Milestone moment as roughcast removed from Charles Rennie Mackintosh Hill House

A conservation project to dry out Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece the Hill House has reached a “significant moment” with the successful removal of the roughcast that contributed to the problem.The removal of the roughcast means that experts can now move on to the next phase of the project to make the building watertight and protect it for the future.The property in Helensburgh has been badly affected by the driving rain of Scotland’s west coast since its construction in 1904.A Portland cement render was applied to the building in 1902-04 under Mackintosh’s instruction when it was thought to be a wonder product that would protect against the elements.A giant box was built around the Hill House (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA ArchiveHowever the roughcast did not live up to expectations and trapped water within the walls, resulting in both the structure of the house and the bespoke interior decoration being damaged by water penetration over the decades.A giant steel box built around the property was completed in 2019 to protect it from further damage and and enable it to gradually dry out as part a long-term conservation programme.Over the past five and a half months expert stonemasons have removed the roughcast from the building in a “milestone” for the project.The conservation team will now work with experts to develop a long-term replacement roughcast that responds to Mackintosh’s original design while protecting the building fabric.The Hill House was previously covered in a white render (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA ArchivePhil Long, chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), which cares for the property, said: “The Hill House is one of Scotland’s most important architectural treasures, and the completion of the roughcast removal marks a significant moment in its conservation.“It follows years of careful research, monitoring and specialist work to better understand the building and determine how best to protect it for the future.”He added: “In recent months, we have all been reminded how precious and precarious Scotland’s built heritage is.Read More“The work at the Hill House demonstrates the complexity, expertise and commitment required to protect buildings of this significance.“With continued support, we can ensure that the Hill House and the wider legacy of Mackintosh and Macdonald are protected, understood and shared for generations to come.”The work to save the Hill House is part of the Trust’s Mackintosh Illuminated project which aims to conserve, celebrate and share the legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh.The Trust is seeking to raise £14 million towards the £20 million cost of the Mackintosh Illuminated project.Mr Long said: “Mackintosh Illuminated builds on this work, not only by securing the future of The Hill House, but by deepening the understanding of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh and their remarkable contribution to art, architecture and design.“There is still a great deal of work ahead, and we will continue to need the support of our partners, funders and donors as the project progresses.”Anyone wishing to find out more about Mackintosh Illuminated or donate to the project can do so at https://www.nts.org.uk/campaigns/mackintosh-illuminated