This wonderful Mausoleum within the Glasgow Necropolis is the final resting place of the philanthropic Buchanan Sisters of Bellfield Estate, Kilmarnock. This mausoleum has deteriorated substantially over the last one hundred and fifty years and requires £46,000 to restore it to its former glory.

The dilapidated, neglected but still imposing monument to the memory of Margaret, Jane and Elizabeth Buchanan who were beautiful, unmarried and wealthy but spent their fortune,
which is the current equivalent of £4m today, on improving the lives of the sick and poor especially of the name Buchanan. They supported many charities and individuals including
a significant bequest for the building of a hopsital in Glasgow, now known as the Royal Infirmary. Read their full story at www.glasgownecropolis.org/profiles/buchanan-sisters

This year, The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis, run solely by volunteers, launched the first phase of the Public Appeal for £10,000 from donations from the general public (those of the
name Buchanan are especially appreciated) for the restoration of the Buchanan Sisters Mausoleum. Donations from our monthly Tours, ‘Open Day’ Events, Power Point Presentations to organisations and Bespoke Tours have already raised £6,000 towards the sum of £10,000 identified in this first phase. This money will enable Roof Repairs and the stone carving and re-instatement of Balustrade section missing on the right hand side.

Any individual sums of over £100 will be commemorated in a special Guardian Angel Certificate and we will be monitoring the progress towards our final sum for this first phase.

Donations can be made online at www.glasgownecropolis.org/buchanansistersappeal
or by writing to

The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis,
c/o Cathedral House Hotel,
28-32 Cathedral Square
Glasgow G4 0XA.

When we have £10,000 raised, Planning Permission and Historic Scotland Permission granted we will start on the next phase raising the £36,000 from Heritage Grant applications
and we hope to have this restoration completed by 2012.

Ruth Johnston
Deputy Chair, The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis

Published 6th July 2011