Historic Scotland, Autumn 2013

FIRST LOOK INSIDE IONA’s NEW MUSEUM

Journey through a timeline of magic and reality and explore the spiritual home of the Lords of the Isles

500 years since FLODDEN

The Magazine for Historic Scotland Members | Autumn 2013 | £3.95

In the spotlight On location in the north east with Catriona Shearer

MY DAY AS A STONEMASON  DEER GREEN PLACES  WARTIME ORKNEY  FORT GEORGE’s MILITARY PAST

Time for an

Welcome

As autumn’s arrival brings a rich palette of gold, red and russet to the landscape, it’s arguably when Scotland is at its most spectacular. The fiery shades of the harvest season are typically associated with a period of reflection, making it the perfect time to reap the rewards to be found at the properties in our care.

One point of contemplation in this latest issue of Historic Scotland surrounds a major anniversary in the nation’s tumultuous past. Delving into the aftermath of war, author George Goodwin uncovers how James IV’s defeat at the Battle of Flodden 500 years ago left its mark on buildings such as Edinburgh Castle and Smailholm Tower.

Happier moments for the ill-fated king would likely have been had on the hunts that have always been a popular pastime with royalty. For Historic Scotland’s Bob Tevendale they reveal how our relationship with deer has helped to mould the landscape, while inspiring beautiful art and iconography throughout the centuries.

Within these pages we’re also pleased to welcome journalist and television presenter Catriona Shearer, as she takes us on a tour of the north-east coast. From venerable literary connections at Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse to Duff House’s collection of fine art masterpieces, she explores a unique part of the country from beyond the newsroom.

Over to the west, we visit Iona Abbey for a first look at the new museum that chronicles the history of this remarkable location. The culmination of much planning and careful execution, it’s been very exciting to finally unveil the innovative displays that now showcase Iona’s ecclesiastical treasures.

We hope you’ll be encouraged to make your own pilgrimage to see them, and of course the many other properties featured in this issue. Whether visiting places for the first time or returning to old favourites, captivating history and ever-changing scenery mean there’s always a fresh outlook to be found on Scotland’s journey through the ages.

THE GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP Historic Scotland membership makes a great Christmas gift, see page 46

Contributors

GEORGE GOODWIN A history graduate of Pembroke College, Cambridge, George is the author of Fatal Colours and Fatal Rivalry

CATRIONA SHEARER Catriona is a journalist, broadcaster and producer, best known as a presenter on Reporting Scotland

Lisa Nicholson Director of Communications

shutterstock, newsline scotland, malcolm cochrane

THE five 5 BIGBIG THINGS TO SEE DO THIS THE THINGS TOAND SEE AND DO ISSUE THIS ISSUE Storm the stronghold at Fort George, see page 16

3

Admire the art collection at classical Duff House in Banff, see page 22

1

Trace the legacy of the Battle of Flodden at our properties, see page 34

2

Discover St John’s Cross and Iona’s fascinating history at the Abbey museum, see page 18

4

Take yourself on a hunt for history at Holyrood Park, see page 28

5

LARA TOWNSEND A first-year apprentice stonemason, Lara will be based at Glasgow Cathedral for the next four years

historic scotland | autumn 2013 | 1

Autumn 2013

contents The quarterly magazine for Historic Scotland members Headquarters Historic Scotland Longmore House, Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SH www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Membership enquiries 0131 668 8999 hs.members@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Editorial enquiries 0131 668 8692 hs.magazine@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Membership & CRM Manager Claire Bowie Assistant Membership Manager Morag Paterson Membership Co-ordinator Pauline Brews Editor Jack Kibble-White jack@thinkpublishing.co.uk Deputy Editor Andrew Cattanach andrew.cattanach@thinkpublishing.co.uk Design Dom Scott Sub-editors Sian Campbell, Mark Jardine Andrew Littlefield Advertising Sales Daniel Haynes daniel.haynes@thinkpublishing.co.uk 0208 962 1257 Publisher John Innes john.innes@thinkpublishing.co.uk Think Woodside House, 20-23 Woodside Place Glasgow G3 7QF 0141 582 1280 Photography

All images provided by Historic Scotland Images unless otherwise stated. For access to images of Scotland and our properties, call 0131 668 8647/8785, email hs.images@scotland.gsi.gov.uk, or visit www.historicscotlandimages.gov.uk Historic Scotland is an Agency within the Scottish Government and is directly responsible to Scottish Ministers for safeguarding the nation’s historic environment and promoting its understanding and enjoyment.

Historic Scotland is published four times a year, and is printed on UPM Finesse, which is made from pulp sourced from sustainable materials.

The views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of Historic Scotland. All information is correct at the time of going to press. Š Historic Scotland. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without prior agreement of the Membership and CRM Manager and Historic Scotland.

Cover Catriona Shearer at Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse, Newsline Scotland

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16 42

ON MANOEUVRES AT FORT GEORGE

GLASGOW CATHEDRAL STONE-by-stone

28

deer in natural history

in this issue

Fort George P16

Duff House P22

Stirling Castle P34 Holyrood Glasgow Park P28 Cathedral P42 New Lanark P40

Iona Abbey P18

r egul A r s 4 NEWS

Refurbishing a royal birthing room plus a performance at Jedburgh Abbey

46 MEMBERS 49 LETTERS 51 EVENTS 56 VIEWFINDER fe at ur es

16 SPOTLIGHT ON… FORT GEORGE

Looking at this strategic outpost’s fundamental place in Scottish military history

18 INSIDE IONA’S NEW MUSEUM

18

newsline scotland, SHUTTERSTOCK

iona abbey’s ancient treasures

Revealing the redisplay project for Scotland’s most sacred place

22 REPORTING SCOTLAND

On location with news presenter Catriona Shearer as she tours the northeast coast

28 DEER GREEN PLACES

Bob Tevendale tracks deer in Scotland

34 BUILDINGS LINKED

BY BATTLE

500 years after Flodden, author George Goodwin reveals the Historic Scotland properties touched by the conflict

40 OUR WORLD HERITAGE… NEW LANARK

How this model town signalled a new age of industry and social consciousness

42 MY DAY AS AN APPRENTICE STONEMASON Jack Kibble-White carves out a new career at Glasgow Cathedral

i nc lu di ng

NEWS

Makeover for Royal Birthing Room New historic environment strategy Orkney’s role in two world wars

people, places, RESEARCH, COMPETITIONS

Meet the apprentices New intake of traditional craft recruits will help address skills shortage

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n June, 18 new recruits began a four-year training programme with Historic Scotland. The new intake (pictured with Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs) includes 15 stonemasons, two electricians and one joiner, all of whom took part in an induction programme at

Forth Valley College before taking up their posts across various sites from Shetland to the Borders.

The trainee positions focus on learning the traditional craft skills required in their chosen discipline, with a focus on conservation. While much of the training will take place on-site at one of Historic

Scotland’s properties in care, time will also be spent in college at various stages throughout the four-year programme. At the end of the apprenticeship, participants will gain an industryrecognised qualification.

Historic Scotland is committed to nurturing traditional skills across the

country to ensure that demand for qualified craftspeople is fulfilled.

This commitment helps to deliver the pool of tradespeople needed to maintain and conserve the 345 properties in its care. l Find out more about what it takes to be a traditional skills apprentice on page 42

i n t his y e a r 18 81

The Oriental Telephone Company is formed by Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell

The Eyemouth Disaster a severe storm costs the lives of 189 fishermen

Alexander Fleming the discoverer of penicillin, is born in Ayrshire

shutterstock

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson meet for the first time

P.G. Wodehouse creator of Jeeves and Wooster, is born

Redecorating the Royal Birthing Room James VI’s birthplace at Edinburgh Castle to get makeover

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ith the news in July that the Earl and Countess of Strathearn – as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are known in Scotland – had welcomed the safe arrival of their royal prince, Edinburgh Castle has revealed it will be having a makeover of its very own Royal Birthing Room.

The tiny bed-closet where Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI in the royal palace on 19 June 1566 is a room with a very special significance for Great Britain, as James VI was to become James I of England in the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

Visitors can still see the doorway in Crown Square decorated for the event with a gilded panel bearing the date 1566, and the intertwined initials of Mary along with those of her husband Lord Henry Darnley.

Location, location Find your way to Historic Scotland attractions by downloading our site locations to your Garmin, Navman or TomTom satellite navigation system. l www. historicscotland.gov. uk/satnav

Just as today, the birth of a royal heir prompted great rejoicing, with 500 bonfires lighting up the Edinburgh night, and a royal salute fired from the castle.

James VI’s baptism was celebrated at Stirling with the first recorded fireworks display in Scotland. In 1617 he returned to Edinburgh to celebrate his 50th anniversary as King of Scots and made an emotional visit to the Royal Birthing Room, which was especially redecorated for the visit.

Conservation work in the Royal Birthing Room is due to start in November 2013, and will involve the delicate consolidation and light cleaning of the painted finishes on the panelled wooden walls and ceiling, which feature the date of the royal birth, the Royal Arms of Scotland, and other royal and national symbols.

Top: The presentation of the newborn James VI at Edinburgh Castle in 1566

Above: St Margaret of Scotland’s relics were used by later queens for protection during childbirth, but were lost after the Protestant Reformation. You can still see the base of her shrine at Dunfermline Abbey in Fife

National Conservation Centre to be created in Stirling

Historic Scotland has received initial backing for a £3.5 million bid from the Heritage Lottery Fund to create a new National Conservation Centre in Stirling.

The money is part of a £6.5 million funding package. The purpose of the new centre is to raise standards for traditional building and develop traditional skills, particularly among young people.

The centre will be housed in the Engine Shed, a historic building in the Forthside area of Stirling. historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013 | 5

news

The heat is on at Rosslyn Chapel Sustainable heating introduced at 15th-century building

A

major conservation project at Rosslyn Chapel has come to an end – after 16 years. Following damage to the building from dampness and humidity, a steel canopy was erected over the chapel to help the stonework dry naturally and allow the coverings of the stone vaulted roof to be renewed in lead.

Since the canopy’s removal in 2010, a systematic programme of conservation work has been undertaken to the exterior stonework and stained glass windows. A new sustainable heating system has been installed and the interior lighting improved, while the chapel’s Victorian organ has also been restored.

The project has been funded principally

by Rosslyn Chapel Trust, Historic Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund and WREN. The chapel, in Midlothian, dates back to 1446 and was founded by Sir William St Clair.

It remains family-owned and still operates as a working church. l The chapel and new visitor centre are open throughout the year – see www.rosslynchapel.com for details

Various stages of the conservation work at Rosslyn Chapel were captured on camera, as seen here

Buried treasure

shutterstock

In search of underground structures at Tantallon Castle

There’s more than meets the eye at Tantallon Castle

Visitors cannot fail to be impressed by the striking location and visual impact of Tantallon Castle. The upstanding stone structures are, however, only part of a larger complex including defensive earthworks and buried archaeology.

Now, an investigation of the site using two geophysical methods gradiometry (which identifies buried remains by detecting localised variations in the earth’s magnetic field) and resistance survey (which identifies remains through detecting variances in soil moisture content) could answer questions about the development of the castle and its defences.

Further work may follow the initial survey, but as Cultural Resources Adviser Adrian Cox explains, the results will ‘enhance our understanding of how Tantallon developed through time and aid our future interpretation and management of this important castle’.

historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013 | 7

news

Protecting and promoting our heritage New strategy for our historic environment to be finalised this year

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he Scottish Government has recently completed a consultation on plans to put in place the first overarching strategy for Scotland’s historic environment.

The strategy has been developed with a vision at its core that historical places in Scotland are understood, valued, enjoyed and enhanced – not just for today, but for the future too.

We recognise the vital role that you, as members of Historic Scotland, play in this and the strategy will help ensure we

continue to deliver, and improve upon, the world-class experience you expect when you visit one of our attractions.

The strategy makes a number of proposals on how we can all work together to address the challenges that face the historic environment, and it puts forward suggestions on how we can maximise the many opportunities that have yet to be fully explored (such as making more of the value that the people of Scotland place on their heritage).

Historic Scotland wants to make more of the cultural value of places such as Bothwell Castle and Iona

The need for a national strategy such as this rose out of a review of historic environment policy which Historic Scotland led in 2012.

One of the main issues to emerge was the need to put in place an overall strategy that belongs, not to government, but to the people of Scotland. l The Scottish Government is currently analysing the responses to the consultation and will publish the final strategy later this year

RCAHMS

Winter closing update The following properties will no longer be open during the winter season: Cardoness Castle, Corgarff Castle, Craignethan Castle, Dundrennan Abbey, Smailholm Tower, Spynie Palace and Tolquhon Castle.

8 | historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013

The opening hours from September to March for certain properties have been amended from those previously published in the Members’ Handbook. For up-to-date information on opening hours visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/places

news

A year of stunning photos Historic Scotland’s 2014 calendar highlights photography talent

I

n May 2012, Historic Scotland partnered with The Scotsman newspaper to challenge photographers to capture images of some of Scotland’s great historic places. And now with the publication of the 2014 Historic Scotland calendar, those images will be enjoyed anew for another 12 months.

The overall winner of the competition was George Cairns, with his autumnal shot of Castle Campbell. He received vouchers worth £500 for camera equipment and spent a day at The Scotsman picture desk.

George’s photograph, along with the 12 runners up, was also displayed at Stirling Castle last December. However, if you want to take a look once again at the budding photographers’ stunning shots, then why not purchase a copy of the calendar?

A selection of photos from the calendar. Clockwise: Threave Castle, Urquhart Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Tantallon Castle and Castle Campbell

l The calendar costs £3.50, or two for £5, and can be purchased at Historic Scotland shops

Come together for Flodden As part of the programme of projects commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden, communities and organisations on both sides of the border are establishing Britain’s first cross-border ecomuseum. An ecomuseum is a communitydriven venture that links together existing and new attractions around a central theme. The Flodden 1513 ecomuseum originally brought together 12 locations from across north Northumberland, the Scottish Borders and Edinburgh, but several other sites have been added over the summer months. l To find out more, visit www.flodden1513.com.

Read more about the Battle of Flodden on page 34

c om pe t i t ion

500 years since flodden

We have a copy of Fatal Rivalry: Flodden 1513 by George Goodwin (author of this issue’s ‘Buildings linked by battle’ article).

It’s a vibrant account of the events that led up to the biggest-ever battle between England and Scotland, and is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

PRIZE QUESTION: Name the castle that was captured by James IV during the last week of August 1513 after a five-day siege, and was later made famous through the paintings of JMW Turner. l Post your answer and details to Flodden Competition, Think Scotland, 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow, G3 7QF, or email hs.comps@ thinkpublishing.co.uk (with ‘Flodden Competition’ in the subject line).

The closing date for entries is 18 October 2013

historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013 | 9

130801_EdinburghBusTour_HistoricScotlandSummer2013.pdf

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01/08/2013

20:40

The Mark of Heritage and Craftsmanship Cairncross has served the people of Perth since 1869, and it is with pride that we present the unique Perth kilt pin, beautifully crafted in silver.

The pin, featuring a flowing, Celtic inspired design to reflect the meandering River Tay, is topped by Perth’s emblem - the double headed imperial eagle.

Cairncross have been granted permission by the Edinburgh Assay Office to revive the town mark, which was used by Perth silversmiths in the 18th century and is now stamped on the reverse of these superb kilt pins.

Available exclusively from

18 St John Street Perth (01738) 624367 info@cairncrossofperth.co.uk Send for our complimentary brochure.

MARTINS OF GLASGOW The Jewellery, Watch and Clock repair company We are pleased to offer the following services: REPAIR OF QUALITY WATCHES Omega, Longines, Tag Heuer, Cartier, Jaeger, I.W.C., etc.

Also Seiko, Rotary, Avia and all other popular makes REPAIR & RESTORATION OF VINTAGE & ANTIQUE TIMEPIECES Pre-war wristwatches & all types of fob watches, Fusees, repeaters, automatons, etc REPAIR & RESTORATION OF QUALITY CLOCKS, BAROGRAPHS & ALL TYPES OF BAROMETERS Grandfather, grandmother, Regulators, Bracket and other wall & mantle clocks REPAIR, RESTORATION & REMODELLING OF JEWELLERY Chain soldering, ring resizing, replacement of missing stones, pearl & bead restringing REPAIR & RESTORATION OF ALL MANNER OF SILVER & PLATE Engraving service. Inscriptions on trophies or rings to family or clan seal engraving.

1158 MARYHILL ROAD, MARYHILL, GLASGOW G20 9TA Tel: +44 (0)141 946 6333 martin@martinsjewellers.co.uk www.martinsjewellers.co.uk

The British Watch and Clock Makers Guild

Get the early word on great Historic Scotland events by visiting our members-only web pages

Have you discovered the members-only area of the Historic Scotland website? l Regular email newsletter that includes upcoming event information l A chance to enter exclusive competitions l Member discounts l Gift membership at reduced rates

Registration is easy:

1 2 3

Go to www.historic-scotland. gov.uk/member Click on ‘Members Login’ Select ‘Members-Only Registration’

news

‘No one cares for bloody us’ Remembering Orkney’s role in two world wars

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Robert Hunt Library/Mary Evans

istoric Scotland’s Scheduling, Marine and Battlefields team recently travelled to Orkney to review the islands’ list of scheduled monuments. As part of the visit, Kevin Munro, Historic Scotland’s expert in battlefields and conf lict heritage, conducted an intensive review of Orkney’s 20th-century military heritage.

Working with Orkney Islands Council, Kevin explored the islands’ important role in the two world wars. At a time when fewer than 25,000 people lived on Orkney, the Admiralty’s decision to use Scapa Flow’s sheltered, deep-water harbour as a major f leet anchorage during both conf licts led to a sudden increase in population.

More than 100,000 personnel were stationed there during World War I, and around 60,000 during World War II. It was clearly a time of great personal trauma, and this sentiment can be detected in ‘Bloody Orkney’, a poem attributed to Captain Hamish Blair.

‘And no one cares for bloody us’ he writes, while chronicling the frustration of those stationed in Orkney during World War II. ‘There’s nothing greets your bloody eye/But bloody sea and bloody sky’.

New structures were built to support the military personnel and to protect the harbour.

Ness Battery and the Italian Chapel are examples of buildings that are appreciated by local people and visitors to Orkney. But there are many other historically significant structures that are less well known, such as anti-aircraft batteries, airfields, coastal and underwater defences, command centres and recreational facilities.

In fact, some of the constructions found on Orkney are exceedingly rare and important.

For example, at Lyness there is a kilometre-long underground tunnel complex that was designed to

store more than 100,000 tons of fuel for naval vessels. Meanwhile, the remains of the ‘Clestrain Hurdles’, a massive steel framework used to block the western approaches to the harbour during World War I, are submerged in water and still appear on Admiralty charts. And thousands of divers have visited the wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet, scuttled in Scapa Flow on 21 June 1919.

On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, there is a growing recognition of the importance of our wartime heritage.

Securing protection for the most significant elements of the physical legacy of Orkney’s role in the two world wars represents just one aspect of Historic Scotland’s work to commemorate the men and women affected by those two conf licts.

Some of the constructions found on Orkney are exceedingly rare and important. For example, at Lyness there is a kilometre-long underground tunnel complex that was designed to store more than 100,000 tons of fuel for naval vessels 12 | historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013

news

A concert to animate the senses New composition inspired by ancient manuscript has debut performance at Jedburgh The Fragments Project has at its centre a concert trilogy that invites composers to explore art and music as an expression of the divine. The project has been inspired by the 2009 rediscovery of the Hawick Missal, a fragment from a 12th-century musical manuscript.

Composer Sean Doherty opened the series with Fragments of Blue: Under One Sky at Jedburgh Old & Trinity Church. His composition, ‘Fragment: Et clamabant’, was the winning entry in a competition for young composers.

Video, imagery and sound took centre stage to animate the story of the Fragment in spectacular fashion (see below) at the event in July. The evening then progressed to Jedburgh Abbey, where an art installation was set against a stirring musical performance featuring a choir group. l For further information visit www.historicscotland.gov.uk/fragments

Far left: tunnel at Lyness.

Top: Scapa Flow harbour. Left: Visitor centre (in the background).

Above: An air raid shelter in Lyness.

Below from left to right: Houton Head Battery, Holm Battery and inside the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre

historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013 | 13

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Glossary. Comprehensive index.

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SCOTLAND’S BEST CASTLES AND STATELY HOMES

c.232pp col + b&w illus pbk 216x138mm The best castles and mansions to visit – including all the most iconic Historic Scotland and National Trust for Scotland properties, royal palaces and family homes – magnificent stately homes to romantic ruins. Location, opening, facilities, and contact. Sixteen pages of colour photos plus many b&w illustrations.

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HOW TO ORDER…

Simply send a cheque or postal order, made out to Goblinshead, with your name, delivery address, and contact phone no./email, along with the titles you want, to the address below.

All information is believed to be correct at time of issue (5/8/2013) but publication dates can and do slip. For titles in stock usually dispatched within three working days. Postage & packing for the UK only: overseas on request. Sorry, no credit, debit or charge cards (to keep book prices as low as possible).

GOBLINSHEAD 130B INVERESK ROAD MUSSELBURGH EH21 7AY T 0131 665 2894 E goblinshead@sol.co.uk

news

Investigating historic Edinburgh

New report uncovers archaeological research into the capital city’s iconic abbey and palace

H Get snapping!

There is still time to enter the 2013 Historic Scotland photography competition for a chance to win an iPad mini and a tour around Stirling Castle CATEGORIES l JUNIOR: Photographs taken in and around Historic Scotland properties by children under the age of 16. l PROPERTIES: Shots of, or showing individual features of, castles, cathedrals, mills, chapels, barracks or any other properties under Historic Scotland’s care. l WILDLIFE: Snaps of the natural world in and around our properties.

Each entry should be labelled with your name, address, telephone number, membership number and email and the name of the property where the photo was taken. You must be 8 or over to enter and all entries by under-16s should be marked accordingly.

Email your photographs to hs.photos@thinkpublishing. co.uk, or send digital images on a CD to Historic Scotland Photography Competition, Think, 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow G3 7QF. Closing date is 18 October 2013.

Winners will be announced in the spring 2014 issue of Historic Scotland. l GREAT PRIZES Category winners receive a year’s renewal membership.

The overall winner also receives a tour for four people around Stirling Castle and an iPad mini.

For full terms and conditions of the competition please see page 49 of this issue.

istoric Scotland has announced the publication of an important new report.

Monastery and Palace: Archaeological Investigations at Holyroodhouse 1996-2009 brings together the results of more than a decade of archaeological excavation, survey and historical research into one comprehensive volume.

The report is part of an ongoing series, with publications covering Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle to follow.

l You can order the report for £17.35 (including postage and packing). Send your contact details and a cheque payable to: “Historic Scotland” to Judy Spencer, Archive & Information Officer, Historic Scotland, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh, EH9 1SH. The report can also be purchased from our Abbey Sanctuary shop (located at the bottom of the Royal Mile) for £14.95.

c om pe t i t ion

Britain against Napoleon

Historian Roger Knight has written an enthralling account of how the British state successfully organised itself to overcome Napoleon. His new book, Britain Against Napoleon: The Organization of Victory 1793-1815, chronicles how Britain eventually defeated a regime that was many times more powerful than itself.

We have a copy of the book to offer to our readers.

PRIZE QUESTION: Who said that the battle which defeated Napoleon was ‘the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life’? l For your chance to win, post your answer and details to Napoleon Competition, Think Scotland, 20-23 Woodside Place, Glasgow, G3 7QF, or email hs.comps@ thinkpublishing.co.uk (with ‘Napoleon Competition’ in the subject line).

The closing date for entries is 18 October 2013.

LAST ISSUE’S COMPETITION ANSWERS AND WINNERS are AS FOLLOWs SCOTLAND’S LANDSCAPE Kilchurn Castle is situated on Loch Awe, as correctly answered by Eleanor Wasley, D Montgomery and David Maclean

SCOTTISH PAINTING JD Fergusson has a gallery named after him in Perth.

Books go to Sandra Goldie, John Gray, Rhona MacDonald and James Davidson

historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013 | 15

FORT GEORGE

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here are few Historic Scotland attractions as entwined in Scottish military history as Fort George. Positioned on the Moray Firth it was built to help guard against land attacks. In fact, the plans for the fort were conceived following the Battle of Culloden in 1746, largely as a means of deterring future Jacobite uprisings in the Highlands.

After Culloden, when support for the Stuart dynasty was vigorously suppressed, Fort George maintained a significant military position, becoming a training ground for the new Highland regiments that would come to play an

16 | historic scotland | SPRING 2012

important role in the British Empire’s overseas battles.

For a period the Fort’s effectiveness came into question. It was not until Britain’s involvement in the Crimean War with Russia in 1854 that Fort George once

A formidable military base on the front line of history again became a valuable training ground – this time for the Ross-shire and Inverness-shire militias. The threat of Emperor Napoleon III’s invasion five years later made the coastal garrison a necessity and the Fort was rearmed.

The site’s military activity continued through the 19th century, and is still ongoing. In 1881, Fort George became the depot for the Seaforth Highlanders who later experienced significant losses in World Wars I and II. In 1961, the regiment amalgamated with the Cameron Highlanders to form the Queen’s Own Highlanders. Today, Fort George is an active military base, home to the Royal Regiment of Scotland’s 3rd Battalion – Black Watch.

Spotlight on

TIMELINE 1746 Battle of Culloden that saw King George II’s forces defeat the Jacobite army led by the ‘pretender’ to the British throne, Bonnie Prince Charlie (right) 1748 Construction of Fort George begins in the hope it will counter future Jacobite uprisings. Detailed plans are provided

by William Skinner but the Fort is not completed until 1769 1800 Fort George’s effectiveness as a fortification is brought into question and is no longer considered state of the art 1854 Following the outbreak of the Crimean War with Russia, Fort George becomes the training ground for Ross-shire and Inverness-shire militia 1859 Threat of invasion from Emperor Napoleon III of France sees the fort radically rearmed, guarding against coastal attacks 1881 Seaforth Highlanders use Fort George as regimental depot 1961 Seaforth Highlanders regiment is joined with the Cameron Highlanders forming the Queen’s Own Highlanders 2013 HRH The Duke of Edinburgh re-opens the Highlanders’ Museum after a £2.9 million refurbishment.

The museum documents 300 years of the Highland regiments. www.thehighlandersmuseum.com historic scotland | Autumn 2013 | 17

getty

On 3 September 1955, Pipe-Major Donald MacLeod accompanied the soldiers of the Seaforth Highlanders in a lively eightsome reel, at their regimental depot at Fort George (inset), which is strategically placed on the Moray Firth

Iona Abbey

Inside Iona’s new museum In June a major Historic Scotland project came to fruition on the Hebridean island of Iona. The newly opened Iona Abbey Museum tells the story of Scotland’s most sacred place.

Peter Yeoman takes us through some of the highlights that await visitors to the museum – and to the abbey itself

L

aid out with a simple timeline, the Iona Abbey Museum takes visitors on a chronological journey through Iona’s history. The re-erected three high crosses are central to the story, with the timeline explaining how each of them relates to the island’s history.

In this photo you can see St John’s Cross at the front. It’s a ring-headed Celtic high cross, and is the first of its kind (carved more than 1,200 years ago). To its left is St Oran’s Cross, which is slightly older, and to the right you can see St Matthew’s Cross (about 1,100 years old). The latter two have lain in bits for centuries, and are now provided with special mounts to allow the crosses to stand once more in all their glory.

The high crosses represent the most sophisticated use of the cross in Western Europe, with their carved imagery broadcasting key messages of the Christian faith. Because their decoration was meant to be read with the movement of the sun during the day, we have incorporated a 24-hour ‘son et lumières’ sequence to allow visitors to gain a fuller understanding of the carvings.

Iona Abbey

Regional Collections Manager Lynsey Haworth examines a tiny bronze head excavated at the abbey. The head may have formed the top of a clothing pin, or it might have been broken off an early Christian sacred figure.

Over the centuries, Iona continued to play a vital role as the spiritual home of the Lords of the Isles and their supporting clans, loyal in life and in death. The museum features beautifully displayed examples of the West Highland graveslabs, which commemorated the lives of great Gaelic leaders, and swords for hire, from the 1300s to the 1500s.

The museum includes a facsimile of the Book of Kells. This is widely acknowledged as being the finest illustrated manuscript of the four Gospels. It was created here around 800, and helps tell the story of Iona as one of the greatest centres of scholarship in Western Europe.

20 | historic scotland | Autumn 2013

THE STREET OF THE DEAD This illustration by David Simon is a reconstruction of how Iona may have looked around AD 750. You can see the monastery as founded by St Columba. The shrine, churches, workshops, barns and living huts are enclosed by substantial earthen banks. The monastic cemetery and chapel can be seen on the right, with Sràid nam Marbh (‘the Street of the Dead’) linking them to the central area.

It’s always been thought that little of the original layout of Columba’s monastery survived the constant redevelopment of the site. However, recent research has shown that traces can be found, you just have to look closely and understand more of their world. The Street of the Dead is the chief feature to survive from the early monastic landscape.

Originally more crosses stood beside it, but they are now lost.

We can now understand that this great monastery on the very edge of the Christian world was consciously laid out to mirror the holy places of Jerusalem.

The reconstructed abbey church boasts stunning 20th-century stained glass windows featuring St Columba.

It’s always been thought that little of the original layout of Columba’s monastery survived the constant redevelopment of the site.

However, recent research has shown that traces can be found And so we can suggest that the Street of the Dead was Iona’s Via Dolorosa (the road in Jerusalem where Jesus is said to have carried his cross) and that Columba’s tiny chapel represents the Holy Sepulchre. The monks had a deep interest in Jerusalem through scripture, the Psalms and the book Concerning the Holy Places, written in 680

by Adomnán, an Irish monk and ninth abbot of Iona. historic scotland | Autumn 2013 | 21

out and about

Reporting Scotland

Journalist and television presenter Catriona Shearer escapes the studio for a day along the north-east coast

newsline scotland

T

he beauty of working on Reporting Scotland is the insight I get into what’s happening around the country. The irony is that I’m anchored to a studio in Glasgow and don’t get to experience the places for myself – it’s life through a lens.

Coincidentally, during the week of my trip the news has reports on golf courses, the oil industry and the fishing industry – all of which are centred in the north east of the country. So, as I finish the last bulletin, it is with the knowledge that I am about to head off to see the area for myself.

Although the three-and-ahalf-hour journey north from Glasgow seems daunting at first, the sea views and open fields are cathartic and quickly make the newsroom seem a world away.

We stay in the tiny village of St Combs – our hotel overlooks the North Sea, which on a sunny, still evening looks almost inviting. It’s a very different beast when we wake the next morning to start our tour. It’s grey and menacing, but still breathtaking.

22 | historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013

KINNAIRD HEAD CASTLE LIGHTHOUSE AND MUSEUM OF SCOTTISH LIGHTHOUSES

We head for Fraserburgh and when we arrive at our first port of call, it’s surprising that, despite the towering structure, the first thing that hits us at Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse is the piquant smell from the nearby smokehouse. Fraserburgh Harbour is the biggest shellfish port in Europe. It is also home to the first lighthouse established by the Northern Lighthouse Trust, later to become the Northern Lighthouse Board.

Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse features the pioneering work of an engineer called Thomas Smith who designed the light and the original alterations to the tower house.

When lit on 1 December 1787, it became the first lighthouse in northern Scotland. The lens was the most powerful of its day, bouncing light over 12 miles.

It’s fitting that some of the leading lights in literature are connected to this majestic masterpiece. Not only was it redesigned in 1824 by the grandfather of author Robert Louis Stevenson (Robert Stevenson), another literary giant

Duff House dates from the 1700s and has been used as a hotel, hospital and wedding venue and is home to many artworks

out and about

The first thing that hits you at Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse is the piquant smell from the nearby smokehouse – Sir Walter Scott – may have been responsible for its survival.

Its position within the existing castle was retained because Scott didn’t want to demolish the castle, commonly believed to have been constructed in 1570 by the Fraser family.

On Sir Walter Scott’s advice, Stevenson demolished only the structures around the tower. To improve access to the lantern room, a new spiral staircase was installed, the height of which only becomes fully apparent when you have to attempt to climb it.

In the lantern room Gary, our enthusiastic guide, has let me step inside the glass structure on the proviso I don’t touch the lens.

As he cranks the wheel to spin me round I can’t help thinking of the scene from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory where Charlie and Grandpa Joe find themselves

in the forbidden glass column. I disembark feeling as giddy as they would have been after quaffing Wonka’s fizzy lifting drink.

The lighthouse keepers’ accommodation, provided for the principal and assistant keepers, is a wondrous step back in time. The fixtures and fittings are as they were when the lighthouse ceased to work in 1991.

That doesn’t seem that long ago, but the antiquated TV (no remote control), record player (no mp3 player) and wallmounted telephone (no mobile) are stark indicators of how far technology has moved on in the past 20-odd years.

But it’s also an indication of the paternalistic care the lighthouse staff, and their families, were afforded.

There’s so much to see at Kinnaird Head – you could almost spend a day here, but we

newsline scotland, shutterstock

Timeline: Spynie Palace 1207 POPE INNOCENT III Declares Bishop Bryce can establish his cathedral at Spynie

1224 BISHOP ANDREW Transfers his seat to nearby Elgin but keeps Spynie as his residence

24 | historic scotland | autumn 2013

1362 BISHOP JOHN Welcomes David II (right), who fled from Edinburgh to escape the plague

1390 ALEXANDER STEWART Known as the ‘Wolf of Badenoch’, burns down Elgin Cathedral but is warned by the king not to touch Spynie

1456 JAMES II Spends Christmas at Spynie, feasting on salted Spey salmon

From far left: Spiral stairs leading to the lantern room at Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse; the North Drawing Room at Duff House

Duff House is an awe-inspiring sight and seems to radiate in the sunlight have a full itinerary, so off we go to Duff House via the North East Coastal Trail. As we enter Banff, the clouds disperse and the sun bursts out.

DUFF HOUSE

Duff House is an awe-inspiring sight and seems to radiate in the sunlight. Designed by Scottish architect William Adam, it’s just about the grandest classical country house to be initiated in Scotland in the early 1700s and is considered one of the most important buildings in the north.

The house was commissioned

by William Duff, Lord Braco, later 1st Earl of Fife, as an

1562 MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS Marches forth from Spynie to ‘clip the wings’ of the Earl of Huntly

1573 GEORGE DOUGLAS Is appointed as the first Protestant Bishop of Moray

upgraded home for his large family to replace a smaller, more modest residence nearby. It was designed with a series of ‘His’ and ‘Her’ apartments, for privacy, alongside larger public rooms where the family could entertain friends. Lord Braco never actually lived there. He fell out with the architect over rising costs, contractual difficulties and differences of opinion over the design. In fact, Lord Braco turned the house over to his son James. Duff senior lived at Balvenie House and is said to have lowered the blinds on his coach whenever he passed Duff House. It was James, the 2nd Earl, who finally completed the house, although there was more work carried out at a later date.

Duff House was gifted to the town of Banff in 1906 and turned over to various uses, including a hotel (1911-13 and 1923-28) and a hospital (1913-23). It is still favoured by dignitaries today. In fact it has a few notable political connections. Countess Agnes, a daughter of the Earl of Errol,

married James Duff, the 5th Earl, in 1846 and lived at Duff House (Prime Minister David Cameron is descended from this line.) The North Drawing Room is particularly magnificent, and boasts a chandelier and mirror that once belonged to Countess Agnes.

Each spring, Duff House receives a masterpiece from the National Galleries of Scotland, which provides most of the house’s artworks, opening up Scotland’s national collection of fine art to new audiences. Highlights include works by El Greco, Gainsborough and Raeburn.

Duff House hosted its first wedding in 1910 – a tradition that continues to this day.

There’s a wedding on when we visit and a piper in full traditional Highland dress begins to tune up outside, so we decide to get going before the wedding party arrives.

DESKFORD CHURCH

We head to the old parish of Deskford, where lies the ruin of the small, late medieval Deskford Church. At first glance, it doesn’t look like there’s much to see, but on further investigation, inside is the most striking feature – the sacrament house, characteristic of north-east Scotland.

It was erected by Alexander Ogilvie, Earl of Findlater and bears his arms and mottos and those of his wife. historic scotland | autumn 2013 | 25

out and about

Not only have I managed to see some of the locations that I usually only get to report on, but I’ve also been able to flit back and forth through time

It was used to store the consecrated bread or host.

This is our cue to head off in search of lunch.

newsline scotland

SPYNIE PALACE

The sun is still shining when we reach Spynie Palace. It was home to the bishops of Moray for nearly 500 years and the castle walls still bear carvings of the coats of arms of three bishops who were responsible for the major building works here.

Spynie is the largest surviving medieval bishop’s house in Scotland.

I walk around impressive buildings such as Spynie with a feeling of incredulity. How did they build structures like these without modern machinery?

Like many castles, there’s great fun to be had exploring the rooms, scaling spiral staircases and gazing out of windows.

Spynie Palace has a long, rich and violent history, which can be traced back into prehistory. It’s also had its fair share of royal visitors, including Mary Queen of Scots, who stayed here in 1562 during the Huntly Expedition.

The palace played a role in the 26 | historic scotland | autumn 2013

wars of the 1640s. In 1640, a covenanting force seized the castle from Bishop Guthrie. The palace also brief ly featured in Montrose’s rising in 1645 in support of Charles I. After Montrose’s victory at Auldearn, Elgin was occupied and the farm offices of Spynie were burnt.

In 1662, the castle, which was the residence of the bishops of Moray, was starting to decay.

Parliament granted Bishop Murdo MacKenzie £1,000 for repairs, sustaining the building up to 1689 when the last occupant, Bishop William Hay, was expelled after refusing to take an oath of allegiance to King William and Queen Mary.

The palace passed to the Crown and the fine ironwork and wood carvings were removed. Local people plundered the walls for stonework for building works until the early 19th century when the Crown stopped the quarrying and instituted a maintenance policy.

Spynie Palace, although mostly in ruin, is still a magnificent place to visit. These days it enjoys a much more peaceful time and its surroundings –

Spynie Palace’s history can be traced back into prehistory

with rolling fields to the south and marshy woodland to the north – make it popular with local wildlife.

It’s been an amazing trip. Not only have I managed to see some of the locations that I usually only get to report on, but I’ve also been able to f lit back and forth through time. It’s been a day of gazing upon Scotland’s wonderful history – and not an autocue in sight.

e x plor e

1 Elgin

2

3

4

Inverness

Aberdeen

SPYNIE PALACE is 2 miles north of Elgin DESKFORD CHURCH is 4 miles south of Cullen on the B9018 to Keith 3 DUFF HOUSE is in Banff 4 KINNAIRD HEAD CASTLE LIGHTHOUSE AND MUSEUM OF SCOTTISH LIGHTHOUSES is located on a promontory in Fraserburgh on the A92 1

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nature

Deer green places

shutterstock

Bob Tevendale explores how our relationship with deer has shaped the Scottish landscape

28 | historic scotland | Summer 2013

An antler pick excavated in Orkney in 2010

P Right: The Drosten Stone at St Vigeans depicts a hunter with what could be a crossbow

eople have had a long association with deer. We have used their pelts and antlers and eaten their meat.

Both red deer and fallow deer could have been domesticated. They could have been tamed and kept in hedged enclosures, much like cattle, goats and sheep. However, it would seem, deer were left in the wild so that we might hunt them for recreation.

Some of the earliest associations between man and deer have been found during the archaeological investigations at the Links of Noltland, on the island of Westray in Orkney. Here a deposit of at least 15 deer was uncovered, all – with the exception of one – found lying on their left side.

They were positioned one on top of the other, with the pile completed by a large cod, a pair of antlers and two birds’ wings.

There were no indications that the deer had been butchered in any way.

The bones were still articulated and there were no traces of knife marks.

Archaeologists construe this as evidence of some kind of ritual. It is not known why the deer were used in this way. Was the wasting of an

economic resource through conspicuous non-consumption a symbol of wealth, control and power? Or, as has been suggested by others, was it the marking of a territorial boundary?

Marking boundaries

A similar deposit of four deer was found at the Bay of Skaill near Skara Brae. Tellingly, these deposits were next to boundary walls. On the Orkney Islands, many chambered cairns have animal bones within and around them. Deer bones have often been discovered, particularly at Yarso and Ramsay Ness on Westray.

There is evidence of feasting in and around these tombs, but deer bones have only ever been detected within the tombs and then linked to offerings rather than consumption.

Remains of red deer are found less often from the Iron Age onwards, suggesting deer weren’t hunted as intensively during that time. However, the presence of hunting scenes on Pictish stones indicates deer were still seen as important, and that hunting them may have been culturally significant.

It is believed that five of the animals depicted on Pictish stones – deer, dog, ox, pig and horse – are associated with historic scotland | autumn 2013 | 29

nature

Elerc was the right to ambush. This was usually at a spot where natural topography would channel the deer into one place. In Holyrood Park, the elerc was in the valley at the bottom of the Salisbury Crags

early Celtic writings, with deer often connected with fertility and prosperity.

On later Pictish stones linked with early Christianity, deer hunts are also depicted. These hunting scenes may allude to the Christian soul in pursuit of Christ, represented by the deer, and salvation.

shutterstock

hunting methods

Pictish iconography certainly indicates that hunting was important, but it also poses tantalising questions as to how the deer were hunted. The Drosten Stone at St Vigeans shows a hunter using what appears to be a crossbow.

A crossbow is a suitable weapon for an ambush. Its advantages lie in the ease and speed with which it can be fired once drawn and the absence of movement required to fire it. The crossbow continued to be used throughout the medieval period in Scotland and there are records of the purchase of crossbow bolts by James III and James IV before they set out on hunting expeditions.

During the Middle Ages, there were two methods of hunting deer. The first involved a chase – often on horseback and with dogs. The second featured a drive, where the hunters remained static, with the beaters driving deer to 30 | historic scotland | autumn 2013

Top: The valley at Salisbury Crags was once a popular hunting ground.

Above: A detail from the famous ‘The Unicorn is Found’ medieval tapestry, now held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

them. The evidence suggests this second approach was more popular in Scotland before the 12th century. The famous Book of Deer (a 10th-century Latin Gospel book with early 12th-century additions, noted for containing the earliest surviving Gaelic writing from Scotland) records that a monastery at Deer was granted the right of ‘elerc’. Elerc was the right to ambush. This was usually at a spot where natural topography would

channel the deer into one place.

In Holyrood Park, the elerc was in the valley at the bottom of the Salisbury Crags.

As hunting developed, it became a sport for nobility. Originally game, including deer, wasn’t the property of anyone and so was free to be hunted.

However, during the Middle Ages, laws were enacted that restricted the right to hunt to the landowner.

Around the 12th century, deer parks were introduced. These were extensive areas enclosed with banks and ditches. Evidence of these parks has largely disappeared from view and they have been subjected to very little archaeological investigation. However, during the Middle Ages they would have been significant aspects of the landscape, ref lecting the increasing importance of hunting deer.

There were extensive parks associated with royal residences at Stirling, Edinburgh, Falkland and Linlithgow. Parks were popular with the nobility and royalty, not just for the hunting, but as evidence of wealth and power (remains exist that suggest many parks were enclosed by fences more than 2 metres tall). Such was the popularity of hunting, it is believed

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Mary Evans/Epic/Tallandier

Holyrood Abbey’s hunting associations date back to the 12th century.

Below: The gate at Holyrood Palace showing detail of a stag with a cross between its antlers

deer were imported to royal parks at considerable expense just for specific hunts. There are records of deer being transported in 1504 from Falkland to Stirling at the then vast sum of 14 shillings per wagon load.

The particular method chosen to hunt the deer – the chase or the ambush – would have greatly influenced the management of the woodland in which they took place.

Paintings of chases in England and Europe show that the woodland was heavily managed with the removal of brush and lower branches, giving the hunters and their dogs unrestricted views and little obstruction to their passage.

Ambush hunts were far more dependent on thick cover in which to hide. Therefore, woodland used for these hunts would have required little management.

Hunting methods changed with the introduction of firearms in the early 16th century. The first use of a gun was recorded at a hunt 32 | historic scotland | autumn 2013

where James IV stalked deer in Falkland Park. However, using firearms was not considered good form, and in 1551 their use was banned as a method of hunting in Scotland.

royal approval

Hunting with firearms – specifically the rif le – became popular once again during the reign of Queen Victoria. The purchase of Balmoral in 1852 gave deer stalking the royal seal of approval, making it fashionable to buy Highland estates and build shooting lodges.

These new landowners were keen to conserve – and indeed increase – their deer numbers as they believed that the more deer they had, the greater their chance of getting good stags. As before, vast areas of land were fenced off to prevent deer escaping and large numbers of deer grazing prevented the growth of trees.

Once again, man’s relationship with deer was to have a considerable inf luence on the landscape.

The stag and the Abbey

The hunting association with Holyrood Park is integral to the history of the abbey. Founded in 1128

by King David I, according to medieval legend, a vision of a stag with a cross glowing between its antlers came to David while hunting in the area.

Interpreting this as an act of God, the king declared that an abbey should be built on the same spot. The story bears many similarities to that of St Hubert, the patron saint of hunters.

Holy Rood, the name of the abbey and subsequently the palace, means ‘Holy Cross’, a fragment of which had been brought to Scotland by David I’s mother, St Margaret, and kept at the abbey until the 14th century.

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history

Buildings linked by battle

shutterstock, mary evans

Author George Goodwin reflects on the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden and how the reverberations of that conflict can still be felt in several Historic Scotland properties

34 | historic scotland | Autumn 2013

J

ames IV was the last monarch to die in battle on British soil.

He was killed with the flower of his nobility and 10,000 of his fellow countrymen at the disastrous defeat of Flodden, 500 years ago, on 9 September 1513.

It is a defeat that has, arguably, blighted his reputation to this day. Yet James IV was one of Scotland’s greatest kings. He extended royal administration to the geographical entirety of the country, breaking the power of the Lords of the Isles and bringing the nobility from all parts of the country into his councils. James negotiated the 1502 Treaty of

Perpetual Peace with Henry VII that brought him marriage with Margaret Tudor, Henry’s eldest daughter and, far more importantly, the English king’s recognition of his Scottish counterpart as a fully independent monarch.

Peace did not survive a change of English king: Henry VIII wanted to emulate his great hero, Henry V, by invading France.

James IV was forced to choose between Scotland’s new ally of England and the ‘auld’ ally of France. In the end, James aligned with the French.

In July 1513, Henry VIII invaded France. In late August, James IV attacked the castles in north Northumberland with the largest Scottish army to cross the border.

At first the campaign was a brilliant success…

Then came the carnage at Flodden

shutterstock, mary evans

The Battle of Flodden changed the destinies of many of Scotland’s castles, including (from below left, clockwise) Inverlochy, Smailholm Tower, Ravenscraig, Urquhart, Caerlaverock and Kilchurn

English soldier with poleaxe and sword

At first the campaign was a brilliant success, with every stronghold in the English East March falling into Scottish hands. Then came the carnage at Flodden.

There can be no question that Flodden was an appalling Scottish defeat, arguably the country’s worst. In the aftermath of the battle Scotland feared a full-scale invasion from England and the Flodden Wall in Edinburgh was built in preparation. The battle also robbed Scotland of its king. And James IV’s heir, who would assume the throne after his demise, was just 17 months old. Yet from this weakened position, Scotland strove to recover and, just 12 days after the battle, baby James V was crowned in Stirling Castle’s Chapel Royal.

It was surely James IV’s intention to be buried at Cambuskenneth Abbey, near to the tomb of his father, James III. Some intricately carved stone, perhaps from James IV’s planned tomb, has been discovered there. In fact the tomb was unused because his coffined body was taken to England after Flodden and remained unburied for many years at the Carthusian Priory at Sheen. Finally, it was ‘rediscovered’ in Elizabeth I’s reign. However, the current whereabouts of his remains is unknown.

Some were more fortunate in being buried in their intended places, including the 1st Lord Semple - one of more than a score of peers who

36 | historic scotland | Autumn 2013

Numerous Historic Scotland properties are connected with Flodden because their lord of the time died during that terrible conflict in 1513 died with James. We know he probably managed to get away from the battlefield before dying from his wounds because his valuable steel gauntlets were to become a family heirloom. Had he died at Flodden the gauntlets and everything else of any worth would have been stripped from his body by the English soldiery or others looking for bounty.

Lord Semple is buried at Castle Semple Collegiate Church. His tomb is a sad reminder of the slaughter at Flodden. But then numerous Historic Scotland properties are connected with the battle because their lord of the time died during that terrible conflict in 1513. These include the castles of Hailes and Crichton (Earl of Bothwell), Ravenscraig (Earl of Caithness), Caerlaverock (Lord Maxwell), Kilchurn (Sir Duncan Campbell), Inverlochy (William Gordon) and Urquhart (John Grant); as well as Torphichen Preceptory (Sir Henry Knolls) and Kilwinning Abbey (Abbot William Bunch).

history

Property guide

1 Caerlaverock Castle 2 Castle Semple Collegiate Church 3 Dunglass Collegiate Church 4 Edinburgh Castle 5 Kelso Abbey 6 Smailholm Tower 7 St Andrews Cathedral and Castle 8 Stirling Castle 9 Tantallon Castle 10 Urquhart Castle

10

7 2

8

4 93 6 5

Flodden

1

A great number of clergymen also fought and died for James IV at Flodden, most notably Alexander Stewart, Archbishop of St Andrews and James’s son by an early mistress. Alexander was officially designate-archbishop, because at 20 he was technically too young for that post, but he was considered old enough to be his father’s chancellor of Scotland.

St Andrews Cathedral and Castle are now open to the skies, but that is not the case with Seton Collegiate Church. The choir was completed by George, 3rd Lord Seton who died at the battle, though it was left to his widow to add its transepts and distinctive steeple.

There was to be no such continuity at Smailholm, though, after its laird, David Pringle, lost his eldest son and three brothers at Flodden, thus sending the family into decline. Their demise was accelerated by the breakdown of order in the Borders following Flodden, which also resulted in Kelso Abbey being seized by the Border chieftain ‘Dand’ Ker of Ferniehurst (who installed his brother as abbot). Meanwhile, further afield, the removal of a powerful king and the death of its lord meant that Urquhart Castle was taken over temporarily by the MacDonalds of the Isles.

There were two significant Scottish survivors of the battle: the Earl of Huntly (who presided over Huntly Castle) and Lord Hume (Tantallon Castle and Dunglass Collegiate Church). Lord Hume’s

survival, however, did not last long – he was executed in 1516, a victim of the faction fighting that followed Flodden. This also involved James IV’s widow, Margaret Tudor, who had awaited news of the battle at the palace of Linlithgow.

capital castle

Then there is Edinburgh Castle. Mons Meg, its famous artillery piece, was not used against the English in 1513. Nevertheless, this was yet another Historic Scotland property whose history was bound up with Flodden. James IV’s building work at the castle had been extensive, including the creation of a new royal lodging and great hall, which, though much altered, remain today.

From 1501, his attention turned to converting the royal lodging at Holyrood into a fully fledged palace that would be fit by 1503 to receive Margaret Tudor as his new queen. The castle then lost its place as the premier royal residence of Scotland’s capital, although it retained its importance as a fortress and increased it as an arsenal, particularly following the accession of Henry VIII in 1509 and the subsequent deterioration in Anglo-Scottish relations.

But in 1513, after Flodden, Edinburgh Castle’s importance was restored. It housed Scotland’s king again – its secure walls were deemed essential in protecting the young James V during the early years of his reign.

A Scottish soldier clad in armour

historic scotland | Autumn 2013 | 37

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history

Stirling Castle – James IV’s golden Hall

The coronation of James V is commemorated in a special 500th anniversary weekend on 21 to 22 September. This forms the centrepiece of a series of events at the castle running from 8 to 29 September, including themed tours. See page 51 for more details.

Because of its importance in the events of 1513, the castle is one of a number of Edinburgh sites nominated to join the Flodden Wall in the ‘Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum’, a community-driven venture which links together the physical places, stories and the many communities associated with the battle and its legacy. Linlithgow Palace is another Historic Scotland site included in the Ecomuseum and further venues have been considered as part of an initiative created to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the battle that now extends into the years ahead.

the power and the plenty

As to the future of baby James V, crowned so hastily in 1513, he was to become a distinguished Renaissance king in his own right. This can be seen in the magnificence of the royal apartments he commissioned in Stirling Castle that were designed, like his father’s great hall, to project his personal power, as well as the plenty and prosperity of his country. The interiors of the apartments have recently been carefully recreated to appear as they may have done in the 1540s.

In 1542, James V’s reign ended with his sudden death at the age of 30. This brought to the throne a monarch who was even younger than he himself had been when power was thrust upon him: his daughter, Mary Queen of Scots, was less than a week old.

Because of its importance in the events of 1513, the castle is one of a number of Edinburgh sites nominated to join the Flodden Wall in the ‘Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum’

To find out more about the Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum visit www.flodden1513.com.

George Goodwin is the author of Fatal Rivalry: Flodden 1513 – Henry VIII, James IV and the Battle for Renaissance Britain, recently published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson (see www.georgegoodwin.com for more details) historic scotland | Autumn 2013 | 39

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From the time of David II, kings of Scots had claimed Stirling Castle as the site of King Arthur’s Round Table, but it was James IV who made its buildings worthy of such a claim. His Great Hall, now magnificently restored, was the largest banqueting hall of its kind ever built in Scotland. As well as the place for great feasts – served by massive kitchens that have also been largely restored – the Great Hall was designed to project the overarching majesty of the monarch. In James IV’s reign it contained a raised platform, carefully situated so that the light pouring through the new-style tall windows of glass would illuminate the king on his throne, like an actor on a stage set.

This was monarchy as theatre, where the king, made God’s chosen one by anointing at coronation, was presented as an altogether elevated being through heightened ceremony.

The hall was brilliantly furnished with wall hangings and its stonework was painted inside and out, then and now, with ‘king’s gold’, a golden yellow limewash, which was also used on the outer walls of the palace and its forework or gatehouse. Some idea of the effect can be imagined by seeing the Great Hall today and visualising its colour highlighting the whole palace.

OUR WORLD HERITAGE

NEW LANARK

World heritage site

A small village between Glasgow and Edinburgh is a living community in the care of the New Lanark Trust. It’s also one of the finest examples of a planned settlement in the world and the third in our series on Scotland’s World Heritage Sites

aerial photography solutions, shutterstock

T

he serene location on the banks of the River Clyde is an unlikely setting for what was once the largest cotton manufacturing business in the country. Surrounded by woodlands, the village of New Lanark is perched on the banks of the River Clyde, 24 miles (40km) from Glasgow. A little further upstream, the river cascades down a 30-metre waterfall known as Corra Linn – a famous beauty spot – before rushing past the village and out towards the city to the west.

It’s unlikely that the Scottish businessman David Dale had only aesthetic motives in mind when he teamed up with Richard Arkwright and built a cotton mill and housing for his workers in 1786. He was a businessman after all.

The site’s proximity to the falls meant there was huge potential for hydropower that could be harnessed to turn the wheels of industry in the years before steam power took hold.

Nonetheless, Dale’s willingness – rare among his class – to consider the wellbeing of his workers, made him an important forerunner of the socialist movements that would come to transform the world in the following centuries. His foresight – to recognise that workers’ welfare directly affects

40 | historic scotland | autumn 2013

industry and productivity – was to inspire generations to come.

Dale’s visionary approach had a huge inf luence on his son-in-law, Robert Owen who went on to form a partnership that would buy New Lanark from Dale. Owen became managing partner in 1800 and set out to improve and expand the business, further enhancing the life of his workers to such an extent that his reputation in this area would in the end far outstrip his father-in-law’s.

Owen gradually stopped using child labour – which was commonplace in the early days of industry – and instead introduced progressive schools, including the world’s first nursery, as well as free healthcare and healthy, affordable meals for labourers. Likewise, under Owen, the village shop was run to benefit the workers and is thus considered a forerunner of the co-operative movement.

Its isolation from the industrialised cities of the 19th century, and its designed and natural landscape, not only made New Lanark a better place in which to live, but also helped keep the village and its surroundings untouched by modern developments.

It remains one of the finest examples of industrially-motivated urban planning in the world, preserved for the admiration of future generations.

A model village

New Lanark was a progressive model from its inception and has long been regarded as exceptional for its architecture and landscape. In 2001 UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) formally awarded the village World Heritage Site status for its profound influence on social and industrial developments throughout the 19th century. This makes New Lanark one of five such sites in Scotland. The village served as a paradigm for urban living during the 18th century.

Today, it is a reminder of a remarkable accomplishment.

historic scotland | summer 2013 | 41

behind the scenes

My day as an apprentice stonemason Jack Kibble-White dons protective garb to find out what life’s like for those who chisel and lever our history into place

malcolm cochrane

W

ork in the modern world seems to play out to a soundtrack of email notifications.

Is this really how it was meant to be?

Increasingly there is an appetite in 21st-century employees to seek out more meaningful ways to make a living – jobs that have a tangible outcome, directly correlated to the effort you put in. And so this is what leads me to abandon the office one morning, and sample a different way of life – for a day at least.

Lara Townsend, 24, describes what I am doing as a necessary investigation into finding out where your true vocation might lie. ‘It interests me how much people could do with their hands,’ she says, ‘but they don’t realise the skills they have because they’re stuck in an office.’

I meet Lara beside the imposing presence of Glasgow Cathedral. The building is partially obscured by scaffolding, but then, that’s why Lara is here. She’s a first-year apprentice stonemason who, as part of her training, has been assigned to the crew that has been carrying out a programme of major works at the cathedral since the mid-1990s.

Lara is dressed in protective clothing that reminds me of the film The Andromeda Strain, and is working away on a hulking piece of sandstone. Her works manager, Erik Ramsay, explains she is using a mallet (known in the trade as a ‘mell’) and a chisel to shape the stone into the desired form to take its eventual place up on the cathedral. ‘The head of 42 | historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013

When she applied for the apprenticeship, Lara was hoping for something ‘practical, direct and meaningful’

the mell is made of nylon,’ Erik says. ‘Traditionally they were made of timber, but the point where the timber contacted the chisel would eventually hollow out; nylon doesn’t do that. The mell has a nice feel and gives you a good hit on the stone.’

Certainly there is a satisfying ‘thunk’ every time Lara’s mallet connects with the chisel, which in turn connects with the sandstone (sometimes resulting in sparks). I’m itching to have a go, to feel that satisfying ‘thunk’ for myself. I can see a line that Lara is working towards, as she chips away.

This is just one part of a many stage process – we will be fine chiseling this sandstone later on.

Lara is one of an intake of 18 apprentices who have recently joined Historic Scotland. Two are electricians, one is a joiner and the rest are stonemasons.

Having graduated from university, Lara knew she wanted to do something with her hands, and tried out various disciplines such as screen printing and stained glass making. ‘I did a day stone carving,’ she says, ‘and discovered I really like working with stone; it was natural to me.’ When she applied for the apprenticeship she was hoping for something ‘practical, direct and meaningful’.

And so too were countless others. In fact, apprenticeships such as these always receive loads

I’m itching to have a go, to feel that satisfying ‘thunk’ for myself. I can see a line that Lara is working towards, as she chips away at the sandstone

behind the scenes

malcolm cochrane

of applications. By Lara’s calculations, Historic Scotland must have interviewed around 100 people for the 18 places, and presumably not everyone who applied made it to interview stage. Indeed, the application process was, she says, ‘very rigorous’, and during the interview Lara had to demonstrate her skill at chiselling perpendicular surfaces into a piece of rock. ‘At the beginning, it was a bit stressful, but I got into it and really enjoyed it.’

When I meet her, she’s been based at Glasgow for just a couple of months, but has already found the experience beneficial. ‘I’ve been able to help with roughing out a large stone and using a tackle to turn it round,’ she says. ‘It’s really interesting just to see how a massive stone is actually moved – it’s complicated. I want to understand how it all works, so that I always remember how what I am doing connects with the building.’

Lara will be based at Glasgow Cathedral for the next four years. During that period, she’ll spend time at Forth Valley College (Historic Scotland’s Masonry Training Facility in Stirling, part of the National Conservation Centre), where she will learn the theoretical side of the job.

Lara kindly agrees to tutor me through some basic stonemasonry, but that can wait for just a bit.

Like her, I want to get a sense of how my own contribution will ultimately connect with the building. And so Erik leads me over to the cathedral and we ascend the scaffolding. Along the way, I am given an overview of the works. Erik’s role is to co-ordinate all of the activity, which means bringing in contractors and crews. The team are engaged in phase four of the programme, which is focusing on the west front of the cathedral. The aim is to have it finished by year end.

Erik points out one of the larger windows on the west front. ‘There has been a lot of painstaking conservation work carried out here. This side is really exposed to the elements and it’s been quite challenging. You’re preparing the stones using templates you’ve made, but when you fit them into the building you have to “sweeten” them in to the neighbouring stonework.’ Around 80 per cent of the stonework round this window will be replaced.

‘You’re preparing the stones using templates you’ve made, but when you fit them into the building you have to “sweeten” them in to the neighbouring stonework’ 44 | historic scotland | autumn 2013

‘Stonemasonry dates back to the dawn of civilisation.

It’s great to think that my mark on the building will be here for another thousand years or so’

The Graduate Many one-time Historic Scotland stonemason apprentices have gone on to remain in the industry.

Steven Laing tells us his story

I started my apprenticeship in 1989 at Elgin Cathedral, and continued my education with a BTEC National Certificate in Construction, followed by a Higher National Certificate. I then did the William Morris Craft Fellowship Trust scheme run by the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.

In 1999 I set up my company, Laing Traditional Masonry, and started with just one apprentice.

We’ve since grown to 80 employees and have offices in Aberdeenshire, Elgin and Stirling.

The Historic Scotland apprenticeship provided me with a great grounding in masonry. I worked with superb master craftspeople and learned loads. To this day, I still believe there is nothing that beats the experience of working on site.

Above: Works manager Erik Ramsay (left) with his apprentices Calum and Lara.

Top left: Calum ‘tooling’ a fleur-de-lis structure.

Bottom left: A selection of tools of the trade, including a variety of chisels

Up on the cathedral, we meet Calum McKimmon who is in the second year of his apprenticeship and working on a fleur-de-lis structure. This is a stone detail high up on the building that has suffered in the whirling wind. Calum is, says Erik, ‘tooling’ the new stones brought in as part of the conservation work, which is to say he is making a series of vertical grooves into the stonework in the style of the existing material.

Apprentices come from many different backgrounds and include both school leavers and those who have been through further education.

‘I was at what was then called the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama for two years doing music,’ Calum tells me, although he’s always had an interest in this line of work. I ask him how he feels about his new trade. ‘Stonemasonry is one of those crafts that dates back to the dawn of civilisation. It’s great to think that my mark on the building will be here for another thousand years or so.’

And then it’s time to make my own mark. Back at ‘base camp’ I take mallet in hand and – with the

guidance of Lara and fellow apprentice Luke Macdonald – try to gain some mastery over the stonework of Glasgow Cathedral. Quite sensibly, Erik isn’t going to let me loose on anything too crucial; besides, it’s difficult to imagine what kind of serious damage I could do to a massive bit of sandstone. Nonetheless, it’s a satisfying experience.

After some concerted chiselling, my arm is getting sore, so Lara and I change tack and she shows me how to finish off a piece of chiselled stone, to ensure the straight lines are perfectly so. Trying to create this kind of geometric perfection is strangely rewarding, particularly when you realise that what you are doing will endure for centuries.

This might sound grandiose but that’s what I get out of this experience – it’s a meaningful job. Of course, the thought of leaving a mark for the ages isn’t my only insight into the notion of legacies.

As I step back into my usual walk of life I am aware that a sore arm as a result of unaccustomed chiselling will be my own (thankfully short-lasting) testimony to my day as a stonemason. historic scotland | autumn 2013 | 45

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To get your 20 per cent discount and two months extra free, make sure you are registered and logged into the members’ website at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/member For more information call 0131 668 8999.

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46 | historic scotland |Autumn 2013

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letters

get in TOUCH Write to The Editor, Historic Scotland, Room 3.1, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH email hs.magazine@scotland.gsi.gov.uk tweet @hs_members and @welovehistory We are sorry that, due to the volume of mail we receive, the editor cannot reply to every letter personally

A wonderful trip

Glasgow Cathedral

shutterstock

History ingrained

I recently visited Glasgow Cathedral for the first time and wanted to share with you my impressions of the place. From the pavement it is fairly unimposing. Offset on a downward sloping hill and shrouded in the kind of blackened tint that city buildings are prone to, it blends into the metropolis.

Inside is a different story.

It’s a vast, hallowed space of soaring proportions, peaked stone arches and glimmering stained glass, a place of brooding quiet and peaceful introspection.

Standing among the willowy columns, one need only think of the history ingrained in the structure – in the past, the cathedral was the site of sanctuary, asylum and intrigue – to find oneself humbled by the scope of the human achievement.

What would your readers see as the most exciting historical site in Scotland?

How many would choose my one? It is now the grassy plains of the Antonine Wall!

We have just travelled in a minibus on a day tour of points on the wall, visiting Callendar Park, Castle Campbell, Kinneil Roman Fort and finishing at Bridgeness.

Thanks to the expertise and enthusiasm of our guide, it was a wonderful trip. He brought everything to life so that I could almost see the buildings and legions he described.

These grassy sites are not only beautifully kept, but they are also the scene of some amazing stories.

Jean Murray

But while the cathedral may offer a meditative oasis away from the chaos of urban life, it is actually the epicentre of Glasgow’s development from a small hamlet near the river to one of Europe’s largest and most prosperous industrial cities. It’s quite some building!

Isabella Ruggiero

NOTE In the summer issue of Historic Scotland magazine the front cover image of Iona Abbey was unintentionally reversed.

PHOTO COM PETITION RULES

Dirleton Castle

See page 15 for details on how to enter 1. An entrant can submit a maximum of three photographs. 2. Entries must be taken in or near Historic Scotland locations. 3. All images must be submitted as digital files. 4. Digital images should be high resolution and submitted by email or on CD. Each image should not exceed 6MB in size. 5. Images may be enhanced only to remove spots or scratches. 6. All entries are sent at the photographer’s risk and Historic Scotland cannot accept liability for damage or loss. Entries will not be returned to entrants.

All photos must be legally obtained, with permission if appropriate. 7. Entrants must be the sole author and owner of copyright for all images entered. 8. Copyright in all images submitted for this competition remains with the respective entrants. Where an image is used, the photographer will be credited. However, in consideration of entering the competition, each entrant grants Historic Scotland a licence to feature competition images in the publication, website or promotional material connected to Historic Scotland. 9. The competition is not open to employees of Historic Scotland or Think. 10. Winners will be notified by 11 April 2014.

11. Historic Scotland reserves the right to cancel this competition or alter any of the rules, if necessary. 12. If the winner is unable to be contacted after reasonable attempts, Historic Scotland reserves the right to either offer the prize to a runner up or to re-offer the prize in any future competition. 13. These rules are governed by the laws of Scotland. 14. The decision of the judges is final. 15. Stirling Castle tour to be redeemed by 31 December 2014 at a time agreed by both parties. 16. The first prize includes an iPad mini. The prize is subject to availability. If, for any reason, it becomes unavailable we reserve the right to supply a suitable alternative prize of similar value. 17. Entrants must be a Historic Scotland member or, in the Junior category, their parent/guardian must be a Historic Scotland member. historic scotland | AUTUMN 2013 | 49

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FOR OUR CONTRIBUTION TO WATER MANAGEMENT

ROBIN WHITFIELD

IN THE

UK

Start enjoying your new powerful shower today and begin to save water, energy and money!

Call 0208 211 3666 or visit ecocamel.co.uk

Quote HS171 when ordering

Or fill out the order form below and send to: ECOCAMEL Ltd, Forest House, Depot Road, 58 Wood Lane, White City, London, W127RZ *Use an Ecocamel shower head for 30 days – if you are dissatisfied for any reason, then please return to us for a full refund.

YES please send me my: Please tick as appropriate Buy 1 Original Jetstorm

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For electric and low pressure systems

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Buy 2 Jetstorm-E’s SAVE £10 £49.90 + £3.95 p&p = For electric and low pressure systems

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SEPTEMBER–nov ember

events

lots of exciting things to do right across scotland

Pick up your events guide at any of our properties or visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/events for full details.

Daytime events are free to members, unless otherwise stated.

Remembering the Battle of Flodden Flodden 500

Stirling Castle From Sun 8 to Sun 29 September 0131 668 8885 www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/events A month of activities including guided tours and exhibitions to discover the significance of Stirling Castle and the Battle of Flodden.

After Flodden – Commemoration and Coronation Stirling Castle Sat 21–Sun 22 September 12pm–4pm 0131 668 8885 www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/events

In the 500th anniversary year of the Battle of Flodden, which saw the devastating loss of James IV, hear reflections on what went wrong for the Scots on that fateful day. Join us as we commemorate the battle and mark the crowning of James V.

Scottish Chamber Choir

Stirling Castle Sun 22 September 7.30pm–8.30pm £12 adult, £10 concession, £8 child 10% discount for Historic Scotland members 0131 668 8885 www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/events The Scottish Chamber Choir performs music of the time by Scottish composers David Peebles, Andro Kemp and Robert Johnson, alongside the work of Scotland’s most prominent living composer, James MacMillan. Includes a performance by the Edinburgh Renaissance Band.

Key to icons Toilets Restaurant/café Gift shop Parking A Year of Natural Scotland 2013 event

James IV before the fateful Battle of Flodden

Reasonable wheelchair access

Dogs not permitted

historic scotland | Autumn 2013 | 51

events

www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/events

Toilets

Restaurant / café

Composer Michael Nyman premières a new work at Kelso Abbey

The Big Draw is set to make its mark across sites in October

SEPTEMBER

Meet the Doomster

Pirates and Patriots

Meet Scotland’s most feared man, who uses torture to wring confessions from his victims.

During the American War of Independence prisoners of war were held in the vaults of the castle. Meet a prison guard and discover what it was like to be held in this mighty fortress.

Fragments of Black – A Song of Night

Kelso Abbey and Kelso Old Parish Church Sat 14 September 7pm £15 adult, £13 concession, £10 child. 10% members discount.

Tickets available at the door by card payment only.

0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov. uk/fragments

The Mither Tongue Stirling Castle Sat 12–Sun 13 October 01786 450 000 www.stirlingcastle.gov. uk/events

Join us for a fun-packed weekend dedicated to the Scots language with guided tours, storytelling and Scottish food facts. It’s sure to be a great event for people of all ages.

Edinburgh Castle Mon 14, Weds 16, Thurs 17 October 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 225 9846 More events can be viewed at www.edinburghcastle. gov.uk/events

Edinburgh Castle Thurs 24 October 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 225 9846 More events can be viewed at www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk

Enjoy an evening of light, sound and song with the second event of the Fragments trilogy.

Featuring a unique piece of new music from internationally acclaimed composer Michael Nyman, ‘Fragments of Black’ brings the story from Jedburgh into the night of Kelso Abbey, with a journey through a medieval landscape.

OCTOBER The Big Draw

shutterstock

Various Throughout October We’re delighted to take part in the largest annual drawing festival in the world, ‘The Big Draw’. We’ll be encouraging visitors at various sites to get their pens, pencils and brushes out! For full details see www. historic-scotland.gov.uk/events 52 | historic scotland | Autumn 2013

At Land and Sea

Rothesay Castle Sat 28 September 0131 668 8885 In the 750th anniversary year of the Battle of Largs, Historic Scotland, in conjunction with the Friends of Rothesay Castle, are holding a special event to mark the occasion. www.historicscotland.gov.uk/events

Gift shop

Reasonable wheelchair access

Dogs not permitted

Parking

A Year of Natural Scotland 2013 event

Fright Night

Linlithgow Palace Fri 25, Sat 26 October, Fri 1, Sat 2 November 7.30pm, 8.30pm, 9.30pm £10, 10% discount for members 0131 668 8885 Booking essential www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/events As night descends, come to Linlithgow Palace to meet some of the less pleasant characters and relive the gruesome events in its history. But don’t worry – you’re brave, not afraid of the dark, and are perfectly safe – or are you? Enjoy this fascinating and scary experience, which is suitable for ages 8+.

As night descends, come to Linlithgow Palace to meet some of the less pleasant characters and re-live the gruesome events in its history

Christmas is coming!

This winter, Historic Scotland will once again host festive lunches at Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, plus two Wine and Dine events at Edinburgh Castle.

For more information, or to view menus and book, visit www.historicscotland.gov.uk/ member

historic scotland | Autumn 2013 | 53

events

Ranger Events

For details of Ranger events on Orkney, call 01856 841732.

For Holyrood Park, 0131 652 8150 and Linlithgow Palace, 01506 842065

Standing Stones of Stenness Walk

Standing Stones of Stenness Every Weds (excluding 25 Dec and 1 Jan) to March 2014 10am 01856 841732 This guided walk looks at our oldest stone circle and the links with the nearby Neolithic village of Barnhouse.

Historic Holyrood Active Archaeology Holyrood Park Sun 22 September 9am–12pm 0131 652 8150 Booking essential

Explore the park’s archaeology and human traces from the medieval period with this three-hour walk. Suitable for ages 16+.

Archaeology Day Holyrood Park Sun 29 September 12pm-4pm 0131 652 8150

Spend a day in the Iron Age during Scottish Archaeology Month, meet historic characters and try out past skills.

The Shore That Inspired Rae

shutterstock

Orkney Sun 29 September 11am 01856 841732 Booking essential Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Rae with a tour of the 54 | historic scotland | Autumn 2013

Ring of Brodgar Walk Every Thurs (excluding 26 Dec and 2 Jan) to March 2014 1pm 01856 841732

Explore the surrounding area during a guided walk and discover the significance of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.

Discover some of the archaeological treasures which have been unearthed in Holyrood Park over the years

From its volcanic activity to its ancient people, there’s plenty to find out about Holyrood

Clestrain shoreline and the landmarks that inspired the doctor and explorer. Ages 16+.

Young Rangers

Linlithgow Palace Tues 22 October 10am-12pm 01506 842065 Booking essential Nature-based activities for primary age children accompanied by an adult.

Volcano Fun Day

Holyrood Park Sat 26 October 11am–3pm 0131 652 8150 A family fun day out to introduce you to the incredible geological heritage of Holyrood Park.

Explorer John Rae was inspired

by Orkney’s Clestrain shoreline

Volcanoes: From Edinburgh to Outer Space Holyrood Park Sun 3 November 1pm–2.30pm 0131 652 8150 Booking essential

Discover the amazing volcanic history of Arthur’s Seat and learn more about volcanoes around the world, as well as around the solar system. This event is suitable for ages 8+.

Within These Walls

Holyrood Park Sat 9 November, Sat 7 December, Sun 2 March 2014 12pm–3pm 0131 652 8150 Booking essential

Find out all about the historical background and ownership of Holyrood Park and discover the ways in which its many wonderful natural resources were once used by the working class.

historic scotland | Autumn 2013 | 55

viewfinder

GUESS THE MYSTERY LOCATION AND WIN

How to enter If you can identify the location from the clues below, visit www.historic-scotland. gov.uk/viewfinder or post your answer, with your name, membership number and address, to Viewfinder, Historic Scotland magazine, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH by 18 October.

See www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ member for terms and conditions.

The winning entry will receive a cheese

and wine hamper from Scottish Hampers (www.scottishhampers.co.uk) containing a bottle of Bordeaux, Scottish cheese, crackers and flame roasted coffee, among other treats.

Please note this competition is only open to members who are aged over 18

This elegant sundial is set into the outer wall of a fortified residence in Fife which was begun in the 13th century and extended by the Douglases in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. Arguably the oldest standing stone castle in Scotland, it also boasts a well-tended walled garden and terraces with a beehiveshaped dovecot.

Last issue Last issue’s location was Edinburgh Castle. It was correctly identified

by Patrick Tracey from Alloa

56 | historic scotland | Autumn 2013

Dirt and soaked-in water stops sweat escaping so it stays in your boots

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