Having been unoccupied for twenty years, Bennet House, a small domestic dwelling of historic and vernacular importance in Culross, was in a sorry state. Luckily the Little Houses Improvement Scheme (LHIS), the National Trust Scotland’s in-house building preservation trust, was able to purchase it to safeguard its future: Bennet House is now a study house with regular hard hat tours available to the public. Throughout the conservation process, the public have also been invited to take part in workshops on the house’s structure and archaeology as well as lime repointing and the repair of traditional sash and case windows.

The LHIS was launched in 1960 to restore houses of character across Scotland, specifically addressing the threats posed to buildings on a smaller scale than the Trust’s more well-known castles and country houses.  The LHIS acquires such buildings and repairs them to a high standard. Once restored, properties are sold and proceeds from the sale are returned to the revolving fund to support future projects.

Hard hat tours of Bennet House will be taking place on Fridays at 4pm on: 25 November; 9 December; 13 January; 27 January; 3 February; 10 February; 24 February; 10 March and 24 March.  To book a place, please contact bwilkinson@nts.org.uk.