If you are planning a conservation or restoration project and want expert guidance, reach out to start the conversation.
A Category B listed Portland-stone monument (1910) showing Dr Thomas Guthrie with a “ragged” child, in West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh.
Exposed stone sculpture in a busy city-centre garden can suffer from ingrained dirt, biological growth, and weathering that softens detail and accelerates decay. This conservation work focused on stabilising the monument and improving its long-term condition while retaining its historic character.
Cleaning and conservation works were carried out and documented through a conservation report, supported in part by the City of Edinburgh Council. The approach prioritised careful, conservation-led treatment to protect the Portland stone figure and the pedestal’s mouldings and inscriptions.
The monument is part of the historic fabric of Princes Street Gardens and commemorates Guthrie’s legacy as a preacher and philanthropist associated with the Ragged Schools. Conserving it safeguards a prominent piece of public sculpture and helps keep the city’s shared history legible in a high-traffic civic space.
If you are planning a conservation or restoration project and want expert guidance, reach out to start the conversation.
