My first interaction with the Scottish Stonemasons’ Marks Project (SSMP) was through complete chance. I saw an advert online and quickly became intrigued. Having attended the University of Edinburgh to study Ancient and Medieval History a few years prior, the subject of masons‘ marks quickly became of interest. I was particularly struck by how such an important aspect of social history could be so alien to me. Moreover, it was an extremely refreshing prospect to be able to take a break from the dusty tomes and dense theory I had been reading after my degree had concluded. I delved into the existing website and emailed Iain, securing a space on an early recording session at St Giles Cathedral. For such a chance digital encounter, I was not disappointed and have been hooked on masons’ marks ever since.
I first joined the team to survey St Giles after the end of my last season as a guide at Edinburgh Castle. I arrived in the dour weather of an early Scottish winter day. The warm and welcoming Iain could not have been a greater contrast from the weather; he was immediately eager to welcome me to the other members of the surveying team. Mungo the dog, the official mascot, was also glowing and jovial amidst the columns of the ancient St Giles Cathedral.
Quickly, I was introduced to the process of measuring and recording the mason’s marks. Being let loose around the cathedral played to my strengths as a person who learns better through action rather than explanation. The actual process of recording the marks is not overly complicated. It did take a little bit of getting used to, but it sank in after the first few times. We also record the marks in pairs, which can be a fantastic way to meet new people and have interesting discussions about a wide range of topics. Such topics that I have discussed include the history of Modern Malaysia, the Arts and Crafts art and architecture movement in Scotland, and how the Edinburgh football teams have fared recently!
I regularly attended meetings in the months after this. One highlight was at Dalmeny church. It is a rare example of Romanesque architecture and has a stunning interior and is a short bus journey from the centre of Edinburgh. The church has a very different feel to St Giles. I quickly realised the variety of different sites that could and would be included in the survey. Of course, I will not forget the incredible food at Dalmeny Kirk Cafe that we stopped off at for a well-deserved break, a cafe that continues to do an amazing job serving the local community.
After a time, I was lucky enough to be given a new role as supervisor for the SSMP. Part of this was training new volunteers to take part in the surveys. A highlight of this was being given access to the Thistle Chapel of St Giles when it was completely devoid of other visitors. The stunning interior is quite a sight to behold and was even more special to take in amidst a group of volunteers. This experience certainly took away from the fact that we did not actually find any mason marks in this area.
There are many reasons you should get involved in the project. You will meet many new people from a range of backgrounds. You will get access to areas that are not widely accessible to the public. Most importantly, you can experience a totally different type of practical history that will grant an insight into the social lives of medieval craftspeople. This is an excellent project for career development as an early heritage professional, student or archaeologist and is certainly the type of thing that would stand out on a cover letter or CV. The project continues with pride to this day and helps us to understand an under-researched element of Scottish History. We have extremely exciting upcoming projects and hope to record Crookston Castle, Edinburgh Castle and Greyfriars Kirk. Join today!
Written by Sam Workman.
