Maintaining Scotland's Historic Places of Worship - Edinburgh

Tuesday 25 August 9.30am - 3.30pm

Are you involved in caring for and maintaining a place of worship in Scotland?

Caring for a historic building can feel like a never-ending task, but thankfully there are some simple steps you can take to keep your building in good condition and reduce the likelihood of large repair projects further down the line.

In this introductory one-day course, we’ll explore how your historic faith building works and the practical steps you can take to look after it.

You'll be able to put your new knowledge into action right away, with a practical exercise looking at the host building inside and out to identify maintenance issues and areas of vulnerability. There will also be the opportunity to discuss your building with the course tutors and others attending.

Armed with a new understanding of how traditional buildings were constructed, how they work, and how they decay, you’ll leave with the skills and confidence you need to spot and tackle common problems that put your old building at risk.

Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at those directly involved in the maintenance of church buildings in a voluntary capacity such as clergy and vestry members, presbytery members, Fabric Officers or members of Fabric Committees.

Community group representatives and private owners of church buildings are also welcome, as are those with a more general interest in maintenance of historic buildings.

You will learn

By the end of the course, you will understand:

• why buildings decay and how to spot common problems
• building maintenance basics and why they are important
• how to plan the routine maintenance of historic places of worship
• professional inspections and reports and their role in building maintenance
• how to stay safe while maintaining your place of worship

You will need

Please wear warm, comfortable layers and sturdy and closed shoes. We recommend bringing a raincoat or umbrella for the practical exercise as part of it will be outdoors.

Please bring your own packed lunch. We will supply tea, coffee, biscuits, cake and fruit. 

Tutor(s)

Lucy Stewart is a conservation architect, SPAB Scholar and the SPAB's Scotland Officer.  

Alex Philips is architect to the church and will be overseeing the underfloor heating project later in 2026.  

Assessment / Accreditation

There is no formal assessment for this course, but we can provide a Certificate of Attendance upon request.

Accessibility

• Seating is available during the presentations in the church hall. The observation exercise involves a 70-minute walk inside and outside the church, with periods of standing and looking upwards.
• The church is accessible on a flat path with a short flight of steps into the church hall. There may be uneven surfaces in and around the church.
• There is limited on-street parking and toilets are available.
• Lothian Bus number 12 stops right next to the church, while many others stop one block away on Minto Street.

Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email scotland@spab.org.uk.

Thanks to Historic Environment Scotland for funding this event. 

Photography and filming: We may take photos and videos at this event for future publicity, in print and online. You are welcome to take your own photos and short videos for personal use, with the permission of the course leader and anyone featured. If you’d like to share your images on social media, please contact our Communications Team at press@spab.org.uk or tag @spab1877. We may ask to share your post with our followers.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Photo credit: Newington Trinity Church © Lucy Stewart