Isle of Lewis War Memorial Restoration

The restoration works to the Lewis War Memorial in Stornoway have now been completed.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar was successful in securing a substantial grant of £132k from the War Memorial Trusts, First World War Memorials Programme, for £200k of refurbishment proposals.

The War Memorial Trust is based in London but covers the whole of the UK. This grant was the largest award given by the W.M.T. from this particular programme.

The project commenced on site in May, with the need for the Memorial to be completely covered in external scaffolding therefore affording access to all areas of the structure.

The main works undertaken were;

External stonework pointing to all elevations and faces of the memorial, removing the existing pointing and replacing with hydraulic lime/sand mortar.

Replacement of 15 slim windows with new timber vented louvres and the replacement of the four 9 pane windows to level four of the memorial.

Replacement and renewal of the top turret roof covering and structural members in code 8 lead.

A new upgraded fit for purpose lightning conductors was fitted

The internal work was primarily the removal of existing secondary material (cement render, plaster and paint) and then subsequent repointing of the inner walls with lime / sand mortar.

The significant benefit of this aspect of the works will allow the walls to ‘breathe’ whereas before water and moisture were trapped.

The internal galvanised and steel spiral stair received refurbishment. The two high level doors and the main entrance door were refurbished with the main door being painted in “Poppy Red”.

The works were completed as planned in late September.

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