A Giant Chainmail Box That Keeps a Historic Scottish House From Crumbling Due to Extreme Rain

The ever-adventurous Tom Scott visited the uniquely historic Hill House in Helensburgh, Scotland, that is completely surrounded by an 8-ton, 30,000 ring chainmail box that keeps the structure from crumbling due to the extreme rain and other elements particular to the area.

The Hill House, in Helensbrugh, Scotland was decades ahead of its time… but that means it’s also experimental. And damp.

The house has stood since 1900, however, it was not built to be watertight and is showing signs of crumbling. The National Trust of Scotland has taken steps to protect this historic property. The box is just the first step.

To protect the Hill House, we’ve embarked on a pioneering conservation programme. The first stage has seen the construction of the Hill House Box, a protective steel frame structure covered in a chainmail mesh designed to protect the house from the rain. This will allow the walls to dry and prevent further damage.