Visitors to St Andrews can today gain access to the Scottish town’s highest vantage point as St. Rule’s Tower reopens to visitors.
Temporary access restrictions were put in place by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to carry out high level masonry work, in the face of accelerating climate change,
The result of ongoing risk assessment and sample surveys, the High Level Masonry Programme, run by HES is assessing the impact of climate change on a number of historic sites across Scotland as well as the scale of deterioration caused by several other factors, including the materials used in the building’s construction, its age and physical location.
Earlier this month it was announced that Dumbarton Castle was also set to reopen by early spring following the completion of similar HES inspections.
Dumbarton Castle set to reopen in Spring after climate change inspections
HES has completed inspections at 25 sites across the country since May, with a further 13 due for completion by Spring 2023.
Last summer, part of the site was reopened to visitors with an access route put in place through the grounds of St Andrews Cathedral to provide access to the graves of famous golfers including Old and Young Tom Morris before St Andrews hosted The Open as well as to the museum.
Craig Mearns, Director of Operations at HES, said: “We know how important it is to be able to offer visitors the opportunity to visit and engage with these historical sites and are working as quickly as we can to carry out these necessary inspections. It’s wonderful to open these doors and to know that visitors will once again be able to look out across St Andrews from the highest point in the town.”
