How to hand demolish a historic building

January 22, 2012

Burnfield Demolition Ltd were contracted to demolish the Stevenson Institute, formerly the Brisbane Academy, Largs by North Ayrshire Council. The original building was built in 1842 by Sir T.M. Brisbane for use as a school which later became a social, literary and recreational centre for the town.

Historic Scotland instructed that the bell tower was to be kept as it was of historical significance. This meant the tower had to be deconstructed piece by piece, by hand, with every stone block being numbered on detailed drawings, recording the position of each stone for possible reconstruction in the future. Burnfield Demolition Ltd has significant experience of this type of hand demolition on either listed or historic properties, with the precise handling of these materials paramount.