John Knox House
Emergency chimney removal and rebuilding, facade conservation and reroofing from pantiles to Scottish slate at a Category A museum that remained operational.
The challenge
John Knox House is a Category A listed late-medieval building and one of Edinburgh’s oldest surviving dwellings. Emergency chimney defects and wider fabric repairs had to be resolved while protecting exceptionally rare historic fabric and allowing the museum to remain operational and open to visitors.
Restorex delivery
The Church of Scotland appointed Restorex through a negotiated contract rather than a traditional competitive tender process. Being trusted so directly with one of the city’s oldest and most significant houses remains a particular source of pride for the company. Restorex removed and rebuilt the defective chimney, conserved the façade and reroofed the building from pantiles to Scottish slate, coordinating every stage around the live museum environment.
Outcome
The urgent high-level defects and wider external fabric were addressed within one conservation-led programme while the museum continued operating. The project demonstrates the confidence placed in Restorex to manage sensitive, technically demanding work on a rare surviving medieval house at the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town.
Scope highlights
- Emergency chimney works
- Facade conservation
- Category A listed museum
Location
Edinburgh
Building environment
Category A listed museum open during the works
John Knox House external repair drawing
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