Residents from across Edinburgh are being invited to take part in a free stone masonry workshop next Monday (21 November) to celebrate work starting to restore the Granton Castle Walled Garden B-listed wall and dovecot.
Organised by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Friends of the Walled Garden with Scottish Crown Estate marine asset funding it is hoped the workshop will give people of all ages a chance to learn new or develop existing stone masonry skills.
The Council is also working with Friends of the Walled Garden on a vision to transform the historic site into a working market garden and local attraction. The project to restore the Granton Castle Walled Garden is part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s wider £1.3bn regeneration of Granton Waterfront.
Council leader Cammy Day said:
Being a heritage city, stone masonry is one of the skills it’s really important we keep alive in Edinburgh. This workshop is an ideal way to help people from across the city and the local area come together and celebrate this great craft as works begins to restore this historic site to be enjoyed by locals and visitors for generations to come. It's great to see the community in and around Granton Waterfront being so creative and dedicated to their area and I’d encourage anyone looking to try their hand at repairing the beautiful old stone wall to give this a go.
The wider £1.3bn transformation of Granton Waterfront as a new sustainable coastal town is well underway with several housing developments under construction, the restoration of Granton Station almost complete and work soon to begin to bring the iconic gasholder back to life. I’m very much looking forward to seeing the Granton Castle Walled Garden being enjoyed by the local community as a working market garden and quality visitor destination in the years ahead.
Anyone who would like to take a group along is being asked to contact the organisers in advance. There’s even free tea, coffee and cake!
Further information
Restoring heritage at Granton Castle Walled Garden (23 West Shore Rd) EH5 1 QB drop-in event – Monday 21 November – 11am to 4pm.
Come and help repair the beautiful old stone wall using traditional heritage skills in stone masonry using lime mortar.
If you’d like to come with a group please email grantongarden@gmail.com.