Restoration
Dec 03
Suddenly a transformation is taking place as the flat packs are dismantled and become floors, walls and even the roof. Mind you all this is only possible with the right tools to do the job – screwdrivers and the odd shifting spanner are definitely not up to the job – you definitely need the most …
Nov 08
Well at last we summoned up the courage to open the Time Capsule and as we were looking for nimble steady hands, Angus was duly elected to do the business! On went a pair of pristine white gloves; a nice clean tablecloth on the table and off we went…! First the wax sealer around the …
Nov 02
Yesterday, a massive articulated lorry, far too big to come up the drive, unceremoniously dumped enormous lengths of timber at the road-end. Panic set in, but our trusty old Massey-Ferguson 240 and Graham’s Manitou successfully picked up the pieces and transported them up to the site. Foreman Gordon was somewhat surprised to find himself driving …
Oct 25
Four large lorry loads of cement and a transformation takes place within the building shell. Tons of breezeblocks have also been delivered and very soon the central partition wall and the end wall will start to rise from the rubble. Unfortunately the weather has broken and rain is the order of the day.
Oct 15
With all the rubble removed, together with the central and end walls, the men have been busy levelling the entire floor area, ready to pour concrete later this week. Because of the Scottish “Tattie howkin’†holiday no work will take place on Monday and Tuesday. Impressive mounds of rubble and stone are stacked around the …
Sep 30
On Thursday 26 September 2013 a most important treasure was unearthed amongst the ruins of Glenlair House. Whilst dismantling the South wall down to the original footings level, a large square stone was removed revealing a square cavity, in which was a glass jar standing upside down. The jar had been sealed with wax, which …
Sep 09
Just over a fortnight into the project and already one can see the extent of the demolition that must first take place before any rebuilding work can begin. Thus far the central wall and about 60% of the southern wall have been taken down. Two men working with hammer and chisel have achieved all this …
Aug 30
Work started to day on the next project to rebuild Glenlair House. This time it is planned to completely restore the original part of the house originally built by Professor Maxwell’s father, John in 1831 using Walter Newall as his architect. This was the section most severely damaged by the fire in 1929 and consequently …
Jan 12
With snow lying and permafrost deep into the ground, Joe Smith felt that it was an ideal opportunity to replace the missing lintel above the large south-facing window in the west wing, which has been supported by one of my acro-props since the middle of last year. His reasoning, sound as ever, was that the …
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