Stonemasons in Fife
Conservation stonemasons for Fife's churches, abbeys, tolbooths and listed buildings, working in lime mortar and stone matched to the original.
Lime and stone repairs across Fife
Fife's older buildings, from the tolbooths and harbour villages of the coast to the abbey and churches of Dunfermline, are built of sandstone and rubble laid in lime, and many of them are harled. They last when they are repaired with the materials they were made with: lime mortar, lime harl and stone matched to the original.
Our Fife work includes indenting and repointing at Dunfermline Abbey, and fabric repairs, a new accessible entrance and a remodelled Lady Chapel at St Margaret's Memorial Church in Dunfermline. At Kirkcaldy Old Kirk we carried out conservation and access work to the Norman tower, and at the Category B listed Tolbooth in West Wemyss we removed the cement harl and repaired the stone, ready for a new lime harl.
What we do in Fife
- Church stonework repairsfor abbeys, parish churches and their towers
- Listed building repairsfor Category A, B and C listed buildings, with the consents in place
- Lime harling, render and paintingfor harled rubble buildings on the coast and inland
- Stone repairs and lime pointingfor sandstone walls, chimneys, copes and parapets
- Conservation stoneworkkeeping as much original stone as possible
- Historic building consolidationfor ruins and unstable historic structures
Our work in Fife
All projects
Dunfermline Abbey
Indenting and repointing walls and parapets, with lead, slating and leaded glass repairs.
The Tolbooth, West Wemyss
Cement harl removed and the masonry repaired for a new lime harl on a Category B listed tolbooth of about 1700.
St Margaret's Memorial Church, Dunfermline
Fabric repairs, a new accessible entrance and a remodelled Lady Chapel for a busy parish church.
Where we work in Fife
We take on work across Fife, from Dunfermline and the towns along the Forth to Kirkcaldy, the East Neuk and St Andrews.
- Dunfermline
- Kirkcaldy
- West Wemyss
- Burntisland
- Kinghorn
- Aberdour
- Inverkeithing
- Culross
- Falkland
- Cupar
- St Andrews
- Anstruther
How a project runs
- Site visit
We look at the building with you and talk through what is causing the damage.
- Specification
We agree the scope with your architect or engineer, including sample panels for mortar and stone.
- Consents
Where listed building or scheduled monument consent is needed, it is in place before work starts.
- Repairs
Our masons carry out the work in lime and matching stone, protected from the weather.
- Record and handover
Photographs and notes of what was done, for you and for the building's future.
Stonemasonry in Fife: your questions
Do you work in Fife?
Yes. Our Fife work includes Dunfermline Abbey, St Margaret’s Memorial Church in Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy Old Kirk and the Tolbooth in West Wemyss. We are based in East Linton, East Lothian, and take on projects across Fife.
Can a church stay open while it is repaired?
Usually, yes. At Kirkcaldy Old Kirk the public rights of way were kept open and the main hall stayed in use throughout the work on the tower, and at Dunfermline Abbey the repairs were completed with minimal disruption to the Abbey and its visitors.
Should cement harl be removed from an old building?
Often, if it is trapping damp or failing, but it has to come off carefully. At the Tolbooth in West Wemyss we removed the cement harl, inspected the masonry underneath, repaired or indented decayed stone with matching sandstone as advised by the Scottish Lime Centre Trust, and repointed the walls ready for a new lime harl.
Do you repair listed buildings in Fife?
Yes. Kirkcaldy Old Kirk and the Tolbooth in West Wemyss are both Category B listed. Repairs to a listed building have to match the original materials, and changes to its character need listed building consent from Fife Council. We work with your architect so the consents and the specification are in place before work starts.
Can you make a historic church easier to get into?
Yes. At St Margaret’s Memorial Church in Dunfermline the work included a new entrance and steps with a lift for disabled access, alongside the stone, slate, lead and window repairs. At Kirkcaldy Old Kirk the ladders in the tower were replaced with a steel spiral stair.
Tell us about your building
Send a short description and a few photos. We will call you back to talk it through and, if it helps, arrange a site visit.
- Phone01620 861 683
- Emailinfo@gbrownstonemason.com
- OfficeStation Yard, East Linton, East Lothian