Work on a £1,000 historic stone slab restoration project in West Lothian is now complete.

A team of council apprentices have helped to restore a 12th century 'refuge stone' into a dyke wall near Beecraigs Country Park after the ancient boundary stone had been vandalised last year.

Working in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, five apprentices from the council's NETs & Land and Countryside Services received training from an expert dyker Richard Love of the Dry Stone Walling Association for the project.

The recruits managed to complete the skilled work repairing the wall and reinstalling the heavy stone slab in just one day.


Deidre Cameron, Senior Caseworker at Historic Environment Scotland, said: "It has been a pleasure to work with West Lothian Council and their partners to help preserve a historically significant local landmark.

"We are delighted that we were able to assist in the restoration project and shed light on the long history of the stone which has been placed in various locations across the Witchcraig hillside since the 1880s."

Cllr Tom Conn added: "The apprentices made a fantastic job of the restoration project, carrying out skilled work under difficult circumstances.

"The project which reinserted the refuge stone into the dyke wall after it was vandalised in 2016 has ensured the future of this local historical landmark."

The 12th century 'refuge stone' marks the boundary of Torphichen which was held by the Knights of St John Hospitallers of Jerusalem where they established a Preceptory in 1124.

It is one of a number of boundary stones still surviving around the village and is sculptured with a patriarchal cross on both sides.

(LM/MH)