Apprentices learn medieval skills

Ever had a problem finding a plumber or a joiner? Well, imagine if your home is a 16th century castle with some parts dating back to the 11th century.

Here, BBC Scotland's Elizabeth Quigley reports on Historic Scotland's scheme to train apprentices to upkeep castles and stately homes.

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Palaces, castles and stately homes all need stone-masons, plumbers and joiners - not just trained in today's skills but in the historic crafts as well.

Apprentices are trained in stonemason techniques

And that is why Historic Scotland has set up its own apprentice scheme.

Steven Lumsden is starting his third year as an apprentice stonemason and he's working in the magnificent setting of Edinburgh Castle.

"There are not many people in my class at college who do this kind of work," he said.

There's been plenty of interest in the scheme as Tom Cuthbert, the agency's regional works manager in Edinburgh, explains: "We advertised two one year at the end of a school summer term and we had nearly 900 applications for the two posts."

There's not much sign of plastic pipework at Edinburgh Castle.

Craig Imrie's been an apprentice plumber for just a few months and he points out that he's much more likely to be working with cast iron and lead piping - and be working round members of the public.

He said: "You can't do anything that affects the public so you have to keep the water on.

"It's different from in households where it would be empty houses."

Colonel Ian Shepherd admires the wooden lectern and table made especially for the Scottish National War Memorial.

They are the work of 42-year-old Clarke Tait who recently won a prestigious award for his work as an apprentice.

He originally joined Historic Scotland working as a labourer.

Mr Tait said: "Having seen some of the traditional methods, I thought these are the sort of skills that are fading away. If I could get somewhere that I could continue to work in these method and pass it on then that would be worthwhile."