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New stairs which will give access to the walkway around the clocktower at the Tolbooth could be installed by the end of June.

It is hoped that the development will become a visitor attraction with the opening of the walkway providing views across the town.

AJ Engineering has designed the stairway and fabrication is underway.

Graham Alexander, general manager of AJE said: “It’s all drawn up and the fabrication of the stairway is about to start. Depending on the government restrictions regarding essential work, we hope that we will be able to have the stairs installed by the end of June.”

He added: “The Tolbooth is one of the town’s oldest buildings and these new stairs will certainly be robust enough to last for hundreds of years to come. The development at the Tolbooth is going to be a fantastic addition and will be another reason for people to visit our great town.”

The old wooden stairs which were removed by volunteers revealed signatures which it is believed are of workmen who put in the original stairs.

George Alexander, chairman of the Trust said: “We were able to remove the stairs quite easily and in doing so we revealed the signatures. There is always some little gem that you come across when carrying out renovations in a building with such historical significance. I dare say that when AJ Engineering come to install the new staircase, we will ask the workers to continue this tradition and put their signatures somewhere too.”

Speaking of the hopes for the project, George added: “Not many people know about the walkway and our aim is to make is safely accessible for locals and tourists. We are delighted that it is progressing at such a pace. The next steps will be to repair the lead floor of the gallery around the clock and replace some of the pointing on the stonework. Once this is done then the third stage is to get the walkway made safe for the public by getting a safety rail of some sort designed and installed around the parapet.”

The project has received £9375 from the Town Centre Regeneration Funding which was allocated for ‘alterations to the outside gallery around the clock tower.’

Nelson’s Tower will not re-open as planned next month, but custodians of the building are still encouraging people to enjoy its environs whilst they can.

The opening of Nelson’s Tower which was due to take place on April 3 will now be postponed until further notice following UK Government advice that all non-essential contact and travel should be prevented.

The Tower is looked after by the Forres Heritage Trust and other events the Trust had planned have also had to be put on a backburner.

George Alexander, chairman of the Trust which also owns the Tolbooth explained: “The decision has been taken to postpone the opening of Nelson’s Tower which was due to take place next month, but our message is, whilst you can, get out and enjoy the fresh air and the views that you can still take in from the bottom of the Tower. The pathways have just been improved by Forres Features Limited who staged Colours of Cluny, so it’s a great walk up there. It’s a great area to explore and kids love going into the woods on the hill. I think that a bit of fresh air and a good walk is probably a great idea right now.”

He added: “The opening of the Tower relies on the volunteers and also the footfall from tourists and local people looking for a good day out and we cannot rely on either of these things at the moment.

“We have spoken to the volunteers and it was agreed that whilst we are in the midst of this Coronavirus outbreak, the safest and most sensible course of action is to remain shut just now.”

Other events that had been planned by the Trust have also been affected: “It is a huge blow and the knock-on effect of this outbreak means other activities we had planned are now also being re-arranged. For example, the Historic Photographic Exhibition won’t run although there is another in September. Our Family Fun Day to mark the Tower opening will not go ahead, but again, we will maybe try and do it later in the year. We also had a tasting organised for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival and that has gone too. Again, we are working with the host Struan Grant Ralph to see if we can rearrange this.

“It’s a tricky time, but we are also looking forward. Depending on how long this lasts, we have some great things planned for the Tower and Tolbooth in the coming months. People will want something to look forward and we hope that the Forres Heritage Trust will be able t help with this when the time is right.”

Exercise and meeting people from around the globe are just two of the reasons to volunteer at one of the town’s most historical buildings, it has been said.

The Forres Heritage Trust looks after the opening of Nelson’s Tower between April and September which last year welcomed over 3302 visitors from 54 different countries.

And the Trust is now appealing for more people to come forward and get involved with an open evening, to find out more being held in March.

Grace Reid, one of a team of 12 trustees who look after the Tower and the Forres Tolbooth is entering her third season at the monument, said she loves her stints at the Cluny Hill-based monument.

She said: “It is such a pleasure being involved with the Forres Heritage Trust and I am in the fortunate position that I get to meet and work alongside a fantastic pool of volunteers. However, whilst we don’t ask too much from each of our helpers, we would benefit from more input.”

Volunteers are asked to do one two-hour stint each month and the Trust will accept help from those aged 16 and over.

“We give full training to our volunteers and it would be great to get a more diverse age range of people helping us. We are happy to welcome youngsters who want to do something for their local community or need to do some volunteering for something at school or their Duke of Edinburgh for example.

“We have two people man the monument at any one time. One at the top and one at the bottom. They are asked to do a two-hour stint and swap over half-way through their shift. We only ask people to commit to one, two-hour shift a month, but of course if people want to do more, we would welcome that.”

She added: “Everyone takes something different away when they help at the Tower. Some people like the history and learning about and sharing information about it, others love meeting the different people who visit the Tower. Some use it as a wee bit of exercise, and to enjoy the sensational view, for me it’s a combination.” 

The Trust is currently looking at upgrading the information boards at the monument which was erected by public subscription as a memorial to Admiral Lord Nelson, finally opening in October 1812 after six years of construction.

“We have lots of information on why and when Nelson’s Tower was built and of course we have lots of information on Lord Nelson himself,” explained Grace, “but there is not so much about who was involved in building it, or where the stone came from for example. We are appealing for people who may know something, even if it’s just a snippet, to let the Trust know. One of our dreams would be get hold of architects drawings or plans, so we can display them.”

To find out more about volunteering at Nelson’s Tower you can attend the event at the Tolbooth on March 18 at 7.30pm or visit www.forresheritage.co.uk

PLANS are in place to turn a historic Moray landmark into a tourist attraction.

If given the green light, visitors to the Tolbooth situated in the centre of Forres High Street will be able to access an external walkway around the old clock tower, giving them views over the town and surrounding area.

The project which is in its first phase is being progressed by the Forres Heritage Trust which owns the building.

George Alexander, chairman of the Trust which also looks after Nelson’s Tower, another building providing uninterrupted views of the region, explained: “It is a little-known fact that there is a narrow walkway around the clock, and until now only a privileged few have ever gained access, but it is the aim of the Trust to make access safely available to tourists and locals alike. The views are beautiful, but actually, being inside the clocktower is an experience in itself and we plan to turn that whole part of the Tolbooth into a new visitor attraction.”

The Trust still has to seek permission from Historic Environment Scotland, Moray Council Building Control and Moray Council Planning for the whole renovation.

However, an application has been lodged with Moray council to replace the wooden stairs which provide the direct access to the external walkway.

“We have a very long way to go with this project and there are certain conditions and permissions that we must seek in order to progress it. This is a building with huge historical importance for the town and the region, so we want to make sure that we do everything by the book and make sure whatever we do, is in keeping with the building and most importantly safe for those who will access the walkway.

“However, we also see the opportunity here to give another use to the building and being able to market it as another reason to visit our wonderful town and be able walk up to the clocktower and then outside around the tower, would really be something very special.”

The project has received £9375 from the Town Centre Regeneration Funding which was allocated for ‘alterations to the outside gallery around the clock tower.’

To get the first part of the project off the ground, the Forres Heritage Trust has engaged with local firm AJ Engineering who will design, fabricate and install the new stairs.

George added: “Once this phase is complete, which will include a huge amount of work from our volunteers who will be responsible for removing the old wooden stairs, the next stage in the process is to repair the lead lining which forms the floor of the walkway and replace the pointing which has been eroded from many of the joints in the stonework. Then work will begin on making the walkway safe for visitors to enjoy the fantastic views over the town, especially to both the East and West along the High Street.”

The Forres Heritage Trust took ownership of the Tolbooth in 2013 and since then its team of volunteers have worked tirelessly to restore the building.

Last July, renovations to the courtroom were revealed after three years of work and thousands of pounds of investment.

The works included a full re-paint, replacement of wooden panelling, a new carpet, the ceiling being thoroughly cleaned and insulated, and all doors sanded and varnished has brought the room back to life. New floor to ceiling curtains have also been handmade and a state of the art multi-media system installed.