Visitor access has been cut off to eight historic Stewartry sites due to concerns over the state of their masonry.
The affected properties are Threave Castle near Castle Douglas, Dundrennan Abbey, Loch Doon Castle near Carsphairn, Orchardtown Tower near Palnackie, Maclellan’s Castle in Kirkcudbright, Cardoness Castle in Gatehouse, Carsluith Castle and Sweetheart Abbey in New Abbey.
They are among a total of 13 sites across Dumfries and Galloway temporarily closed by Historic Environment Scotland while condition surveys are carried out.
The organisation fears the decay of the properties is being accelerated by climate change.
Director of conservation Dr David Mitchell said: “The safety of staff, visitors and contractors is our top priority and access restrictions at 13 sites will unfortunately be necessary.
“We are currently assessing where partial access can be put in place at sites where it is safe to do so and information will be posted to the HES website as it is available.
“Our routine inspections are increasingly revealing the deterioration of building fabric at high level.
“While our changing climate is not the sole reason for deterioration, it has certainly accelerated it and brought the issue to a head. Historic properties are inherently fragile by their nature, often ruinous and standing at exposed locations.
“We face a constant battle against time and the elements.”
Some of the sites – such as Maclellan’s Castle and Sweetheart Abbey – have had restricted or no access since 2019.
A tactile survey programme will assess the impact of climate change and the scale of the deterioration caused by a number of other factors, such as the materials, age and location of the buildings.
It is anticipated that remedial works could require significant investment over multiple years and, in some instances, require a different management approach to be taken than before.
Dr Mitchell added: “We are one of the first heritage bodies tackling this issue head on and the difficult choices it will lead to but we are not alone.
“Across the world, cultural heritage assets are seen as barometers of change and they demonstrate the challenges for the historic environment and traditionally constructed buildings in the face of a changing climate.
“We are taking proactive action now to assess the nature and scale of the immediate challenge and to explore a range of solutions and options.
“It is inevitable our approach to protecting historic buildings will have to change; we need to re-imagine how we manage these historic and much-loved places.
“In some cases, reduced physical access and accepting the natural process of decay will need to be considered.”
