Director's Notes November 2008

It has been a fascinating month at EWH. I had the privilege of spending three days in the company of the UNESCO mission to Edinburgh and learned a great deal from the inspectors’ insightful approach to the situation they found here. During their visit they looked at four cases in detail, heard representations from business, community and amenity groups and looked at the process through which these developments had come about.

It was a chance to gather stock and consider what the World Heritage Site is really about – perhaps best summed up in an opinion piece in the Scotsman the Tuesday after the visit. It ostensibly pitted the Chamber of Commerce against the Save Our Old Town campaigners. However, both groups came across as respectful, understanding and well considered. It is precisely this that World Heritage aims for – understanding between peoples though the realisation that common values are shared between different groups, no matter how diverse or apparently opposed to one another they may appear to be.

I am also sad to report that Jane Jackson, the World Heritage Site Co-ordinator and Deputy Director, will be leaving us at the end of November to move into private practice with Capita. Over the past three years Jane's extensive experience of World Heritage management has been invaluable in bringing key stakeholders together, influencing development and promoting design that compliments Edinburgh's historic values.  I am hugely grateful for the start she has given me here and we all wish her well in her new career.

In the spirit of co-operation, EWH and colleagues at the City of Literature Trust have produced a series of podcasts exploring the city and its literary heritage. These can be downloaded here.

While these go some way towards exploring and explaining aspects of the city’s heritage, our work in this area is potentially never-ending. We are working on various tools to help teachers and pupils interpret the history, buildings, plans and geography of the World Heritage Site. Given that the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow has managed to get practically every schoolchild for the last few generations through the front door, our work is cut out. Read more here.

At the other end of the educative scale, we are pleased to welcome PhD student Kirsten McKee, whose thesis on Calton Hill is part sponsored by EWH, with support from the Arts and Humanities Research Board. Read more about her work here.

Our repair works continue apace, in spite of it being budget time at the Council. If you think our work is worth its salt, please let the council know – we need to ensure that our repair budget does not suffer.

Works are underway on the National Monument on Calton Hill – you may have seen the scaffolding – click here for some images of the work to move a lintel. Conservators are currently assessing St Bernard’s Well by the Water of Leith, where we hope to begin work in the third phase of the Twelve Monuments project next year, and works are about to start in the Grassmarket – just as soon as we can get our scaffolding up.

Finally, efforts are underway to raise the funds for the restoration of the Burns Monument. If you would like to contribute through a charitable donation, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Adam Wilkinson, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage