Moffat Heritage Trust Wins Funding To Celebrate & Preserve The Town’s Built Heritage

Thanks to funding from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the Annandale and Nithsdale Community Benefit Company (ANCBC), Moffat Heritage Trust has been able to partner with the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) to organise five days of training and talks aimed at raising the profile of Moffat and its significant built heritage and enhancing knowledge of traditional building techniques in the region.

The events will begin on 23^rd June 2021 with the Humble Heritage workshop, which will see twelve professionals from the construction, architecture and conservation fields come to Moffat for three days of hands-on traditional skills training with renowned experts Nigel Copsey and Luke O’Hanlon. This CPD course, taking place in the Old Churchyard, will focus on techniques for carefully removing harmful cement renders and re-pointing using traditional hot mix lime mortars that help to preserve the fabric of historic structures and make a contribution towards combatting climate change. On the evening of 24^th June 2021, the participants will enjoy a technical lecture on earth mortars and hot mixed lime by Nigel Copsey. This lecture will take place from 7pm to 9pm at the Proudfoot Institute and is open to interested members of the public.

The Humble Heritage Workshop will be followed, from 25^th to 27^th June 2021, by the “Saving the Gable” Working Party – three days of training aimed at beginners. Also based in the Old Churchyard, the Working Party will have as its focus the sole surviving gable wall of the 15^th century parish church, which is an important monument and reminder of the town’s development, but is at risk structurally. The use of stiff cement pointing over a flexible earth-mortared and hot mix lime core has caused cracking allowing water to enter the structure and vegetation to take hold. The cement pointing has also reduced breathability, forcing water to leach out through the intricate soft red sandstone carvings and damaging them in the process. Over the three days, attendees will play an active part in removing the cement and vegetation and re-pointing the gable. At 4pm on Sunday 27^th June, the final day there will be a public Q&A session with the experts.

To capitalise on the buzz of the training events, Moffat Heritage Trust has additionally invited SPAB Scotland to hold its Annual General Meeting at Moffat Town Hall on Saturday 26^th June. On the day there will be a number of activities designed to give residents, trainees and visitors alike a full picture of Moffat’s historic buildings, what they are made of, how they are constructed, and how to ensure their survival for the future. In the morning will be a walking tour of Moffat led by prominent architectural historian Dr Peter Burman, MBE FSA, and Ross Burgess of the Falkland Society. This will be followed in the afternoon by three talks and lectures: the first by Ross Burgess, on the Historic Building Survey carried out in Falkland, Fife, in summer 2020 and how such a survey could be replicated in Moffat; the second by Graham Roberts, retired Head Archivist at Ewart Library, and Archie McConnell of Dumfries Archival Mapping Group (DAMP) on ancient maps of the area, topographical features, the town’s development in the 18^th century, and the sources and transport of building materials; and the third by Dr Peter Burman on the architecture and history of Moffat.

It is hoped that the training events, which have been made possible through funding from HES, will make a valuable contribution to local knowledge of how to properly care and repair for the historic structures that represent an important part of places’ identity. Long term it is hoped that those who have completed the beginners’ training will be able to come together to repair other structures in Moffat using the vital knowledge and skills that they have gained. In addition to contributing to the scaffolding costs, Foundation Scotland, through ANCBC, have kindly agreed to cover the cost of photographs and video recordings of the training and lectures, which will be kept as a resource for the people of Moffat.

Niamh Ní Shúilleabháin, Chair of Moffat Heritage Trust said “This is a unique opportunity to upskill building professionals, novices and the whole community in learning about the topography, materials and resources of our vernacular built heritage, their care and repair and to build upon the fact that we as a community commissioned and funded our own CACAMP (Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Plan) back in 2019.”

In addition to its funders, Moffat Heritage Trust would like to express sincere thanks to Adams Napier Partnership, Hoddam Contracting and W J Murray Fencing, who have sponsored the sand, PPE and gloves required for the training, and to the innumerable volunteers that have dedicated their time to making the event a success.

For further information, follow Moffat Heritage Trust on Facebook: @moffatheritage.