Work starts at the Nelson Monument

Work will start next week on the restoration of the Nelson Monument, which will also see the famous time-ball mechanism returned to working order.

The repairs are part of the on-going Twelve Monuments Restoration Project, a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh World Heritage, charitable trusts and business donations.
 
David McDonald, Project Manager with Edinburgh World Heritage said: "The Nelson Monument is one of the most prominent buildings in the city, and the one' o clock time-ball is a great Edinburgh institution. It is fantastic to be able to keep these city traditions going, which all go to make Edinburgh such a unique place." 
 
Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, who are helping to fund the project said:"Not only does the Nelson Monument afford one of the best panoramic views of Edinburgh but it also houses one of the city's more unusual customs in its time-ball. It's great news that work is about to start on this extraordinary piece of our heritage ensuring that it continues to delight visitors from all over the world for years to come."
 
The biggest challenge will be the restoration of the time-ball itself, which weighs an estimated 762kgs, about the same as a small car.

The ball will be removed with a crane and its internal wooden structure carefully restored. The 150-year old gearing mechanism will also be repaired, so that once complete the time-ball will again operate at one o'clock on a daily basis.
 
Work will also include stonework repairs and the re-pointing with lime mortar. Most important will be the stonework around an internal corroding iron band, which has already caused some stone to flake off at parapet level.  The top parapet will be partially taken down and rebuilt in the course of the works.

The Nelson Monument was constructed between 1807 and 1816. The time ball was added in 1852 to enable the captains of ships moored in the Firth of Forth to set their chronometers for accurate navigation. The restoration will give it a new lease of life for many years to come.
 
The total cost of the restoration is expected to be £250,000. Much of this money has been raised from other sources, including small grants from many trusts, personal donations, business and an award of £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. 
 
In addition, an amount of £12,500 will be spent on exhibition material, leaflets, workshops and activities for the downstairs rooms once the monument re-opens.