Visitors to Dumbarton Castle will see access restricted. Picture by Michael Moffat
By Lucy Ashton
The recent bad weather may have caused more damage to Dumbarton Rock’s battlements than enemy soldiers did during the many sieges that took place there.
Access to Dumbarton Castle will be restricted as a survey gets underway to assess the impact climate change has had on the landmark.
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is carrying out the work to analyse the extent of masonry deterioration and ensure the public are not exposed to any risks.
Dumbarton Castle will have restricted access in place while the work is conducted, as part of a national programme involving surveys on over 200 properties and sites across Scotland.
Scotland’s public heritage body, which cares for 336 historic buildings and sites, says the programme is a proactive step towards transforming the way the nation’s most precious places are protected, repaired and experienced in the face of accelerating decay from climate change.
Dr David Mitchell, director of conservation at HES, said: “The safety of staff, visitors and contractors is our top priority and access restrictions at Dumbarton Castle will unfortunately be necessary.
“We are currently assessing where partial access can be put in place at sites where it is safe to do so, and information will be posted to the HES website as it is available. Our routine inspections are increasingly revealing the deterioration of building fabric at high level.
“While our changing climate is not the sole reason for deterioration, it has certainly accelerated it and brought the issue to a head. Historic properties are inherently fragile by their nature, often ruinous and standing at exposed locations. We face a constant battle against time and the elements.
“It is inevitable our approach to protecting historic buildings will have to change; we need to reimagine how we manage these historic and much-loved places.
“A range of solutions is needed, including repairs, investment, and new and innovative interventions. In some cases, reduced physical access and accepting the natural process of decay will need to be considered.”
The tactile survey programme will assess the impact of climate change and the scale of deterioration caused by a number of other factors, including the materials used in the building’s construction, its age and physical location.
HES say it is anticipated that remedial works at its sites could require significant investment over multiple years.