action within the EU.

“We very much look forward to showcasing our actions at the forthcoming best practice visit and to sharing our experiences, as well as hearing from others in this field from across Europe.”