Our Authors

Abi Guthrie was a Technical Outreach and Education Trainee, working in the content team at the Engine Shed. Abi graduated in History at the University of Stirling in 2018.

Anne Schmidt is a Content Officer, working at the Engine Shed. Her background is building conservation and she enjoys telling people about different traditional building materials, particularly lime and sustainable refurbishment.

Bryony works within the Communications and Media team of Historic Environment Scotland as a Senior Digital Officer. She shares stories about Scotland's historic environment and finds ways to bring the past to life through new technology.

Christina Gilfedder is a Digital Officer with Historic Environment Scotland. In addition to being a trained archaeologist, Christina has worked in digital for over 10 years and is passionate about using digital tools to encourage engagement with our heritage.

Declan worked with the Technical Research team of Historic Environment Scotland as a Technical Officer. Declan has since moved onto pastures new.

Donna works in the Digital Team at Historic Environment Scotland and looks after our websites, making sure they are kept up-to-date. She's also managed several projects, including the new Edinburgh Castle website.

Dorothy is Technical Outreach and Education Manager and oversees everything that happens at the Engine Shed, from public events to technical workshops.

Duncan provides support to the Estates team of the Conservation Directorate at Historic Environment Scotland. With a background in history, he enjoys learning about the significance of our properties and the stories we’re able to perpetuate through our conservation work.

Eleanor worked as Sustainability Officer within the Conservation Directorate of Historic Environment Scotland. Eleanor has since moved onto a new opportunity elsewhere.

Gordon Muir is a Stained Glass Craft Fellow, part of our Trainee and Craft Fellowship Programme, based at the Engine Shed and hosted by ICON accredited stained glass specialist Rab MacInnes. Gordon has a background in Fine Art Painting, Community Arts, and social care with experience in conserving and creating stained glass windows. His Craft Fellowship supports this endangered skill and involves working on commissions and conservation projects.

Gordon is Postgraduate Course Manager at the Engine Shed and directs the MSc in Technical Building Conservation at the Engine Shed in conjunction with Stirling University. An historian, lecturer and author, he has spent four decades researching the history and use of Scotland’s traditional materials.

Graham Briggs is our Project Manager for Skills and Materials.

From time to time we have guest posts from partners, visitors and friends of the Engine Shed.

Hazel Saunderson is the Content Manager in the Technical Outreach and Education team. Her Content Team develop engaging, inspiring and educational content for the Engine Shed and related channels. This can include developing exhibitions, online courses, films, social media, blog and marketing activity.

Holly Takenzire is a Technical Education Officer working at the Engine Shed. She develops engaging, educational, and inspiring content based on her digital marketing and design background.

Imogen Shaw is a Conservation Trainee, working in the Traditional Materials and Heritage Science teams at the Engine Shed. She graduated in Geology in 2022 and enjoys applying scientific techniques to the conservation of historic buildings.

Jack Buchanan is a stonemason with a passion for conservation. He is Assistant Works Manager at HES Dumbarton Castle Depot and is a 2023 SPAB Fellow.

Jennifer Farquharson is Content Officer at the Engine Shed. Jen creates engaging content about our sustainable conservation centre.

Joanna Cole is a Technical Content Officer, working at the Engine Shed. She is a qualified stonemason with a distant background in geology and experience in furniture restoration. She enjoys working with natural materials and looking after historic and antique things.

Katie Sludden is a Technical Content Officer, working at the Engine Shed as part of the Technical Education and Training team. Her background is in Archaeology and Fine Art, with recent experience in Conservation Area Regeneration. She loves to develop engaging, inspiring and educational content.

Lila is a Senior Technical Officer in the Technical Research Team. Her background is in architecture and conservation, and she previously worked as a Casework Officer. In her current role, she provides technical advice, both internally and externally, and is responsible for the writing and editing of a number of technical publications, such as the Technical Papers and Refurbishment Case Studies.

Lyn is responsible for digital documentation and the application of 3D technologies within Historic Environment Scotland (HES). She has directed collaborative digital documentation projects around the globe and is currently focusing on delivery of the Rae Project, to digitally document the properties in care of HES and many of their associated collections.

Lynsey works in the Collections Unit at Historic Environment Scotland and is responsible for the care of objects relating to properties in central Scotland. This includes documentation, collections care, research and outreach, and risk management.

Mercedes Checa-Ros is a Mortar Analysis Trainee, working in the Heritage Science Team at the Engine Shed. She graduated in Geology at the University of Granada (Spain) and her traineeship is based on the analysis of historic mortars, as well as on the collaboration with the Scottish Lime Centre Trust for the update of its mortar database.

Miles Oglethorpe is Head of Industrial Heritage at Historic Environment Scotland, and has been involved with the Forth Bridge since just prior to its centenary in 1990. Miles is currently President of TICCIH, the International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage.

Dr Moses Jenkins is a Project Manager at HES. He is the author of a number of technical advice documents, including the HES Guide to Energy Retrofit and the book Survey and Assessment of Traditionally Constructed Brickwork.

Natalie is a Traditional Building Materials trainee with a focus on stone and slate. She has a degree in Geology from the University of Glasgow and loves exploring Scotland’s natural landscapes.

Phoenix Archer was a Next Step Initiative trainee based at the Engine Shed in 2019/2020. She hails from Jamaica and Yorkshire in England and graduated in Celtic Studies at the University of Aberdeen. One of her favourite things to do is finding out interesting information about heritage, culture and the arts.

Richard works as a Digital Officer within Historic Environment Scotland's Communications and Media team, where he looks after the Engine Shed's website and social media channels and the Historic Scotland Instagram feed.

Roger works as the Technical Research Manager in the Conservation Directorate of Historic Environment Scotland. His role involves leading the Technical Research Team on a range of projects that research and demonstrate good practice with traditional materials and structures.

Rose works within the Communications and Media Team as a Digital Officer, looking after the Engine Shed's website and social media channels.

Ross Cameron is our Vernacular Buildings Craft Fellow based at the Highland Folk Museum. Ross’s Craft Fellowship is diverse, encompassing the maintenance of a recreation 1740s highland township, helping the Scottish Crannog Centre as they build their new iron age village and assisting on the restoration of a 19th century cottage in Lonbain, Applecross.

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Samuel works as a Digital Content Officer within Historic Environment Scotland's Communications and Media team, helping to tell stories about the organisation's work and share incredible tales from Scotland's past.

Sarah Hamilton is a Conservation Scientist with Historic Environment Scotland. She has worked on a wide range of projects relating to the characterisation of traditional building materials and on-site condition monitoring. Sarah has qualifications in Geology, Applied Geology and Architectural Conservation.

Sophie worked as a Digital Content Officer with Historic Environment Scotland until 2017, spending her time looking after the Engine Shed's blog posts and social media channels.

Stephanie Weinraub is a Technical Conservation Skills Project Officer at Historic Environment Scotland. Stephanie is interested in all elements of traditional craft and materials, but she specifically focuses on thatch, plasterwork, and earth construction. She loves “reading” buildings, and has an unashamed fondness for castles.

Steven works in the Heritage Management Directorate leading a team that deals with historic buildings casework on the east side of Scotland from Aberdeenshire down to the Borders. The team deals with many high-profile developments involving listed buildings and conservation areas.

Vanesa was the Engine Shed's Content Manager until 2019, overseeing everything from technical publications to engaging exhibitions for visitors to the Engine Shed. Vanesa has since moved onto a new role within Historic Environment Scotland.

Yueqian Wang is a Digital Innovation Trainee at the Engine Shed, working jointly with Historic Environment Scotland's Digital Documentation and Innovation team and the National Trust for Scotland. She graduated in Architectural Conservation from the University of Edinburgh. Her traineeship explores the ways digital documentation can be innovatively applied to the heritage sector as a tool for site management, accessibility, monitoring, and more.