A veteran stonemason who worked on refurbishing a treasured Moray landmark more than 60 years ago is eagerly anticipating seeing the results of its latest makeover.
In 1952, Sam McBean, 82, was part of the last crew to restore the Muckle Cross in the heart of Elgin..
The grand 19th Century building has since fallen on hard times as it has become coated in decades of soot and grime.
But now the former centre of Elgin’s bustling market is shrouded in sheets and scaffolding as contractors get to work cleaning the monument once again.
And the first images released of its latest makeover stirred memories in Hopeman pensioner Mr McBean about working on the grade B-listed structure decades ago.
He said: “It’s deteriorated a lot – that’s now nearly 70 years since I worked on cleaning it.
“I was just a young apprentice learning my trade at the time. I was working on cleaning away all the weeds and doing some of the repointing.
“I think it’s about time that it got this cleaning done. It’s part of the history of the town, it’s got a special place in the hearts of a lot of people.”
Extensive renovations are currently being done at the Muckle Cross as part of a £45,000 project supported by Moray Council, the Elgin Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme and the town’s common good fund.
A repair list including broken water spouts, a damaged balcony and stained staircase handrail were drawn up for the project.
Mr McBean was a stonemason in Moray for 49 years before retiring in 1999.
Despite putting down the tools in a professional capacity he still takes a keen interest in the changing face of the streets in the region’s towns and villages.
He said: “A lot of people walk on the street with their heads down these days. I’ve always got my head up in the air to see what the buildings look like.”
