Save our Meadows arch from the jaws of extinction

Published on Friday 18 February 2011 14:21

IT'S one of the city's more unusual landmarks, which has stood proudly at the entrance to the Meadows for 125 years.

Now a campaign is under way to preserve the whale's jawbone, which lends its name to the park's Jawbone Walk, after attempts to have it listed failed. Local businesses are being called on to help provide vital funds, which could help preserve the structure.

Donated to the city as part of the International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art held in the Meadows in 1886, attempts to have the bones listed by Historic Scotland have failed.

Councillor Cameron Rose hopes local businesses will now step in to come to the aid of the jawbone. He said: "Businesses might like to sponsor having it spruced up a bit - it badly needs brightened up and repaired.

"The council tried to find funding for renovation by getting it listed, but on two occasions we were turned down.

"The question is, where do we go from here? I hope we can get local businesses together to discuss whether they can make a contribution to preserving it.

"It's not only given its name to that part of the Meadows, but it also gives the area a bit of character."

The ageing arch, located at the west end of the Meadows, was deemed unsuitable for listing as it wasn't considered of special architectural interest.

The prospect of losing the structure has upset locals.

Peter Ross, owner of the Earl of Marchmont pub, said: "There's a tight community in Marchmont. They did their best to try to save their local post office, which just shows you that people here are proud of their wee area.

"We'd definitely be interested in something like that, preserving something that should be here. If it came up there'd be a big response locally."

Scott Robertson, manager of the neighbouring Meadows Lamp Gallery and treasurer of the Marchmont and Sciennes Traders Association, added: "If the costs aren't too much it would be worth maybe taking something out of the association's fund.

"It's quite interesting really. It doesn't look like something you would think to renovate. But then there's the one on top of the hill in North Berwick."

The famous jawbone arch on top of North Berwick Law was replaced entirely with a fibreglass replica in 2008 when it became unsafe.

The replacement cost between 18,000 and 20,000, funded mostly by the Friends of North Berwick.