The listed site, which was once the Southside yard belonging to John Mowlem, a local quarrier and export merchant of Guernsey granite, will be let out by the National Trust once complete.
An outbuilding, known as the forge, is currently being transformed into a museum where visitors can learn about the island’s stone history and is due to be open to the public by May 2022.
Efforts have been made by the Trust to ensure that historical elements of the property remain visible.
National Trust president Tony Spruce said: ‘It’s a listed building, so there’s been detailed work to protect everything there. There are the original hand-built stairs and the cast-iron gutter that goes around the building, which is a feature in itself.’
The property is characterised by its wedged shape and unusual structure, which is assumed to be an intentional style choice to have allowed for cart access to the stone yards surrounding the building.
Quarrying was a major industry in the island during the 19th century and at one point there were 268 functioning quarries.
Guernsey granite that was cut in the cracking yards of the island by John Mowlem & Co was used to construct the original front-facing wall, which has been maintained during the renovation.
Other areas of the building were ‘thrown together’ by rubble, which National Trust property manager Jim Whitmore said could have been a reluctance to waste valuable exportable quality material to build the property.
‘It’s full of hidden complexities. It hasn’t been occupied for some time but this means we’re keeping it safe for another hundred years,’ said Mr Spruce.
Upcycled timber is being used to restore the roof, provided by Steve Goubert from Goubert Contractors, to keep costs down.
‘He took it from another project and cut out the rotten ends. The beauty of that is that is not going into the tip – they’ve been doing as much as possible to make it cost effective and its most appreciated.
‘The carpets are due to go down next week and planning applications for the signage and displays have been approved and so has the conversion for the forge,' said Mr Spruce.
'The new museum will be useful for the tourist industry and it will explain our stone history – no museum on the island tells the story of stone, and it’s certainly quite a story.'
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