Over £55,000 granted to repair war memorials across Scotland
- 12 memorials to benefit from funding awards, as part of WWI centenary commemorations
Twelve war memorials across Scotland are set to be conserved and repaired after being awarded a share of £55,000 worth of grant funding by War Memorials Trust, through the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund.
The recipients are spread across Scotland, with memorials in Fife, Perthshire, the Western Isles, East Lothian, and the Highlands all set to benefit from funding. The grants range from nearly £13,000 to carry out major repair and conservation works to the war memorial in Prestonpans, and roof repair of a war memorial hall in Dairsie, down to smaller grants of around £1,300 for minor, but important repairs and necessary cleaning.
The fund – which is managed by War Memorials Trust on behalf of Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government – allows communities throughout Scotland to apply for financial help to conserve and repair their war memorials.
Frances Moreton, Director of War Memorials Trust, said: “The centenary of World War I has so far seen communities across Scotland take advantage of this additional funding, to ensure their war memorials are in the best possible condition to mark the sacrifices of so many.
“With just two years left until Armistice Day 2018 we would encourage everyone to visit their local war memorial this Remembrance Day, check the condition of it, and get in touch with War Memorials Trust if you have any concerns. Funding is still available but projects do take time, so be sure to act now to ensure your war memorial is ready for 2018.”
Communities are taking inspiration from the commemoration of the centenary of World War I (1914 – 1918) to ensure their local war memorials are a fitting tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The announcement comes as a timely boost for the memorials, many of which will play a central role in this week’s Remembrance Day commemorations.
These grants bring the total amount offered to 95 Scottish war memorials to £726,488 since the scheme was launched by Former First Minister Alex Salmond in 2013. A pot of £1 million was made available for this initiative throughout the centenary, in order for communities to repair and conserve their own monuments. Communities can still apply for a share of the funds.
It is believed that up to 10% of Scotland’s estimated 6,000 war memorials are in either ‘poor’ or ‘very bad’ condition, so there is clearly scope for many more projects to benefit from this grant scheme.
The Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund’s £1 million is available to support the repair and conservation of any war memorial of any type anywhere in Scotland. The scheme was launched in April 2013 and will run through the centenary of World War I. Funded by the Scottish Government and Historic Environment Scotland, the scheme is administered by War Memorials Trust.
Find out more about the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund through the Historic Environment Scotland website
Ends 8th November 2016
Images are available on request.
The war memorial projects supported come from across Scotland and are presented by county:
Offers:
Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Falkirk WM5457 Grant Offer: £1,500.00
Applicant: Falkirk Council
It is recognised that the memorial has a number of issues, including deteriorated stonework, faded inscriptions and challenges related to nesting birds and bats, which require full assessment prior to undertaking conservation and repair works.
The grant funding will support a conservation-accredited architect to undertake a detailed conservation and condition report on the memorial. The professional advice will then be used to determine a programme of appropriate works ensuring the memorial is conserved for future generations.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/210689
North Head, Wick, Caithness, Highlands, WM7796, Grant Offer: £1,500.00
Applicant: Highland Council
It is recognised that the memorial, built in 1909 to commemorate the local lives lost in various nineteenth century battles and campaigns, is in poor condition and in need of repair and conservation works. The memorial is suffering from a number of complex issues including previous unsympathetic treatments and works. Its costal location also poses conservation dilemmas.
The grant funding will support a conservation-accredited architect to undertake a detailed conservation and condition assessment of the memorial. The professional advice will then be used to decide on the most appropriate programme of works to ensure the memorial is conserved for future generations.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/148022
Edderton, Argyll and Bute, Highlands, WM3998 Grant Offer £10,820.00
Applicant: Edderton Community Council
The memorial has been previously re-pointed in areas with cement mortar which has now cracked and failed. In isolated areas biological growth is trapping moisture to the stone.
The grant funding will support works to unpick failed cement mortar and re-point the memorial and surrounding wall with lime mortar. A gentle clean with water and bristle brushes will remove biological growth and mosses only where they are trapping moisture to the masonry. Black enamel paint will be used to enhance lettering if it is deemed necessary to do so following cleaning.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/node/151754
Lochearnhead, Perthshire, Stirling, WM4947, Grant Offer: £1,800.00
Applicant: Balquhidder Community Council
The joints on the memorial and wall have lost or cracked pointing and the inscriptions are faded.
The grant funding will support works to the memorial and the wall that provides a setting to the memorial. Failed mortar will be carefully raked out, joints will be re-pointed with a lime mortar and the memorial and wall will be gently cleaned using water and bristle brushes. Gentle cleaning will help provide a better understanding of the condition of the stone and whether the inscriptions could be enhanced through deepening and sharpening in the future. New gravel will be laid.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/80027/
Tolsta, Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, WM6723, Grant Offer: £2,930.00
Applicant: Tolsta Community Council
The memorial is suffering from loss of pointing. Ahe bronze panel with inscriptions requires attention as an unsuitable treatment looks to have been applied in the past and the lettering is increasingly obscured.
The grant funding will support works to lift surface dirt and biological growth using water and bristle brushes. Failed mortar will be unpicked and joints re-pointed with lime mortar. The bronze panel will be inspected and assessed with inappropriate surface treatments or lacquers carefully removed. The surface will be gently treated using de-ionised/distilled water, a pH natural soap and soft bristle brushing. Following a re-patination process, at least 3 coats of microcrystalline wax will be applied to protect the surface.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/155660/
Dairsie war memorial hall, Fife, WM8671, Grant Offer: £11,620.00
Applicant: Dairsie war memorial hall committee
The memorial hall is suffering from water ingress and damp through the pantile tile roof.
The grant funding will renew areas of the roof which are suffering with moisture penetration by fitting new sarking, breather membrane, counter and tile battens. Tiles will be replaced on a like-for-like basis and any viable stripped tiles will be reused and embedded using a lime mortar. Valleys and ridges will be cleared and re-pointed with a lime mortar where necessary.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/174804/
Hill of Beath, Fife, WM9772, Grant Offer: £1,310.000
Applicant: Fife Council
The painted detail on the memorial has flaked away and the surface has attracted biological growth and dirt.
The grant funding will support a light clean of the memorial using water and bristle brushes and will address the faded detail on the memorial which will be infilled using white enamel paint. The low individual railings will have an undercoat and black enamel paint gloss applied.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/224715/
Lochgelly, Fife, WM9774, Grant Offer: £2,900.00
Applicant: Fife Council
The memorial requires significant re-pointing and some of the steps of the base have suffered from movement. Some of the inscriptions on the central column have lost their legibility.
The grant funding will support works to address failed pointing which will be picked out and the joints re-pointed with a lime mortar. As necessary, steps will be re-aligned and faded lettering will be infilled using black enamel paint.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/216013/
Lumphinnans, Fife, WM9775, Grant Offer £1,350.00
Applicant: Fife Council
The memorial is suffering from a loss of mortar at its joints and has attracted biological growth.
The grant funding will support works to unpick failed mortar and joints will be re-pointed using lime mortar. Cleaning with water and bristle brushes will remove surface dirt and biological growth. The low railings around the memorial will have an undercoat and black enamel paint gloss applied.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/224843/
Mossgreen, Fife, WM9776, Grant Offer: £2,970.00
Applicant: Fife Council
The memorial has significant mortar loss at its joints which has enabled water ingress. The surrounding railings and gates require a surface clean and repainting.
The grant funding will support works to re-point joints using a lime mortar. The memorial and associated masonry structures, including steps, will be cleaned using water and bristle brushes. The gate and railings around the memorial will be gently cleaned down and have an undercoat and black enamel paint gloss applied.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/224861/
Prestonpans, East Lothian, WM8665, Grant Offer: £12,920.00
Applicant: Prestonpans Community Council
The base of the memorial requires repair, there has been mortar loss from the joints and the statue of the solider has lost its nose. The blue railings that sit around the memorial are acknowledged as unsympathetic to the setting and significance of the memorial.
The grant funding will support works to clean the masonry with water and bristle brushes, repair cracks to the base and look to sympathetically reinstate the lost facial feature. Failed mortar will be unpicked and joints re-pointed using lime mortar. Following cleaning, faded inscriptions will be assessed then deepened and sharpened if necessary. The blue short railings that currently sit around the memorial will be removed and new railings will be prepared and installed based on the design of the original railings which were removed and smelted during World War II.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/164329/
Innerlevan, Fife, WM9372 Grant Offer: £3,500.00
Applicant: Congressional Board of Wellesley Parish Church
The war memorial tablet was first erected in Methil East church in 1922 and then later moved to Innerleven East Parish Church when congregations merged. It remained there following the union of Innerleven East and Methil Parish Church in 2012 but was then removed by the owner and given to the new congregation of Wellesley Parish Church in August 2015.
The grant funding will support works to prepare and install the marble tablet within the interior of the Wellesley Parish Church which will allow the community to again access the memorial.
Details of memorial can be found at https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/204836/
Notes for editors:
- Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund has £1 million available to support the repair and conservation of any war memorial of any type anywhere in Scotland. The scheme was launched in April 2013 and will run through the centenary of World War I. Funded by the Scottish Government and Historic Environment Scotland the scheme is administered by War Memorials Trust. For further information visit www.warmemorials.org/grants-scotland
- As of the 1st October 2015, Historic Scotland and RCAHMS came together to form a new lead public body charged with caring for, protecting and promoting the historic environment. The new body Historic Environment Scotland (HES) will lead on delivering Scotland’s first strategy for the historic environment, Our Place in Time.
- Historic Scotland is a sub brand of Scotland’s new public heritage body, Historic Environment Scotland
- Historic Environment Scotland is a registered Scottish Charity. Scottish Charity No. SC045925
- War Memorials Trust is an independent registered charity. Established in 1997 due to concerns about neglect and vandalism it works to protect and conserve war memorials. It provides advice, information and administers grants schemes that assist the repair and conservation of war memorials across the UK. As a charity the Trust relies on voluntary contributions to undertake its work. Supporters include annual and life members, donors, charitable trusts and corporate contributors
- War Memorials Trust provides grants that can assist repair and conservation of war memorials. Contact the Conservation Team to discuss eligibility on 020 7233 7356 / 0300 123 0764 or conservation@warmemorials.org or download a Grants Pre-application form from www.warmemorials.org/grants/
- War Memorials Trust provides a free advisory service to anyone with a war memorial enquiry. Specialist Conservation Officers are available on 020 7233 7356 / 0300 123 0764 or conservation@warmemorials.org
- Details of grant(s) completed through the Centenary Memorials Restoration Fund can be found on the Trust’s website: www.warmemorials.org/search-grants. The Grants Showcase features all the projects supported by the charity through grants schemes and can be searched by county or area
- You can keep up to date with news from Historic Environment Scotland and register for media release email alerts here. If you wish to unsubscribe, please contact us.
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Contacts
War Memorials Trust
Helen Bowman, Conservation Officer or Frances Moreton, Director War Memorials Trust
Telephone:
Helen (based in Edinburgh) 07419 372 904
Frances (based in London) 020 7834 0200 / 0300 123 0764 / 07586 920 153
Email: helen@warmemorials.org / frances@warmemorials.org
Website: www.warmemorials.org
Historic Environment Scotland
Contact: Grant Thomson, Communications Officer
Direct Line: 0131 668 8603
Mobile: 07580702611
Email: grant.thomson@hes.scot
Historic Environment Scotland – Scottish Charity No. SC045925 Registered office: Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh, EH9 1SH
