16 April 2009

Media Releases

Edinburgh and Stirling castles enjoyed an excellent Easter as families flocked to enjoy the best of Scotland’s heritage. Despite the difficulties in the tourism sector Edinburgh Castle’s numbers reached 24,278 more than 4,000 up on 2008. At Stirling Castle the figures were up by nearly 900 compared to 2008 and compared well against all the previous five years.

14 April 2009

Media Releases

More than £1.7 million has been awarded to outstanding buildings of worship in need of repair, Culture Minister Michael Russell announced today. These Places of Worship awards from Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund is to make the buildings stable and watertight. Mr Russell said: “For many people their church, cathedral, temple or mosque is so much more than a building. It represents their faith, friendships and community values, often providing a home for groups of all different sorts.

10 April 2009

Media Releases

A careful conservation cleaning operation has been carried out on the ornate figure of St Michael which hangs in the shrine of the Scottish National War Memorial. The beautiful timber carving – which symbolises hope for mankind’s eventual triumph over the evil of war – is suspended from the vaulted ceiling 9.3m (approx. 30 feet) above the casket which holds the Roll of Honour of the Scottish war Dead. Historic Scotland, which maintains the war memorial which is located at Edinburgh Castle, has completed the week-long job ahead of the Easter weekend and the start of the main tourist season.

9 April 2009

Media Releases

The use of cutting edge laser technology to survey and interpret heritage structures will be discussed at an international conference in Scotland this month (April 22 and 23), organised by Glasgow School of Art and Historic Scotland. The 2009 Digital Documentation Conference - to be attended by leading experts from around the world – will also address the practical use of 3D laser scanners, high-resolution digital photography and digital visualisation.

7 April 2009

Media Releases

Newark Castle – once home to the notorious murderer and wife-beater Sir Patrick Maxwell – is marking 100 years in state care. Despite his wickedness the laird was a man of impeccable architectural taste and in the 1590s he remodelled his home by the Clyde in the latest Renaissance style. In later centuries the castle was largely obscured by the huge shipyard developments of Port Glasgow.