Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs, visited Dunkeld Cathedral this week to meet Historic Environment Scotland (HES) staff and apprentices, and find out how last month’s announcement of £6.6 million in Scottish Government funding for the conservation of Scotland’s heritage assets is being used to benefit the site. Around £300,000 of the funding package will be invested at Dunkeld, enabling HES to carry out planned conservation works within the next four years, rather than seven.

Fiona Hyslop MSP meets award-winning apprentice stonemason Ross Kennedy, for whom the funding ensures valuable hands on experience of working at historic sites like Dunkeld Cathedral.

HES Regional Works Manager Richard Aitken walks Fiona Hyslop MSP through progress of works at Dunkeld Cathedral. To date these have addressed the north nave and high level aisle walls. The next phase will tackle the south walls, west front and ground floor finishes.

HES Stonemason Carey Gibb shows Fiona Hyslop MSP some of the work being done to consolidate masonry at Dunkeld Cathedral.