Repair work to the National Monument

I have been having a busy couple of weeks since setting up this page, so as a result, I have not had much time to update this site on all that I've been up to!

Last week, I had the opportunity to go up The Hill to watch the some of the ongoing repair work being carried out to the National Monument and it was fascinating to watch the builders in action. A condition survey carried out by the conservation architects for the structure had noted that a lintel on the northern side of the monument had moved slightly and a huge machine was required to lift this piece of stonework back into place.

The National Monument was constructed of a material called Craigleith sandstone - this was the same material used to construct much of the New Town - which came from Craigleith Quarry, approximately 2 miles from the City Centre. This quarry is no longer in use, so it is vital to preserve as much of the stonework as possible as although substitutes can be found they are not as durable or as beautiful as the Craigleith Stone.