Successful School workshops as part of the Penicuik Heritage Regeneration Training Plan

7th February 2022

The PHRP Training Plan is being reprogrammed due to the Pandemic and access to the schools is now becoming more available.Two all day workshops were held on the 25th and 26th January based in Penicuik Town Hall and in St Mungo’s churchyard for students at Penicuik High School and Beeslack School .

The “Repurposing” workshops were set up to give students the opportunity to survey and draw up a historic building in Penicuik and then come up with ideas for it’s reuse.24 students in total took part and enjoyed the event . The building surveyed was the Hearse House in St Mungo’s churchyard, a historic building, vacant and in poor repair , which is in urgent need of restoration. During the day the students were assisted by professional’s who kindly gave their time to participate in the training and mentoring the students. We had two architects , two quantity surveyors , two contractors and a number of conservation specialists assisting the students with their ideas and giving them information about their roles in the construction industry.

Some of the ideas of reusing the Hearse House were very imaginative :a gallery and cafe with toilets,a visitor centre with a tower connected over to St Kentgern’s church tower by a glass bridge,a pool/snooker room ,a gym and underground boxing rink, an animal holiday home , a rage room , a community cycle hire and repair centre, …..many of these ideas had sustainable features built in , ie rain water harvesting , solar panels etc.

The next phase of the Training Plan will be the Edinburgh College workshops for the students and then on site training in St Mungo’s churchyard repairing and repointing some of the stone boundary walls

Measuring the Hearse House
Discussing ideas
Looking at the condition of the stone boundary walls
Having a history / heritage tour of the buildings in St Mung’s churchyard
Drawing up plans
Presenting proposals
Presenting proposals
Students ideas
Student ideas
Student ideas
ideas
Student sketch of the Hearse House

Our Partners

Penicuik First
Penicuik Community Development Trust
Midlothian Council
Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund