Murdo Fraser MSP is delighted that the grounds of Dunkeld Cathedral will reopen soon after being closed for months due to safety concerns.
The Scottish Conservative politician was recently invited by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to a ‘hard hat’ visit to the site after he contacted them regarding the matter.
Constituents had written to Mr Fraser about the condition of the Cathedral and problems with the public accessing it.
Commenting, Mr Fraser, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region, said: “I am delighted to hear that the grounds of Dunkeld Cathedral will re-open in a matter of weeks, which I’m sure will please local residents and those who want to visit the cathedral. It was very interesting being shown the programme of stabilisation of works that are taking place in a number of buildings at the cathedral. Part of the problem has been caused by the fact that stone at the cathedral is extremely vulnerable to wetting, and this has led to concerns about falling masonry.
“Dunkeld Cathedral is a major tourist attraction in Perthshire and many visitors who travelled to the area were bitterly disappointed not to be able to access it or its grounds. The cathedral and grounds were closed to the public since the period of Covid-related closures. However, the church continued to open for services, including weddings and funerals, but there was no access to the cathedral or its grounds outwith these periods.”
Mr Fraser continued: “I wrote to Historic Environment Scotland to ask when the Cathedral would be put in a state whereby it could be fully reopened to the public, and also asked whether, in the meantime, the grounds might be available for public access, given that the actual building is fenced off to prevent any potential damage from falling masonry.
“It was great to hear today that this should take place in a matter of weeks, with HES working with the Church of Scotland to deliver access. I appreciate that the repairs to the building itself could take many more years to complete, but access to the grounds would be an important first step.”
