The Future of the Past in Tarset investigated a relatively undocumented area of Northumberland National Park which lies between Hadrian's Wall on one side and the Cheviot hill forts on the other.

With expert help, the project researched the archaeology, geology, natural environment and social and industrial heritage of the area, providing training as appropriate in IT, biodiversity surveying and archiving skills. One of the group trained others to interpret a set of 1970s’ aerial photographs, revealing a mass of new information which was catalogued, put on the project’s database and used to guide field walks in the second phase of the project.

The first phase created a digital archive of over 2,000 specially-commissioned professional photographs of the area in all seasons, with the intention of eventually publishing a book of images with recent research. Framed copies of selected photographs were exhibited in various locations and offered for permanent display in the village hall.

A panoramic view of the whole area was given to the pub at Greenhaugh, and became a focal point in this very important centre for the community. The group also secured funding from Tynedale Council to set up accessible storage space for its files, maps and other documents in a public building.

The community was kept informed through an annual events calendar, and a very high proportion attended public events including weekend open days. The project not only drew on the resources of people who had lived in the area all their lives and those who had moved to Tarset more recently, but also developed a strong partnership with the National Park and connections outside the area.

New links were forged and joint events planned with the Heritage Centre in the nearby village of Bellingham. Advertisements in the local press drew visitors from as far away as Newcastle to take part in archaeology and geology walks.

The group progressed to a second LHI project, including a major historical mapping project for the area, combining the Tarset group’s knowledge with the National Park’s work on settlements. A schools’ project on bastles, part of an artists’ residency in the countryside scheme at Highgreen, was featured in one of the Tarset project’s exhibitions, and another artist in the community was involved in an investigation into local drove roads.

Some of the Tarset project’s core members went on to set up a complementary group called Tarset 2050, focusing on sustainable development.