Major boost for Cullen Mercat Cross restoration plans
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PLANS to restore an iconic feature in the centre of Cullen have been handed a major boost.
The Mercat Cross – which has stood in the town square since 1872 – is in need of restoration work estimated to cost in the region of £50,000. However, before efforts to source funding could swing into action, it was necessary to find out who actually owned it.
This was the cue for a spot of sleuthing involving the combined efforts of Cullen and Deskford Community Council (CDCC), now former community councillor Stewart Black, Stan Slater from the Three Kings Cullen Association and local councillor Donald Gatt.
Mr Black said: "CDCC and Heritage Group started to notice the Mercat Cross was in need of attention and as part of an application for funds an owner had to be found.
"By this time the Three Kings Cullen Association was involved as the means of facilitating a funding stream. One of the directors had access to old newspaper records and they showed the Town Council to have an input in the Mercat Cross.
"We then informed Donald Gatt that it looked as if the Mercat Cross should have come under the Moray Council umbrella. He dug up the old burgh records and the legal department at Moray Council agreed that the Mercat Cross should be local authority's responsibility.
"An estimate of works required came to around £45,360 with a £5000 contingency and we look forward to working with Mercat Cross to see the council restored to its former glory as the one in Forres was."
Councillor Gatt said he was delighted to have been able to help out. His researches, he said, painted a very different picture as to how local authorities were run
He continued: "When you get into it and get used to reading the style of writing, council minutes in those days were very short, sharp and to the point – the meeting where it was decided to move the Mercat Cross probably only lasted 20 minutes to half an hour.
"I like reading history anyway so it wasn't exactly a chore.
"Once I had the documents I forwarded them onto the council's legal department."
CDCC secretary Bruce Edelsten added: "We're very grateful to Stewart, Stan and Donald for doing all the legwork on this, going in and digging amongst the dusty volumes and photograph them.
"The ownership of the Mercat Cross was something that has been rumbling around for a while so we're delighted to finally have this information."
Until the late 19th century the Mercat Cross stood on the Castle Hill when, as noted in Burgh Council minutes dated August 8, 1871 councillors resolved to raise funds by public subscription to have the structure moved to the square following coming to an agreement with Lord Seafield. A sense of urgency was noted, with the minutes stating that work should be completed with "the least possible delay".
The next major mention in the minutes of the Mercat Cross project was to come on January 31, 1872 when Provost Smith noted that fundraising efforts had collected the sum of £145, with an estimated £163 required for the job. Councillors felt that bridging the gap between the two figures would not be a problem and it was decided to prepare specifications for moving the cross.
Plans were laid before the council the following month.
The minute noted: "[Funds are] almost sufficient for meeting the expense of the erection and therefore [the meeting] resolved to proceed with the work."
By March, two tenders for the work had been received, one to the tune of £159 4/- from Messrs George Legg and Duncan Gray, masons, Cullen and the other from William Bennett, mason, Cullen for £159 10/-, the former bid carrying the day.
Provost Smith was not to live to see the fruits of the council's labours with regard to the Mercat Cross, the April minute noting his death, his post being taken on by Provost Davidson. He, along with the treasurer, took on the task of preparing an inscription for a memorial stone to placed at the cross.
By July the go ahead was given to the final touches to be put to the cross, with march the following year seeing the council authorise the balance due to the masons.
