Gary McPhail, from Old Bonhill, is one of the most skilled young stonemasons in Scotland and has just finished work at the Stirling Castle Monument.

The 26-year-old has been working as a stonemason for eight years after applying for an apprenticeship he saw advertised in a local paper.

After three years at college and a further year on site, Gary honed his skills working at Glasgow Cathedral and was taken on by the charity Historic Scotland to rejuvenate aged statues and sculptures celebrating Scottish history.

It took just three months to complete the work at Stirling in which Gary carved a lion rampant into the existing statue of Robert the Bruce.

He told the Reporter: “It was a big challenge. The existing stonework was weather-worn and badly delaminating and its such an important fixture at the castle, so the pressure was on. It took a huge team effort from everyone at Historic Scotland, to meet the three month schedule set out to complete work on the Bruce statue. With over 900 Caithness slabs laid by our team of stonemasons it really was a special job.

“I hand carved the lion myself by the traditional method with hammer and chisels from one piece of stone. I did my apprenticeship at Dumbarton Castle and picked up these skills there. It really was a team effort though, and I couldn’t have completed the job in the time schedule without help from Grant Cormack, who made an excellent job of hand carving all the lettering and moulded work on the statue. ” Gary has urged young people who are interested in the trade to look closer to home for work and inspiration as Historic Scotland often take on apprentices.

“It’s an honour to have one of my carvings displayed at such a historically significant monument in Stirling Castle. I feel stonemasonry still has a huge part to play in the public and private sector. Any young people considering this as a career path should look at places like Glasgow and Edinburgh as the level of masonry in these cities are some of the best in the world.” Gary is hoping to continue his work for Historic Scotland for years to come. “We’ve got some really exciting projects coming up. It’s really rewarding to be a part of a charity like this and protect Scotland’s history.”