New high for Building Consultancy Scotland
01 May 2019Restoration of the National Wallace Monument in Stirling nears completion.
The Glasgow Building Consultancy team was recently instructed to undertake refurbishment works to the external building fabric of the National Wallace Monument in Stirling. This included removing the damaged bronze statue of William Wallace and restoring this off site, a complex operation due to the height, weight and access restrictions. The 14ft statue has been described by the conservators as “superb in its intricacy, making its restoration challenging.”
In 2017 the team were initially appointed to undertake a detailed inspection of the Monument. This was a highly specialised instruction involving consultation with Historic Environment Scotland, which allowed the landlords to plan for the required repairs and to forward fund these in a planned and preventative manner going forward.
The project, which is being led by Murray Watson, Associate in Building Consultancy, is approaching completion and fellow Avison Young colleagues were invited on site to view the project before the scaffolding is removed and the monument re-opened to the public.
The Wallace Monument stands on the Abbey Craig, a rocky crag in the City of Stirling. The Victorian gothic tower is 220 feet (67m) high and was opened in 1869 to commemorate Sir William Wallace (1267-1305).The monument was designed by Glasgow architect John Thomas Rochead and built between 1861 and 1869. The Wallace statue was a later addition to the building, by sculptor David Watson Stephenson.
The 16 week programme of works will be completed in time for the 150th anniversary of the monument this year, allowing Stirling District Tourism to re-open to tourists and to visitors.
Murray Watson said: “This has been a fantastic project which I knew would be of significant interest to colleagues. The Building Consultancy team has a well earned reputation for rising to the challenge of unusual projects and it’s an honour to have had the opportunity to be involved with the restoration of a building of such historic significance.”
