Andrew does one last strimming

Our HIE case officer visits before work starts

and our HLF adviser visits before work starts

packing in the guided tours while still possible

pre-start meeting – reviewing the internal building works

pre-start meeting – reviewing works in the kirkyard itself

It may not look exciting, but the stacked cabins and
portaloo are the very first onsite works of the project!

Site Manager Peter McLeod and the bridge over the kirkyard wall

this keeps works well away from the main gate

the protective plywood sheeting of memorials start

even the smallest headstones could be damaged

the Regnart memorial is shuttered in

the shuttering is squeezed in amongst the timbers

even our medieval arched tomb is encased

the scaffolding rises higher

meet the conservators

Reverend Arthur’s memorial is removed

the original stone in each memorial is noted

the slate memorial is a thin sheet inside a frame

and the frame is held in place only with plaster

the Urquhart memorials have to come out for conservation

leaving rather unsettling cavities

A memorial vandalised 30 years ago will be fixed

broken slate memorials are removed in sections

the thin slate was contained in this frame

the Lyon-Mackenzie memorial is away

and the big William Gordon in front of the former chancel doorway

an opportunity to look at the archaeology of the former doorway

Now for the dangerous Grant of Ardoch mausoleum

it is dismantled carefully

the Grant of Ardoch mausoleum partly dismantled

the memorial above the gate looks so strange on its side

a surviving baluster is bound up

it will be the template for new ones

The magnificent Grant memorial is taken down

each stone is individually numbered

the chancel wall has been penetrated by ivy

the scaffolding all now erected, allowing access to wallheads

and the wallheads need taking off to remove the ivy

the scaffolding allows work all round at all levels

power is drawn from a new transformer and along a trench

volunteers start digging the trench in the kirkyard

archaeologists keep the volunteers right

the electric cable is dug under the dyke

meanwhile the slating is progressing

trustee Neil Cameron with the Lord Lieutenant and assistant Adeline

Caithness slabs now laid in the chancel

deturfing the new path route reveals new stones

path deturfing all done by volunteers, under archaeologist supervision

a wonderful new stone with claymore and date 1600

volunteers start on the drainage trenches

meanwhile the Grant of Ardoch mausoleum is put back together again

the Grant of Ardoch mausoleum restored to its glory

the drainage trenches progress rapidly in foul weather

the two trenches converge before leaving the site

finishing touches to the replacement chancel window mullion

the building looks great without scaffolding

soft cap on the restored Lady Ardoch tomb

donated pews taken apart to make seats and chest

the rough cut of one of the newly-carved ornate crosses

the restored medieval arched tomb recess

Kirkmichael is now looking wonderful