On site: West Wemyss Tolbooth

July marked the commencement of work at West Wemyss Tolbooth with the erection of scaffolding. The Tolbooth, B-Listed, is a two-storey building with a clocktower to the North, projecting on to Main Street. The building dates from the early 18th century but likely incorporated an earlier structure in the forming of what is visible today.

The works proposed focus on the repair and consolidation of the Tolbooth’s external fabric. At some point in the late 20th century the building was re-harled with cementitious render and pointing, which has cracked/failed in its maritime context and informed the decay of the stonework. The works will remove this render and pointing, repair the stonework behind, forming a sound base for harling with a lime-based render, returning the building to a moisture-open breathable construction, and safeguarding the structure.  The works are being carried out by Graeme Brown Ltd, a highly experienced stone and lime contractor with whom we have worked extensively in the past and are delighted to be doing so again. A scheme involving sympathetic internal alteration and upgrading works to adapt the building to residential use has also gained approval and will be carried out as a separate phase.

Project team: Dr Stewart Stirling, Gavin McNab, Charlie Porter
Client: Wemyss 1952 Trust
Quantity Surveyor: Morham & Brotchie
Main Contractor: Graeme Brown Ltd.

Images by Charlie Porter. View Project via Index