Installation of a 9 metre flagpole whilst incorporating traditional shipbuilding elements

Situated in the grounds of The House of Binns, the Binns Tower sits at the top of the highest point of the park on Binns Hill. The Tower was completed in 1829 and is rumoured to have come about as the result of an after-dinner wager in 1825 as to who could spend £100 in the most pointless but amusing way. Under National Trust Scotland’s oversight the tower has undergone an extensive program of refurbishment and part of these works included the replacement of the original flagpole,  said to have been constructed from a ship’s mast from a nearby old ship’s scrapyard.

Our responsibility on this project was to work closely with the architects and conservation engineers to ensure that the replacement wooden flagpole could be securely installed in the same way as the original. Where possible the objective was to use some of the original collar fixings to secure the pole. Harrisons took custody of these parts and had them carefully restored. The original installation of the flagpole was unusual, whilst guyed in a traditional way above the roof level, the flagpole sleeved through the roof to be suspended a further 3 feet below the roof level and secured in place with a set of secondary tensioned guy wires connecting the base of the flagpole to the internal wall of the circular tower.

The challenge was to replicate this original installation method. Working closely with the architect and the main contractors prior to and during the installation allowed for the works to be carefully planned and instigated. There were also practical challenges in carrying out the work. The height of the tower required significant access equipment. As the client was carrying out vital work on the tower, scaffolding had already been put up. This meant the team were able to hoist the flagpole up to the top of the tower and sleeve it through the roof rather than try and maneuver it through the inside of the tower (which had very limited space inside).