HE was a self-taught geological expert whose love of rocks was sparked when he became the first ranger on a vast Sutherland estate renowned for its varied geology.

Now the remarkable collection of crystals, fossils and rocks accumulated by Donald Shelley at the Inverpolly Nature Reserve  will be housed in a new £4 million visitor centre backed by one of Britain’s richest men.

The stunning collection is to be loaned by the Duke of Westminster, who is estimated to be worth more than £10 billion, making him the world’s richest person under 30.

The wealthiest aristocrat in Britain has come to the aid of the remote village of Scourie in Sutherland.

Hugh Grosvenor, the seventh Duke of Westminster, bankrolled a team of experts to prepare plans for his family’s collection of stones, minerals and fossils to be housed in the new centre.

Called Scourie Rocks, the development will accommodate the Shelley Collection – gathered from across the world by the self-taught Mr Shelley.

Mr Shelley, who died in 2002 and for many years ran Orcadian Stone exhibition and gift centre in Golspie, was the first warden at Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve, Assynt, in the 1970s.

During his lifetime he amassed a huge collection of stones with the Shelley Collection comprising some 3,000 pieces, ranging from tiny crystals to stones weighing in the tons.

Geologists rate it as of international significance with Nick Fraser from the National Museum of Scotland describing it as “world class”.

After his death his family offered it for sale in order to safeguard the collection.

The Duke of Westminster bought the collection in 2016 following an approach to his Grosvenor Estate, and agreed to lease it to Scourie Community Development Company (SCDC) for 50 years with an option to buy.

The collection – said to be worth £600,000 – has now all been catalogued.

Between four to six jobs would be created when the scheme reaches fruition. Four years ago the development company, with help from the Scottish Land Fund, bought a field known as the Doctor’s Park from Scourie Estate, with a view to it being the location for the new centre.

The centre’s plans have now been given the green light by Highland Council.
Neil Macdonald, chairman of SCDC and a member of the Scourie Community Council, said: “Scourie Rocks will have a huge impact in the area, providing employment, education opportunities and much needed community facilities. 

“We are delighted it has been approved and we can now look forward to progressing the plans and developing funding for the centre.

“Without the generous financial support of the Duke of Westminster, the SCDC would not have been able to start out on this exciting journey to develop the centre. It will provide a significant tourist attraction for the Highlands as well as opportunities for people of all ages and from all parts of the UK to learn about the fascinating geological history of the area, its rocks, minerals and fossils.”

Mr Shelley joined the Nature Conservancy Council to become the first warden at Knockan, on the Inverpolly National Nature Reserve, by Assynt, Sutherland, in north-west Scotland. 

It was here that he discovered a passion for geology and came despite leaving school at 16 with no formal geological training. 

His interest in rocks was encouraged and tutored especially by Tom Robertson, retired from the Geological Survey and living nearby. 

With his newly gained knowledge Mr Shelley established the popular Nature Trail along Knockan Cliff and later inspired the beautifully illustrative little stone wall containing all the rocks of Assynt in their correct positions, which is still preserved in the new Knockan Visitor Centre.

In 1970, Mr Shelley moved to Golspie on the east coast of Sutherland and, with wife Anne, set up the Orcadian Stone Company Limited and built up a museum of rocks, minerals and fossils especially from the north of Scotland.

The duke made further funding available to enable SCDC to appoint a development manager, project management and design teams to progress the project and submit a planning application.

A spokesman for the Grosvenor Estate said: “We believe Scourie Rocks will deliver a lasting commercial and social benefit to the community and wider region. We welcome the decision to approve the plans and we are proud to continue to support its development.”