Portsoy Marble Shop and the North East Scotland Preservation Trust (NESPT) are appealing to people near and far who own pieces of Portsoy marble to come forward with photographs and stories about their treasured items.
The call comes as early stages of the redevelopment of the historic Marble Warehouse at Portsoy Old Harbour continue to gather momentum, sparking renewed interest in the rich heritage and worldwide reach of Portsoy marble.
Over the years, countless visitors and local residents have purchased marble items from the Portsoy Marble Shop, while skilled local stonemasons have created everything from jewellery and ornaments to fireplaces and intricate carved pieces using the distinctive red and green serpentinite.
Portsoy marble was extensively exported from Scotland during the 18th century, with documented evidence showing it travelled as far as Washington DC in the USA, Canada, France and Gdansk in Poland. There has also long been speculation surrounding a Portsoy marble fireplace at the Palace of Versailles.
Now, the NESPT team is keen to uncover where surviving pieces may be located today and hear the stories behind them.
As part of the NESPT exhibition at The Granary, beside Portsoy Old Harbour, during the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June 2026, organisers are creating a special showcase map highlighting Portsoy marble items and their locations around the world.
The team is encouraging people to submit photographs and information about any Portsoy marble pieces they own, whether they are family heirlooms, paperweights, jewellery, ornaments, carved works or larger architectural features.
Susan Rayne, Shop Manager at Portsoy Marble Shop, said: “We know Portsoy marble has travelled far and wide over the years and we would absolutely love to discover where some of these pieces have ended up. Every item has a story behind it, whether it has been passed through generations of a local family or travelled overseas many years ago.
“It would be amazing to hear from people not only across Scotland and the UK, but internationally too. We are particularly fascinated by the possibility of uncovering pieces linked to countries where Portsoy marble was historically exported.”
People wishing to take part are asked to email photographs and any information they know about the history of the piece and where it is currently located to [email protected]
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The initiative forms part of wider efforts by the NESPT to preserve and celebrate Portsoy’s marble heritage through the proposed Marbles Creative Hub project at Portsoy Old Harbour.
The project will see the repair and adaptation of the Marble Warehouse and Marble Workshop over the next few years into a new Creative Hub with studio and workshop space available to rent, designed to benefit both the local community and visitors to the area.
The NESPT said it is committed to ensuring the historically significant buildings are brought back into meaningful use while safeguarding the important heritage of Portsoy Marble for future generations.
