Stirling Castle
Specialist contracts awarded for
Stirling
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Historic Scotland has awarded a series of specialist contracts for its on-going Stirling Castle Palace Project. The contracts are part of a £12m scheme that will see the royal palace of James V returned to how it may have looked in its mid16th century heyday. The latest round of contracts involve everything from fabrics to joinery, metalwork and stained glass. Together they will help recreate the splendour and luxury of a great renaissance royal residence. Project manager Peter Buchanan said: “We are very pleased to have been able to award the specialist contracts for the furnishings, fittings and decoration of the palace. The Historic Scotland team is looking forward to working with all of the companies involved as they create everything from fine carpets, oak furniture and wall hangings through to ceiling bosses, stained glass and iron firedogs. These will play a key role in recreating the look and atmosphere of the renaissance royal palace for when it reopens to the public in 2011. “Much of the work involves the use of high-quality traditional skills and techniques, and we are delighted that the project is helping to maintain highly skilled arts and crafts which have been practised for many centuries.” The total value of the contracts, which were awarded on the basis of competitive tendering, is £1.55m. • Stirling Castle was one of James V’s favourite residences. It had everything the king needed. There was the Great Hall for national festivities and a Chapel Royal for important religious ceremonies. There were fine gardens and excellent hunting nearby. All this made it an ideal place to hold court and indulge the young king’s love of display, pageantry and bloodsports. R
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