1. science
2. social science
3. history
4. archaeology

2015
INFORMING THE CONSERVATION OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
CONSERVATION.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?.
FOCUS ON APPLYING RESEARCH.
Finding old inspiration for a new
commemoration: Edinburgh’s
National War Memorial Garden
Catching up with Historic
Scotland’s intern alumni in their
latest roles around the globe
Virtually reconstructing Robert
the Bruce’s tomb and delving into
Elizabeth I’s ornate prayer book
Contents
In brief
4
Highlights6
Collections8
Traditional skills
9
Conservation12
Climate change
15
Technical research
18
Engine Shed
20
Applied conservation
22
Scottish Ten
24
Investing in people
26
Industrial heritage
29
FOCUS ON APPLYING RESEARCH
Introduction30
Growing old gracefully?
32
Robert the Bruce Tomb reconstructed in 3D
34
Elizabeth I prayer book
35
Restoration mortars, non-destructive testing
and salt removal
36
Protecting Scotland’s National War Memorial
38
St Giles’ reveals a colourful past
39
Investigating timber, stone and glass artefacts
40
Impact42
Cover image: Michael Dunnet, Assistant Works Manager at Fort Charlotte (Shetland).
Michael joined Historic Scotland in 1977, then Department of the Environment, as an
apprentice stonemason in Orkney. In 1982 he moved to Shetland to join the squad at Fort
Charlotte, where he still works.
Inside front cover: Glasgow School of Art during salvage operation, May 2014.
Back cover: Salvaged furniture from collections’ store, Glasgow School of Art.
All by David Mitchell
Welcome
Welcome to Focus 2015, Historic
Scotland’s annual magazine showcasing
our technical conservation work. As
usual, we have been busy working
throughout Scotland and beyond on a
range of varied and exciting projects.
The FOCUS ON section in this edition is
‘Applying Research’, and it shows how
we put research into practice and use
state-of-the-art technology and
knowledge to better understand and
preserve Scotland’s heritage.
In this issue, I share my highlights
of the past year, and set the scene for
the year ahead. 2014 has been the start
of a series of changes in the organisation,
which will culminate, in October 2015,
with the merger of Historic Scotland
and the Royal Commission on the
Ancient and Historical Monuments
of Scotland to become Historic
Environment Scotland.
Our Engine Shed project is starting to
shape up and Dorothy Hoskins gives an
update on this ambitious project, which
will see Stirling become the focal point
for technical conservation from 2016.
Another milestone has been reached as
the Scottish Ten team scanned their last
site, the Glasgow-built Nagasaki Crane
in Japan. Lyn Wilson describes the
experience and explains what the next
steps are now that Phase One has been
completed. Another highlight this year
was the installation of a Contemplation
Garden at Edinburgh Castle, which HM
Queen Elizabeth II opened in July 2014.
The last time there was an addition to the
castle was the erection of the National
War Memorial in 1927.
The Collections team have some
exciting news regarding a new website
for our unique objects collection, and
we revisit the extraordinary Paisley
Fountain, which has been restored
to its former glory. Our Technical
Research and Conservation Science
teams continue to undertake and
disseminate a wide variety of research
projects, including the conservation of
historic harbours and piers, new
techniques to deter lead theft, and new
information on how to cope with flood
damage in traditional buildings. Scott
Brady, our Carbon Manager, gives an
update on our targets for carbon
emissions, and we look into a future hot
topic – climate change adaptation.
This year, we have also revised our
publications catalogue, which is now
more appropriately termed Technical
Resources. As well as all our published
material, it contains information on other
Historic Scotland resources that will be
useful for those interested in traditional
buildings and the wider historic
environment. Most of our published
material is available from our technical
website www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
conservation; and if you would like to
keep up to date with our latest
publications and events, you can sign
up to our e-newsletter from the home
page of the website.
Dr David Mitchell,
Director of Conservation
Editors
Vanesa Gonzalez and Ewan Hyslop
Editor Fiona McKinlay
[email protected]
Produced for Historic Scotland by
Think Publishing Ltd.
Suite 2.3, Red Tree Business Suites
33 Dalmarnock Road
Glasgow G40 4LA
Telephone 0141 375 0504
www.thinkpublishing.co.uk
Design Mark Davies, Phil Long,
Katherine Pentney, Alistair McGown
Sub-editors Kirsty Fortune,
Sian Campbell
Publisher John Innes
[email protected]
While every care has been taken
in the preparation and compilation
of this publication Historic Scotland
cannot be held responsible for any
errors or omissions.
IN BRIEF
INFORM
Guide series
reaches 50th
booklet
The Lesmahagow site offers
state-of-the-art stone
carving facilities
Lesmahagow conservation
depot opens for business
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
In September 2014, we were
delighted to publish our 50th INFORM
Guide. The series started in 2008
and we have been producing titles
ever since. The series is popular
with home owners and building
professionals in the UK and overseas.
The last addition to the series is Flood
Damage to Traditional Buildings and
you can access this and other titles
from the publications section on our
website at www.historic-scotland.gov.
uk/conservation.
Other titles added to our list of
publications over the last year include
Short Guide 8: Micro-renewables
in the Built Environment and Short
Guide 9: Maintaining Your Home,
as well as several Technical Papers
and Refurbishment Case Studies.
Details of all these can be found in our
Historic Scotland Technical Resources
section of the magazine. For more
information about our resources,
visit our website or email us at
[email protected]
04
A
new conservation hub has
skills training facilities for staff, apprentices
opened in Lesmahagow for
and others to complement other craft skills
Historic Scotland’s monument
centres including Forth Valley College and the
conservation operations in
forthcoming Engine Shed in Stirling (see page
the south west of Scotland,
20). The centre will provide an inspirational
replacing the previous depot at
and safe working environment to deliver
Craignethan Castle.
outreach training for a range of students from
The new building is a purpose-built
school children to conservation professionals.
conservation facility that will support and
The Lesmahagow facility also offers a
suite of modern welfare facilities for Historic
ensure the long-term sustainability of
Scotland staff, including an office, a kitchen,
carrying out conservation works to Historic
lockers, and a utility room with shower
Scotland’s monuments within
South Lanarkshire and the
and washing facilities.
surrounding areas.
Moreover, to further boost
The Lesmahagow
our green credentials, the
facility offers state of
energy performance of
the new centre is
the art stone-cutting
considerably better
and hewing facilities,
than that of the old
which will enable it
Craignethan Castle
to support various
depot, and we have
conservation works
already been able to
throughout south
reduce travel, waste
Scotland, including
and energy costs,
the next phases of the
meaning our monument
Glasgow Cathedral major
conservation operations are
conservation project. It
Training seminar
more efficient.
also boasts excellent craft
New website marks WWI centenary
Historic Scotland and the
Royal Commission on the
Ancient and Historical
Monuments of Scotland
(RCAHMS) have created a
website to commemorate
the centenary of the
First World War, at www.
scotlandsfirstworldwar.
org. We highlight the work
being done throughout
our organisations and
the future Historic
Environment Scotland
to commemorate the
events of the war.
The website includes
details of various events
that are being run at our
properties, as well as
up-to-date information
about ongoing work we
are undertaking. There are
also articles on aspects
of the history, physical
remains and individuals
connected to the First
World War, and details of
how our work is helping to
conserve and protect the
historic legacy left behind
by the conflict.
A portrait of WWI poet
Wilfred Owen from
Poems by Wilfred Owen
IN BRIEF
Explore more than 5,000 years of Scotland’s history
with an annual Historic Scotland membership
There are more than 300 Historic Scotland properties
to visit throughout Scotland, including prehistoric
dwellings and stone circles, abbeys and cathedrals,
castles and palaces, and distilleries and mills.
HOW TO JOIN
Historic Scotland membership is available on an
annual or life basis. Paying by Direct Debit means that
your annual membership can cost as little as £3.12
a month. Sign up for membership today by visiting
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/member or call
0131 668 8999 for further information on joining.
Tasty treats
at Bothwell;
the Stirling
Tapestries on
display at
the castle
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS INCLUDE
l FREE entry to all Historic Scotland properties,
including Edinburgh and Stirling castles
l FREE entry to over 400 daytime events and
activities taking place all over Scotland
l 20% discount in our shops
l FREE quarterly magazine
l HALF PRICE ENTRY to over 500 heritage
attractions throughout the UK in your first
year of membership; free entry in
subsequent years.
By joining, you will also be making an important
contribution to the preservation of Scotland’s built
heritage for future generations.
Historic Scotland and RCAHMS join
forces in new heritage organisation
The public body will deliver an enhanced, more sustainable service for the historic environment
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
C
olleagues across Historic
Scotland, RCAHMS and the
Scottish Government are
working together to create
a new public body, Historic
Environment Scotland (HES),
that can take a leading role in
the historic environment.
Bringing Historic Scotland and RCAHMS
together into one body will deliver a more
resilient, sustainable and effective heritage
organisation, streamlining and improving
current functions to deliver an enhanced
service for the historic environment –
now and in years to come.
The new body, which will benefit from
the unique skills, experience, knowledge
and expertise of staff in Historic Scotland
and RCAHMS, starts work in April this
year and will help deliver Scotland’s first
strategy for the historic environment,
Our Place in Time.
The joint venture will begin work this April to deliver the Our Place in Time strategy
05
FOCUS ON: MVA PROJECT
Recreating the tomb of Robert the Bruce
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney
Setting
the scene
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Dr David Mitchell, Director of Conservation, reflects
on 2014 and looks forward to an important year
06
T
he eyes of the world were on Scotland
in 2014 as the country hosted a number
of prominent events. We played our part
in welcoming cultural heritage friends to
Scotland from many different countries. I am
constantly heartened by the admiration of
our overseas friends and colleagues for what
we do in conservation in this country.
Sometimes it’s hard to see the wood for the trees and
we need to step back to gain some perspective. It is
good for those of us who work in the sector to remind
David Mitchell
David.Mitchell@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
ourselves why we do what we do – it may not always
be easy, but inspiration is never far from reach. I am
inspired by various things, such as the enthusiasm and
passion of my team and our colleagues in the wider
sector, watching our apprentices grow and compete
internationally to demonstrate their skills, meeting
the students at our annual summer school – there is
a great deal to be positive about. More than anything
else, however, is that sense of excitement, discovery
and adventure that comes from that eureka research
moment, seeing something lovingly cared for or made
with skill, or visiting a new place.
Now I am pretty lucky – we care for 345 sites across
Scotland and little compares to a summer sunset at the
Ring of Brodgar on Orkney, that tangible connection
to the past at Dunadd, the remoteness of Eileach an
Naoimh in the Firth of Lorne or the feel, smell and
snug of the Blackhouse at Arnol on Lewis. These are
treasures certainly, but I also have a fondness for
the ‘ordinary’ – traditionally constructed buildings
which reflect their environment, underlying geology
or function, particularly those used for work. Those
which have been respectfully cared for and even those
which have been left to look after themselves have an
authenticity and honesty that is inspiring.
Nothing makes you value what you have more than
when it is put at risk of course, and in May I spent a
HIGHLIGHTS
week at the Glasgow School of Art in the aftermath
of the fire, working with GSA colleagues and the Fire
Service to minimise damage to the building fabric
and salvage what we could of the collections. It was a
tangibly moving experience for all of us, that something
so precious was so very nearly lost forever but for
the actions of the firefighters. Despite the dismay of
carrying out charred remains of identifiably Mackintosh
furniture, the response was remarkable. We had around
100 people on site working 14 hour days to protect the
building and its collections. The public and heritage
sector response was remarkable and that week we
could have asked for anything from anyone in the
sector and they would have delivered (and we did!).
We learned so much that needs to be shared.
Looking forward we have been building a new
organisation with our colleagues at the Royal
Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments
of Scotland (or RCAHMS), which is challenging
certainly – anything worthwhile always is – but the
moments when it has felt right have been those when
the collective passion and expertise of our people
has sparked. Dr Iain Fraser’s re-creation of the lost
tomb of Robert the Bruce was a wonderful example
of cross-sector collaboration and adventure – 700
years on and we were still able to make remarkable
discoveries through science and technology, but more
than anything through the sharing of expertise and
approaching the project with humility.
As we have developed the Engine Shed concept, and
listened and talked to so many of you, it is increasingly
apparent that it will become a platform on which
building conservation reaches a new level, and provides
all of us with a focus to raise standards and infect a
new generation with the passion we collectively share.
Our new organisation, Historic Environment Scotland,
will place conservation at its core and strengthen our
resolve to improve. I believe that the creation of Historic
Environment Scotland and the build towards the Engine
Shed in 2016 is an opportunity for us to do things
differently. For me that means increased transparency,
practising what we preach, sharing our knowledge
and expertise but, most importantly, continuing to
build on an ever-growing network of collaborators and
partners. We have done a great deal to break down
barriers, address the challenges of a changing climate,
and demonstrate that traditional forms of construction
are entirely relevant, truly sustainable and increasingly
recognised as being healthy for their occupants.
We need to use the resources to hand to continue to
be ambitious, confident and respectful in what we do.
These are challenging times, but that’s when you have
to dig deepest, really prioritise, and remember that we
need to play a long game.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
The Blackhouse of Arnol, Lewis
07
COLLECTIONS
Tape weaving loom, Stanley Mills
Portrait of James VI by Adrian Vanson, c.1585
Where did
we put those
medieval
spectacles?
Historic Scotland is putting its collection online and
this resource has already resulted in new discoveries
as Collections Registrar Hugh Morrison finds out
Hugh Morrison
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
hugh.morrison@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
08
Pictish carving
from St Vigeans
Museum, Angus
Cliabh (creel) for carrying peats, the Blackhouse, Arnol
H
istoric Scotland’s collection is a valuable
but highly dispersed resource. It would
take several weeks just to visit over 160
properties and stores across Scotland to
see it. Faced with the challenge of making
this resource more accessible, Historic
Scotland’s Collections Unit has just
launched a new online catalogue that also enables you
to browse and study key objects online.
The collection covers an enormous range of items,
from Neolithic bone artefacts found at Skara Brae to
20th century industrial machinery at Stanley Mills.
Most of these objects feature in site-based displays as
evidence of how people occupied and used these places
through time. Now that many of these key exhibits are
online, you can easily access and explore them as part
of the whole collection wherever they are displayed.
Using simple and advanced search options, you can
call up specific objects or related groups of objects
such as architectural stones, cannons, furniture and
ship models. You can then view selected object records
individually to reveal more detail about their histories.
These records are also linked to information about the
properties where the objects are displayed.
The collection has great potential to be studied
online alongside material in national and international
collections. It contains significant collections such as
early medieval carved stones, paintings and pottery
that are dispersed throughout Scotland. Publishing the
collection more widely can also lead to unexpected
discoveries. A sharp-eyed New York ophthalmologist
got in touch with us to explain that a curved fragment
of bone on display at Melrose Abbey came from a very
rare pair of medieval rivet spectacles. This and other
new discoveries can now be seen on the new site.
Putting objects online also provides the opportunity
to feature items that are not on public display while
they are undergoing conservation, in storage or
out on loan. Recently, a collection of light-sensitive
archaeological illustrations by Alan Sorrell (1904-1974)
was taken off display to prevent them from fading. All
these artworks have now been conserved, digitised and
put online and can be viewed as a virtual collection.
With more than 32,000 objects to be added, there
is plenty more to look out for. We are keen to receive
your comments and feedback to help us improve this
site via the ‘Contact us’ link at the foot of the website.
You can explore Historic Scotland’s collections at
collections.historic-scotland.gov.uk
TRADITIONAL SKILLS
John Reid is proud
he can compete at
international level
Carving up
the competition
We speak to newly appointed stonemasons John Reid and Connor Crawford
about showcasing their talents in the 43rd WorldSkills competition
I enjoy the competitions and I like
the challenging stones you get to
cut. The best thing I’ve done is being
able to compete at a world level as
not many people can say they’ve
managed to get that far
John Reid
I’ve done is being able to compete at a world level, as not
many people can say they’ve managed to get that far.”
For Connor, who recently participated in the
EuroSkills 2014 Competition in France, these events
mean taking every opportunity to fine-tune your craft.
“It’s a case of training from now until May,” he
explains. “When I go home at the end of the day, I’m
trying to do a bit of stone carving as well just to keep
my hand in and practise.”
Graham Campbell, training manager at Historic
Scotland’s Elgin Depot, says: “Both John and Connor
have been working extremely hard to get to this point,
and no matter what happens in May, they have both
done themselves and Historic Scotland proud in
getting this far.”
Below: Connor
Crawford is in a
programme of
rigorous training
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
T
wo recently time-served apprentice
stonemasons are putting their talents to the
test for the chance to cut their stones in the
sunshine of São Paulo next summer.
John Reid from Elgin and Connor
Crawford from Lochgilpead completed
their apprenticeships in August 2014 at
Historic Scotland’s Elgin Training Centre and are
now in contention for a place at the 43rd WorldSkills
Competition, which provides a platform for young
people to demonstrate their excellence in skilled trades.
The last remaining position in Team GB will be
announced in May, following a rigorous programme
of preparation and training. John and Connor are
familiar with the pressures of the selection process,
having competed at local, national and international
levels during the course of their apprenticeships.
John says: “I enjoy the competitions and I like
the challenging stones you get to cut. The best thing
09
TRADITIONAL SKILLS
Creating
skills for
the future
Recent placements have joined the Skills for the
Future bursary scheme, which aims to address the
traditional building skills gap. By Gillian Ferguson
Gillian Ferguson
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
gillian.ferguson@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
10
T
he Heritage Lottery Fund backed Skills for
the Future bursary scheme managed by
Historic Scotland has seen some exciting
year-long training placements created with
a wide range of heritage organisations and
specialist contractors throughout Scotland.
The scheme provides vocational training
placements where bursary holders gain an experience
of traditional crafts while improving employability skills.
The Skills for the Future scheme continues to
diversify the future workforce for the heritage sector,
encouraging applications from those who may not
have considered joining the heritage field to help fill
the skills gap of those who understand traditional
buildings and structures.
Recent placements include Heritage Engineering
trainees Sandra Hunter, based with Knockando
Woolmill Trust in Moray; and Angus Harkness, hosted
by Scottish Canals based at its Falkirk depot. Angus
had been a volunteer with Scottish Waterways Trust
through its Canal College before applying for the yearlong bursary placement. He has shown a real interest
and aptitude for the maintenance and repairs to the
stone structures within the canal system – so much
so that Scottish Canals has committed to employing
him as a stonemasonry apprentice once his bursary
placement is completed.
Two further bursary holders are in place with
Historic Scotland’s Digital Documentation team.
Evangelia Karali and Stacie Allan are working on
the Rae project to digitally document all of the 345
monuments in the care of Historic Scotland.
Skills for the Future also recently welcomed its
first traditional joinery bursary holder, Rowen Baird.
Our youngest bursary holder, having just turned
18, Rowen was keen to gain a practical trade
and to work with traditional buildings. He is
placed with Andrew Miller Architectural Joiners,
based in Stirling.
Heritage Engineering
trainee Angus
Harkness (left)
TRADITIONAL SKILLS
Masonry Training
at Forth Valley
Our new training centre is building on the
success of our Elgin centre, says Training
Manager Charles Jones
charles.jones@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Stacie Allan
documenting
Stirling Palace
Our youngest
bursary holder
Rowen Baird
The Skills
for the Future
scheme
continues to
diversify
the future
workforce
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Charles Jones
It has been a busy year for staff at Forth Valley
College in Stirling. The National Progression Award in
Conservation of Stonemasonry has been delivered
in Scotland for more than five years and has trained
nearly 350 craft operatives.
Two years after the training centre was established
at Forth Valley College, the first batch of new
apprentices have qualified, with some impressive
achievements. Apprentices Michael Renshaw (Historic
Scotland) and David Robinson (FBM Contracts),
who trained at Forth Valley, won the Intercollege
Apprentice Stonemasonry Competition sponsored
by Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and
Historic Scotland.
Forth Valley has also been delivering ‘mobile’
conservation and repair training in Northern Ireland.
Training Officer Innes Drummond and I delivered
the National Progression Award in Conservation of
Masonry for a team of Historic Scotland HLF bursary
holders and employees of the Northern Ireland
Environment Agency (NIEA) in Moira, Northern Ireland.
Last March, NIEA asked if Forth Valley could deliver
a training programme for its technical staff on the
selection, preparation and use of lime washes and
additives that can be used in exposed locations.
Forth Valley has also delivered short courses on
behalf of National Trust NI and CITB NI, advising
building professionals on the selection, preparation
and use of lime mortars. We have also offered a
training course for contractors on the correct selection
and mixing of lime mortars for building repair.
Delivery in Northern Ireland of the National
Progression Award and other courses is a first for
Historic Scotland through the Engine Shed Project.
11
CONSERVATION
The Queen opened the new garden on Edinburgh’s Castle Rock
to commemorate the WWI centenary, reports David Storrar
Contemplating a garden
of commemoration
A
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
new Garden of
Contemplation, formed
in the north-west
corner of the grounds
of the Scottish National
War Memorial, on the
summit of Castle Rock
was officially opened by Her Majesty
The Queen on 3 July 2014.
The War Memorial building,
designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, was
opened by the Prince of Wales on 14
July 1927. King George V and Queen
Mary also attended the ceremony
and gifted the Shrine Casket to the
people of Scotland.
In 2013, the Chairman of the
Trustees of the Memorial, Major
General Mark Strudwick, initiated
discussions with Historic Scotland
regarding possible ways of marking
the centenary of the Great War.
A review of archive information
held by the Royal Commission on
Ancient and Historical Monuments
of Scotland (RCAHMS) unearthed an
early design drawing for the North
Terrace that showed a pathway and
steps through the garden area. This
provided the catalyst for exploring
ways of providing usable accessible
space within the garden.
Several options were drawn up
for the formation of a new garden
of commemoration, where visitors
could pause for a moment of quiet
reflection, and the agreed scheme
received Scheduled Monument
Clearance on 16 May 2014. Site
works commenced immediately.
Over 100 tonnes of spoil were
removed under archaeological
12
Several options
were drawn up for the
formation of a garden
of commemoration,
where visitors could
pause for a moment of
quiet reflection
Above: The Queen meets
Major General Mark
Strudwick
Below: The opening
ceremony of the
Contemplation Gardens
David Storrar
david.storrar@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
The Queen was
presented with
a replica of
Seraphiel
supervision. Works were suspended
temporarily when building remains
were uncovered, which were found
to be remnants of the footings of a
19th century cookhouse.
A gap in the existing rock outcrop
provided a perfect access into the
lowered area, and the designers
decided to use basalt (known as
whinstone) for the main features, as it
is the same material as Castle Rock.
Details of the curved and polished
whinstone benches used elements
of Lorimer’s sketches. Whin setts
were laid in a radiused pattern
to draw attention to a central
commemorative bronze plaque.
The alloy for this plaque contained
donated elements from the Army,
Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
East-facing rendering of
the memorial garden
All works, from design to
completion, were carried out
by Historic Scotland’s in-house
professional and technical teams,
Monument Conservation Unit,
and Parks and Gardens staff, apart
from the polished bench and plinth
elements, which were sourced
from Tradstocks Ltd, Stirling, and
the bronze plaque sourced from
Archibald Young Ltd, Founders.
At the opening, Her Majesty was
presented with a copy of Duncan
Macmillan’s new book, Scotland’s
Shrine: The Scottish National War
Memorial, and a cast resin-bronze
replica of Seraphiel, one of the four
Archangels guarding the Shrine
Casket, made by Historic Scotland
Specialist Conservator Colin Muir.
CONSERVATION
The Grand Fountain
before restoration
The life-sized walruses
are just one of the
Grand Fountain’s
striking features
Restoring the
Grand Fountain
Ali Davey explains how the 30-foot Grand Fountain in Paisley
Fountain Gardens was returned to its former glory
I
n June 1868, 300 employees
of George Smith & Co.’s
Sun Foundry were brought
from Glasgow by a specially
commissioned train to the
grand inauguration ceremonies
of Paisley Fountain Gardens.
The firm had manufactured the
astonishing centrepiece of the
gardens, the aptly named Grand
Fountain. This was a 30-foot cast
Ali Davey
ali.davey@scotland.
gsi.gov.uk
iron fountain with three tiers that
were home to aquatic plants,
herons, cherubs, alligators, sealions
and even life-sized walruses.
Contemporary accounts describe
the fountain in great detail and give
a tantalising account of the opening
celebrations of the gardens. A
procession of hundreds of people
including dignitaries, trade guilds
and marching bands took hours to
make their way through the town
centre to the gardens for the grand
opening. The fountain (as well as
the gardens) had been gifted to the
people of Paisley by the Coates
family of thread makers.
By the start of the 21st century,
this important A-listed fountain,
and the only known example of
George Smith & Co’s No.1 fountain,
was in need of repair. Renfrewshire
Council secured funding of
£650,000 (a combination of
Renfrewshire Council, Heritage
Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland
funding) and contracted Lost Art to
restore the fountain. Work began in
the summer of 2013. The fountain
was completely dismantled and
removed to workshops so it could
be thoroughly cleaned, repaired and
repainted in controlled conditions.
The complex colour scheme
devised by renowned Glasgowborn artist and designer Daniel
Cottier (1837–1891) was faithfully
recreated, thanks to research
by Historic Scotland and much
experimentation by the contractor.
Cottier was an exponent of the
Aesthetic movement, and was
hugely influential on decorative
tastes both in the UK and America.
A specialist pattern maker was
brought in to create patterns that
were used to remake the missing
walrus tusks in cast iron. A new
pumping system was also installed
so that the fountain is once again
fully functional and ready for young
paddlers! The restored Grand
Fountain was officially switched on
during a Victorian tea party in its
honour on 6 September 2014.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
A specialist pattern
maker was brought in
to create patterns that
were used to remake
the missing walrus
tusks in cast iron
13
CONSERVATION
Perthshire town’s
colourful railings
give Ali Davey a
glimpse of how other
Scottish towns would
have looked before
World War II
A huge variety of finial
designs can be found
Blairgowrie homeowners
paint railings in their
own choice of colour
Blairgowrie: a cast from the past
Ali Davey
ali.davey@scotland.
gsi.gov.uk
M
uch of Scotland’s
heritage of domestic
urban railings was
swept away during
the Second World
War. However, in
Blairgowrie the
council dragged its heels, giving
a variety of excuses to delay the
removal of the town’s railings
– successfully it would appear.
Thanks to its stalling tactics,
Blairgowrie remains one of the
few towns in Scotland to retain
its original iron railings.
Each homeowner has chosen
their own colour. This use of different
colours is common in towns that
retain their original railings
Notably, the town’s railings are
painted in different colours. In
large cities such as Edinburgh and
Glasgow, railings tend to be painted
in the same hue, usually black. In
Blairgowrie, each homeowner has
chosen their own colour.
This use of different colours
is common in other towns that
retain their original railings, such
as Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis
and Lerwick on Shetland. Most
Blairgowrie railings are composed
of cast iron bars with decorative
finials. A huge variety of decorative
finial designs can be found, and
even the bars can differ between
properties – some are square,
some round, while others have
barley twists.
Only a few examples of cast
iron panels survive in the town
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Inspiring a new generation
14
James
MacPherson
james.macpherson@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Kisimul Castle is in the throes of some
major conservation work. A ceremony
to mark the finalisation of the lease
between the Macneil of Barra and
Historic Scotland took place on Barra
in 2013, and Historic Scotland will
overhaul the hall and chapel roofs
and improve slipway access from
Castlebay to the castle.
Considering the location of the castle,
the logistics of carrying out this work are
challenging, but the good relationship
Historic Scotland has built with the
community will facilitate the project. The
Conservation team has carried out a
series of practical outreach projects on
traditional materials and skills with the
schools, while the Education team has
run complementary activities for pupils.
The latest outreach project in June
2014 saw the building and firing of
a limekiln in Castlebay. Local cockle
shell was burned using peat as fuel to
create lime in the traditional way to be
used in the conservation of the castle.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority
awarded Castle Bay school and Historic
Scotland a prestigious SQA Star award
for partnership working at a ceremony in
Glasgow in November 2014.
in a variety of patterns. There are
also some lovely examples of
elegant early 20th-century
wrought iron railings and gates,
which are relatively rare across
Scotland. Many of the houses
also retain original cast iron finials
and terminals.
Tracing railings to their
manufacturer is difficult here,
as only a few examples have
their maker’s name cast into
them. Nevertheless, some
of the designs found in
Blairgowrie can be matched
to catalogue illustrations.
The surviving railings of
Blairgowrie give us a tantalising
glimpse into how our urban streets
might once have looked.
If you would like to find out more,
visit www.blairathistory.org
School pupils
making lime
CLIMATE CHANGE
Stepping towards
greater sustainability
Historic Scotland’s carbon footprint shrank considerably last year, with an encouraging overall
reduction in emissions of 18%. Carbon Manager Scott Brady has the details
I
n August 2014, Historic Scotland published its third
annual Sustainability Report and we are pleased to
report a significant overall reduction in emissions
of 18%, which included a 19% reduction in energy
emissions and a 22% reduction in waste emissions.
A requirement by Government under the Public
Bodies Climate Change Duties, the report provides
a high-level summary of Historic Scotland’s carbon
reduction performance so far. This is measured against
the ambitious target set in our Carbon Management
Plan, to reduce operational carbon emissions by 25%
by April 2015 in comparison to 2008-09 levels. The
report focuses on the following key areas: building
energy use, waste management, business travel
and water consumption, as well as noting action on
biodiversity, sustainable procurement and climate
change adaptation.
The most significant reductions came from using
less energy in our buildings. Last year, we used 16%
less energy than we did in 2008-09, which means
we exceeded our 2013-14 corporate key performance
target to reduce energy consumption by 8%. This
achievement can be attributed to factors including
fabric interventions – for example, lighting and boiler
improvements – staff awareness and milder weather.
Scott Brady
scott.brady@scotland.
gsi.gov.uk
Historic Scotland’s 2013-14 Sustainability Report
can be downloaded from our Climate Change blog:
climatechangeblog.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Annual carbon performance
2013-14 carbon footprint
0.5%
The notable 22% reduction in Historic Scotland’s
waste emissions was good news, although we still
have a relatively low recycle rate of 41%. Resource
Efficient Scotland’s new Carbon Metric Tool to
recalculate waste emissions means that waste now
forms 31% of our carbon footprint (rather than 5%
reported in our 2011 Carbon Management Plan, which
used the carbon metric values of the time), and this will
be an area for future focus.
Business travel and water emissions form relatively
smaller proportions of our overall carbon footprint (7.8%
and 0.5% respectively). Travel emissions saw an 18% rise
in 2013-14, but staff are opting to take more sustainable
forms of transport, with a drop in air and hire car
emissions, and an increase in rail and fleet. This area will
be a focus over the coming years. Water emissions were
reduced by 8%.
To achieve our final target, Historic Scotland will
need to make a further reduction of 7% this year, which
will be a challenge due to tighter budgets, unpredictable
weather and fewer easily achievable methods.
12,000
7.8%
10,000
tCO2e
8000
30.5%
6000
4000
2000
0
2008-09
2011-12
2012-13
KEYWaterBusiness travelWasteEnergy
2013-14
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
61.2%
15
CLIMATE CHANGE
Above: Part of Rothesay Castle in a ruinous, overgrown state (photograph by Thomas Annan
c.1880, copyright RCAHMS). Below: The site today following several periods of rebuilding and
consolidation prior to it coming into state care in 1961. Without such intervention it is likely
that significant parts of the structure would have been lost
Back to the future
Looking at how we conserved monuments in the past could help us protect our heritage
in the future, report Ewan Hyslop and Georgina Ritchie, and with Historic Scotland and
RCAHMS joining forces, there are plenty of archival records to hand
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
W
16
e tend to think of our monuments as
being ‘preserved in time’ and much
effort is made to minimise changes
to their appearance and fabric during
ongoing care and conservation. Yet
many monuments have already
undergone significant changes and
adaptation in the past to ensure their survival.
Climate change is focusing minds on our attitudes
to conservation and forcing us to ask whether it is
enough to continue with the current minimal ‘lighttouch’ or ‘hands-off’ approach to protecting sites, or
whether we need to change our ways and intervene
in a more proactive fashion. The way we treat
monuments today will determine their future – and
in considering this ‘future-proofing’ we should be
aware of, and willing to learn from, some of the bolder
interventions in the past.
A quick glance through the archives shows that
much of what we think of today as historic or
permanent is in fact a relatively recent intervention,
often from the 20th century, where many monuments
were stabilised or ‘made good’ (and in some
cases substantially reconstructed). Most of these
interventions were done with the best of intentions of
Ewan Hyslop
ewan.hyslop@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Georgina Ritchie
georgina.ritchie@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
course; and, indeed, without them many monuments
would likely not have survived to this day.
There are a number of key points which help to
explain this, a fundamental one being that many
monuments that exist as ruins lack the essential
protection mechanisms they were meant to have – and
they exist today in an artificial stasis in a way they were
never designed to be. The most obvious example is
roofless ruins, where open wallheads are vulnerable
to water penetration and washing out of core mortar,
which could lead to increased decay rates and even
structural instability. Many historic structures are
by their nature situated in exposed locations such
as coastal sites or elevated positions, making them
Many monuments that exist as
ruins lack the essential protection
mechanisms they were meant to have
– and they exist today in an artificial
stasis in a way they were never
designed to be
The 16th century Great Hall at Stirling Castle was in a poor state
of repair in the 1960s. In the 1990s, Historic Scotland reinstated
many original protective features such as waterspouts and lime
harling, helping to increase resilience (see right)
CLIMATE CHANGE
In considering methods of increasing the resilience
of historic sites, we can learn a great deal from looking
at how monuments have changed over time, and
examining earlier attempts at conservation
Above: Part of the wallhead of Bothwell Castle in 1899, showing loose masonry, uncontrolled
vegetation growth and open joints (copyright RCAHMS)
Below: Near-completed conservation works (2013) showing protective soft capping
comprising a grass and sedum layer on an impermeable membrane over repointed and
consolidated masonry. The recent capping project is the latest part of an ongoing programme
of proactive repair and maintenance that has been necessary to retain the structure
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
particularly vulnerable to extremes of weather and, of
course, climate change.
Scotland’s climate is changing. It has become wetter
and warmer, sea level is increasing around the Scottish
coast and extreme weather events are more common.
These trends are set to continue and accelerate as
Scotland’s climate changes to warmer, drier summers
and milder, wetter winters, but with severe events
such as more intense rainfall and flooding. Threats to
the historic environment may come in many forms,
from catastrophic flash flooding and coastal erosion, to
more gradual impacts resulting from increased rates of
biological colonisation or harmful pests affecting timber
and even masonry.
Despite appearances, it has always been necessary
to take a proactive approach to ensure the continuation
of our monuments, but never more so than now. In
considering future methods of increasing the resilience
of our historic sites, we can learn a great deal from
looking at how monuments have changed over time,
and examining earlier attempts at conservation (and
adaptation). In other words, before we consider how
we go forward in the light of climate change, it is worth
asking how we got to where we are now.
Examination of material from various archival
sources, including the extensive collections held by
RCAHMS and Historic Scotland, is likely to reveal
much useful information from a range of documents,
such as plans and elevations, aerial photography and
early (pre-photography) artistic engravings. An obvious
benefit of the coming together of the two organisations
is the ability to collate archive data for more
comprehensive information on past changes to the
historic environment in order to address the challenges
of the future.
17
TECHNICAL RESEARCH
Flooding can have
a catastrophic
impact on
historic buildings
Tackling flood damage
to historic buildings
Senior Technical Officer Jessica Snow considers methods for drying out traditional materials
Jessica Snow
jessica.snow@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
S
ome areas of Scotland have always suffered
periodic flooding, and predictions for
climate change indicate that inundation is
likely to become an increasing problem
over the coming decades. Flooding affects
buildings indiscriminately, and typically
follows periods of heavy and prolonged
rainfall. Traditional buildings can be resilient to flood
damage, as they tend to contain natural, porous
materials such as stone, timber and lime, which can
withstand a certain amount of wetting and drying, as
long as the vapour permeability of the structure has not
been previously compromised.
In older buildings, elements affected by flooding such
as timber floorboards, panelling and plasterwork are
sometimes damaged or removed during the clean-up
phase, although the permeability of these materials can
be advantageous once the flood water has subsided, as
they are able to dry out. Such traditional materials can
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Securing
lead on
traditional
buildings
18
Lead is found widely in the
traditional built environment –
on flat roofs, ridge details,
flashings and rainwater goods
– and its theft is a significant
problem. Unoccupied and easily
accessible buildings are
common targets; churches are
particularly vulnerable.
As well as having a high salvage
value, lead is often sought because
it can be removed relatively easily.
Prevention methods often rely
on deterring would-be thieves
from accessing the leaded area,
or raising the alarm once a theft is
under way. This can come too late,
though, and damage or theft may
have already occurred.
One relatively new method of
preventing lead theft is the use
of additional fixing systems that
physically secure the lead to the
roof. Historic Scotland’s Technical
Research team is trialling such a
system on an A-listed Victorian
Gothic church in Ayrshire. Trinity
Church in Irvine had been empty
for some years, and the flat lead
roof of the entrance porch suffered
from repeated thefts. As part of
be expensive to replace, so their retention and repair is
usually desirable. However, organic materials such as
timber are more susceptible to rot if they are left in a
damp condition for extended periods, so it is important
to dry a building as soon as possible.
Drying techniques include natural ventilation and
heating, dehumidification and specialist ‘assisted
drying’ methods. The most appropriate method will
depend on the source and extent of the flooding, the
level of damage, affected materials and the time of year.
A balanced approach should be taken, accepting that
some damage to materials may result from using rapid
drying techniques, but more extensive damage may
result from materials remaining wet for long periods.
■ Further advice is available in a new INFORM Guide
Flood Damage to Traditional Buildings, published in
association with the Scottish Flood Forum. Visit
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/conservation to
access this and other guides
a wider regeneration project, the
church underwent repairs and
improvements, and it was agreed
that it would be a good place to trial
the additional security fixings for
the first time in Scotland. Since the
installation over a year ago, no lead
has been stolen from the church.
While fixing systems obviously
increase the cost, the benefit in
terms of reduced risk of theft,
damage to the building and
reduced insurance premiums
means they are a valuable resource
in the fight against lead theft.
Trinity
Church
■ More information in Historic Scotland Short Guide 2 – Lead Theft:
Guidance on Protecting Traditional Buildings. Visit www.historicscotland.gov.uk/conservation to access this and other guides
TECHNICAL RESEARCH
Shelter from a storm:
conserving Scotland’s
historic harbours
Technical Research Manager
Roger Curtis looks at forgotten
landmarks of the Scottish coastline
W
The harbour architecture is a defining feature of Stromness in Orkney
Repair works at St Andrews harbour in 2005
Roger Curtis
roger.curtis@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
also seeks to emphasise the importance of some of the
adjacent material in a harbour landscape, such as boat
hoists, winches, ladders and bollards.
A small pilot project has recently been completed
in Stromness, where a local contractor and civil
engineer delivered a successful programme of repairs
to a harbour wall. In 2015 trial repair works will be
documented on a Thomas Telford harbour in East
Lothian, prior to the development of a scheme for a full
repair programme in the future. A new Short Guide is
planned to outline how such projects might be set up
and the approaches that might be taken.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
hen most people think of the
historic environment, they see
buildings in various states of
repair, yet it actually includes a
wide range of functional structures,
many of which form an essential
part of our national infrastructure.
Several of these are well known, such as the Forth
Bridge, the Caledonian Canal and the Glenfinnan
Viaduct, but there are hundreds of small harbours,
jetties and piers around the Scottish coastline that
represent an important part of our history, and many
of them are still in use.
Some of these structures were designed and built
by well-known civil engineers using cutting-edge
construction techniques of the day, while others
were smaller vernacular structures built using local
techniques and materials. Both types of design have
to survive a harsh environment of continual wetting,
storm damage and hydrostatic pressures, and in some
cases adaptation to modern traffic and other modernday requirements. Such structures need ongoing
programmes of care and maintenance if they are to
remain viable. In many locations, their use by shipping
may have passed, but they still provide an important
architectural language for their surroundings.
Stromness harbour in Orkney is a particularly fine
example of this.
The recent changing weather conditions and rising
sea levels is putting additional pressure on these
structures. Some that were previously sheltered are
now more exposed than when designed – for example,
Ham harbour in Caithness, an enclosed harbour built in
the 1820s, has all but disappeared.
Historic Scotland has supported the repair of historic
harbours for many years through the Building Repair
Grants Scheme, and work has been completed in
the last few years at St Andrews and Crail. As with
other aspects of building conservation, the correct
skills, techniques and materials are an important
part of carrying out durable repairs and maintaining
the special character of these often fragile marine
structures. Historic Scotland is collating material from
a number of repairs to historic harbour infrastructure,
and recording techniques and ways of working on
masonry harbour works. This work recognises regional
differences in construction styles, materials and local
traditions, as well as incorporating modern engineering
oversight on the dynamics of such structures. The work
19
ENGINE SHED
A 3D rendering of the Building
Conservation Centre, which is
due to open in 2016
Full steam ahead
for Engine Shed
The development of Scotland’s Building
Conservation Centre is underway, says Technical
Outreach and Education Manager Dorothy Hoskins
Dorothy Hoskins
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
dorothy.hoskins
@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
20
T
he next phase of work on Scotland’s
first centre for building conservation,
the Engine Shed at Forthside in Stirling,
has started.
The aim of the Engine Shed is to engage
people with their built environment,
whether they are a homeowner or heritage
professional. By bringing conservation to life through
a wide programme of courses, lectures, activities and
a range of events, it will enthuse people about the
buildings that surround them, celebrate the materials
and skills that built them and explain how they should
be looked after.
The project had secured funding from the Scottish
Government in 2013 and the European Regional
Development Fund in early 2014. A successful secondround application to the Heritage Lottery Fund in
November 2014 completed the funding jigsaw to allow
the project to move on to the delivery phase.
Extensive development work took place throughout
2014, with more than 700 external stakeholders
commenting on and feeding into plans. This feedback
The history
behind the name
There has been extensive debate about the
name of the Engine Shed, particularly in
light of research which indicates that the
building was formally used as a “pug shed”
within the extensive military development
led to alterations in the proposal, including changing
the name from National Conservation Centre to the
more welcoming Engine Shed: Scotland’s Building
Conservation Centre.
Audience development work has led to an activity
plan for the project that has something for everyone
– whether they want to discover traditional building
skills, learn more about materials used in buildings,
or are simply looking to spend time in a fun and
interesting place.
The spine of activity at the centre will be the delivery
of a postgraduate qualification in technical building
conservation with modules focusing on specific topics
or materials and delivered through a variety of lectures,
self-study, demonstrations, hands-on practicals and
field trips. Modules will also be available as individual
units for CPD and the topics followed by the course
will feed through into seminars, workshops and guest
lectures available at the centre.
In addition to these formal learning opportunities,
a wide range of informal interactive learning
activities will be available to the public, homeowners
and children. These activities will range from the
permanent interactive interpretation at the Shed to
activity boxes focusing on everything from surveying
and measuring, to bridge building and engineering.
While the Engine Shed will be the hub for all this
activity, it will also be delivered at other Historic
in Forthside. This research has been
supplemented with the knowledge of
local people who remember the building in
use and steam enthusiasts. We also have
maps showing the rail links between the
buildings on the site.
The Engine Shed name has been
chosen as a dynamic and engaging brand,
which reflects how people in the local area
refer to the building and the heritage of the
Forthside area.
The interpretation within the building
will recognise and display the extensive
network of buildings and rail heritage
within Forthside and we will have clear
information on our website about how
the building, and Forthside as a whole,
was used by the military.
ENGINE SHED
Conservation
Centre to offer
postgrad courses
The Engine Shed plans to attract
graduates and provide qualifications
in technical building conservation,
explains Colin Tennant, Head of
Skills and Materials
Scotland sites and with partner organisations across
the country. This ‘hub and spokes’ model of delivery
will be a two-way process, with Engine Shed resources
made available to partners and the opportunity for
others to showcase and promote their work at the
Engine Shed itself.
Plans are also underway to develop a virtual
learning environment that will enable a national and
international reach for the centre through courses
and webinars.
With the funding now in place, the project will move
onto its next phase with a site start in the spring. The
building is scheduled to open in summer 2016, but over
the next year, as well as finalising the conservation
qualification course, the centre will be developing pilot
workshops, projects and activities, and testing these
with audiences ahead of the opening.
Details of forthcoming events will be found on the
Historic Scotland website, or you can sign up to our
newsletter to keep up to date with developments on the
Engine Shed project.
The project
has something
for everyone –
whether they
want to discover
traditional
building skills,
learn more about
materials, or are
looking to spend
time in a fun
and interesting
place
The Engine Shed welcomed over 600
visitors in September 2014 as part
of Stirling Doors Open Day
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
A mock-up of
the interior
Fundamental to the
Engine Shed project is the
development by Historic
Scotland and the Construction
Industry Training Board
(CITB) of a postgraduate
course in technical building
conservation.
Created to provide
Colin Tennant
comprehensive technical
colin.tennant@
and vocational training for
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
an emerging generation of
conservation professionals in a form currently
unavailable in Scotland, the course will attract new
graduates from related building disciplines, as well
as experienced practitioners seeking to broaden
their understanding of conservation principles and
practices.
Drawing on the expertise of an international
network of experienced practitioners, the course
will outline the theory, ethics and practices of
conservation, examine the nature, use and
conservation of traditional building materials,
explore ways of undertaking practical repair and
maintenance work, as well as studying current
methods of upgrading, adapting and managing the
historic environment.
Forming the nucleus of the Engine Shed’s
educational and outreach activities, the course
will be complemented by a range of public events
such as exhibitions, lectures, CPD seminars and
demonstrations.
21
APPLIED CONSERVATION
When conservation in situ is no longer viable, we sometimes relocate or protect
high status stonework. Colin Muir explains the process and recent developments
Making a
good first
impression
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
T
22
he crowning glory of many buildings and
monuments is their finely carved stones.
When these features can no longer be
preserved safely in situ, ideally they will be
removed and stored, or displayed within a
protected, indoor and local environment.
In this way, original historic fabric can be
conserved for future study and display. However, the
removal of such a feature can leave not just a physical
hole in the structure but a contextual one as well.
In some cases, to retain the aesthetic integrity
of a site, it is desirable to replace the original with
a convincing facsimile. In an attempt to avoid the
sometimes speculative restorations of our forebears,
the desire now is to only replace such losses with
exact replicas of what was actually there. This is
frequently achieved using traditional moulding
and casting techniques, but now these methods
are also supplemented by 3D scanning technology,
and fabrication from digital data. The latter has the
advantage of being a non-contact process (unlike
casting) and poses no threat to fragile surfaces.
Colin Muir
colin.muir@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Dunadd rock carving with protective replica removed
Bridgeness Slab replica CNC milled from stone
Replicas have taken many forms and materials
over the years. High-quality cementitious castings
were used in works to the Linlithgow fountain in the
1920s. Today, glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) is most
commonly used, as it is largely inert and has proven
durable over decades of UV exposure – for example,
in the Annunciation Stone cast at Dunfermline Palace.
Specialist low-salt, mineral products such as ‘Mineros’
and ‘Fibre-Concrete’ have also been used for replicas at
Dunadd and Lincluden respectively, the latter used so
as to be fire-proof and vandal resistant. There is huge
potential for replication opened up by 3D printing and
computer numerical control (CNC)-machining. Wax
models can be printed to then be cast in metal, while a
sculptural feature can be CNC-milled out of a variety
of materials, including stone that matches the original,
such as that used in the Bridgeness Slab replica.
Replicas are used within Historic Scotland as
replaceable sacrificial surrogates, as interactive
exhibition resources that enable handling, as a means
of remote academic study, and as the basis of
site-specific merchandise.
APPLIED CONSERVATION
Analysing painted panels
in Edinburgh Castle
An examination of one of the building’s most
important chambers reveals much about the
methods and materials used, finds Damiana Magris
Damiana Magris
damiana.magris@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
T
he Royal Birthing Room in Edinburgh Castle
is the small apartment entered from the
chamber in which Prince James was born
to Mary Queen of Scots in 1566. Known as
Queen Mary’s room, it was painted by John
Anderson in 1617 to commemorate King
James’s return to his birthplace. In 2013, the
painted panelling and ceiling underwent conservation
treatment, involving a range of preliminary analysis,
including archival documents describing previous
restorations in 1693, 1849, 1940 and 1988.
To gather information about the technique used by
the original artist and identify possible non-original
layers, small samples of paint were taken from different
areas of the painted ceiling. These were examined
in cross section using an optical microscope, microchemical spot tests and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to
identify pigments and the binding media.
Most of the samples show two distinct paint
schemes, and at present we can’t estimate how much
of the earliest and original paint scheme survives.
The analysis indicates the use of a white chalk
ground to cover the bare panels followed by a white
priming. The XRF and cross-section analyses allow
the painter’s palette to be determined, revealing
lead white, yellow and red ochre, vermilion, green
earth, natural ultramarine blue and carbon black.
Considering the decoration was painted for the return
of King James, the use of expensive pigments such as
natural ultramarine blue is unsurprising. However,
Cross-section of
blue paint sample
contrary to what we would expect, the use of precious
materials, such as gold leaf, was undetected during the
investigation. Media staining tests indicate a size-based
medium was used for the earliest paint layer; watermiscible binder known as distemper was historically
used for painting on timber. It might be possible that
the oil-based technique mentioned in several literature
references refers to later restoration works, maybe in
1849 and/or 1940, which involved extensive retouching.
The paint layer has been visibly affected by localised
flaking and subsequent loss of paint in places. Once
the flaking paint was secured, a conspicuous deposit
of dust and cobwebs was removed from the painted
surfaces. The surfaces were also generally darkened,
mainly due to a heavy discolouration of the thick
varnish layers, which were thinned during the cleaning
process. A thin layer of new varnish was applied by
brush onto the recently cleaned painted surfaces and
the small paint losses were in-painted.
Particular attention has to be paid to the control of
the environment. Both extremes and fluctuation in
temperature and relative humidity must be avoided, as
this is the major cause of deterioration to a wide range
of artworks, and must be monitored to ensure optimal
conditions for preservation.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
General view of the
painted panelling
after conservation
23
SCOTTISH TEN
An update from Dr Lyn Wilson on the digital capture
project that has recently concluded its fieldwork phase
The Scottish Ten:
Progress in 2014
The Scottish Ten is an ambitious five-year
programme that sees Historic Scotland and the
Digital Design Studio at The Glasgow School of Art
digitally document in 3D Scotland’s five UNESCO
World Heritage Sites and five international heritage
sites. Scottish Ten data will be disseminated via our
US partner CyArk’s digital archive.
Dr Lyn Wilson
lyn.wilson@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
I
t’s hard to believe we are now in the final year
of data collection for the Scottish Ten project. The
team has been on quite a journey since we began
back in 2009. We’ve taken the project across
Scotland’s World Heritage Sites and to the US,
India, China, Australia and now Japan, building
friendships and partnerships along the way.
THE HEART OF NEOLITHIC ORKNEY
Tying into the Heart of Neolithic Orkney Management
Plan, we worked with our conservation colleagues in
spring 2014 to digitally document the sea wall at Skara
Brae. We will monitor the wall’s condition using laser
scanning and compare results every two to four years
to check for coastal erosion. At Maeshowe, we have
used our detailed Scottish Ten scans of Viking carvings
to complete a project to monitor their condition. We
compared measurements in our scans with those from
earlier periods of scanning and are happy to report that
we detected no erosion.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
OLD AND NEW TOWNS OF EDINBURGH
24
In April, the team returned to Edinburgh to digitally
document further areas of the city. Previously, we
scanned and modelled the Royal Mile and Charlotte
Square, and this time we concentrated on Calton Hill’s
monuments: the former Royal High School and the
imposing Art Deco St Andrew’s House. The highresolution data captured is being fed into an urban city
model we are developing for the World Heritage area,
and it is our hope that this will be used to inform urban
planning and heritage management.
THE ANTONINE WALL
We have been busy recording Roman artefacts found
at Antonine Wall sites and now in the collections of the
Hunterian and Falkirk museums. Some of the objects,
such as a leather shoe, only survive in fragments, so
we have worked with Roman archaeology experts to
accurately virtually reconstruct them. We have taken
this a step further by scanning stone columns, then
Stuart Deasley from Historic
Scotland and Sam Ramsay from
The Glasgow School of Art laser
scanning on the Giant Cantilever
Crane in Nagasaki, Japan
SCOTTISH TEN
Photorealistic model of St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, created from
accurate 3D laser scanning
First 3D laserscanned point
cloud data from
the Nagasaki Giant
Cantilever Crane
virtually reconstructing the buildings they would have
been part of. These can be seen in the stunning new
Antonine Wall website (www.antoninewall.org). We
are also 3D printing some of our digital models to allow
people to handle replicas, and using the models for
augmented reality viewers in a new mobile app. We
are also developing a real-time explorable model of Bar
Hill Fort that uses gaming engines, which will be lots
of fun and educational. Finally, analysis of the Antonine
Wall aerial LiDAR data shows potential to discover new
archaeological features. We will be taking this research
forward next year in partnership with universities.
NAGASAKI’S INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE, JAPAN
Our Cabinet Secretary announced the final
international site, the Giant Cantilever Crane in
Nagasaki, Japan, at the Edinburgh International Culture
WHAT NEXT?
The end of the fieldwork phase of the Scottish Ten,
and the beginning of phase two come in 2015: further
processing of our digital data, repurposing it in different
uses and maximising the outputs. Technologies such
as head-mounted displays and game engines are
offering us exciting new ways to share virtual
experiences of these fantastic heritage sites. We
are also exploring app development as a way of
disseminating data.
We will continue to promote research use of the
Scottish Ten data – more than 12 separate research
groups are using our 3D data in innovative ways –
and keeping up with our active outreach programme.
We will also be expanding our digital documentation
strategy to encompass one of Scotland’s tentative
World Heritage Sites: the Forth Bridge will be our next
monumental challenge.
Visit www.scottishten.org and
www.cyark.org/themes/scottish-ten
Follow us on Twitter @scottishten
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
We have taken the project across
Scotland’s World Heritage Sites and
to the US, India, China, Australia and
now Japan, building friendships and
partnerships along the way
Summit in August last year. Leading up to this, Head of
Industrial Heritage Dr Miles Oglethorpe and I visited
Japan and scoped out the potential project, building an
excellent relationship with our partners, the Cabinet
Secretariat of the Japanese Government, the Japan
Foundation of National Congress of Industrial Heritage
and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The Giant Cantilever Crane was built in Scotland in
1909, was shipped to Nagasaki, survived the atomic
bombing and is still in use today in one of the world’s
largest shipyards. It is one of the sites in Japan’s
Meiji Industrial Revolution UNESCO World Heritage
nomination. Visit www.kyuyama.jp/e/index.html
As I write, we are currently on site in Nagasaki.
Besides the crane, we are digitally documenting the
Kosuge Repair Dock, Mitsubishi No 3 Dry Dock and
parts of Hashima coalmining island. These sites also
have strong Scottish connections and are also part of
the UNESCO nomination.
We were thrilled that a previous site, Rani ki Vav
in India, was awarded full UNESCO World Heritage
Status in June 2014, and our collaborative Scottish Ten
project in 2011 was cited as a contributing factor in
this success. We hope our current project will have a
similar positive contribution to the Japanese UNESCO
bid, and will provide virtual access to these sites and
data for their ongoing conservation.
25
INVESTING IN PEOPLE
Fellowships and internships with Historic Scotland are proving
an invaluable experience and important cornerstone in
building careers for those who have completed them
Where are
they now?
RHIANN ANDERSON
Graduate Sustainability
Consultant at Rybka
Limited, Edinburgh
Historic Scotland Climate
Change Intern (June
2013 – September 2014)
“I was an intern for the
Climate Change team. I
produced blogs for the
climate change section of the website and
helped the team with various administrative
tasks. I was also looking into various ways
of reducing energy use in buildings and how
historic buildings did this in the past as well.
“I’m now working in Edinburgh as a
sustainability consultant for a company
called Rybka, focusing on new buildings and
refurbishments, and ways to reduce energy in
the context of mitigating climate change.
“My internship gave me a working
background in sustainability, so it really kickstarted my career and helped me to really
understand the field that I wanted to go into.”
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
EMILY HORNE
26
Architectural Assistant at
Purcell, York
Historic Scotland
Technical Research Group
Volunteer (October 2012
– May 2013)
“For the majority of
my time with Historic
Scotland, I was a
volunteer in the Technical Conservation
Group. I was involved in designing and
building purpose-built training rigs that are
used as part of the energy efficiency course.
“It was helpful in establishing my interests
in the technical and material aspects of
conservation and it definitely guided me
towards the positions I went into afterwards.
“I now work for Purcell, an architectural
practice in York, which does a lot of
work with historic buildings. My role is
predominantly concerned with conservation
work at Durham Cathedral, so I have
been involved in stonework repair and
conservation to the cathedral itself and the
precinct buildings.”
KATIE HUMMELT
Preservation Specialist
at Beyer Blinder Belle,
Washington DC
Historic Scotland
Climate Change
Intern (January
2012 – April 2013)
“I’m with architectural
and planning firm
Beyer Blinder Belle in Washington DC,
technically as an architectural historian, but
also as a preservation specialist. We’ve done
work for the National Parks Service and
Architect of the Capitol. I’m working with the
historic research and preservation aspects
of a listed early 20th-century building in
Philadelphia that we’re converting into a
four-star hotel.
“My primary goal while I was
with Historic Scotland was to research
the use of micro-renewables, which
was published as Short Guide 8: Microrenewables in the Historic Environment.”
INVESTING IN PEOPLE
DR JULIE EKLUND ACR
Science and Engineering
in Arts, Heritage
and Archaeology
Administrator at School
of Geography and the
Environment, University
of Oxford
Historic Scotland
Knowledge Transfer
Secondment (March 2012 - September 2012)
“Before coming to Historic Scotland, I’d
been a postdoc at Oxford University for
about four years. There were various
projects going on in the department and
one had this knowledge transfer scheme
associated with it.
“I do a lot of work on stone conservation and
we’d been looking at various things associated
with moisture problems, and the scheme was
associated with a project specifically looking
at greening of masonry.
“One of my main objectives while with
Historic Scotland was trying to feed the
research we’d been doing within our
department directly to conservators.
“The biggest benefit was that it made
me reconsider my career options. I’ve
gone back to Oxford as a course
administrator rather than in a lectureship or
in another postdoc position. It was quite
interesting to take a step away from the
research to think more about the
practicalities of what we do.”
JOHN ROBSON
Part 2 Architectural
Assistant at Reiach and
Hall Architects, Edinburgh
Historic Scotland
Volunteer Research
Assistant (January 2013
– September 2013)
“I’m a Part 2
architectural assistant
at Reiach and Hall Architects, working on
projects including conservation work. I’m
hoping to become a full member of the
Institute of Historic Building Conservation
(IHBC) through my experience in the
professional world.
“For my few months with Historic
Scotland, I assisted with technical papers
and attended site visits with the Technical
Research team, while looking at documents
regarding energy efficiency legislation and
the Green Deal. It was a great insight into
the legislative context in which an architect
works and how we manage change in the
historic environment.”
LUCY O’CONNOR
Part 2 Architectural
Assistant at LDN
Architects, Edinburgh.
Historic Scotland
Technical Research Intern
(November 2013 – May
2014)
“I spent six months
working as an intern
with the Conservation Group in 2014. My
background is in architecture, and having
previously worked only in architectural
practice, I found this internship an
eye-opening experience.
“I provided research and editorial
assistance to the technical team, working
on publications covering widely varying
topics such as historic concrete,
micro-renewables, and energy
efficiency upgrades.
“Certainly the most beneficial aspect of my
internship was the opportunity to work
alongside so many knowledgeable people
from varied backgrounds - academics,
practitioners, scientists - providing me
with a much broader understanding of the
historic built environment.”
EMILY TRACEY
Building Stones
Conservation Specialist at
British Geological Survey,
Edinburgh
Historic Scotland
Research Fellow on
Indigenous Building
Stones of Scotland (May
2008 – August 2011)
“My research fellowship was funded by
Historic Scotland while I was placed at
the British Geological Survey, which is
where I am now, to assist the building
stone team here. I was helping them to
research and identify original quarry
sources for buildings that were in need
of repair. During my time there, we
managed to reopen Liddle’s Quarry in
Orkney, Pitairlie Quarry in Angus and
Drumhead Quarry in Denny.
“The biggest and most interesting thing
that a lot of people aren’t aware of is how
much materials will dictate architectural
styles. The fact that Scotland has one of the
most diverse geologies for a country of its
size makes it a unique place.”
To find out more about internships with
Historic Scotland please get in touch with us on
[email protected]
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Julie sets up a weather
station to monitor
environmental
conditions at a test
site near Oxford
27
INVESTING IN PEOPLE
Practising
what we
preach
Historic Scotland is
delivering a series of
training events, starting
with stonemasonry
repair, explains
Conservation Scientist
Dr Clare Torney
Dr Clare Torney
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
clare.torney@scotland.
gsi.gov.uk
28
A
t Historic Scotland, we take great pride in
the work we do to keep Scotland’s built
heritage safeguarded for the enjoyment
of future generations. We are constantly
striving to up-skill our staff, providing
employees with the opportunity to
increase their knowledge and giving
them the level of understanding required to best
play their role in the conservation of our Properties
in Care. Following a successful pilot event at Fort George
in spring 2013 and working with the masonry teams
of North region, the Science and Skills and Materials
teams have been rolling out a region-by-region
training scheme.
The first in this series of events focuses on the repair
of stone masonry, covering all aspects of the process
from the identification and causes of stone deterioration
to the philosophical implications of using different
repair methodologies and the technical suitability of
emerging proprietary products. The CPD-style events
draw on the experience of Historic Scotland scientists
and external building conservation consultants, giving
our employees an awareness of the latest advances
in masonry repair strategies based directly on our
in-house scientific research, as
well as research from further afield.
This empowers our Monument
Conservation teams to tackle
conservation issues head on with a
considered and strategic approach.
The events help to open up
communication channels between
different areas of the Conservation
Directorate so our research can be
The CPD-style
events aim to give
our employees an
awareness of the latest
advances in masonry
repair strategies
The stonemasonry
repair course will
cover all aspects
of the process
tailored to meet the needs of those facing on-site issues
such as masonry deterioration in their day-to-day job.
This programme is provided for employees directly
involved in the conservation and maintenance of
our 345 Properties in Care, from stone masonry
apprentices to regional architects. It aims to provide
an in-depth knowledge of conservation topics that
will help them safeguard our built heritage in the most
effective ways.
INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE
Celebrating
Glasgow’s
giants – in Japan
Dr Miles Oglethorpe gets up close with the iconic
Giant Cantilever Crane in Nagasaki, Japan
Recording the
Giant Cantilever
Crane in Nagasaki
from a boat
Maker’s name plaque
located on the tower
of the Crane
Scanning team
set up within the
jib of the Crane
miles.oglethorpe@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Dr Miles
Oglethorpe
T
here are few more potent symbols of the
Clyde’s industrial pedigree than the shipyard
crane, and the Giant Cantilever crane in
particular. This extraordinary breed of cranes
originated in Scotland, but became a global
phenomenon in the 20th century, thanks to
engineering companies like Sir William Arrol
& Co, builders of the Tay Bridge and the Forth Bridge.
Yet I had no idea that, following the closure of Arrol’s
Dalmarnock Iron Works in 1987, the ensuing rescue
of a significant chunk of the company’s archive would
yield so much information about these most majestic
of engineering structures. At the time, I worked for
the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical
Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), and we had been
advised that we should go immediately to Arrol’s
works to rescue its records.
Among the randomised piles of drawings and
photographs, we found records of Giant Cantilever
cranes, but their significance was not obvious to us until
we enlisted the help of Dr Brian Newman, whose years of
painstaking research on these cranes proved invaluable.
Now we are reaping the benefits of Brian’s advice,
which was instrumental in the choice of the final
Scottish Ten site, the Giant Cantilever Crane in
Nagasaki, Japan. Designed by Appleby (owned by the
Glasgow Electric Crane and Hoist Company, and later
taken over by Arrol) and fabricated by Motherwell
Bridge, the crane commenced operation in 1909 and is
still working today. It is also included in Japan’s latest
World Heritage nomination, which comprises a group
of industrial heritage sites associated with Japan’s Meiji
Industrial Revolution.
Digitally documenting such a large and complex steel
structure has posed many challenges, but it has been
an extraordinary experience. It may be huge in scale,
but it is a highly sophisticated installation designed
to lift into ships with great gentleness and accuracy
expensive and fragile pieces of equipment, such as
boilers and engines, up to 150 tons. Capturing the
detail of the structure, and all of the plant within it, is
a complicated task likely to require over two hundred
separate scans, all of which have to be tied together
afterwards to create a 3D model.
The results should be a valuable asset that will help
the long-term conservation of the crane, assist the
World Heritage nomination, and permit virtual access
to the structure. The latter is especially important since
Mitsubishi has looked after the crane so well it is still in
daily use and cannot be visited by the public.
For more on the Scottish Ten, see page 24
29
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
30
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Welcome to FOCUS ON APPLIED RESEARCH, in
which you will find examples of recent projects
where research has been applied to inform our
understanding and approach to conservation in a
number of different topics and at a range of sites.
One of our PhD students, Connie Gerrow,
describes her research on the use of poultices
to remove damaging salts from historic stone.
Conservation scientist Alick Leslie gives an
update on state-of-the-art non-destructive
testing, which allows detailed analysis of a
building without actually touching it; and their
application is described by Maureen Young and
Bruce Chandler at the National War Memorial in
Edinburgh Castle. Another member of our Science
Team, Clare Torney describes how her research
is shedding light on the controversial topic of
restoration mortars for stone repairs.
Joint working between our Science and
Applied Conservation teams has helped inform
the conservation of historic painted surfaces in
St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh and, working
with National Trust for Scotland, on the unique
Pineapple Building at Dunmore. The Collections
Team report on analysis of 16th century timber
panels from Edzell Castle, and how working with
historic glass expert Robin Murdoch has provided
new information on the significance of a collection
of glass shards found near Elgin Cathedral.
Talking of unique artefacts, James Hepher
explains how the 16th century Elizabeth I prayer
book has been analysed and documented using
state-of-the-art technology in partnership with
National Records of Scotland. Another exciting
project is the digital reconstruction of Robert
the Bruce’s tomb from only 19 small fragments,
forming part of an ongoing project with RCAHMS
and CDDV into understanding this iconic object.
One of our priorities in the care and protection
of Scotland’s historic environment is the continual
development and improvement of knowledge and
its application to support conservation techniques
and skills. Historic Scotland’s Technical Research
Plan, which you can access on the conservation
website at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
conservation, outlines our approach to research,
and is always evolving to reflect current and
emerging issues. Our research themes not only
take into account our own requirements for the
conservation of Properties in Care, but also the
needs of the wider sector, resulting in a huge
range of topics.
We can’t do all this on our own, so much of
our work involves partnerships with others
across academia, industry and the professions.
Research needs to be disseminated, and we
are passionate promoters of applied research
through our events and publications. Our
Technical Resources catalogue included in this
magazine lists the range of material available,
including Technical Papers and Research Reports
targeted to a specialist audience, and our
Informs and Short Guides designed more for the
public and homeowners.
There is simply not enough space to showcase
all the projects that we would like to in this
magazine; but we hope you find the works in this
section as fascinating as we do. Should you wish
to get in touch about any of these projects or
would like to find out more, please do not hesitate
to contact us on [email protected]
Dr Ewan Hyslop, Head of Sustainability, Research
and Technical Education
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Introduction
31
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
A team of academic researchers has been exploring
how we perceive the value of ageing on buildings
Growing old
gracefully?
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
The Hill House
in Helensburgh
32
T
ime not only affects organic organisms
such as us humans: inanimate objects
including buildings are also subject to ageing,
manifested in the transformation of building
materials over time. Elements that form the
fabric of the building can develop a patina, or
crust. These signs of age can be perceived in
different ways depending who the viewer is; they add
an age value that can not be replicated any other way.
The expectations about the aesthetics of historic
buildings change over time and in different contexts.
To gain insight into this, a team of researchers has been
measuring how people perceive older buildings. The
project, Materiality, Authenticity and Value, started in
2013, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research
Council’s Science and Heritage programme. The
research team of four worked with Historic Scotland
Skelmorlie
Aisle, Largs
Old Kirk
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Rachel
Douglas-Jones
[email protected]
John Hughes
john.hughes@
uws.ac.uk
Sian Jones
sian.jones@
manchester.ac.uk
Thomas Yarrow
t.g.yarrow@
durham.ac.uk
and the National Trust for Scotland to select three sites
that reflect differences in terms of location, longevity and
architectural style: Hill House, Helensburgh, Skelmorlie
Aisle of Largs Old Kirk, and Dryburgh Abbey, Melrose.
Monument managers, architects, conservators,
heritage scientists and visitors were asked for their
thoughts on the signs of ageing on a building. The
interviews took into consideration not only their
opinions but also the relationship the individuals had
with the building. To complete the research, the team
also looked into documents such as visitor feedback,
conservation reports and significance assessments.
Overall, interviewees felt that signs of ageing,
weathering and decay added significance to the value
of a building, marking the passage of time and influence
of nature. For visitors, signs of human use such as worn
stairs added additional value in terms of experience
of authenticity. While this material transformation
was interpreted as adding value to a building, signs of
decay were associated with loss of building and the
significance associated with it. The findings revealed that
decay had different connotations in different contexts.
While the decay at a medieval ruin like Dryburgh Abbey
was considered integral to the aesthetic of the building,
the same would not be accepted on a ‘modern’ building
such as Mackintosh’s Hill House.
Perhaps the most surprising result was that people
working in the heritage industry had different views
of the value of decay. Conservators and heritage
scientists saw decay as a technical problem that
requires investigation, while heritage managers
and conservation architects associated material
transformation with a more positive set of values.
The results showed an overlap between the views
of the heritage professionals and the visitors when
looking at the role of conservation science and
material transformation. It appears that although the
contribution of heritage science was recognised, there
were concerns about the application of conservation
materials that were associated with loss of authenticity
and detrimental to the aesthetics of the buildings.
Significantly, there was also a broader antipathy to the
‘artificial’ arrest of a ‘natural’ ageing process.
The results suggest that there is not a set relationship
between the types of decay that are valued and those
that are not, and that different materials at different sites
may be interpreted differently depending on the viewer.
The architecture, design and materials that make up a
building inform attitudes towards its decay, validating the
commonly followed ‘site-by-site’ conservation practice,
although this rarely extends to the specific values
associated with material transformation itself.
After analysing the results of the research, the team
put forward three key recommendations:
l There is potential for greater consideration of how
science both affects and responds to the values
attached to material change.
l The existence of distinct but often implicit differences
of orientations between the various professionals
involved highlights the need for institutional
mechanisms to promote wider discussion to explore
different values and approaches.
l The socially and contextually relative nature of the
values attached to material transformation reveals
the potential for greater use of social research as
a way of understanding and managing conflicting
assessment of values.
More information about the research and the report can be
found at www.uws.ac.uk/mavproject
Historic Scotland’s Growing Old Gracefully INFORM
Guide is a great introduction to this fascinating topic and
can be accessed from the technical conservation website
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/conservation
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
The results of the research
suggest that there is not a set
relationship between the types of
decay that are valued and those
that are not
33
Robert the Bruce
modelled his
tomb on those of
his French royal
contemporaries
PIC: Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation LLP
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Robert the Bruce Tomb
reconstructed in 3D
Putting together the pieces of a 686-year-old puzzle, RCAHMS Cataloguing Programme Manager Dr
Iain Fraser on how Historic Scotland and RCAHMS unearthed the story behind the old king’s coffin
Dr Iain Fraser
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
iain.fraser@rcahms.
gov.uk
34
O
ver the last year, Historic Scotland and
the Royal Commission on the Ancient
and Historical Monuments of Scotland
(RCAHMS) have been working together
with partners from across the Scottish
heritage sector to study, analyse and
reconstruct the tomb monument of Robert
the Bruce. Medieval records tell us that the tomb was
commissioned from workshops in Paris, and shipped to
Dunfermline Abbey where it was erected over the king’s
grave after his death in 1329. The monument was later
destroyed, probably in the aftermath of the Reformation,
and all visible traces were lost. However, between about
1790 and 1820, excavations in the area of the ruined
choir began to turn up carved fragments of a distinctive
white stone, believed to be pieces of the lost tomb. These
fragments are now held in the collections of National
Museums Scotland, the Hunterian Museum, Dunfermline
Museum and Abbotsford House.
So what remains do we have? There are 19 small
pieces of the white stone, which has been confirmed as a
true marble and points to its exotic origin. It is likely that
in importing a monument from France, Bruce sought to
emulate his French royal contemporaries, and that their
tombs at St Denis would have been the model for that
at Dunfermline. Fortunately, detailed drawings survive
of the French tombs prior to their destruction during
the Revolution; these adopted a conventional design of a
white marble effigy, framed by an architectural canopy,
reclining on a black marble tombchest with applied
white marble arcading.
The Dunfermline pieces are fragments of pillars and
capitals, lancets, gablets, arches, cusps and crockets,
stylistically similar to surviving fragments of the French
royal tombs. Close study identified how these fragments
related to each other, and gradually, by a process of trial
and error, comparing the pieces against successively
refined drawn reconstructions, revealed their place
in the overall design. The fragments resolve into two
groups: pieces of the canopy that framed the effigy, and
of the tombchest arcade.
Colin Muir of Historic Scotland carried out 3D
scanning of all the pieces. This data was then combined
with traditional drawings by Craig Logan and Alastair
Rawlinson of the Digital Design Studio of Glasgow
School of Art to produce a 3D virtual reconstruction
of the monument. The effigy itself has been lost, but it
is likely to have taken the same form as the surviving
ones of the French kings in St Denis. A research visit to
Paris, funded by a grant from the Society of Antiquaries
of Scotland, gave the opportunity to carry out a detailed
photographic survey of one of the effigies. These digital
images were then used as a basis to virtually reconstruct
the figure of King Robert recumbent on the tombchest.
Having started with a dispersed collection of shattered
fragments, we now have a photorealistic 3D model of
this impressive monument to an iconic national figure.
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Gigapixel photography and XRF let us get up
close and personal with the 16th century prayer
book made by Queen Elizabeth I. James Hepher
and Linda Ramsay have the details
I
n 2013-14, Historic Scotland’s Digital
Documentation team joined Linda Ramsay, Head of
Conservation at the National Records of Scotland
(NRS) to use gigapixel photography to document the
intricate detail of a mid-16th century prayer book
made by Queen Elizabeth I.
The prayer book (NRS ref. RH13/78) is bound
in canvas with a blue and silk embroidered ground
with raised coloured motifs, monograms and edging.
The book is an accomplished piece; the embroidery
techniques give an insight into the wonderful costumes
and textiles of the 16th century. Contents include
a translation in Elizabeth’s hand of John Calvin’s
James Hepher
james.hepher@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Results of X-ray fluorescence undertaken on
Elizabeth I prayer book
4
Gold (%)
3
Lettering
Flower
Spine
2
+0.4% copper
+5% copper
+7% copper
1
0
88
92
90
Silver (%)
94
96
Linda Ramsay
linda.ramsay@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
A Gigapixel overview and
detail of the front cover of the
Elizabeth I prayer book
Institution de la Religion Chrétienne (Geneva, 1541), an
indication of her scholarship. The cover would have
been completed in the princess’ household – there
is no doubt Elizabeth would have been expected to
contribute her share of the work.
NRS commissioned a textile conservation condition
report on the book in 2012 and approached Historic
Scotland’s conservation scientists to assist with further
non-destructive research.
Using portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF), an
instrument that analyses chemical elements
in a sample, the metal threads were shown to
be largely made of silver, with varying amounts
of gold and copper. Lettering was 95% silver with 3%
gold; the flowers 92% silver with 5% copper and 2%
gold; and the spine had 88% silver with 7% copper
and 2% gold.
Digital documentation of the prayer book was
completed using Historic Scotland’s in-house
GIGAmacro, an automated camera mount designed
to capture and combine multiple high-resolution
photographs in a 3D grid across the surface of the
object. These devices can also capture the micro
topography of an object.
Technology and collaboration is opening up the story
behind the material construction of this fragile survivor.
This research project is the continuation of a
successful series of collaborative projects between HS
Conservation and NRS, including NRS’ recent support
for the UNESCO bid for the Forth Bridge using original
archival records.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Elizabeth I
prayer book
35
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Research on
restoration
mortars
ongoing
From off-the-shelf remedies to
proprietary products, choosing
materials to repair historic buildings
continues to be a challenge
T
he use of proprietary restoration mortars
for masonry repair has become increasingly
prominent in recent years. Ready-mixed,
‘just add water’ products can seem like a
simple solution to the problem of stone
deterioration, but identifying the correct
materials for repair to historic buildings can
be complex, and various factors must be considered
before you choose an off-the-shelf product.
Technical compatibility is the most important factor
in ensuring that a repair product doesn’t cause more
harm than good. However, conservation philosophy
plays an important role in decision-making and can
sometimes be the first consideration in choosing
repair materials. A like-for-like repair method is often
favoured in conservation, especially for listed buildings,
scheduled monuments and culturally significant sites,
and in these instances stone replacement is often the
most appropriate option. However, for small areas of
repair a compatible restoration mortar can be a good,
albeit temporary, approach.
Historic Scotland is continuing its research into
the performance of restoration mortars with the aim
Restoration mortars
can be used to simulate
the look of natural
stones, helping
repairs blend in
While a like-for-like repair method
is favoured, for small areas of repair a
compatible restoration mortar can be
a good, albeit temporary, approach
Dr Clare Torney
Clare.Torney@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
of assessing their suitability for use on Scotland’s
built heritage. A number of publications are planned
for 2015 to increase awareness of these alternative
repair methods.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Please pass the salt
36
PhD student Connie Gerrow on the effectiveness of poultice techniques for removing
salts from historic masonry in order to reduce the rate of decay of sandstone
Connie Gerrow
PhD student, Queen’s
University, Belfast
[email protected]
Salt removal and reduction treatments
are commonly applied in an attempt
to halt or slow the rate of decay of
stone that is contaminated by salts.
Commonly used treatments are
desalinating poultices that use a
combination of sand and clay to draw
out the salt. As well as salt removal,
other types of poultices with chemical
additives can be used specifically for
removing or reducing surface staining.
Salt reduction poultices involve
mechanisms of diffusion or advection,
and the specific treatment chosen
will depend on the type of stone being
considered and whether it has to be
desalinated in place or if it can be moved
to a workshop. In many cases, advective
poultices with a finer porosity than the
stone are used, as these are particularly
effective in removing soluble salts.
Part of my research investigates the
application of desalinating poultices
to Locharbriggs and Peakmoor
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Look but don’t touch
Dr Alick Leslie on how
new technologies
enable the assessment
of building fabric in a
non-destructive way
A thermal image
of Glasgow
Cathedral
H
sandstones using different poultice
mixes and application methods. The
project aims to determine the impact
of poulticing on stone that has been
exposed to weathering cycles simulated
in the laboratory, and to evaluate the
effectiveness of different poultice mixes
and application methods.
Visual recording of samples during
weathering simulations has found
differences in the weathering response
of Peakmoor sandstone, which shows
the most extensive surface breakdown.
This deterioration was related to
Dr Alick Leslie
alick.leslie@scotland.
gsi.gov.uk
within it to a depth of up to 80cm.
This is a hugely valuable way of
detecting where water is present
in a building.
Other non-destructive tests can
tell us about the chemistry and
mineral make-up of a material (vital
when salts are causing damage)
and the presence of voids, all of
which helps in identifying waterrelated problems in a building and
finding ways to reduce and repair
the damage.
Thermography detects variations in
the temperature of a surface and can
pinpoint the presence of water
the incomplete removal of salts by
poulticing and the movement of
subsurface salt drawn up to just below
the stone surface.
This experimental work highlights
two issues. First, the importance of
repeating the poulticing process to
maximise salt removal, rather than
simply mobilising it within the stone.
Second, the work has shown how
important small-scale differences in
stone properties such as porosity and
the presence of clay layers can be in
dictating the effectiveness of poulticing.
Using a microwave moisture meter
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
istoric buildings
are always in
danger from water,
whether from poorly
maintained or
damaged gutters and
roofs, flooding events
or even just the increased volume
of water falling from the skies. One
problem that is particularly relevant
to valuable historic buildings is how
to accurately locate and measure
the amount of moisture in a
structure, while avoiding the need
to take physical samples or drill
holes in the masonry.
Thankfully, there is a range of
new techniques, often termed
non-destructive testing, that you
can use to measure the presence
of water and its effects without
damaging a building.
The most widely used technique
is thermography using an infrared
camera. This detects variations in
the temperature of a surface and
while it is very useful for identifying
areas where energy savings can be
made, it can also pinpoint areas of a
wall where the presence of water is
causing heat loss.
Another way to ‘see’ water in a
wall is to use a microwave moisture
meter. This device sends a pulse
of microwaves into a structure
and records the amount of water
37
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Work in progress with
improvements to
external drainage at
the Scottish National
War Memorial
Prior to drainage improvements, the microwave sensor
revealed that the highest moisture concentrations were
above floor level, coincident with external ground level
Protecting Scotland’s
National War Memorial
Dr Maureen E Young and Bruce Chandler on how the Science and Estates teams
used their expertise to maintain Edinburgh Castle’s National War Memorial
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
S
38
tanding at the highest point within
Edinburgh Castle, the Scottish National
War Memorial commemorates Scottish
casualties in the First and Second World
Wars and subsequent campaigns. Created
from the shell of a former barrack block,
the memorial was designed by the
architect Sir Robert Lorimer, and opened in 1927. The
building incorporates outstanding work by Scottish
artists and craftsmen and women of the period.
Historic Scotland’s Science Team was asked to look
into the cause of some areas of damp near floor level,
thought to have been caused by rainwater penetrating
the stone walls. Water ingress in a stone structure
is a problem. Over time, it can cause staining, salt
efflorescences and, eventually, decay of the stone and
loss of surface detail.
An infrared thermal camera was used to determine
which areas were affected and a microwave moisture
sensor was used to examine the distribution of
moisture within the walls and pinpoint the source of
the problem. This instrument can quantify moisture
levels and map distribution at depths up to 80cm,
which is incredibly useful when dealing with
substantial stone structures. Investigations revealed
that internal dampness was most concentrated at a
level coincident with external ground level, strongly
implying that rainwater pooling against the bottom of
A microwave moisture sensor was
used to examine the distribution of
moisture within the walls
the walls was the probable cause. Later investigation
revealed a leaking pipe buried within the base of the
wall, further increasing the level of dampness.
The memorial is constructed on the hard,
impermeable basalt of Castle Rock, which has created
drainage difficulties. Historic Scotland’s Estates Team
determined that the best method of preventing further
rainwater penetration into the shallow foundations of
the building would be to remove the buried pipe and
saturated fill, and lay a whinstone drainage channel on
a breathable, water-repellent base outside the affected
areas. This was a difficult task, which took the castle
Monument Conservation Unit hours of hard work.
Five months after completion, the building was
again assessed by the Science Team, revealing that the
improved drainage had been successful.
Dr Maureen E
Young
maureen.young@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Bruce Chandler
bruce.chandler@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
The cold (blue) area near floor level on
this infrared thermal image is evidence
of dampness in the stone wall
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
St Giles’ reveals
a colourful past
Ailsa Murray tells us about the investigations into the early
painted decoration of Edinburgh’s St Giles’ Cathedral
Very early painted
decoration on one
of the bosses
of trailing pattern painted in black
onto a white background on an
arch moulding. This type of pattern
may have once covered all the arch
mouldings of the medieval church.
Traces of early red paint were
also found on the bosses beneath
multiple layers of whitewash. These
remains appear to be part of a late
medieval scheme circa 1560 and
earlier, and overpainted probably
during the 1829 restoration. The red
paint was analysed using polarised
light microscopy and was found to
contain lead-white and vermillion,
an expensive imported pigment.
Cross-section analysis of several
of the carved bosses also revealed
decoration from the 19th century
restoration, covered by more
modern cream-coloured coatings.
The later layers are lead-based
oil paints, whereas the earlier
underlying ones are distemper.
Trailing pattern
discovered in the
South Aisle
Ailsa Murray
ailsa.murray@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Paint work on a boss
of Edinburgh Castle
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
S
t Giles’ Cathedral in
Edinburgh was founded
in around 1130. It was
subdivided after the
Reformation and the
building has undergone
major alterations over
the centuries; most of the exterior
now dates to a remodelling by
William Burn in 1829-33. Historic
Scotland has been involved in
several investigations of the painted
interiors since conservation work
started in 2007.
Investigations in the South
Aisle were carried out in 2011
by Historic Interiors Researcher
Michael Pearce, supported by
myself and fellow conservator
Damiana Magris. They found traces
of very early painted decoration
on the bosses, ribs, capitals and
vault springer stops. The most
spectacular survival is a section
39
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
The panels are cleaned by
conservator Stefka Bargozova
prior to their re-display
Edzell oak panels’ rare
reformation survival
In 2014, a re-display project prompted the analysis of a set of carved oak panels from Edzell
Castle. Regional Collections Manager (Central) Lynsey Haworth reveals the surprising findings
T
he Edzell oak panels were reportedly
discovered in a wright’s shop by historian
Andrew Jervise in the 1850s. Jervise wrote
in a paper for the Society of Antiquaries of
Scotland that these panels once formed the
shutters of Edzell Castle’s Great Hall. They
remained in private ownership until 1938,
when they were donated to H M Office of Works, a
predecessor of Historic Scotland.
The carvings depict Catholic iconography, including
scenes of the crucifixion and the Annunciation.
Previously, the panels had been interpreted as late
16th century, as it was assumed if they had existed at
the time of the Reformation in 1560, they would have
been destroyed during the religious turmoil of the
period, along with many other items showing Catholic
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
Class glass
40
Elgin glass shard analysis
yields rare detail, explains
Regional Collections Manager
(North) Rona Walker
Rona Walker
rona.walker@scotland.
gsi.gov.uk
In 2012, Elgin Museum kindly lent an
assemblage of glass on a research
loan to Historic Scotland. The glass,
comprising 1,295 individual shards,
was initially found during excavations in
devotion. However, dendrochronological analysis has
shown that this is not the case.
The analysis was carried out using a non-invasive
technique which involves making a polymer clay cast
of the tree ring patterns visible on the oak. These were
then compared against a database of calendricallydated tree-ring chronologies. The results suggest the
panels date to either the 1530s or 1540s, making them
a rare pre-Reformation survival.
Prior to conservation treatment, X-ray fluorescence
(XRF) analysis showed that the panels would have
been painted at some point in the past. They have also
suffered from repeated woodworm attack over the
years, so they were frozen at -20°C for a week as a
precautionary measure against woodworm activity.
They can now be seen in the Visitor Centre at the castle.
the mid to late 1970s on Lazarus Lane,
which is very close to Elgin Cathedral.
The project formed part of the research
supporting the proposed carved stone
project at the cathedral. HS Collections
team worked with glass
specialist Robin Murdoch
to carry out weight
and pattern analysis
to establish, where
possible, the date of
the glass, provenance
to the cathedral and
Lynsey Haworth
lynsey.haworth@
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
similarities to other examples. As part
of the study, the HS Science team
chemically analysed the glass using
X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Some of the
glass had been previously researched as
part of an unpublished PhD thesis,
which was consulted during
the project.
Three types of glass
were identified in the
assemblage: plain,
painted and coloured.
All the painted glass was
FOCUS ON: APPLYING RESEARCH
Kirkmadrine:
stones with a story
The Kirkmadrine carvings unveil the religious importance of the site,
as Regional Collections Manager (South) Jill van Millingen discovers
T
he site of
about AD 800 and 1100 during
Kirkmadrine in
the time that Gaelic speakers
Dumfries and
emerged as rulers of this area.
Galloway is home to
These stones, although less
some of Scotland’s
expertly carved, illustrate a
earliest Christian
wealth of information about
sculptures, and
the changing liturgical and
these remarkable treasures
devotional practices of
represent a transition
Jill van Millingen early Christians in the preNorman era.
from pagan to Christian
jill.vanmillingen@
A bullaun stone, which has
worship. The recent carved
scotland.gsi.gov.uk
had holes worn into it by
stone re-display project has
people turning pebbles onto it as
highlighted just how important this
they prayed, may reveal evidence
site is, with new research increasing
of continuing folk customs at early
our understanding of the site and
church sites. These are thought
significance of this area of Scotland in
to have involved the use and
the 6th and 7th centuries.
As part of the project, the
modification of certain stones for
Historic Scotland Collections
votive or healing purposes.
team commissioned Dr Katherine
The research has shown how
likely it is that the religious community
Forsyth from the University of Glasgow
at Kirkmadrine was just as important
to undertake new research to improve
as the later monastery at Whithorn.
the understanding of the
The result of careful study of these
archaeological, geographical and
remarkable stones is important
cultural significance of the carved
work, and is likely to stimulate
stones, and to inform future
further research and exploration
interpretation.
of these theories.
The three earliest stones have Latin
carvings and feature the powerful
Chi Rho symbol – originally a code
among early Christians – which uses
the Greek letters for Christ. The stones
also feature the names of individuals
who may have been bishops based at
a religious centre at Kirkmadrine.
A group of later stones, while very
difficult to date, likely fall between
found to be grisaille glass.
The decoration would have
been achieved in either of
two ways: with a fine brush
to create a positive image,
or by scraping into a painted
area to create a negative
image. Painted grisaille glass can
often be dated from its style of decoration. Early
grisaille tends to carry images of very stylised
foliage, which evolved into more natural forms in
the 14th century. Cross-hatching, which is seen
on many of the Elgin shards, was superseded by
a plain background in the later
13th century.
Detailed examination of the
designs gave some exciting results.
Highlights include double trefoils currently not known anywhere else in
Scotland; trefoils with a cross-hatch
background similar to those found in
Lincoln Cathedral; and a piece of border
with a design similar to one known from
Salisbury Cathedral.
It was concluded that the assemblage
probably came from Elgin Cathedral and
likely survives from the recorded damage to the
cathedral in 1270, or fires in 1390 and 1402.
The decorative style is clearly of this period,
and follows similar practices in England and
France. Further research is required, but this
is a fascinating first glimpse
that has yielded valuable
information. A detailed
report is available from
the HS Collections
team, which would like
to thank Elgin Museum
for its support.
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
The three earliest
stones feature the
powerful Chi Rho symbol,
originally a code among
early Christians
41
IMPACT
Our year in numbers
From West Lothian to Osaka and worldwide on the web, Historic Scotland Conservation worked hard
in 2014 to pass on technical knowledge of our heritage and skills in person, in print and digitally
OUR EVENTS
44
1,728
Delegates that attended our events
Events we have organised
DELEGATES THAT ATTENDED OUR:
480
Energy efficiency events
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95
Craft skills events
227
Can I just say a HUGE thank you for the brilliant experience of the Taster day for our
pupils in Lesmahagow. They had a fantastic time and learned a lot of new skills.
I very much appreciate the work that was put into organising such an excellent event
Head Teacher, Loudon Academy
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
TECHNICAL OUTREACH
42
160
8%
17%
3
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13%
4%
n Students
n Community groups
BREAKDOWN OF
AUDIENCES THAT
WE REACHED
n Professionals
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Outreach activities in which our
staff delivered our message
55%
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Unique page views on our technical website from Nov 2013 - Nov 2014
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Historic Scotland
Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH
T: +44 (0)131 668 8600
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk