29 July 2009: Water spout, Craigievar Castle

A team of 23 skilled stonemasons are currently crafting stone features for the National Trust for Scotland’s refurbished Craigievar Castle near Alford in Aberdeenshire.

The castle was first built in 1626 by the Aberdonian merchant William Forbes after he purchased the partially completed structure from the impoverished Mortimer family in 1610. The Forbes family lived in Craigievar until 1963, when the property was gifted to the National Trust for Scotland. It is currently undergoing major repairs to correct structural damage and replace the castle’s cement harling with a breathable traditional lime coating.

Stonemasons from Laing Traditional Masonry Limited are crafting brand new water spouts and cannons for the castle, as many of the original spouts were lost or damaged decades ago.

The designs for the stonework were created by John Borland, an illustrator and RCAHMS Measured Survey Manager. John examined the surviving carvings and developed new patterns which are in keeping with the look of the castle.