Back in the winter, the frost got into the stonework and cracked the mortar and when the snow thawed several large pieces of masonry fell from the top the towers in the header to this blog. Since then we have had the tower fence off while the surveyors assessed the damage and decided what to do about it.
It's far too expensive to rebuild the castle completely - nice though that would be - so we are doing our best to ensure that the remaining parts don't deteriorate any further. This is pretty much a continual job, like painting the Forth bridge. By the time the last section of wall has been cleaned of foliage, the loose joints raked out and repointed with appropriate lime mortar, it's time to start at the beginning again. Since the tower is the part that is most damaged that's where work has finally started.
Stonemasonry is an ancient skill and the basic techniques haven't changed since the castle was built.
This Roman mason seems to be taking a bit of a chance leaning out like that and I must admit I'm glad to see that our masons are taking better care of themselves.
So thanks, lads, for making sure our castle stays tidy for another year or two.
Left to right - Tom, Olly, Fin and Harry.
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