Listed archway threatened by Forth crossing work
Plans have been lodged to dismantle a B-listed North Queensferry archway as work progresses on the Forth replacement crossing.
- By Leeza Clark
- Published in the Courier : 25.08.10
- Published online : 25.08.10 @ 07.56pm
Transport Scotland has applied to Fife Council for permission to take down the stone archway on the drive to Admiralty House at St Margaret's Hope to allow access for lorries working on a new radar station and crossing.
Forth Ports manages navigation in the Forth through its radar stations at Port Edgar, Burntisland, Leith, Hound Point and Grangemouth. As it was felt the construction work on the new crossing may affect the efficiency of the radar station at Port Edgar, Transport Scotland agreed to provide a small additional base.
It is essential that the additional radar facility is operational before the construction of the new bridge starts.
This work is being procured at an advanced stage to ensure construction of the crossing is able to start in 2011, subject to parliamentary approval of the Forth Crossing Bill, and that the crossing can be opened by 2016.
A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said, "We are working with Forth Ports to provide a small additional radar facility on land adjacent to Admiral's House. It is intended that this will supplement Forth Ports' existing radar facility at Port Edgar and ensure operational efficiency is maintained across the Forth.
"We are currently in discussions with Forth Ports on the final specifications for the new radar facility and will be submitting a planning application in the near future. The proposals include the removal of a stone arch at St Margaret's Hope to allow vehicular access to the new facility for maintenance purposes."
Little is known about the archway itself although it is thought it may have been built in the period following the acquisition of St Margaret's Hope by the Royal Navy in 1916.
Although there is no record noting its construction, it might have been erected around the same time that renovations and extensions were carried out by English Arts and Crafts architect Ernest Newton.
More recently, the archway has been demolished and subsequently re-erected — using modern materials such as concrete blocks and cement.
However, there are two good examples of engraved sandstone blocks from the 14th and 16th centuries, with Latin inscriptions, incorporated into either side of the arch.
As part of the application to dismantle the arch, all work would be carried out by an experience stonemason to ensure the pediments are not damaged.
They will then be cleaned and conserved.
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