Milestone moment as roughcast removed from Charles Rennie Mackintosh Hill House

A conservation project to dry out Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece the Hill House has reached a “significant moment” with the successful removal of the roughcast that contributed to the problem.The removal of the roughcast means that experts can now move on to the next phase of the project to make the building watertight and protect it for the future.The property in Helensburgh has been badly affected by the driving rain of Scotland’s west coast since its construction in 1904.A Portland cement render was applied to the building in 1902-04 under Mackintosh’s instruction when it was thought to be a wonder product that would protect against the elements.A giant box was built around the Hill House (Andrew Milligan/PA) However the roughcast did not live up to expectations and trapped water