Private Chapel, Scottish Highlands | Restoration Case Study

Our role: Masonry contractor
Client: Private client

This new-build Gothic chapel in the Scottish Highlands combined a modern steel frame with a 300mm granite outer wall built entirely in hot lime mortar. The masonry used reclaimed squared rubble granite from the Aberdeen area, with new granite dressings, hand-split blocks and leaded joints to the window tracery.

The challenge

The chapel was built in an exposed, remote location and construction had to continue through the winter. A further challenge was technical: impervious granite tends to float on modern hydraulic or putty lime mortars because it has no suction, which makes building slow.

Our solution

The project team erected a heated and lit enclosure over the whole site, protecting the work and creating good conditions for lime to cure. Our understanding of traditional mortars pointed to hot lime: quicklime slaked with the sand and used while still warm. Hot lime mortars are naturally sticky and stiffen quickly, allowing a much faster build rate in granite.

“We set out to use salvaged Scottish granite with dressed granite accessories and all to a very high standard. As part of our exercise we visited various stone masonry firms... We soon established that their company would be the most suited to our project. We were impressed with their work and in particular the structure of their company which greatly encouraged and developed their workforce.”

Robert Trembath RIBATrembath Associates, Chartered Architects

Outcomes

Traditional methods, modern standards

A steel frame and cavity construction met current regulations, with a lime-built granite skin.

Craft skills passed on

Hand-split granite using plug and feather, hot lime and leaded tracery joints gave our apprentices rare experience.

Winter working

A heated enclosure kept the programme moving through a Highland winter.

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Private Chapel