By Liam Griffin
June 2020
With due regard to the Scottish Government’s guidance and advice on the current health challenges, Colin Rowan of Rowan Stonework began preservation work on Historic Kilbride’s Clan MacDougall Memorial Aisle.
Forward planning allowed the various phases of the work to be carried out by single operatives, so that no two persons were on the site at any one time. Sadly, Friends of Kilbride Trustees felt it safer to close the site to all visitors whilst these works are in progress. Though, we may be able to ease these restrictions once the works, which are scheduled to last five days, are fully underway.
The wall surrounding the 1707 Clan MacDougall memorial Aisle had become infested with various plants and ivy over the centuries. Their root systems had dislodged stonework and grout. Already, just one day into the project, Colin has made significant progress.
Thank you to Myra and Caroline, our volunteers who prepared the way, strimming grass and the like. Friends of Kilbride received no grant aid for this project and the work will be paid for entirely by funds raised at our Christmas Ceilidh, the bawbees, pounds, dollars and Euros and left in our donations tin sited at the entrance to the site and other private donations. We are grateful for them all.
Like many other worthy projects, our fund raising programme has been heavily affected by the lock down..We have had to postpone or cancel to major fund raising efforts due to a big dent in our budget.
Would you like to help? If you’d like to donate toward this project and other future preservation works, please visit our GoFundMe page here.
Thank you for your support and we look forward to welcoming you back to Historic Kilbride!