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Category: Materials

A group of people curling with brushes on a frozen loch, with snowy hills in the background.
Materials

Scottish stone makes a clean sweep for Olympic Curling

Tuesday 10 February 2026

There is only one quarry in the world that makes all the curling stones used in the Winter Olympics, and it's in Scotland. Discover the history of curling and the mighty Scottish stone that's one of the stars of the sport.

A concrete, multi-storey building, which is long and is made up of many flats with balconies
Materials

Poetry from concrete: Scotland’s fascinating historic concrete and brutalist architecture

Tuesday 16 December 2025

Mighty, creative and sometimes controversial, concrete structures are important part of our heritage. Explore Scotland's early and 20th century concrete buildings.

One person is holding a piece of equipment up to a stone building and the other is looking at the monitoring screen attached to the device.
Science

Searching for the stones that built Scotland

Wednesday 30 October 2024

We're surveying stone types at the 300+ properties in our care. Join Conservation Scientist, Sarah Hamilton, to find out more.

Three tall, narrow stained glass windows against a dark background. Each one features a tree against a colourful background.
Skills

Cruthachadh ‘a’ Choille Dhearg’: Coimisean Glainne Dhathach Ann An Glaschu

Thursday 3 October 2024

Tha ar Comhaltachd Ciùird Glainne Dhathach a’ cur taic ris an sgil fo chunnart seo agus air a bhith a’ toirt obair ùr gu buil, a tha brosnaichte tro dhualchas na Gàidhlig.

Three tall, narrow stained glass windows against a dark background. Each one features a tree against a colourful background.
Skills

Creating ‘The Red Forest’: a Gaelic stained glass commission in Glasgow

Thursday 3 October 2024

Stained Glass Craft Fellow Gordon Muir reveals how he was involved in the creation of six beautiful Gaelic windows for a theatre in Glasgow.

A very large, free-standing screen inside the Engine Shed main space. In front of the screen, someone is standing speaking at a large lectern.
Materials

4 Key Takeaways from Our 2024 Lime Finishes Summit

Monday 30 September 2024

Thanks to recent research, we are re-discovering some of the historic applications of lime in buildings, and learning how we can use lime in the modern world. Discover four key takeaways about this from our ‘What’s the Point?’ lime finishes summit.

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Thank you

The Engine Shed is accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and National Open College Network (NOCN). The Engine Shed was supported by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to share knowledge of traditional building materials, develop skills and raise standards in conservation for traditional buildings.

  • Heritage Lottery Fund

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Historic Environment Scotland is the lead public body established to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment.

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