Nelson and Burns Monuments celebrate Doors Open Day

With restoration work completed at the Nelson and Burns Monuments, both buildings opened to the public for the annual Doors Open Day event. 

Restoration work started at the Nelson Monument in March 2009, and concluded with the installation of the time ball at the end of June.

Since then the interiors have been improved, with a new room opened to the public for the first time as an exhibition space.

On Doors Open Day the Nelson Monument saw costumed interpreters presenting the history of the monument for visitors. In the characters of Mrs Kerr, the first ‘keeper’ of the building licensed to sell soup, jellies to visitors, and James Doig, a veteran of the Battle of Trafalgar, they told stories of Lord Nelson and the Napoleonic Wars.

Visitors also helped local artist Hannah Ayre construct a huge picture of a ship's compass on top of Calton Hill. The finished artwork added to the view for those people who climed all the steps

The Burns Monument project started in February 2009, and the main challenge here was to repair and replace the highly intricate carved stone details that cover the Greek temple inspired building.

On Doors Open Day the monument was transformed into an impromptu performance space for the day, with volunteers from the Robert Burns Federation reciting poetry and singing songs.