tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37156779067585130852024-03-18T09:48:02.694+00:00Clans, Castles and the Scottish BordersAn occasional blog by Alastair CunninghamAlastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-36661444597646282782021-03-28T16:35:00.004+00:002023-09-18T16:23:15.215+00:00The Rosetta Stone - and caravanning in Peebles<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times;">If you're heading for Peebles Golf Club, you'll drive along Rosetta Road. </span><span style="font-family: times;">But why Rosetta, a substantial town on the Nile Delta? </span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKUdX2OANU3L1yt-E9_vitPIRSuNYKvr5porMbBqH0NEmi90_hzwPtqOVH9LrTciXJkL6PFpLdgt_E13l5ai8QivlFUaRODPO1QMILs0VpB_7tcVe58X4bqWgc3LCfDST0psS8rJ98ac/s1207/Rashid+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKUdX2OANU3L1yt-E9_vitPIRSuNYKvr5porMbBqH0NEmi90_hzwPtqOVH9LrTciXJkL6PFpLdgt_E13l5ai8QivlFUaRODPO1QMILs0VpB_7tcVe58X4bqWgc3LCfDST0psS8rJ98ac/s320/Rashid+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times;">Well, Rosetta </span><span style="font-family: times;">(now known as Rasheed or Rashid) produced the stone which</span><span style="font-family: times;"> </span><span style="font-family: times;">unlocked the long-running mystery of Egyptian hieroglyphs as it contained the same text both in Greek and in hieroglyphs</span><span style="font-family: times;">. Soldiers in Napoleon's Army found it on 15 July 1799 whilst digging the foundations of a fort near the town. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">It is now one of the most famous objects in the British Library.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79quQJ_YJBYB2F-oZMCQcRJtkhGIzYIlny_Im8E1GWrEf4sEGWURiw5Jec-8LELNFb2LW2Piy0qTtQM7H9o7bmgEqQRmfWI2ACFK209XyZsfbrPMgcFIdI1Pj4SVkf-9L3MZQ_r2JN6s/s1039/Rosetta+Stone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1039" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79quQJ_YJBYB2F-oZMCQcRJtkhGIzYIlny_Im8E1GWrEf4sEGWURiw5Jec-8LELNFb2LW2Piy0qTtQM7H9o7bmgEqQRmfWI2ACFK209XyZsfbrPMgcFIdI1Pj4SVkf-9L3MZQ_r2JN6s/s320/Rosetta+Stone.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: large;">But the French didn't keep it f<span style="font-family: times;">or long. Sir Ralph Abercromby, from Menstrie in Perthshire, was </span><span style="font-family: times;">a successful soldier, </span><span style="font-family: times;">whose entry on Wikipedia contains the delightful sentence, "In 1801 Abercomby was sent to recover Egypt from France". This he duly did and he brought back many antiquities - including the Rosetta Stone. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Amongst the surgeons in Abercomby's army was one Thomas Young from East Lothian. Young had perhaps made some money whilst in the victorious army which recovered Egypt. In any case he had, on return, fallen in love with a young lady called Violet Burnet whose father, James Burnet of Barns, had in 1773 built rather a fine house overlooking the Tweed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ThVAO4NZ5OwG39dw2QBDJ6LdRVjmcZWTmbaCA6QPFc8gWiIA2iRtoPJybUxRuBkrrcvQXJwyYHgtA7DjvuJry187NWcDQvsk6WBfSw3FWspmjwBuBj9S75nfBqI6zSfrcQEzj1LRvXk/s472/Barns+House+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ThVAO4NZ5OwG39dw2QBDJ6LdRVjmcZWTmbaCA6QPFc8gWiIA2iRtoPJybUxRuBkrrcvQXJwyYHgtA7DjvuJry187NWcDQvsk6WBfSw3FWspmjwBuBj9S75nfBqI6zSfrcQEzj1LRvXk/s320/Barns+House+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Perhaps Young felt that Violet should not be asked to move down in the world and he too should have a house of similar standing... In 1807 he built a fine house outside Peebles, remarkably similar to that of his father-in-law - with two floors, central pediment and a sunken basement. Wondering about a name for his new marital home, his mind went back to campaigning days, and he decided on 'Rosetta'. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Rosetta House is now just on the edge of Peebles and overlooks a caravan park.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbcmgJf6Lc-Kfnj1XfNcQF6VA8aajVfui3yw5dfpAYWqJaQLcffYkNJ7q0NeErpFddAzw2RbNHnTLITT8EnUnY_bwWtEbq2ShvU8jYiLIbrP4EyTeixn6jUVF_M95IkEvJ-qYGOGiGSrQ/s2048/Rosetta+House.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbcmgJf6Lc-Kfnj1XfNcQF6VA8aajVfui3yw5dfpAYWqJaQLcffYkNJ7q0NeErpFddAzw2RbNHnTLITT8EnUnY_bwWtEbq2ShvU8jYiLIbrP4EyTeixn6jUVF_M95IkEvJ-qYGOGiGSrQ/w400-h300/Rosetta+House.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p>Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-46912392481207710692020-09-28T10:37:00.006+00:002020-09-28T11:18:02.428+00:00Travelling gently. Simon Schama, Nostalgia and the Scottish Borders<p> I enjoyed Part III of Simon Schama’s ‘The Romantics and Us’ (BBC2
on Friday). It’s about <a name="_Hlk52026292">nostalgia, the ‘songs of our
homeland’ and ancestry.</a></p>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk52026292;"></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKMx9mOf09i7CXdE9vSrqEWDqWzLLkNqhQRuQoTTMzGfRbhL39QHGw8A6QBUAiUX3oa8o-qP0p22AgVWWx_1ghyphenhyphenuNz7EJ88gEyyN7NHsOkjFQb9qkXcd5Y9wimuNZ_Y9nzceexsNZlI8/s1770/Schama+and+Smailholm.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="1180" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKMx9mOf09i7CXdE9vSrqEWDqWzLLkNqhQRuQoTTMzGfRbhL39QHGw8A6QBUAiUX3oa8o-qP0p22AgVWWx_1ghyphenhyphenuNz7EJ88gEyyN7NHsOkjFQb9qkXcd5Y9wimuNZ_Y9nzceexsNZlI8/s320/Schama+and+Smailholm.jpg" /></a>Early on, Schama approaches Smailholm Tower with the words, “There
was a fear that authentic Scottish culture would dwindle away or simply
disappear” – echoing Sir Walter Scott’s stated reason for collecting local ballads: "to contribute to the history of my native country, the peculiar features of
whose manners and character are daily melting and dissolving into those of her
sister and ally”.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How lucky we are, here in the Scottish Borders, that our own authentic culture
has not dissolved! It is preserved in Scott’s ‘Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border’,
in our stories of the reivers, in the myths and legends of these valleys. Also,
in our Common Ridings – authentic local festivals, each unique to its own town,
the sounds and smells unchanged in 300 years. Driven by Nostalgia, ‘exiles’ return
home for these celebrations each year.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our culture has not dissolved, but it is also not celebrated!
Despite much of Highland heritage being preserved in Gaelic, stories of the
Highland clans resonate internationally in a way that our stories do not. And the
Borders is overlooked by most international tourists.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If we don’t know and celebrate our native culture, we can’t make
it interesting and attractive to others. <a href="https://twitter.com/heraldscotland/status/1310119953278873600" target="_blank">VisitScotland research today</a> suggests
that “visitors are expected to shift focus from ticking off large events and busy
city attractions for a gentler pace of travel”. That's us! Surely! But we must offer something more than fine landscapes if more people are to travel gently here.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The newly formed South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) is now responsible for the strategic marketing of the South of Scotland. </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF9Zqpjs0miZt8jt64unvTihilzmZhJKOGX_J4heYTdtm_oleQ59eqXIdstaDZESCVJ8r8_fhKvOgTAlcowM19ynaYNW00xM2V107ToXUfI-BI9EyVtrSMZa9M1NijK4-YlPG0DLx9Ps/s250/Wilson%2527s+Tales.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGF9Zqpjs0miZt8jt64unvTihilzmZhJKOGX_J4heYTdtm_oleQ59eqXIdstaDZESCVJ8r8_fhKvOgTAlcowM19ynaYNW00xM2V107ToXUfI-BI9EyVtrSMZa9M1NijK4-YlPG0DLx9Ps/w200-h200/Wilson%2527s+Tales.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>In my
view, their most important challenge is to present, loudly and consistently, a
picture of who we are. Arising from this beautiful landscape are ballads,
stories, music, paintings, history and festivals. But these don’t currently present
as a distinctive culture.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal">There are some disconnected spots of light: amongst them the
restoration of <a href="https://gilnockietower.co.uk/" target="_blank">Gilnockie Tower</a> as the Clan Armstrong Centre, the reprinting of
<a href="https://www.wilsonstales.co.uk/" target="_blank">Wilson’s Tales of the Borders,</a> <a href="www.hawickreivers.com" target="_blank">The Hawick Reivers Festival</a>, and The Twelve
Towers of Rule – a project to explain the purposeful burning of towers, mills
and abbeys in 1545. But we need a coordinated picture.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The SSDA has a steep road to climb. Scott is the towering
cultural figure of the Borders but there is no Scott Trail, linking his life
with the places that appear in his poems and novels. The ‘Borders Historic
Route’ slices through the Borders, but far from encouraging travellers to pause
and explore, it speeds them from Carlisle straight to Edinburgh - not even any
brown signs for Caerlenrig, The Borders Distillery or Melrose Abbey (to mention
just a few).</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcELavLzIUgXyOhF1xBZVLOOULdwnBjvzecZC8BlaTcsRwOezOqwXhy4b4vezldZza-2zmxgyml5xXustI5vkdj0GcH6FtciplicfhMs7nur_TV3w5HrLGp_4SO1S67yzFSFCWHCGH5A/s789/A7+Historic+Route+to+Edinburgh+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="789" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMcELavLzIUgXyOhF1xBZVLOOULdwnBjvzecZC8BlaTcsRwOezOqwXhy4b4vezldZza-2zmxgyml5xXustI5vkdj0GcH6FtciplicfhMs7nur_TV3w5HrLGp_4SO1S67yzFSFCWHCGH5A/s320/A7+Historic+Route+to+Edinburgh+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Nostalgia is the longing to go back and stay where you come
from. As a tour guide, specialising in ancestral tours, I regularly witnessed
the emotion of North Americans touching the stones of a ‘clan castle’, perhaps never even seen by their ancestors. But it’s as close as they will get
to a homeland; it's an anchorage and it’s powerful stuff. For those seeking out their Border roots,
the Hawick Heritage Hub is an exceptional facility, but its potential is poorly exploited. Few people know what’s in there, and rural B&Bs are often unaware of their
local history and its power to attract (and detain) ancestral tourists.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All power to the SSDA as it gears itself up. But please recognise
the enormous potential of Nostalgia, the ‘songs of our homeland’ and ancestry. If we do not sing loudly with the voice of our own people we are no more than a hotchpotch of interesting places and nice things to
do. The audio trails created by The Reivers Road are a step towards making our native culture more readily available, but much more is needed.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">Simon Schama’s ‘Romantics and Us’ is available on iPlayer. I
recommend it.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEEetiavsqFGrfGzkC556N3JfrVCguMljNnEaJVtNH5GweNIzIk4G6fVnsUF6fuCO2fR1gVgge9VcVs366qnbxBkTyDmuJyMU6Hg5EQhx2ubRE7SM1GT9nHyNrb-P_0ExHZlurg8Jgas/s2048/Tibbie+Tamson.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikEEetiavsqFGrfGzkC556N3JfrVCguMljNnEaJVtNH5GweNIzIk4G6fVnsUF6fuCO2fR1gVgge9VcVs366qnbxBkTyDmuJyMU6Hg5EQhx2ubRE7SM1GT9nHyNrb-P_0ExHZlurg8Jgas/s320/Tibbie+Tamson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><br /><p></p>Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-52202527764782267052020-09-01T09:06:00.001+00:002020-09-01T09:06:18.060+00:00Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>It fell about Martinmas tyde,</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>When border steeds get corn and hay</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>The Captain of Bewcastle hath bound him to ryde</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>And he's ower to Tividale to drive a prey.</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The opening lines of 'Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead' set the scene for a rollicking good reiving story (Bewcastle is ten miles across the border, Tividale is Teviotdale). It's one of the ballads set down by Sir Walter Scott (helped by James Hogg, 'The Ettrick Shepherd') in his 'Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border' - braveing the wrath of Hogg's mother, Margaret Laidlaw, who scolded him for getting it all wrong...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><font color="#3d85c6"><br /></font></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><i><font color="#0b5394">"There were never ane o' my songs prentit till ye prentit them yoursel an' ye hae spoiled them awthegither. They were made for singing an' no for reading; but ye hae broken the charm now, an' they'll never be sung mair. An' the worst thing of a', they're nouther right spelled nor right setten doon!"</font></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But we're very fortunate that he did so. Doubtless the English Borderlands had just as many good stories; few survive.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Like all ballads, there are variations: in Scott's version the heroes are, of course, the Scotts and the Elliots are untrustworthy. In the Elliot version it's reversed. The Elliot version is called Jamie Telfer IN the Fair Dodhead, implying that he was a tenant and not the proprietor - seems more likely.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eRdMzMv1F3Zal0sgy7wp8LEUroewf-d5IX4LS1WVhva_XFWjeUTEn9wOxQ5qjWkYc3c-FclRNEoovMEmP-fEKJBWumpEOE0-FYWIzdDQLoI_iKJnReF_uxPdGRFMIDppCyWhJmNMcnE/s1600/Lara+and+Dodheid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7eRdMzMv1F3Zal0sgy7wp8LEUroewf-d5IX4LS1WVhva_XFWjeUTEn9wOxQ5qjWkYc3c-FclRNEoovMEmP-fEKJBWumpEOE0-FYWIzdDQLoI_iKJnReF_uxPdGRFMIDppCyWhJmNMcnE/s400/Lara+and+Dodheid.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains of the Fair Dodhead, Ruberslaw in the background.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Jamie Telfer's tower by the 'Thieves Road' at the top of the Dod Burn is still there, very ruinous. The castle at Bewcastle, once home to the Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, is now an impressive ruin. It was a military outpost in the 16th century, designed to deter Scottish reivers. Whether the Captain of Bewcastle really initiated raids into Teviotdale, we don't know. Fake news perhaps.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ttHY4emCTOv5jtHB-dZ3AUwmN3ePbtPTHvIYHyLorDKkquNd0GvNR9fjwbJkbSw0SA3_gPwM5SPGKZcorT6FqBnFt4C6vxmyIeStkZoZyXtdMbTrtSh5FEnsbTw_ql2N7IwrlYQ6diI/s1600/Bewcastle+Church+and+Castle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1040" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ttHY4emCTOv5jtHB-dZ3AUwmN3ePbtPTHvIYHyLorDKkquNd0GvNR9fjwbJkbSw0SA3_gPwM5SPGKZcorT6FqBnFt4C6vxmyIeStkZoZyXtdMbTrtSh5FEnsbTw_ql2N7IwrlYQ6diI/s400/Bewcastle+Church+and+Castle.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bewcastle Churchyard and Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But the story rings true. Jamie Telfer, a simple farmer in an isolated tower house, is robbed of his ten cows. He manages to get a 'hot trod' (hot pursuit) going and they overtake the stolen beasts on the road back to England. The raiders turn and fight. Skulls are split, riders hit the ground, blood stains the snow and the kye (cattle) are recovered. The aggressor has relatives in Liddesdale. A reprisal raid heads off down there and these kye are driven back to Dodhead ...</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>When they cam to the fair Dodhead,</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>They were a wellcum sight to see!</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>For instead of his ain ten milk kye,</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Jamie Telfer has gotten thirty and three.</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Result!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">'Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead' is a theme along our Hermitage Trail. We follow the action, hear verses sung, and get the lowdown on life in reiving times from Jamie Telfer himself. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Download the app to find out more!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-5304331113672968512020-07-21T13:09:00.001+00:002020-07-21T13:15:54.312+00:00Lord Dacre, Flodden and the Borders<div class="separator"><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">, </div></div><div>Lockdown has delayed the launch of our first audio trail (Hermitage), but it's been a useful window to move forward with the others. The focus now is on Flodden (launching in a few weeks time). Writing this, I keep coming up against Lord Dacre - specifically Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron of Gillsland (1467 - 1525) - a perpetual thorn in the side of the Scots.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Firstly, a</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;"> few years before Flodden, Dacre, as</span> English Lord Warden of the Marches, Dacre <span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">met </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Sir R</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">obert Kerr of </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Cessford Castle, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Scottish Warden of the Middle March. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">It was a ‘Truce Day’ – a day for the peaceful settlement of grievances. However, there was an argument, then a scuffle which ended up with Sir Robert being killed by three Englishmen: Lilburn, Starhead and the </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">memorably named Heron the Bastard of Ford. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Scots managed to grab Lilburn, Starhead was tracked to a house in York, murdered, and the head brought back to Cessford; The ‘Bastard Heron’ escaped. Dacre's role in all this is unclear.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div>At Flodden, Dacre commanded the English Border Horse. Initially held in reserve, they then played a major role arriving in strength when Edmund Howard, son of the English commander Lord Surrey, was surrounded and so nearly captured by Lord Home's Borderers.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOcKKaRJ8VtPFlX89Q6o_InV750nYCkI0lFPu6_uEShC_KloPD7XwtlgDM6bfzzBXutC7jzgaL5F-Z50CNTR7U2KDeUwzyHzpyhCq3P-_d7rFfMZ5Hoh8et1twT_vkRBK-eW65rL18yM/s1600/The+Killing+Fields.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="877" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsOcKKaRJ8VtPFlX89Q6o_InV750nYCkI0lFPu6_uEShC_KloPD7XwtlgDM6bfzzBXutC7jzgaL5F-Z50CNTR7U2KDeUwzyHzpyhCq3P-_d7rFfMZ5Hoh8et1twT_vkRBK-eW65rL18yM/w400-h219/The+Killing+Fields.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Battle of Flodden 1513<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Next morning, Dacre is the man who identified the stripped body of the Scottish king, James IV (with whom he had played cards!) and took it off the field. </div><div><br /></div><div>Two months after Flodden, Dacre was raiding in Teviotdale. He reports to his king...</div><div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div><i>On Thursday past I assembled your subjects in Northumberland to the number of a thousand horsemen and rode in at Gallespeth, and so to the Water of Kale, two miles within Scotland and there set forth two forays; my brother Philip Dacre with three hundred, who burnt and destroyed the the town of Ruecastle with all the corn in the same and there-about, and took two towers in it and burnt both roof and floors; and Sir Roger Fenwick with three hundred men burnt the town of Lanton, and destroyed all the corn therein.</i></div><div><br /></div><div><div>He was at it again in 1514. But after raiding up the Ale Water some of his men were ambushed by the callants of Hawick at Hornshole and lost their flag - now the symbol of Hawick and its Common Riding.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, Dacre was back in 1523. "<i>In the morning of the day which was yesterday, we set forward and we went to Kelso where we not only burned and destroyed the whole town that would burn by any labour but also cast down the Gatehouse of the Abbey." </i></div><div>Yes.<i> </i>We have him to blame.</div><div><br /></div><div>So who was this swashbuckling destroyer?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5XDsJzLGTouwuvtadbqzaWPoeOL9vauBrqqQsH3AbpFDrnOhjmScZkseBGTYxwxeVsclpw53YODJifPwpdKIqx3tAtKGDCGDIipjVhe9fuqisMrGES61C3fB9-mtGtY2Rsj6qCZnRcE/s800/Lord+Dacre+Coat+of+Arms.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5XDsJzLGTouwuvtadbqzaWPoeOL9vauBrqqQsH3AbpFDrnOhjmScZkseBGTYxwxeVsclpw53YODJifPwpdKIqx3tAtKGDCGDIipjVhe9fuqisMrGES61C3fB9-mtGtY2Rsj6qCZnRcE/w164-h164/Lord+Dacre+Coat+of+Arms.png" width="164" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><font size="2">Arms of Thomas, 2nd Lord Dacre</font><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>Born at Gillsland on Hadrian's Wall, son of a West March Warden and Governor of Carlisle, he was very much a Borderer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Aged 18 he was at the Battle of Bosworth Field, fighting for the House of York against the victorious House of Lancaster. But he quickly made his peace with the new King Henry VII, who later made him a Knight of the Bath.</div><div><br /></div><div>Later that year (still 18!) he became Deputy Lord Warden of the Marches, then five years later in 1490, Warden of the West March .</div><div><br /></div><div>Aged 21 he fell in love with Elizabeth Greystoke, 17 year old ward of the powerful Lord Clifford. He abducted her by night from Brougham Castle in Westmorland. Somehow he got away with it, married her and they had eight children.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>He seems to have been quite a friend of James IV, whose wedding he attended. When James visited Dumfries in 1504 he played cards against Dacre, who reportedly took him for £2 6s 8d!</div><div><br /></div><div>From 1509 to 1525 he was Henry VIII's Lord Warden of the Marches, responsible for the entire border. And so it was that whilst he held this position, created to ensure peace along the Border, he was leading these various raids into Teviotdale.</div><div><br /></div><div>He was clearly a warrior; he also knew how to have others do his dirty work for him. George MacDonald Fraser in 'Steel Bonnets' puts it like this...</div><div><br /></div><div>"<i>As a stirrer-up of mischief on the Scottish side of the frontier, intriguing among factions, enlisting Scots outlaws to harry their countrymen and promoting his monarch's policy of confusion and harm, he had few equals.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Dacre was in the saddle to the end, dying when he fell from his horse in 1525. He is buried in the family vault at Lanercost Priory. His son William succeeded him as Warden of the West March. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE9fm1xhkj-7d4s1m5-Ispp0e69FtONr1GOXxZ7VL9oiXE_wKgZIUYSohXw_sObVLyJj93K9P_SqYL8wU8vNmvtViFQ11jDybYJI8RpG00qO9IOyEzthgm0XG8QZExTDImSUVqTYDZM8/s800/Lanercost-6216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE9fm1xhkj-7d4s1m5-Ispp0e69FtONr1GOXxZ7VL9oiXE_wKgZIUYSohXw_sObVLyJj93K9P_SqYL8wU8vNmvtViFQ11jDybYJI8RpG00qO9IOyEzthgm0XG8QZExTDImSUVqTYDZM8/w400-h268/Lanercost-6216.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lanercost Priory near Brampton<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> </p></div></div></div>Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-63098995728350080512019-10-04T15:59:00.000+00:002019-10-13T07:08:23.825+00:00The Nine: Scottish Dukes<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6YHR0a8De7T6LDkRj8S7keGLGxHJY3gC-6TV6_FX2zdk9FZqyhyphenhyphenA1g14P292c1JHWG4YQIbmaFpAnnpa7VwL4LfWhmykRsdBqhFy9lMtb9D7rdqTJv3V3jWYPcuCXVFkIJmyqHTyVrI/s1600/10th+Duke+of+Roxburghe+by+Allan+Warren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1162" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6YHR0a8De7T6LDkRj8S7keGLGxHJY3gC-6TV6_FX2zdk9FZqyhyphenhyphenA1g14P292c1JHWG4YQIbmaFpAnnpa7VwL4LfWhmykRsdBqhFy9lMtb9D7rdqTJv3V3jWYPcuCXVFkIJmyqHTyVrI/s200/10th+Duke+of+Roxburghe+by+Allan+Warren.jpg" title="" width="137" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">10th Duke of Roxburghe,<br />
by Allan Warren </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
The Duke of Roxburghe died on 29th August. He was 64, a tragic victim of cancer. Guy Roxburghe was an impressive man in many ways and was given a substantial obituary in <a href="https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituary-guy-david-innes-ker-10th-duke-of-roxburghe-businessman-racehorse-breeder-and-conservationist-1-4997392" target="_blank">‘The Scotsman’</a> and <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-10th-duke-of-roxburghe-obituary-dfg35wcj6" target="_blank">The Times. </a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, his achievements would not have been quite so prominently aired had he been plain Mr.</div>
<div>
<br />
Who are the Scottish Dukes? How relevant are they in 2019?</div>
<div>
<br />
The oldest and most senior is the Duke of Rothesay (a pleasant town on the Isle of Bute). The title was first given to David Stewart, son of Robert III of Scotland, in 1398. After David’s death it went to his brother, later King James I. Thereafter, the heir apparent to the Scottish Crown has held this dukedom and it is now the title used by HRH Prince Charles when in Scotland.<br />
<div>
<br />
The other eight dukedoms, with dates of creation, are:
<br />
<br />
Duke of Hamilton, 1643 (Head of the Houses of Hamilton and Douglas). <br />
Duke of Buccleuch, 1663 (Created for Anne Countess of Buccleuch<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Scott,_1st_Duchess_of_Buccleuch">,</a> widow of the Duke of Monmouth, illegitimate son of Charles II. Chief of Clan Scott) <br />
Duke of Lennox, 1675 (Created for Charles Lennox, illegitimate son of Charles II) <br />
Duke of Queensberry, 1684 (now held by the Dukes of Buccleuch) <br />
Duke of Argyll, 1701 (Chief of Clan Campbell) <br />
Duke of Atholl, 1703 (Chief of Clan Murray) <br />
Duke of Montrose, 1707(support in the Act of Union, Chief of Clan Graham) <br />
Duke of Roxburghe, 1707 (support in the Act of Union) </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh-ck3VIEWlLv-UJHJTeENRe4_hXFzqsG9FvNdHyk653YomLPcIV0YnUPF54pG7C5Taa0sI9hjL8BidfJsL6rt2M_bt4TRqu-d7-noV-iE7WhxsG4g5sUHbqqPZxILJnAwTlOaMJTnkI/s1600/Floors+Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="611" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWh-ck3VIEWlLv-UJHJTeENRe4_hXFzqsG9FvNdHyk653YomLPcIV0YnUPF54pG7C5Taa0sI9hjL8BidfJsL6rt2M_bt4TRqu-d7-noV-iE7WhxsG4g5sUHbqqPZxILJnAwTlOaMJTnkI/s320/Floors+Castle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floors Castle by Kelso. Home of the Duke of Roxburghe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
If you strip out Lennox (lives in England), Atholl (lives in South Africa) and Queensberry (also Buccleuch), we are left with five dukes: Hamilton, Buccleuch, Argyll, Montrose and Roxburghe. <br />
<br />
As a body these five are quite impressive: all of them big or massive landowners, four of them clan chiefs and one (Montrose) sits in the House of Lords. The Dukes of Hamilton and Argyll also have ceremonial roles; the latter Master of the Household of Scotland, the former Hereditary Bearer of the Crown of Scotland. <br />
<br />
Perhaps more significantly, our dukes own four of the most significant furnished castles in Scotland. The Dukes of Buccleuch have both the magnificent <a href="https://www.drumlanrigcastle.co.uk/">Drumlanrig Castle</a> and charming <a href="https://www.bowhillhouse.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bowhill House</a> near Selkirk. The Duke of Argyll has <a href="https://www.inveraray-castle.com/">Inveraray Castle</a> (fascinating in its own right and also featured in Downton Abbey!) and the late Duke of Roxburghe was responsible for creating from his splendid home, <a href="file:///C:/Users/User/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/U4JK6QQ1/David%20Stewart,%20the%20son%20of%20Robert%20III%20of%20Scotland,%20King%20of%20Scots,%20was%20the%20first%20Duke%20of%20Rothesay%20(a%20pleasant%20town%20on%20the%20Isle%20of%20Bute).%20His%20brother,%20later%20King%20James%20I,%20received%20it%20after%20David%E2%80%99s%20death%20and%20thereafter,%20the%20heir%20apparent%20to%20the%20Scottish%20Crown%20has%20held%20the%20dukedom.">Floors Castle,</a> with its gardens and grounds, a fascinating and relaxed half day visit.<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiISfM0KdQ7PpqrDaBPy2Sz-Uo7KY_0wTveQBWGNENASibzht7j69U2FnRGjE3Aq1jf0tsiqTHnyk1Y9d46FaBedlFNCjfyIpG6xRxNd1Cp3FsBDUYBkQYLoK6_u6Nn_l2LUj2Kd5kck/s1600/Inveraray+Castle+from+hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1600" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiISfM0KdQ7PpqrDaBPy2Sz-Uo7KY_0wTveQBWGNENASibzht7j69U2FnRGjE3Aq1jf0tsiqTHnyk1Y9d46FaBedlFNCjfyIpG6xRxNd1Cp3FsBDUYBkQYLoK6_u6Nn_l2LUj2Kd5kck/s400/Inveraray+Castle+from+hill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inveraray Castle, Argyll, home of the Duke of Argyll.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 14.0pt; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-58709700228194357042019-07-31T15:02:00.000+00:002019-10-13T07:10:22.005+00:00Where exactly is the Duchy of Albany?<h2 style="clear: both;">
</h2>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QwRpGyVBUOZs0RPCyD_GdTuNQGzxC8ghK-2iWBf_I0QbGVQQYbv23vgiK6pXyPgYcXXXQQw2lWW8459m0YxQNBYhyOKuWs_xedEuYwxvDcd4FxIuCMRdtu4bztrjRddglior6qRQb1E/s1600/visitscotland_26542746925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1272" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QwRpGyVBUOZs0RPCyD_GdTuNQGzxC8ghK-2iWBf_I0QbGVQQYbv23vgiK6pXyPgYcXXXQQw2lWW8459m0YxQNBYhyOKuWs_xedEuYwxvDcd4FxIuCMRdtu4bztrjRddglior6qRQb1E/s320/visitscotland_26542746925.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doune Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Visitors
to the very fine Doune Castle will learn that it was built
by Robert, Duke of Albany. Robert was the first person to own this enigmatic title
which, unusually, has no relationship with any land. It was later given to the
sons of kings prior to succeeding, or to younger sons (the best available title
short of king). Other Dukes of Albany were Henry Lord Darnley, husband of Mary
Queen of Scots, Charles I and James II.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSnFtRlFqk8hSweLEQKffctxboODuu_f1z3zdhM5WT8mmNcdxlN6Vu6ei263mUuAviu6GIA0J5VTkpiyrQbJtprc0uEuC7heNzIFJrdfDKkuG7K3HEiWDz7fdptFKezCGXPwppt7AnO0/s1600/The+last+Duke+of+Albany.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="352" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSnFtRlFqk8hSweLEQKffctxboODuu_f1z3zdhM5WT8mmNcdxlN6Vu6ei263mUuAviu6GIA0J5VTkpiyrQbJtprc0uEuC7heNzIFJrdfDKkuG7K3HEiWDz7fdptFKezCGXPwppt7AnO0/s320/The+last+Duke+of+Albany.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last Duke of Albany</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Queen
Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold was created Duke of Albany in 1881, but
was a haemophiliac and died aged 30. His son, Charles Edward,</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titles_Deprivation_Act_1917" title="Titles Deprivation Act 1917"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-decoration-line: none;"> also reigning duke
of </span><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Saxe-Coburg and Gotha</span></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-decoration-line: none;">, was deprived</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> of his </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_peerage" title="British peerage"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-decoration-line: none;">British peerages</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> and honours for having fought in the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Army_(German_Empire)" title="German Army (German Empire)"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-decoration-line: none;">German Army</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> (eventually as a general) during
WWI.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<o:p><div style="text-align: justify;">
‘Albany’
comes from the Celtic word <i>Alba</i>, the island of Great Britain as opposed
to <i>Ierne,</i> Ireland. When the southern part of Britain became Anglo-Saxon,
the name settled on the Celtic lands north of the Forth and Clyde. Today it
means Scotland and at the Scottish border you’ll see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A0ilte" title="Fàilte"><i><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Fàilte</span></i></a> <i>gu
Alba, </i>Welcome to Scotland.<br />
<br /></div>
</o:p></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">‘Albany’
is the Anglo-Saxon rendering of Alba (Cf. Brittany, Saxony, Lombardy). The
title was first created in 1398 for the said
Robert Stewart, builder of Doune Castle, second son of King </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_II_of_Scotland" title="Robert II of Scotland"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; text-decoration-line: none;">Robert II, </span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">who was a ruthless Regent for three
Scottish kings - his father, brother and nephew - who for various reasons were unable
to rule effectively.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVg9mIe2XNOQtaSQt5rt0BtSJQRkZvr6r1j1WejIa47Z5hBi39zRfF-e2Vzvmek7T-Sc7gdKbrkhtsPNsJ0RZVeUB5gUgux9AtQaI8c1_WV0FMHHgPyjhTYrtKxql4613mAoFqrn3WjqI/s1600/Charlotte+Stuart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVg9mIe2XNOQtaSQt5rt0BtSJQRkZvr6r1j1WejIa47Z5hBi39zRfF-e2Vzvmek7T-Sc7gdKbrkhtsPNsJ0RZVeUB5gUgux9AtQaI8c1_WV0FMHHgPyjhTYrtKxql4613mAoFqrn3WjqI/s200/Charlotte+Stuart.jpg" width="169" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlotte, Duchess of Albany</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
‘Bonnie
Prince Charlie’ latterly styled himself ‘Count of Albany’ and Charlotte, his
daughter by Clementina Walkinshaw, was titled Duchess of Albany in the Jacobite
Peerage. Charlotte herself had three illegitimate children, two girls and
a son, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Edward_Stuart,_Count_Roehenstart" title="Charles Edward Stuart, Count Roehenstart"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Charles Edward</span></a>, who became an officer in the
Russian army. He told such tall tales of his origins and adventures that few
believed his claims to royal descent until the 20th century when it was established
that he was indeed who he had claimed to be. He died in 1854 as the result of a
coach accident near <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_Castle" title="Stirling Castle"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Stirling Castle</span></a> and is buried at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkeld_Cathedral" title="Dunkeld Cathedral"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Dunkeld Cathedral</span></a>, where his grave can still be seen. He married twice
but had no children.<br />
<br /></div>
</o:p></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
But that, apparently, is not the end of the Duchy
of Albany. At least not according to His Royal Highness Prince Michael of
Albany, who styles himself 7<sup>th</sup> Duke of Albany due to his descent (6G
grandson) from Prince Charles Edward Stuart through Comtesse Marguerite o’Dea
d’Audibert de Lussan - not a familiar name to most. It’s a long story, told at
length by Prince Michael in his book ‘The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland’,
available from Amazon in paperback £1.64p.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbX_D2u34nbq3HgKMCDacn0tj0NsykwR5USsGZjTz-_BuYmcvH-Ic0vFsBP183iYI1qKIgOhd3WYfdHR4d7R7uVVWs4mFijNvFBBEtwuJF76kf8qc235IjpyGNUe4Zv6ycfOjfgkFtRg/s1600/The+Forgotten+Monarchy+of+Scotland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbX_D2u34nbq3HgKMCDacn0tj0NsykwR5USsGZjTz-_BuYmcvH-Ic0vFsBP183iYI1qKIgOhd3WYfdHR4d7R7uVVWs4mFijNvFBBEtwuJF76kf8qc235IjpyGNUe4Zv6ycfOjfgkFtRg/s400/The+Forgotten+Monarchy+of+Scotland.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span></span><span style="color: #14171a; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "ubuntu" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif;"><div style="color: #14171a; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400; text-align: justify; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</div>
</span></h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-12856575912834750762019-05-01T15:22:00.000+00:002019-05-02T11:18:59.484+00:00Clan Mackay<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The
Scottish Highlands was at one stage a patchwork of clan territories and I’m
drawn to the idea of illuminating this heritage by re-establishing clan lands ‘on
the ground’. Roadside signs announcing which bailiwick lies ahead would add character to our countryside and would also be great for
tourism: members of the Diaspora would enjoy a surge of excitement, certain
that they had arrived ‘home’. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Of
course an agreed date would be needed because clan lands grew and contracted
over the ages. And even then it wouldn’t be straightforward: the process of fixing
the exact location of signs evokes a nice image of red-faced, kilted clan
chiefs, tussling with cromachs to establish where boundaries belong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Fanciful?
Not entirely. With, so far as I know, no falling out with their neighbours, Clan
Mackay staked out their territory back in 2004 with six "Mackay
Country" signs. The lands are in the far North West and so signs were
placed at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylesku" title="Kylesku"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Kylesku</span></a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achfary" title="Achfary"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Achfary</span></a>,
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forsinard" title="Forsinard"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Forsinard</span></a>,
Dalvina and on the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A836_road" title="A836 road"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">A836 road</span></a> at the Caithness/Sutherland
border.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN4u-ze1yGSZxEfVHWWNYU2j_X-eFejOa1vyTl1mGrn7XHxCsFCkyMllws1_JR1hqyZGUGxH7LOeHd5UbjnUxbzK-AEkY4PNICFyS7rHjo7vPB-IV7aKzIiTx5Y2wbXeetskDQJXTTn0/s1600/Mackay+Country+with+heather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN4u-ze1yGSZxEfVHWWNYU2j_X-eFejOa1vyTl1mGrn7XHxCsFCkyMllws1_JR1hqyZGUGxH7LOeHd5UbjnUxbzK-AEkY4PNICFyS7rHjo7vPB-IV7aKzIiTx5Y2wbXeetskDQJXTTn0/s400/Mackay+Country+with+heather.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">In
Gaelic the name is rendered as Macaoidh, son of Hugh. They claim descent from
both Somerled and the Celtic royal house, from both of whom they inherited a robust
warrior spirit, much needed in early times as the Earls of Sutherland endeavoured
to encroach on “Mackay Country”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">However
by the 17<sup>th</sup> century their neighbours – Sinclairs, Sutherlands, MacLeods
and Gunns - were presumably content and gave them relatively little trouble. The Mackays therefore had
to go abroad for a fight: in 1626 Sir Donald Mackay took 3000 Mackays to fight
for the King of Denmark in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty_Years%27_War" title="Thirty Years' War"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Thirty Years' War</span></a>. And in 1631 Lord Reay, the
clan chief, raised another force for service with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_Adolphus" title="Gustavus Adolphus"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Gustavus
Adolphus</span></a>, King of Sweden; the earliest depiction of the kilt is
assumed to be Mackays in the service of Gustavus Adolphus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN22_7Yq20sauiGzyqM205MLIUzJ1FNvdCjqVYhcvnsKR8GWi2nbeYUXYss7TQPaLkMw8DMSDjVQ0q5zjZ0wxDng_-ycluwrVUvSDlC0YWlqZNzzLYgsO1cYdGQfnu2XEQ-td3tedJ0c/s1600/Scottish_mercenaries_in_the_Thirty_Years_War.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="696" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpN22_7Yq20sauiGzyqM205MLIUzJ1FNvdCjqVYhcvnsKR8GWi2nbeYUXYss7TQPaLkMw8DMSDjVQ0q5zjZ0wxDng_-ycluwrVUvSDlC0YWlqZNzzLYgsO1cYdGQfnu2XEQ-td3tedJ0c/s400/Scottish_mercenaries_in_the_Thirty_Years_War.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">General
Hugh Mackay of Scourie was a professional soldier. He fought the Turks
on behalf of the Republic of Venice (1669), the French on behalf of the Dutch
(1674) and commanded the army that faced the Jacobites at the Battle of
Killiecrankie (1689), dying in the field at the Battle of Steinkirk <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">(1692)</span>, in a doomed attack against the French, ordered by William
of Orange (King William III) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">During
the Jacobite risings. Mackays were unwaveringly Hanoverian and produced two
independent highland companies to oppose ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie. It was
principally Mackays who won the skirmish at Littleferry near Golspie on 15
April 1746 and captured the Jacobite <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mackenzie,_3rd_Earl_of_Cromartie" title="George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of Cromartie"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">George Mackenzie, 3rd Earl of
Cromartie</span></a> at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunrobin_Castle" title="Dunrobin Castle"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">Dunrobin
Castle</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">The <a href="https://www.clanmackaysociety.org/">Clan
Mackay Society</a> is an active organisation, currently encouraging members to
celebrate the tercentenary of the Battle of Gleshiel on the 9<sup>th</sup> of
June – another occasion where idealistic Jacobites (this time including Rob Roy
MacGregor) were defeated by hard-headed Hanoverians including the MacKays. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">If you venture up to Mackay Country don’t drive past the excellent </span><a href="https://www.strathnavermuseum.org.uk/" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Strathnaver Museum</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> and find time if you can to </span><a href="https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/caisteal-bharraich.shtml" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">walk up to Caisteal Bharraich</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYU4byCPB18hLG8RyS84hMshMHdOiliezPuJVjDpgciuVb35T9ByZhIygUrNuE6a8K3jBYnwVzgzAcLwfqCP697vLi3SX4ayR-wzMgFbWJq9dOOQDw8PyDP3jWL8KuNocC4DsvfAGnjk/s1600/Caisteal+Bharraich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1536" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYU4byCPB18hLG8RyS84hMshMHdOiliezPuJVjDpgciuVb35T9ByZhIygUrNuE6a8K3jBYnwVzgzAcLwfqCP697vLi3SX4ayR-wzMgFbWJq9dOOQDw8PyDP3jWL8KuNocC4DsvfAGnjk/s400/Caisteal+Bharraich.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caisteal Bharraich</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-42028940759618566282019-03-25T15:43:00.000+00:002019-03-25T15:43:50.170+00:00The Baronets of Nova Scotia and Bannockburn House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZHL88LCwZ1Fnln1V8P3QlY2xJOvIJUo3SkmV-v4VrsIPbiWuyCEQv4rXw2cw6ny1TQOaS5mgplwjQ5MQhm0AeDi3fWPzuLkE06wPL_WJMTeOiZjYuN2RwNVrOx5fseenP5qfayaDnQs/s1600/Baronets+of+Nova+Scotia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1210" data-original-width="1600" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZHL88LCwZ1Fnln1V8P3QlY2xJOvIJUo3SkmV-v4VrsIPbiWuyCEQv4rXw2cw6ny1TQOaS5mgplwjQ5MQhm0AeDi3fWPzuLkE06wPL_WJMTeOiZjYuN2RwNVrOx5fseenP5qfayaDnQs/s400/Baronets+of+Nova+Scotia.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The above plaque, on the wall just by the entrance to Edinburgh Castle, is ignored by just about everyone. However this spot is, in some sense, a part of Nova Scotia, Canada and as a result, Baronetcies of Nova Scotia can be created here - and were created here from 1624 to 1707.<br />
<br />
It was all the idea of Sir William Alexander of Menstrie, courtier, poet and adventurer who took Nova Scotia, other parts of Maritime Canada, (and the present state of Maine) for his king, James VI of Scotland, 1st of England. In return he was given Long Island, New York which he sold! <br />
<br />
However most of the 329 Baronets of Nova Scotia lived happily in Scotland without so much as a look at the Atlantic, let alone crossing it. This was an early example of 'Cash for Honours'.<br />
<br />
It is nicely summed up by <a href="https://www.electricscotland.com/canada/fraser/baronets_novascotia.htm" target="_blank">Electric Scotland</a>. He writes that Sir William suggested to his Majesty that "<span style="font-size: 12pt;">it </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">might encourage
development of a New Scotland if His Majesty were to offer a new order of
baronets. The King liked the idea. After all, his creation of the Baronets of
England in 1611 and the Baronets of Ireland in 1619 had raised £225,000 for the
Crown. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">King
James signed a grant in favour of Sir William Alexander covering all of the
lands ‘ between our Colonies of New England and Newfoundland, to be known
as New Scotland ’ (Nova Scotia in Latin), an area larger than Great
Britain and France combined." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">About 100 of these baronetcies are still in existence. A display of the shields of the Arms of the Baronets of Nova Scotia is on display at Menstrie Castle.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7Tgmmd4zYfsQZwHptv-zt3QmsQHo730gDvf3NdVweJJrAiEVZjmwimwlo1s0UVwbrJVuDkVD5WdRVb3osrwY2z7V24PcG6hKg0W58OCtacbrvlPhXNpSsQ8W0Z2lc6Hlgs9K0Rxut6g/s1600/Menstrie+Castle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1499" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM7Tgmmd4zYfsQZwHptv-zt3QmsQHo730gDvf3NdVweJJrAiEVZjmwimwlo1s0UVwbrJVuDkVD5WdRVb3osrwY2z7V24PcG6hKg0W58OCtacbrvlPhXNpSsQ8W0Z2lc6Hlgs9K0Rxut6g/s320/Menstrie+Castle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Menstrie Castle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Most of these upwardly mobile lairds and their houses are forgotten by history, but the fine 17th century house of one has just had new life breathed into it. Sir Hugh Paterson of Bannockburn came from a family of staunch Lowland Jacobites and was convicted of treason after joining the 1715 Rising. He returned to Bannockburn and politics after the amnesty of 1717.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">In 1746 during the siege of Stirling, Sir Hugh provided lodging for Bonnie Prince Charlie who fell ill of a fever and was nursed by Sir Hugh's niece, Clementina Walkinshaw, later the mother of his only child Charlotte.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bannockburn House, just by the big Stirling interchange on the M9, was in private hands until bought recently by the community, <a href="https://www.bannockburnhouse.scot/" target="_blank">www.bannockburnhouse.scot </a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbx8KCBepdFuxdm1-ewMGHai6lpKjN6QbHcLNBIT2bWLo8odwBJaixcgE0gL3Cfy_4YCJVJ43oCbb1iKPGmquZniosVn77Cpdnl4Q92bQc2-VSny-uEYwrBKY0Mj0yLIu3I1a06KdFRE/s1600/Bannockburn+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1068" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbx8KCBepdFuxdm1-ewMGHai6lpKjN6QbHcLNBIT2bWLo8odwBJaixcgE0gL3Cfy_4YCJVJ43oCbb1iKPGmquZniosVn77Cpdnl4Q92bQc2-VSny-uEYwrBKY0Mj0yLIu3I1a06KdFRE/s400/Bannockburn+House.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bannockburn House</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-43906884291087829422019-03-10T18:27:00.000+00:002019-10-13T07:12:14.457+00:00Camelot by KelsoNot many people go to Roxburgh Castle nowadays. It's a nice walk along the Borders Abbeys Way where Teviot joins Tweed, but nothing much to see...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSb4a-uyv2PLzo0ZaMies6MRcHrTOgRFRgvIwcPGfx5bN2P60MBFqwwXuO5_G_N2mscs4bgobtyAC5ms_3nOk1XUP1If7tPKpzda70WdTZOlv4t9ZSfT8fj4l6KksUfU7b7ntAp8vRyU/s1600/Roxburgh+Castle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSb4a-uyv2PLzo0ZaMies6MRcHrTOgRFRgvIwcPGfx5bN2P60MBFqwwXuO5_G_N2mscs4bgobtyAC5ms_3nOk1XUP1If7tPKpzda70WdTZOlv4t9ZSfT8fj4l6KksUfU7b7ntAp8vRyU/s400/Roxburgh+Castle.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In most history books it is only referred to as the place where King James II of Scotland was killed in 1460 by his own cannon exploding beside him (his nine year old son was then crowned James III in Kelso Abbey).<br />
<br />
But before it was destroyed, Roxburgh Castle and its associated town to the east on what is now Friars Haugh, were a significant centre of power. In the time of King David I it was for a time the <i>de facto</i> capital of Scotland.<br />
<br />
In the Middle Ages the town had as much importance as Edinburgh, Stirling or Perth; indeed it was the first recorded Scottish burgh. Situated on the Tweed, upstream from the major port of Berwick, and close by Dere Street, it was a substantial market town, exporting large quantities of raw wool and hides to Bruges, Ghent and beyond.<br />
<br />
At that time the castle may have looked like this (with thanks to Andrew Spratt).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5-AG4zO0vVLmJ30_I3ro2f2AtEDTE4fDrs3QMRBpGk1DOpU_FyWlXc3WN1WUSOTOAsA1T7lFAAVqmdH9wGQ_KByNzYKkqA7X7hBMUkPTTO_CFskIUwvD_O80-iAq2Wd5U9mKS1rcjaE/s1600/Andrew+Spratt+Roxburgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1200" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5-AG4zO0vVLmJ30_I3ro2f2AtEDTE4fDrs3QMRBpGk1DOpU_FyWlXc3WN1WUSOTOAsA1T7lFAAVqmdH9wGQ_KByNzYKkqA7X7hBMUkPTTO_CFskIUwvD_O80-iAq2Wd5U9mKS1rcjaE/s400/Andrew+Spratt+Roxburgh.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Roxburgh has also been closely associated with King Arthur, inspiring leader of a well disciplined mounted force that won a reported 13 battles, mostly in the lands north of Hadrian's Wall.<br />
<br />
Writing about Roxburgh in his 'History of the Borders', historian Alistair Moffat writes, "Cavalry forts have special requirements and the castlemount and the wide haughland between the Tweed and the Teviot provide all of them...The ancient Celtic name of Roxburgh Castle was preserved and before the Angles came to change it, it was called <i>Marchidun: </i>in Old Welsh, the Horse Fort. Medieval and modern Arthurians would have preferred to call it Camelot."Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-21098576139501032402019-02-27T17:33:00.000+00:002019-02-27T17:33:37.370+00:00The four hundred year rebellion<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This month I attended the 327<sup>th</sup> anniversary of
the massacre of Glencoe in my role as Finlaggan Pursuivant – herald to the
Macdonald clan chiefs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On February 13<sup>th</sup> 1692 Thirty or more Macdonalds
of Glencoe were killed by government troops (mainly Campbells – the Argyll
clan’s military effort was by this stage largely formalised along regimental
lines within the army). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFnjHhW3yIalgpuMkrQ9sbwo9ITDYojUYak6GLLvfdsLMt6NpeGUuB-MUuG6UhzqSH9o1fPCG2b3BpLD8a4XT_iCEhC8xk0qWEuZsWO6x8I-hk7AY0LVbiteL5FjyBKEqlY1PXQkA0LU/s1600/IMG-20190213-WA0000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFnjHhW3yIalgpuMkrQ9sbwo9ITDYojUYak6GLLvfdsLMt6NpeGUuB-MUuG6UhzqSH9o1fPCG2b3BpLD8a4XT_iCEhC8xk0qWEuZsWO6x8I-hk7AY0LVbiteL5FjyBKEqlY1PXQkA0LU/s320/IMG-20190213-WA0000.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: medium;">Laying a wreath at gloomy Glencoe, 327 later</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The massacre is as famous as it is controversial. Historians
still argue about the exact sequence of events, who ordered what, who was to
blame, and what the historical significance of it all was.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s for sure is that it was not a stand alone incident.
Glencoe came at the mid point of an extraordinary hundred year period in which
the Highland clans payed a central role in the civil wars that defined modern
Britain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 1645 Montrose was appointed ‘Captain General’ by Charles
II and deployed a largely Highland and Highland/Irish army in support of the
royalist side in the Civil War. The Stuarts called on the same support on
numerous occasions until the final Jacobite defeat at Culloden in 1746.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So one way of looking at this is that it is the same long
conflict flaring up over the century. It is striking that a similar group of
clans joined each flare-up every time. They came for the most part from the
central mainland west coast – the Macdonalds of Clanranald, Keppoch, Glengarry
and Glencoe, with Camerons, Stewarts of Appin and others were a common
denominator.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What motivated them? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The usual answer is loyalty to the Stuart cause. But, while
clan leaders did use the rightness of the Stuart claim as justification, this
is far from the whole story.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After all, the same group of clans had spent the previous three
hundred years fighting the Stuarts. As recently as the 1620’s the Captain of
Clanranald was writing to the Pope offering to lead a Catholic crusade against
the Stuart government in Scotland. Indeed, the Clanranald Macdonalds lead a
series of conflcicts against the Stuart monarchy throughout the 1500’s, and
before that were a leading component of the Lordship of the Isles which
struggled against Stuart mastery of Scotland for much of the middle ages. In
practice, these Macdonalds were in more or less permanent ‘rebellion’ for four
hundred years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Clanranald and the others seem on the face of it to have
pursued an obtuse strategy of persistent folly: Oppose the Stuarts when they
are winning and then, as soon as the tide turns, join them to stay on the
losing side (the Campbells, of course, did the opposite).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The answer to this paradox is perhaps that it was nothing to
do with the Stuarts. It was nothing much to do with religion or culture either
(although Clanranald was – and still is – Catholic, most allied clans were
not).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Instead, the common thread that runs through all these
conflicts, from the Lords of the Isles to Bonnie Prince Charlie – is hostility
to whoever was running Scotland. These clans saw themselves as separate and
somehow distinct politically from the Scottish (or British) state. It is hard
to define this attitude exactly in the modern era of the nation state. The
western clans did not necessarily claim a separate nationhood or statehood for
themselves in the modern sense. But they reserved to right to pursue their own
interests by force if necessary. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tom Miers<br />
<i>For a memorable holiday exploring Scotland's heritage and culture, check out the <a href="https://www.clansandcastles.scot/">Clans and Castles</a> website</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq95JYPJmiQ6SwBv0BB2LkEWHT7dd6XUf_v1qmybJyMXsvdwWcfBkGaCSmbCBWfxyjx5fvBLmoAdSolfrXkCALNvjeLqc6UzJVFpH3P_MtRt1GwQUmjOiA_dGmT7LOUDmvM1cVj42CcSI/s1600/IMG-20190213-WA0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq95JYPJmiQ6SwBv0BB2LkEWHT7dd6XUf_v1qmybJyMXsvdwWcfBkGaCSmbCBWfxyjx5fvBLmoAdSolfrXkCALNvjeLqc6UzJVFpH3P_MtRt1GwQUmjOiA_dGmT7LOUDmvM1cVj42CcSI/s320/IMG-20190213-WA0004.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: medium;">The Glencoe parade starts to assemble</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-89877421092101662652019-02-07T18:12:00.002+00:002019-02-07T18:14:05.557+00:00Let's Build a Broch!Our guests on Clans and Castles '<a href="https://www.clansandcastles.scot/group-tours/outlander-classic-tour" target="_blank">Outlander Tours</a>' know more or less what to expect: much-loved film locations, great countryside and a 'feel' for Scotland in the 18th century. But a visit that always surprises (and delights) them is the Glenelg brochs.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Brochs are double skinned, dry stone towers, originally 30 - 40 foot high. They are unique to Scotland and were built over a 300 year period around the time of Christ. The forerunner of the broch is the Atlantic round house, but those are much lower, less ambitious structures. Brochs emerged more or less from nowhere and then were, for some reason, no longer built.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJL-oGVkvt9e18jJH0Rq56rPntEhXrbTmUBX6U2RjDuvn9E7raYRE8T6poU_jdtfTV7NGYE3km4lHX1nrXoNviJbStNxziCYKnkU_VG-hVduFDsH1iL1iGtpNYTGZecqQ-dO8KRyZwUgc/s1600/Dun+Telve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJL-oGVkvt9e18jJH0Rq56rPntEhXrbTmUBX6U2RjDuvn9E7raYRE8T6poU_jdtfTV7NGYE3km4lHX1nrXoNviJbStNxziCYKnkU_VG-hVduFDsH1iL1iGtpNYTGZecqQ-dO8KRyZwUgc/s320/Dun+Telve.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dun Telve, Glenelg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
There were about 500 brochs in Scotland, most of them on coasts where stone is readily available. Sadly, many have since been used as convenient quarries. Dun Telve (above) was depleted to build the nearby barracks at Bernera. The only broch still at its original height is Mousa, on a small island in Shetland.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxZko7CV8Fubcs5yU3XX3y1l9LA5Fx7mFt2nknN6NAHB-z0Lt9HRzCduR8E-Ke3_wFiYM5lVkJzGMAzO_A7dMkI8b-mEJdEWHiY6ctbvahj2X8Xzmg_S_ETIhO699W4rh0BZnQyrM_m4/s1600/Mousa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="550" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxZko7CV8Fubcs5yU3XX3y1l9LA5Fx7mFt2nknN6NAHB-z0Lt9HRzCduR8E-Ke3_wFiYM5lVkJzGMAzO_A7dMkI8b-mEJdEWHiY6ctbvahj2X8Xzmg_S_ETIhO699W4rh0BZnQyrM_m4/s320/Mousa.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mousa Broch, Shetland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
All brochs are round and very slightly concave, like a cooling tower. Apparently, if they were not double-skinned, they would collapse (I wonder how long it took to learn this!). Remember, they are built without mortar.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There's still a lot we don't know about brochs (not least why they were built). To improve our knowledge, the <a href="https://www.thebrochproject.co.uk/" target="_blank">Caithness Broch Project </a>aims to build a broch which will act as a visitor centre. It's an ambitious undertaking. Ian Armit, in his book 'Towers in the North', quotes an architect's estimate that building a broch would take 400 man days of specialist labour and 5,600 man days of unskilled assistance, <b>assuming that the stone has first been gathered. </b>I salute them!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
PS. It is generally accepted that the brochs had a timber and thatch roof. Personally I cannot see how this could have been the case. Could iron age man have constructed a timber roof with a diameter of 18.3 metres (Dun Telve) ten metres above the ground? Would he go to all this trouble to live in darkness, the only light coming from a fire and a low door (which was presumably closed for much of the time)?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-31440736772505581832019-01-23T10:42:00.001+00:002019-01-23T14:27:40.238+00:00The enduring riddle of the Pictish symbol stones<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
They are the hieroglyphs of Scotland. But we have not yet
found a Caledonian Rosetta Stone to interpret them.<br />
<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are thought to be about three dozen different ‘Pictish
symbols’ carved in different combinations on a few hundred extant stones around
Scotland – usually found in the traditional Pictish heartland of central and
north-eastern Scotland. Some are combined with Christian symbology on
magnificent stone crosses (or slabs with crosses engraved on them).<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For a while after their conversion, the Picts used Christian
images together with the old symbols. Sometimes it seems as if the crosses were
engraved on older pagan stones. Many of them also include hunting scenes or other
depictions of dark age aristocratic and military activity.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What they mean nobody knows for sure, even though numerous
clans such as the MacGregors and MacNaghtens claim Pictish ancestry.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This magnificent specimen, which I visited last week, stands at Wester Fowlis in
Strathearn, not far from the pretty spa town of Crieff. On one side is an
extraordinary engraved cross, notable for its protruding arms. On the other, a series
of hunting scenes with the tell-tale Pictish symbols of a ‘mirror’ and a
‘double disc’.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKqX4OKR158Qp9U59tp9A3hzkUrHxpUVsNmVQBK0hW7CYOvqxP17CCklTir0fmWTuO-twoJUQ47AxSckOUyjyNsTlr6jOlzWYjPkUPVVrCAa0I2Lzfpq89NKshSNGSrszT04LJPNVsNQ/s1600/PictishStone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKqX4OKR158Qp9U59tp9A3hzkUrHxpUVsNmVQBK0hW7CYOvqxP17CCklTir0fmWTuO-twoJUQ47AxSckOUyjyNsTlr6jOlzWYjPkUPVVrCAa0I2Lzfpq89NKshSNGSrszT04LJPNVsNQ/s320/PictishStone.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The one in the photo is actually a replica, with the real
thing kept sheltered in the nearby church. It’s open and you can in and see it
– a great example of the many historical sites and works of art that can be
experiences for free in Scotland.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What do the symbols signify?<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some have speculated that, in different combinations, they
depict various clans, territories, individual nobles or noblewoman. Although
they are not usually located on burial sites, they may have religious
connotations. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel sure that one day someone will either crack it
logically or discover something that unlocks the code.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe language has something to do with it. When I was a
boy, it was thought that Pictish was a language largely separate from the two
Celtic languages of northern Britain – Gaelic and Brittonic (early Welsh). Most
scholars now think that it was similar to Brittonic.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Either way it was apparently replaced by Gaelic in the
period after the union of the Picts and Scots in the early middle ages. As with
the symbols, there is little hard evidence as to its nature.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But the idea that Pictish was eradicated by Gaelic has
always seemed a little odd to me. The supposition is that the ruling elite
became Gaelic speaking and, quite rapidly, imposed its language on everyone
else. This didn’t really happen in other similar situations in the British
Isles or elsewhere in Europe unless there was an accompanying movement of
peoples.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps Pictish was really much more like Gaelic in the
first place, and the clue to its symbology will come from that source. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At any rate, I have no real idea, except that it is a
fascinating riddle!<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Tom Miers<br />
<i>For a memorable holiday exploring Scotland's heritage and culture, check out the <a href="https://www.clansandcastles.scot/">Clans and Castles</a> website</i></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-65707347431935888732019-01-03T12:17:00.000+00:002019-01-03T12:21:08.300+00:00Mary Queen of Scots. Did you know?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7BieAfAA5DhFV1c9e-u0pqwYIbajNOqlPiS8kwIScWVUetDzR41b5fykMJgvrhiAWxE-Cua_7CFwZX_FcsGD4Kt9Zd-o89TEhR5l4awhJr-kMez7fVj0so30Ey8TTSfO4gQRcYy5yoc/s1600/MQS+film.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="158" data-original-width="320" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7BieAfAA5DhFV1c9e-u0pqwYIbajNOqlPiS8kwIScWVUetDzR41b5fykMJgvrhiAWxE-Cua_7CFwZX_FcsGD4Kt9Zd-o89TEhR5l4awhJr-kMez7fVj0so30Ey8TTSfO4gQRcYy5yoc/s400/MQS+film.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
The film will be with us soon and we'll see the dramatic (but fictional) meeting between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. But here are a few facts about our tragic royal heroine.<br />
<br />
1. Mary is one of the best known Scottish monarchs and yet she spent 18 years 8 months in England, 13 years in France. Only 12 years 5 months in Scotland (1542 - 48 and 1561- 68).<br />
<br />
2. Mary was married three times. The marriage to Francis II of France lasted 26 months (Francis died). The second to Henry Lord Darnley lasted 18 months (Darnley was murdered), the last to James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell technically lasted some years but after 30 days Mary was imprisoned and Bothwell fled.<br />
<br />
3. When at Jedburgh, Mary nearly died of what was probably a gastric ulcer. Her French physician 'cured' her with tight bandaging of the arms and legs, and by inducing vomiting with an enema and large quantities of wine.<br />
<br />
4 Mary went to France aged six as Marie Stewart but her French governess explained that 'ew' is pronounced 'ev' (it is in French!) and if you want 'Stooart' it must be spelled 'Stuart'. So she returned as Marie Stuart.<br />
<br />
5. The day after Darnley's murder Mary attended the wedding of her bedchamber woman, Margaret Carwood. She is said to have played golf 'a few days' after the murder. She certainly married the man widely thought to have been the murderer (Bothwell) just three months and six days after the murder.<br />
<br />
6. She was held in seven different castles in England. Nothing remains of the grand royal residence of Fotheringhay where she was executed on 8 February 1587.<br />
<br />
7. Her descendants have been on the thrones of England and Scotland ever since.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.clansandcastles.scot/scottish-tailored-holidays/mary-queen-scots" target="_blank">Follow the Mary Queen of Scots trail</a> with Clans and Castles.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNjS_YbhP4_icNLkR941Km9RwvyKcbXqsTN31m43-b8YwfEJ1_xZjTH5yxr77BkVS5S6dob_RJz0nxqYR_y15Z3PLaK5YVZcQPWR7hGM2YpbWO9QE_HX5RXg9iiOdoNfpED5of2Udqhg/s1600/Mary-Queen-of-Scots-978x624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="978" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNjS_YbhP4_icNLkR941Km9RwvyKcbXqsTN31m43-b8YwfEJ1_xZjTH5yxr77BkVS5S6dob_RJz0nxqYR_y15Z3PLaK5YVZcQPWR7hGM2YpbWO9QE_HX5RXg9iiOdoNfpED5of2Udqhg/s400/Mary-Queen-of-Scots-978x624.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-33566234637091438442018-12-03T13:40:00.001+00:002018-12-04T08:01:12.302+00:00Neidpath Castle, a seat of Frasers, Hays, and Douglases<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
The Frasers are a Highland clan. Of course. But
before that they were a Lowland clan, and their seat was here at <a href="http://www.neidpathcastle.com/" target="_blank">NeidpathCastle on the Tweed</a>, founded by Sir Gilbert Fraser in about 1190.
The last Fraser to own it was his descendant, Sir Simon
Fraser, known as 'The Patriot', for his astonishing feat of defeating three
English armies in one day in 1303. Detail is on Sarah Fraser's excellent
blog, <a href="https://www.sarahfraser.co.uk/patriot-games/" target="_blank">Patriot Games</a>. The strawberry plant <i>(fraise)</i> can still
be seen above the archway in the Neidpath courtyard.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
The Patriot was executed in London in 1306 and his
head stuck on a spike on Tower Bridge, next to that of William Wallace. His
daughter Mary inherited a ruin but married Hay of Yester who rebuilt the
castle, now all in stone and now of walls 10 foot thick with distinctive
rounded corners. </div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3Jdsul_Oz_q5mSnlxdjZbzRhQ3S-mhY5b1C_2jS_ZSdcZQ1Fd_QU3Vm87DIBgGVOYGpmPJs8sDBqtlmiFWjf37aOiFwLL51W9UFssA1wcqSEjQyx7xpBjQQz3Q-DQT-Ba-acijxh37U/s1600/Neidpath+Scott+Rae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="420" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt3Jdsul_Oz_q5mSnlxdjZbzRhQ3S-mhY5b1C_2jS_ZSdcZQ1Fd_QU3Vm87DIBgGVOYGpmPJs8sDBqtlmiFWjf37aOiFwLL51W9UFssA1wcqSEjQyx7xpBjQQz3Q-DQT-Ba-acijxh37U/s400/Neidpath+Scott+Rae.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
And Neidpath, overlooking a bend of the River Tweed just above Peebles, has
dominated the Upper Tweed Valley ever since. Tower houses sprang up all over
the Borders in the reiving times of the 16th century but in the 14th century
there was really only Hermitage, Roxburgh and Neidpath. (Cessford and Newark
followed in 1425 and 1465). One reason for its outlasting its contemporaries is the
construction. A vaulted basement to carry the weight of a castle was normal, and sometimes a castle's top floor was vaulted; but
Neidpath was built with three vaulted floors.<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yn-jLYAGvJ1rhDjh9RYusPM7op01SsQn5Va84_Dwx-DUSJqLGrD_5Vz-vXuHZGLo8XRsqk-WlFn-zMeMRmY1gMjn4fpw70BE7wN7-lVvqCItOTvGrLS6WprHYp3S8Suy9m1AOtzWoTY/s1600/20181203_124849+%2528002%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8yn-jLYAGvJ1rhDjh9RYusPM7op01SsQn5Va84_Dwx-DUSJqLGrD_5Vz-vXuHZGLo8XRsqk-WlFn-zMeMRmY1gMjn4fpw70BE7wN7-lVvqCItOTvGrLS6WprHYp3S8Suy9m1AOtzWoTY/s320/20181203_124849+%2528002%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
The castle was gradually extended and
‘modernised’, largely in the 16th century, and no doubt considerably
spruced up for the visits of Mary Queen of Scots in 1563 and James VI in 1587
on expeditions to discipline the Border reivers. But the Hays were not reivers;
they were establishment, becoming Earls of Tweeddale in 1646.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br />
They sold the castle in 1686 to the Douglas Duke of Queensberry, whose
granddaughter, they say, still restlessly walks the battlements. This is Lady
Jean Douglas: having not been allowed to marry young Scott of Tushielaw in
Ettrick, she pined for him and so became a shadow of herself, to the extent
that, returning from exile, he didn’t recognise her; and she, wounded to the
core, died of a broken heart. The tale was related by Sir Walter Scott who speaks
of ‘cheerful evenings’ at the castle. However it was gradually abandoned as a
dwelling in the 19th century,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
Neidpath is once again roofed and<a href="http://www.neidpathcastle.com/private-hire" target="_blank"> available for events</a>. It also
plays a significant role in the annual Peebles Beltane Festival. Each year a ‘Warden of
Neidpath’ is appointed and has the honour of welcoming the Peebles Cornet, his
lass and supporters to the castle from where they will ride the boundaries, an
echo of the old reiving times, of course!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrcDgHKsfE9uyTPHaCiKE9rCTpMAac3Bm4sBZv0XVqpFFalpzMX8zH0W5KvWBLgoT5q6yDmJ_xXBERgyv4p-KE5vfUfU4KYB5bHz26FHyKFoteS4QrXv51uMTTflN9xzRqkE1JI6L96E/s1600/Beltane-Installation-Night106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="620" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjrcDgHKsfE9uyTPHaCiKE9rCTpMAac3Bm4sBZv0XVqpFFalpzMX8zH0W5KvWBLgoT5q6yDmJ_xXBERgyv4p-KE5vfUfU4KYB5bHz26FHyKFoteS4QrXv51uMTTflN9xzRqkE1JI6L96E/s400/Beltane-Installation-Night106.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warden of Neidpath, Bob Harrison, addressing the crowd at Neidpath in 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-26680885158774113602017-11-05T17:40:00.001+00:002017-11-05T18:19:22.192+00:00Lord James Douglas, The Royal Scots and Louis XIV. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Lord James Douglas, who died in 1645 aged just 28, is buried in the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris. Wandering through the church recently I was amazed to see the graves of both Lord James and his grandfather, 10th Earl of Angus (another interesting story). Not just graves but, in the case of Lord James, a massive monument in its own chapel, with a sculpture of him in white marble, all funded by King Louis XIV at a cost of 2900 livres. Anyone who has visited Versailles knows that Louis was a big spender, but to spend close on a million pounds commemorating a 28 year old foreigner...</span><br />
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQ1uLWlIbBF_z-ceoZHdzIyVi83uHBoem0xdQefRw4gzjOiz_vXh-2gsPsfmYpztOG8mjjuE51NCxBPQ8_NLm6Q04QCOMlsaJ8VTahbFQgP2BwcpImpBKfQk8Jga85dhfeAMP2Tc_-Lg/s1600/20171020_175410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQ1uLWlIbBF_z-ceoZHdzIyVi83uHBoem0xdQefRw4gzjOiz_vXh-2gsPsfmYpztOG8mjjuE51NCxBPQ8_NLm6Q04QCOMlsaJ8VTahbFQgP2BwcpImpBKfQk8Jga85dhfeAMP2Tc_-Lg/s400/20171020_175410.jpg" title="Lord James Douglas, Saint Theresa Chapel, Saint-Germain-des-Pres" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Lord James Douglas, Saint Theresa Chapel, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
Lord James, born at Douglas Castle in Lanarkshire, was “at an early age” a page in the court of Louis XIII of France. His father, a committed Roman Catholic in a predominantly protestant country, clearly didn’t enjoy life in the ruthless (and often rule-less) world of the South of Scotland. He was embroiled in a long legal dispute with the rough and reiving Kers of Ferniehirst over rights to hold courts in Jedforest, his brother was remanded in prison at Blackness Castle for threatening one of the Kers. It was all too much for this quiet and rather unhealthy earl. He left his estates to be looked after by others and lived for many years in France where he could practice his religion in peace and not be plagued by Border lairds.</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52F-AWBif9UkxnW6JmEbNB64mZirZFBcJAJnzatuD7-GBlkSjheUz0D8KTfdjMe5ktNbke0yheGqq8t5bLHr3mhrhTIvdqGOwCex9-EuSnNnk-q7EeXU0XS2cn5V-fGtjX7z1T0u3ew4/s1600/St+Germain-des-Pr%25C3%25A9s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1400" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52F-AWBif9UkxnW6JmEbNB64mZirZFBcJAJnzatuD7-GBlkSjheUz0D8KTfdjMe5ktNbke0yheGqq8t5bLHr3mhrhTIvdqGOwCex9-EuSnNnk-q7EeXU0XS2cn5V-fGtjX7z1T0u3ew4/s320/St+Germain-des-Pr%25C3%25A9s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saint-Germain-des-Prés</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br />
His son Lord James was made of different stuff. He worked his way up in the French court and at the age of twenty, was appointed colonel of the ‘Scots Regiment’, which had been raised four years earlier in Scotland and was bound to King Louis, "in all service except against the King of Great Britain”. (The Auld Alliance in action).</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
This was the time of the 30 Years War and the regiment, now titled the <i>Régiment de Douglas</i>, took part in the siege of St. Omer in the Spanish Netherlands, fought in Piedmont under the Prince of Savoy, participated in the successful siege of Turin, and was then back in the Spanish Netherlands at the siege of Gravelines. The regiment 'fought with distinction' and its strength was increased to twenty companies of one hundred men each. Lord James, however, was killed in a skirmish near Douai on 21 October 1645 during an attempt to take it from the Hapsburgs. On the very day of his death Louis XIV had indicated his wish to give him a Field-Marshal's baton.</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
Douglas was succeeded as colonel by his elder brother, Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus. The <i>Régiment de Douglas</i> returned to British service in 1662, and in 1812 took its more famous name: <a href="http://www.theroyalscots.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Royal Scots</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YnKTVyA5x2Cis7U3MMgnv3rDrgICnHr17h0O_F_aHqmJRKZm3wt9yAFtuySdqTOn4x7fDKfAtdmE0xTNt_tL9Kc-bHENFwDjGgG3wBUICo3D_RN-wG7NqD5wnFfJOdNAbMKSbTZWruo/s1600/1.-THE-ROYAL-SCOTS-The-Royal-Regiment-1633-1840-1024x518-1024x534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1024" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YnKTVyA5x2Cis7U3MMgnv3rDrgICnHr17h0O_F_aHqmJRKZm3wt9yAFtuySdqTOn4x7fDKfAtdmE0xTNt_tL9Kc-bHENFwDjGgG3wBUICo3D_RN-wG7NqD5wnFfJOdNAbMKSbTZWruo/s400/1.-THE-ROYAL-SCOTS-The-Royal-Regiment-1633-1840-1024x518-1024x534.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
</div>
Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-33708692335625306702016-05-05T09:00:00.001+00:002016-05-05T09:00:54.643+00:00Flodden 1513The most recent <a href="http://www.scotsheritagemagazine.com/" target="_blank">Scots Heritage Magazine</a> has a piece on the feud between the Montgomery and Cunningham families in the 15th/16th centuries. It's a depressing story but I read it anyway: castles burned with folk inside them, a parade of individuals ambushed and murdered. Gory even for Scotland at this time. It went on until well into the 17th century (when James VI called a halt) but there was a pause in 1513 when, as the author Margaret Skea notes, "private grievances were set aside in the face of an English threat".<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CByttEO7IsdNtSWeV3hWjlyEdAbPDh3CiJORBX8zaew88pJPhlxDbz5vtoTcV5xI0WCxAX2cM3SB7wmO6Yv1Sao9n2_oC46XUWyvjvZjj0_wS38Gs2c3J0KV2lvH7PwiN9DXqHWiWHM/s1600/Flodden.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CByttEO7IsdNtSWeV3hWjlyEdAbPDh3CiJORBX8zaew88pJPhlxDbz5vtoTcV5xI0WCxAX2cM3SB7wmO6Yv1Sao9n2_oC46XUWyvjvZjj0_wS38Gs2c3J0KV2lvH7PwiN9DXqHWiWHM/s400/Flodden.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Flodden Monument</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Look into the history of any Scottish name and you will wince at what was lost at Flodden in 1513. Not just our best king since Robert the Bruce, but 10,000 men including most of Scotland's nobility. William Cunningham 1st Laird of Craigends, son of the first Earl of Glencairn, died (his father died fighting the English at Sauchieburn in 1488). Hugh Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Eglinton, fought and escaped. Their neighbour in the south west, David Kennedy, 1st Earl of Cassilis died.<br />
<br />
Kings of Scots at this time struggled to make their writ run throughout what they considered to be their kingdom, but the Flodden dead came from all parts. Archibald Campbell 2nd Earl of Argyll and Hector, 9th Chief of Clan MacLean in the west; from the north William Sinclair 2nd Earl of Caithness; from the north east William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose and both sons of William Keith, 3rd Earl Marischal.<br />
<br />
Quite naturally most came from the Borders. Every year at Selkirk as part of the Common Riding celebrations, the town's Standard Bearer recalls Fletcher, the town's sole survivor, who returned with a captured English banner and when asked where the other men were, he silently laid it on the ground.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg6jIITrzv2e5pe9veINsyZleeYt-yMJY9NypYZopKdgtl_q0gC6MJHo_LYpvaklbNl5Sfs_xodErhBXmX0rZ8-twsdRn1zUvUWN1rDVJ_GeoogKTwXbmE7csabe3thiXbfopVxpoSWE/s1600/Selkirk+Common+Riding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpg6jIITrzv2e5pe9veINsyZleeYt-yMJY9NypYZopKdgtl_q0gC6MJHo_LYpvaklbNl5Sfs_xodErhBXmX0rZ8-twsdRn1zUvUWN1rDVJ_GeoogKTwXbmE7csabe3thiXbfopVxpoSWE/s400/Selkirk+Common+Riding.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selkirk Common Riding</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was at Flodden yesterday (it's about an hour from my house) on a fine spring afternoon. Between the monument and Branxton Hill is 'the boggy ground' where about 10,000 Scots died. Now it is drained and under efficient cultivation. A monument was erected nearby in 1910. The dozens killed in the Montgomery-Cunningham feud are inconsequential by comparison.<br />
<br />
And if you ask what the battle was all about...it's complicated. James IV aimed to relieve pressure on his ally the King of France but Niall Barr in his excellent book on Flodden also notes, "James had achieved much in his reign, but he had never won a pitched battle - which remained the ultimate accolade for a Renaissance prince". We've had a few frustrated would-be princes ready to sacrifice lives in our 21st century too.<br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-16319387252803437152016-01-06T14:26:00.002+00:002016-01-06T14:31:15.343+00:00The Scots who migrated to Bath. <br />
The mineral-rich hot springs of Bath, Somerset, England still bubble away, as they did in Roman times. As they did in 1687 when Mary of Modena, wife of James II, visited there desperately hoping for a healthy child and nine months later James, father of 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', was born. As they did when it was the most fashionable resort in Georgian times.<br />
<br />
Unusually, I was in Bath over Hogmanay, attending a wedding in the wonderful 16th century abbey. Drawn back there next day my eye wandered over the 641 marble plaques on the walls and saw a remarkable number of Scots featured. I started to write down the details and whilst I certainly did not get them all, I noted 31; details are below (but 100% accuracy is not guaranteed).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrLJnDzHFXvVwlp9FIWZmU0Hr9vSEWTayb0NLxdaBd3odWkJcEf00px0ftoWcjRKLYxk0aWXYC6LmjsYSVGrYVMdZ7U4ATwSJ5zlGBHbV5Z83lE8b_8A5VuAlEcuiM1c6K44flbBryys/s1600/Bath+Abbey+plaques.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrLJnDzHFXvVwlp9FIWZmU0Hr9vSEWTayb0NLxdaBd3odWkJcEf00px0ftoWcjRKLYxk0aWXYC6LmjsYSVGrYVMdZ7U4ATwSJ5zlGBHbV5Z83lE8b_8A5VuAlEcuiM1c6K44flbBryys/s400/Bath+Abbey+plaques.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Two of those so honoured are from Hawick, 330 miles from Bath. Two refer to Lord Reay whose seat was at Tongue on the north coast, 640 miles from Bath... big distances in the late 1700s! So what were they all doing there?<br />
<br />
I have half an answer. Many were ex-military or ex-Civil Service and having served all round the world, joined others in fashionable Bath, inhabiting those famous Georgian houses and hoping that the curing waters would prolong their lives. I can also vouch for the fact that it is a little warmer there in winter. But still, if Scots lay claim to 5% of all the plaques, was fashionable Bath really 5% Scottish in the 18th century?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The list of those remembered in Bath Abbey (chronological order).</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE6moij0XWIr2UQ9ppyosDRSLUemkumgow9Og4_rLm6lho8CWfwMZJfRGrjZNvOt9d5NUtsm0TZuajCEqLoIGD0QJXq4ArwX6QkjhM84nfs6znsMbbQAKlMtnl7X647bfBQ6BheKhL02E/s1600/Sir+Patrick+Houston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9mjN1B4VlgSRAeOWddUDrK8xRDE2ILoKoX1dzIsIGaMlCE1YBHi2YcnHEooI1tcgiW3aIi_zLCwI0M75FNYP_TJ54HQ6W1pyH0W5rv9X_TUVbkDTY7M-3w12wcHJhRvvpiea_E2DGXA/s1600/Margaret+Pringle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9mjN1B4VlgSRAeOWddUDrK8xRDE2ILoKoX1dzIsIGaMlCE1YBHi2YcnHEooI1tcgiW3aIi_zLCwI0M75FNYP_TJ54HQ6W1pyH0W5rv9X_TUVbkDTY7M-3w12wcHJhRvvpiea_E2DGXA/s200/Margaret+Pringle.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Margaret Pringle, daughter of Sir Robert Pringle of Stichill in
the County of Teviotdale, in Scotland, Baronet and wife of William Drummond of
Grange in the County of Stirling Esq, who died 26<sup>th</sup> August 1728,
aged 48.<br />
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
George Gordon of Gight in Aberdeenshire, died 9 January 1779.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Sir Patrick Houston of Houston in North Britain, Baronet who
died 24 March 1785 in the 43<sup>rd</sup> year of his age.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Duncan Grant of Mullochard, North Britain, died 1 January 1788, aged 59.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
John Hay Balfour Esq of Leys, Perthshire, North Britain who
died 28 February 1791.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Charles Lockhart of Muiravonside in the County of Stirling,
died 3 February 1796, aged 55.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-B3W9jxJOYCsZRp2_7EP7653E9w08ARelAmzwizaafdio-yR-5OsK6IrhhSUfk9Lu-P0uNJQVCvuza9aQ6ckSIyC3AxOTv2kgb6yEhVY0TlrCs5t5iEH-bxyIQIsLw-8QiwNbn7Bn5lU/s1600/Sir+Patrick+Houston.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-B3W9jxJOYCsZRp2_7EP7653E9w08ARelAmzwizaafdio-yR-5OsK6IrhhSUfk9Lu-P0uNJQVCvuza9aQ6ckSIyC3AxOTv2kgb6yEhVY0TlrCs5t5iEH-bxyIQIsLw-8QiwNbn7Bn5lU/s320/Sir+Patrick+Houston.jpg" width="240" /></a>Mrs Mary Fraser, died 25 July 1799, aged 60.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Adam Gordon of Lime Street London, 5th son of Charles Gordon
Esq, of Abergeldie, in the county of Aberdeen, North Britain, died 28 May 1800, aged 42 years</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Helen, Countess of Selkirk, relict of Dunbar Earl Selkirk, who
died 29 November 1802, aged 65.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Alexander Ellice Esq, born Anchelys, Aberdeenshire June 15<sup>th</sup>
1743 and died at Bath, 28 September 1805. Anne, his widow, died at Bath April 30<sup>th</sup>
1847. Sacred also to the memory of Charles, son of Alexander and Anne Ellice.
Born December 10th 1797, died March 10th 1799.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Mary Anne Leycester Sturt, youngest daughter of Thomas Lenox Napier
Sturt & James, his wife. Died 19 February 1812, aged 2 years 5 months.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Alicia, Countess of Erroll, died 24 April 1812 in the 35<sup>th</sup>
year of her age.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
William Kennedy Lawrie of Red Castle, Galloway, late of St
Thomas in East Jamaica, died 28 January 1811, aged 62.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
John McDougall Vice Admiral of Red of His Majesty`s Fleet, died
21 November 1814, aged 66.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
John Maclean Esq of Inverscardle, North Britain, died 27 April
1812, aged 72.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
John White Melville of Bennochy and Strathkinnes in Fifeshire,
Scotland, died 27 May, 1813, aged 59.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
The Honourable Colonel Cosmo Gordon, brother of the late Earl
of Aberdeen and Uncle to the present Duke of Gordon, died 27th February 1813 in
his 76<sup>th</sup> year.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Colin Mackenzie, son of the late Sir Lewis Mackenzie of
Scatewell, North Britain, died 3 February 1814, aged 66. Janet, relict of the
above, died 19 July 1817 aged 57.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Lt General Elliot, late Commandant of Royal Marines, died 16th
April 1820 in the 88<sup>th</sup> year of his age. </div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsq9mAWnSTWC8aJM8vDrYNDYk9CSBUQJjsfsQraeFiQPvJeMdxdB5Y49n5oysxDcxY1x-RoOILDoekKzmrH2FJa0IkwdPFRT8JDcW1vBl4ioL_75HKvY5OitP36zaBU0K1n5-yYkoJis/s1600/1st+Lord+Cawdor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsq9mAWnSTWC8aJM8vDrYNDYk9CSBUQJjsfsQraeFiQPvJeMdxdB5Y49n5oysxDcxY1x-RoOILDoekKzmrH2FJa0IkwdPFRT8JDcW1vBl4ioL_75HKvY5OitP36zaBU0K1n5-yYkoJis/s320/1st+Lord+Cawdor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
John Campbell, 1st Lord Cawdor who died 1st June 1821 in the 68<sup>th</sup>
year of his age.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Hugh Campbell Esq of Mayfield in the County of Ayr, North
Britain, late Captain in His Majesty's 85th Regt. Died 5 January 1824, aged 51.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v5ox1hySYJ4DfylutWSiC3ncbxcpmsbtr9_dXGj8k8lPk9GmKHHUkASRaks6yrw_N4y1uwsr6YbgaIBHfKilMRcNKudisqGSfu2WWOIJrtTQIA0S2FqkkUJUAIWI41x5D4W0dm6SXiI/s1600/Hugh+Campbell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7v5ox1hySYJ4DfylutWSiC3ncbxcpmsbtr9_dXGj8k8lPk9GmKHHUkASRaks6yrw_N4y1uwsr6YbgaIBHfKilMRcNKudisqGSfu2WWOIJrtTQIA0S2FqkkUJUAIWI41x5D4W0dm6SXiI/s200/Hugh+Campbell.jpg" width="200" /></a>Mary, Countess Dowager of Kintore, died on the 30<sup>th</sup>
of June 1826, aged 56 years. </div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
John Ewart Christie, Royal Marines and late Lt Col of the
Nithsdale Militia, died 27 July 1828, aged 74.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
James Sholto Douglas Esq, died January 12 1830 Aged 72. Also of
Anne Elizabeth his second daughter who died March 13<sup>th</sup> 1842.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
William Murray Esq of Glencaird, Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
Died 14 April 1833, aged 83. </div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Anne, widow of the Hon George Mackay and mother of Eric, 7th
Lord Reay, died 15 March 1833, aged 82.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiwh_eGzpQULMRil9N3PhJPb4S6C2Mj2-g9A38CViih7hpFs-4_u49p5nvoqdkA2zxtfE5FcHcyYZ9zdBKIgd3gnKRCR__6RmH3BSLPM2kzZWsRRPtsmzW2XVGGC8s6YOUMj8qzuoUDI/s1600/James+Anderson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiwh_eGzpQULMRil9N3PhJPb4S6C2Mj2-g9A38CViih7hpFs-4_u49p5nvoqdkA2zxtfE5FcHcyYZ9zdBKIgd3gnKRCR__6RmH3BSLPM2kzZWsRRPtsmzW2XVGGC8s6YOUMj8qzuoUDI/s320/James+Anderson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="normal">
</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
James Anderson Esq of Wilton Lodge, Roxburghshire, died 30
October 1833, aged 76.<br />
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
David Monro Esq, formerly of Quebec, lower Canada. He died September 3<sup>rd</sup> 1834, aged 74 years.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Lt General Sir Thomas Dallas, GCB, died 12 August 1839. Anne,
his widow, died 30 April 1847.</div>
<div class="normal">
<br /></div>
<div class="normal">
Col the Hon Aeneas Mackay, 3rd son of the 2nd Lord Reay who
died in the service of the States General. His descendants settled in the
Netherlands and to them the Scottish Barony descended in 1875.</div>
Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-10122221529055472052015-12-29T12:40:00.000+00:002015-12-29T12:40:06.536+00:00General Hugh Mercer: Jacobite, Doctor, Symbol of the American Revolution<br />
General Hugh Mercer was a Jacobite who fought at the Battle of Culloden (1746) as a 20 year old surgeon and died as a general in George Washington's Continental Army, fatally wounded at the Battle of Princeton in 1777, now aged 51. Washington said of him, "In his experience and judgement you may repose great confidence."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbzzN84blWwU5dlO0JdSHwS71LxS8GVuXfUpyiPq5at963V2xHvtbhpU6b3LiBBjr3nYxfn655PNdlNKqIHTgaoC7MP8fCwR_95Va6dbiMsDq2HRpRAdEBI57PpexUyVvgebDipKZmLY/s1600/Hugh+Mercer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEbzzN84blWwU5dlO0JdSHwS71LxS8GVuXfUpyiPq5at963V2xHvtbhpU6b3LiBBjr3nYxfn655PNdlNKqIHTgaoC7MP8fCwR_95Va6dbiMsDq2HRpRAdEBI57PpexUyVvgebDipKZmLY/s1600/Hugh+Mercer.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
From 1 April 2016 there will be a permanent exhibition at the Fraserburgh Heritage Centre (up on Scotland's North East Coast) highlighting this famous son of the area.<br />
<br />
Born at Pitsligo Kirk Manse (near Fraserburgh) in 1726, he studied medicine at Marischal College Aberdeen from age 15. In 1745 he enlisted in the Jacobite Army (Pitsligo's Regiment of Horse) as a Surgeon. Fighting alongside him was his cousin, Thomas Mercer of Auchnacant, an Aide de Camp.<br />
<br />
Following the disaster of Culloden, Mercer spent months in hiding, and in 1747 bought his way on to a ship and settled at Mercersburg, Pennsylvania where he practised medicine.<br />
<br />
Eight years later, his taste for adventure resurfaced and he joined the British Army, not as a doctor but as an infantry officer, and was prominent in the struggle against the French for Fort Duquesne. Having captured the fort and (now renamed Fort Pitt, the origin of Pittsburg) in 1758 Colonel Mercer was left in charge and at one stage the new fort was recorded as 'Mercer's Fort'.<br />
<br />
He returned to medicine in Fredericksburg Virginia where he married and had five children. At the outset of the Revolution in 1776, he joined George Washington and is credited with the plan to cross the iced over Delaware and surprise the British Army at Trenton. Next month, though, his brigade became separated from the main army on the way to Princetown and he died of his wounds. There is a memorial plaque outside the house where he died.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWDbONyu-BkV829yQ9OJ3i3iydKaWSTwMdvO8Z-9QoIeIFfuUUKXgzGJQ6ety3umwgT6N9Jzbu41JL2bu-Bn4j5MAfBYtehSaX_f2wTwLZN3PNDK_i-jBQLZ-3U7AJKl1wIeGDaLdw4c/s1600/Mercer%2527s+memorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLWDbONyu-BkV829yQ9OJ3i3iydKaWSTwMdvO8Z-9QoIeIFfuUUKXgzGJQ6ety3umwgT6N9Jzbu41JL2bu-Bn4j5MAfBYtehSaX_f2wTwLZN3PNDK_i-jBQLZ-3U7AJKl1wIeGDaLdw4c/s320/Mercer%2527s+memorial.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Amongst Mercer's many descendants was General George S. Patton Jr. of World War Two fame.<br />
<br />
Some might comment that, although he looks very much a part of the establishment, he was a rebel all his life!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNq5BBTrg02750vITSzRv1u8U2UsudDXwu7qXsXW4LyHDhHdKgL4Y2ocs52iWPj8EaiOchYQ7GvhipdfA6yCgWeSBETx6LElEBo4tZiqdxg5sTgOk4OpiFZdB5QYVXCWjQtK7HGAeqL4/s1600/Washington+Avenue%252C+Fredericksburg%252C+VA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghNq5BBTrg02750vITSzRv1u8U2UsudDXwu7qXsXW4LyHDhHdKgL4Y2ocs52iWPj8EaiOchYQ7GvhipdfA6yCgWeSBETx6LElEBo4tZiqdxg5sTgOk4OpiFZdB5QYVXCWjQtK7HGAeqL4/s1600/Washington+Avenue%252C+Fredericksburg%252C+VA.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">General Hugh Mercer Memorial Statue, Washington District, Fredericksburg, Virginia.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-81458940782701626372015-08-06T11:58:00.002+00:002018-11-21T14:58:52.025+00:00Clashing CulturesI watched episode nine of the Outlander TV series last night... where Jamie takes his belt to Claire for her disobedience: "You've done wrong to all the men and you must suffer for it". She then twice makes him promise, at the point of a dirk, never to do such a thing again. This tension between cultures is one of the charms of the books and Diana Gabaldon has put her finger on an enduring issue.<br />
<br />
For Claire, an intelligent liberated woman of the 20th century, such barbarity is unacceptable, indeed contemptible. But, stripped of modern ethical standards, clan society in the 18th century worked pretty well, and Claire was operating in a cultural vacuum (her culture had not yet been born!).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYZ0Drc7_xSQdr4TKiFfkHZcoY8JM-1W2nYTHRSohsWYKfQRfyYU5qrgCZ8rdgF20o7_qQUQ6SW4DA-3iwCe6aRX_T1y8wHgUdoSMWi4VEPfnFRCoZc1AacJkufzpRUpa6lBNAuqOiuc/s1600/I%2527m+not+coming+with+you%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYZ0Drc7_xSQdr4TKiFfkHZcoY8JM-1W2nYTHRSohsWYKfQRfyYU5qrgCZ8rdgF20o7_qQUQ6SW4DA-3iwCe6aRX_T1y8wHgUdoSMWi4VEPfnFRCoZc1AacJkufzpRUpa6lBNAuqOiuc/s320/I%2527m+not+coming+with+you%2521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The episode put me in mind of Alistair Moffat's comments in his excellent book on Hadrian's Wall, on the relative barbarism of Romans and the invaded, artistic but illiterate Celts, "In AD 105 the Emperor Trajan sent 50,000 captives back to Rome to be butchered by gladiators for the amusement of spectators... very civilised".<br />
<br />
Where a culture has superior military power, it somehow believes that its values are superior to those who are less developed, less able to defend themselves.<br />
<br />
In 1919 the Aliab Dinka of Southern Sudan, naked, spear-carrying cattle herders were not paying their taxes and, when confronted, had the temerity to outwit the government forces and kill the provincial governor. The Lewis gun equipped punitive expedition burned villages and drove off 7000 cattle, sold to fund the occupying force. Who were the Barbarians?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiO3zE5YYjc1eC8-7B4k8_J6wZTuCECpfnmes_Qu2R5LyWq7myOetZXgDh8P_8nrugjStFznZ3pZU66DRXhLjOqNdu5WaDS8Ag2Eb80PeklmDjklMuc70RJgtvJVDw79aKE6gqjvCIAI/s1600/Boudica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiO3zE5YYjc1eC8-7B4k8_J6wZTuCECpfnmes_Qu2R5LyWq7myOetZXgDh8P_8nrugjStFznZ3pZU66DRXhLjOqNdu5WaDS8Ag2Eb80PeklmDjklMuc70RJgtvJVDw79aKE6gqjvCIAI/s320/Boudica.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Moffat also writes of the aftermath of Queen Boudica's rebellion, "Paullinus scoured the countryside for fugitives, allies, or even neutrals... smoke rose on every horizon as the soldiers punished southern Britain for daring to rebel". The same man dealt with the island of Anglesey, "In the days after the battle the killing went on: Paullinus ordered his men to cut down the sacred groves of oak trees on Mona, and as far as possible extirpate the cult of the druids".<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRrW9Yk9R4b-0gw2s6OdiFxyO7_qMMWPyPU-KjSixaoLtsGFXUMJoKoDE2TWw0yHIgdm2IO9IlH5cu5kSLWy-gVGpeZxYRFHomBYLzSXVZh81O939ETYnc7h6e60DW1dMqry8AB6ahWI/s1600/Redcoats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRrW9Yk9R4b-0gw2s6OdiFxyO7_qMMWPyPU-KjSixaoLtsGFXUMJoKoDE2TWw0yHIgdm2IO9IlH5cu5kSLWy-gVGpeZxYRFHomBYLzSXVZh81O939ETYnc7h6e60DW1dMqry8AB6ahWI/s320/Redcoats.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The extirpation of a cult was more or less exactly what the Duke of Cumberland had in mind with his brutal and indiscriminate suppression of the Highlands in 1746. The violence and sense of superiority of the British Army of the day is only a little exaggerated in the TV series.<br />
<br />
That was 270 years ago. But the conviction that more developed cultures are superior (and should be imposed) still endures.<br />
<br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-62455248751635408832015-07-12T21:11:00.000+00:002015-07-13T13:23:38.769+00:00Gallipoli 1915 and Culloden 1746My adopted town of Hawick remembers its dead. In May I visited the Gallipoli peninsular, scene of a disastrous campaign in 1915, where there is a marble shield to the Hawick fallen. 86 Hawick men lost their lives on 12 July 1915 and each year there is a service of remembrance here. Today, the centenary, there was an expanded ceremony; each of the 86 names was read out, the Last Post sounded: <i>They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old... </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
The Hawick men were from 4th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers. They were ordered to take a non existent line of trenches and ended up milling around in the open under heavy machine gun and artillery fire. Only two officers ended the day uninjured; seventy men from a unit of about 700 were fit for duty next day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmaUgxW9hiT0aLHgxJXFDWgtiq2BGPU6NhKU6nQgD772ZebZxRhbLCuJ5sS4tHkD5Yq-VhEw9QM2jpY3cTaIyLdOs-_RKH1LxqR0HWIz5BMkQS-R0L4zXuI1oR87yodMARziAu3Uyng4/s1600/kosb_3_krithia.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtmaUgxW9hiT0aLHgxJXFDWgtiq2BGPU6NhKU6nQgD772ZebZxRhbLCuJ5sS4tHkD5Yq-VhEw9QM2jpY3cTaIyLdOs-_RKH1LxqR0HWIz5BMkQS-R0L4zXuI1oR87yodMARziAu3Uyng4/s320/kosb_3_krithia.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There are many heart wrenching tales from Gallipoli. Many are scarcely believable accounts of sheltering for days in the baking sun behind rotting bodies (a ready breeding ground for millions of flies). But the story that particularly caught my attention was that of Brigadier Scott Moncrieff. At the Battle of Gully Ravine, he watched his men being cut to pieces as they attacked into Turkish machine gun fire. He was ordered to attack again and felt he had no choice but to be at the head of his men. He led them 'over the top' and was hit in the head by a bullet. The attack failed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-QbFJn4kbijBaUtY9Z3Y82avYXk9YT04zmfuRELMFe73TfQvdYK8PztUQwQqDP99fofiNLp6Aofx5pI2I6MI7jrXpCew6DDJ__q78SbjvKyPRUB_l0KJ8NTbUXRQTPanqw1IXAM2M2g/s1600/Brig+Scott+Moncrieff.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-QbFJn4kbijBaUtY9Z3Y82avYXk9YT04zmfuRELMFe73TfQvdYK8PztUQwQqDP99fofiNLp6Aofx5pI2I6MI7jrXpCew6DDJ__q78SbjvKyPRUB_l0KJ8NTbUXRQTPanqw1IXAM2M2g/s400/Brig+Scott+Moncrieff.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grave of Brigadier Scott Moncrieff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It reminded me of Cameron of Lochiel ('The Gentle Lochiel') at the Battle of Culloden in 1746; he was a polyglot, expert forester and much respected clan chief. He must have known that, after the failure of the night attack, the situation at Culloden was hopeless. But all the same he bounded across that moor in his powdered wig, brandishing a broadsword, endeavouring to engage the British Army.<br />
<br />
But Lochiel did not reach the government front line as his legs caught the grapeshot of their cannons; he was carried back to his home at Achnacarry and escaped to France where he died.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlM-jmO8-_dMH_F6yR3zdisU9DjY3MDWDSPhqr2NII7q1s7sWbeJxtwOGNeniVQHWPFSOGqeUSFcR-EQ1Ke23Mencvsmf56W81mdJt8ADMuh7QN2-jgm9zaBDcjkdoHYuWdM8PlymTp8/s1600/Gentle+Lochiel+-+Cameron.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjlM-jmO8-_dMH_F6yR3zdisU9DjY3MDWDSPhqr2NII7q1s7sWbeJxtwOGNeniVQHWPFSOGqeUSFcR-EQ1Ke23Mencvsmf56W81mdJt8ADMuh7QN2-jgm9zaBDcjkdoHYuWdM8PlymTp8/s320/Gentle+Lochiel+-+Cameron.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cameron of Lochiel (1700 - 1748)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Both men willingly put themselves in certain mortal danger in a battle they knew would be lost, leading their men in the full knowledge that it was probably all in vain. It was their duty. Better to die a hero than live a coward.Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-18262229794395177782014-09-23T12:23:00.000+00:002014-09-23T12:40:23.281+00:00Scotland says 'No'. But now that you're listening...So what should those outside these shores make of our Independence Referendum?<br />
<br />
In short, the 'No' vote won but we are now in a much better position - with more devolution on the way - than we were a month ago.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYv_7aZUw7ELGaQK-zzlwFy46ixJbY_h_0PGiRypOYOUHCP1-dQcxDXtASdxuj7r6zVqRKMmNKBrWKm57aaH2xtZTfA-37w6KjXcEvYDIL6gicFLXha-TvK7qSJNXi8rmehguMl1tAUK0/s1600/SDcotland+decisd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYv_7aZUw7ELGaQK-zzlwFy46ixJbY_h_0PGiRypOYOUHCP1-dQcxDXtASdxuj7r6zVqRKMmNKBrWKm57aaH2xtZTfA-37w6KjXcEvYDIL6gicFLXha-TvK7qSJNXi8rmehguMl1tAUK0/s1600/SDcotland+decisd.jpg" height="71" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Much passion has been generated and it has sadly left some bitter divisions. In my personal view, this was a wasted opportunity: we were asked to vote on a general principle (which would be binding) without any knowledge (or rather with two totally conflicting opinions) as to what the balance sheet of an independent Scotland would look like. A 'Yes' vote would have been an enormous leap of faith.<br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">The vast majority in the UK is very relieved. It did at one stage seem quite possible that the votes of two million people in Scotland could break up the 300 year old United Kingdom, (pop. 64 million). Any UK government will think carefully about a future referendum.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ss2vTeLncqE-gFpSIdxQ3qEbQPTeJMKAzkIFJxes5IJ0tWRbEOe-VqbUycY_ZtThkdZ-X_LT2HGI2_vRUYR6Qy0Kl3WhJ7Ty-jfg-s7UdrNhUt2w13gTmKW9ZkRRq1n-RqhCbCH9mIk/s1600/No+Supporters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ss2vTeLncqE-gFpSIdxQ3qEbQPTeJMKAzkIFJxes5IJ0tWRbEOe-VqbUycY_ZtThkdZ-X_LT2HGI2_vRUYR6Qy0Kl3WhJ7Ty-jfg-s7UdrNhUt2w13gTmKW9ZkRRq1n-RqhCbCH9mIk/s1600/No+Supporters.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The good news is that Scotland has put down a marker. We want more devolution and we want it soon.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">T</span>his genie will not be going back into its box. Many people are distraught. They feel betrayed by the majority. In their hearts they cannot accept this decision. Expectations have been raised. <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Alan Little, the BBC Scotland correspondent makes some
very good points...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Almost all the mainstream
media (including Scottish media) were hostile to independence.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The banks would move to
London. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The financial services
industry would collapse. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mortgage payments would
rise. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scotland would have to get
in the queue behind Kosovo for EU membership. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The oil is running out.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">No one knew what currency we
would use.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Supermarkets prices would go
up. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>And still 45% voted 'Yes'!!</b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopOoWpAZL3wn8CWSwwa1WgNvKjS8TPNqR5fCITVdkVWYbGExlWBuy140wg-uqVn1JNQRGukbtTKqudvI7_sZHw831S_JbXKNfocuHg3fKtpkfhYzL3uCjt0wJBXhRR7qxVDrRr94FWxk/s1600/220px-Hadrian's_wall_at_Greenhead_Lough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiopOoWpAZL3wn8CWSwwa1WgNvKjS8TPNqR5fCITVdkVWYbGExlWBuy140wg-uqVn1JNQRGukbtTKqudvI7_sZHw831S_JbXKNfocuHg3fKtpkfhYzL3uCjt0wJBXhRR7qxVDrRr94FWxk/s1600/220px-Hadrian's_wall_at_Greenhead_Lough.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, its mostly the fault of the Romans. For three hundred years the Celtic tribes in the north were walled off from their southern neighbours who began to favour baths, wine and a trip to the amphitheatre over the traditional Celtic entertainments of warfare, feasting and song. And because these southerners became so soft they were easy meat for the Angles,Saxons and Danes who imported a different language and a different culture. Two kingdoms were born.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Joining them together was a success.<span style="line-height: 115%;">We defeated Napoleon, built the Empire, suffered together in two World
Wars, built post-war prosperity and the welfare state. But now we are both part
of Europe and subject to its laws ('independence' is a relative, not an
absolute, concept nowadays). Scotland's coal, steel and shipbuilding is now
worked out. N</span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">ow, more than ever, t</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">he centre of gravity is in London. There
isn't really a joint project any more. We feel different.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It hasn't helped, over the years, that the English regularly beat us on the battlefield (as well as on the rugby pitch). It hasn't helped that English Victorians who bought Scottish castles and estates, tended to treat the locals as serfs. It hasn't helped that successive Prime Ministers - Douglas Home, Heath and Callaghan - have promised more devolution than they have delivered. But mostly it's because we feel different.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unscrambling the constitution, - which is now what is needed - will be very tricky. I'm not going into that now. But, despite the infighting, we are a lot better off now than we were a month ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYL7-qXAKxTI8r0XIjHWq1cRt83-0qpex2PN_XP7Z6raHcpAIrDzc9Wn7dMjL64LgbfgYg5GPU0NH7MNcgqTRJXCL4eV8CrnbeUHjrWu5f19O2OT5oY5CMFZby5ieJfKmMYUZY2eaIe8/s1600/Flags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYL7-qXAKxTI8r0XIjHWq1cRt83-0qpex2PN_XP7Z6raHcpAIrDzc9Wn7dMjL64LgbfgYg5GPU0NH7MNcgqTRJXCL4eV8CrnbeUHjrWu5f19O2OT5oY5CMFZby5ieJfKmMYUZY2eaIe8/s1600/Flags.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-1731007388673217322014-06-29T17:51:00.001+00:002014-06-29T17:51:54.031+00:00Come home to Scotland!How lucky we are in Scotland to have a colourful and vibrant clan culture to underpin our tourism industry! But are we looking after our Diaspora?...making it easy for folk to find and enjoy the experiences that they seek?<br />
<br />
Yesterday I was at the very successful '<a href="http://www.bannockburnlive.com/" target="_blank">Bannockburn Live</a>'. An effective 'battle performance', great music and good local food were marred only by some rain and a wee problem with traffic management. The clan tents were busy, especially when Robert the Bruce himself was doing the rounds.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVK1txh26uJnMDOX-whnns5_PqmtU5Ik3mOYvQREI6rKl_hAvD1jysGD4DEAncZWlJa0Uml53J7eBZLUgOj5XTuNMO4t6pajbUJh-AoJyJ2Bhc0m-DCMxQ2yUcKuN-QaFjy8SvZYG7KY/s1600/Robert+the+Bruce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVK1txh26uJnMDOX-whnns5_PqmtU5Ik3mOYvQREI6rKl_hAvD1jysGD4DEAncZWlJa0Uml53J7eBZLUgOj5XTuNMO4t6pajbUJh-AoJyJ2Bhc0m-DCMxQ2yUcKuN-QaFjy8SvZYG7KY/s1600/Robert+the+Bruce.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Tomorrow I am at a meeting to discuss how to 'develop the potential of clan tourism in Scotland'. So, as I mow the grass, my mind inevitably turns to what can be learned from 'Bannockburn Live' and how we can build on it...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Correcting my un-straight lines, I conclude that Highland Games elsewhere are in many cases grander affairs than here in Scotland, but an event such as 'Bannockburn Live' or a Scottish Highland Games offers a 'Rooted Authenticity'. This may come from some or all of the following...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>A historic setting - castle, battlefield, iconic venue such as Holyrood Park, or somewhere that resonates in clan history.</li>
<li>Clan events before or afterwards, and/or the opportunity to tour remote clan lands, seek out family heritage - or visit popular attractions.</li>
<li>What surrounds the event - people, architecture, whisky, music. An American friend who was at the event yesterday evening has uploaded a video of a music session in a local pub commenting " Just another reason I love Scotland!!!"</li>
<li>Meeting native Scots of the same name. This may seem trivial to us in Scotland, but after 12 years of running tours with an ancestral theme, I know it is not.</li>
<li>Our funny Scottish ways: local people with impenetrable accents enthusing about ...something, the Atholl Highlanders, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5_2wNd-HHc" target="_blank">Lonach Highlanders</a>, nobility, Royalty.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis3lT8Ec2T45FUwDUQt4NBhJGDmMBUIVozqWoiCL19KtsbRRYC2LA5u2Wy0J7FNR3rqQ86zo36SU30vGDXNiPWoOndAmGkBJVLD-IussNUUNymUgQK_mlVIcl6t668zf1ASsgwpAIxjg/s1600/Atholl+Highlanders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis3lT8Ec2T45FUwDUQt4NBhJGDmMBUIVozqWoiCL19KtsbRRYC2LA5u2Wy0J7FNR3rqQ86zo36SU30vGDXNiPWoOndAmGkBJVLD-IussNUUNymUgQK_mlVIcl6t668zf1ASsgwpAIxjg/s1600/Atholl+Highlanders.jpg" height="167" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Atholl Highlanders</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
There's a bit to think on there - and I'd be very grateful for any feedback, especially from those in far off places. Have I got this more or less right? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If so, the way we get the message out and make all this more accessible is a longer discussion.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe we should be doing more events like 'Bannockburn Live'? There are Highland Games and Gatherings all over north and central Scotland and this year the <a href="http://highlandtattoo.com/" target="_blank">Highland Tattoo</a> at Fort George. What about something to celebrate Border clans and families during the Common Riding season with participation by cornets/callants? Bannockburn again perhaps? Or a massive 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath in 2020?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Finally, I was chatting to this man in the beer tent yesterday. Clearly a passionate Scot.<br />
Where does he come from?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsD1lVCQK7lKdr9Fzxn9EJDV3NxyDtTGUw-UJ1LDIkRGcT0AYwx1ke19cS0EcJ8sJYUAW4vrsrq3Sh2pLSemAVjyvfDK_nmOCKixKEDlGWFWYu0tb7_460hfiXPBD4BdDeF9jsfvX3q0/s1600/20140628_145340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsD1lVCQK7lKdr9Fzxn9EJDV3NxyDtTGUw-UJ1LDIkRGcT0AYwx1ke19cS0EcJ8sJYUAW4vrsrq3Sh2pLSemAVjyvfDK_nmOCKixKEDlGWFWYu0tb7_460hfiXPBD4BdDeF9jsfvX3q0/s1600/20140628_145340.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Basel.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
Food for thought...<br />
maybe another beer...</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-27813082766522209012014-04-27T12:18:00.000+00:002014-04-28T10:16:04.999+00:00Rewriting the Battle of Bannockburn I am Edward II of England, facing King Robert of Scotland, played by the Chief Guide at the<a href="http://battleofbannockburn.com/" target="_blank"> Bannockburn Centre</a>. It was an interesting encounter: I led my cavalry straight into his foul <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caltrop" target="_blank">calthrop</a> trap but he was so keen to protect his king (yes, it's a bit like chess) that I outnumbered him in various encounters. Then he gleefully pointed out that whilst I had lots of archers and cavalry left, I had no infantry with which to relieve Stirling Castle - which had to be done by midsummer's day to comply with a gentlemanly deal done with the Scots by the castle's governor, Sir Philip Mowbray. (The Russians may have a similar plan in eastern Ukraine although as yet no date has been set).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_hFP2bSP7C3mrviDyf2P441ggKSMhR5T9YEHnVHl8DDXFYXhyFbn75lhQ6KJuN21UmRKTWUP8w3kYJtlbna-nbedylfYhyOIpt6posYUWC-X6a42FWN9pPaahEYdumEgcNK2qJZKVBc/s1600/bannockburn+painting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_hFP2bSP7C3mrviDyf2P441ggKSMhR5T9YEHnVHl8DDXFYXhyFbn75lhQ6KJuN21UmRKTWUP8w3kYJtlbna-nbedylfYhyOIpt6posYUWC-X6a42FWN9pPaahEYdumEgcNK2qJZKVBc/s1600/bannockburn+painting.jpg" height="129" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Of course in 1314 it was a Scottish victory, indeed it was our last 'home win' against England and the encounter will be replayed on <a href="http://www.bannockburnlive.com/" target="_blank">28 and 29 June at Bannockburn</a> this year, a 700th anniversary celebration.<br />
<br />
I enjoyed the new attraction and all the fun of 3D glasses with the effects of knights galloping past a mere arm's length away. The talking figures of various characters in the battle are excellent in every detail - don't miss any of these. But the much hyped war game is, I think, overambitious. It's designed for 30 players, each with a division or two to command, and an understandable need for quick decision-making so that the battle does not take all day. Commentary and advice from staff is essential to make some sense of it all. It's great to see hi-tech options being embraced, but I wonder how much each learned about the actual course of the battle...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SpJV0eC1Xj6IRqZYOwjeHu8_UXmfqzyjZAepWE5eNZDSJE4XEogNbV1l3oiLriTzio6iwNWRq1mOxTLlA5NPi0iEcCoZTe7_gpsXJUsZfhFIyElN_0t7WMDTlTy3YK4hRRl7_e7kpIg/s1600/Bannnockburn+adn+Bruce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3SpJV0eC1Xj6IRqZYOwjeHu8_UXmfqzyjZAepWE5eNZDSJE4XEogNbV1l3oiLriTzio6iwNWRq1mOxTLlA5NPi0iEcCoZTe7_gpsXJUsZfhFIyElN_0t7WMDTlTy3YK4hRRl7_e7kpIg/s1600/Bannnockburn+adn+Bruce.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The seeds of this conflict were sown by the untimely death of King Alexander III of Scotland, whose only heir, his granddaughter Margaret, died on her way back home from Norway. Edward I of England ruthlessly exploited the resulting power vacuum and took Scotland under his control. The Scottish victory at Bannockburn was a game-changer and in this year of the referendum on Scotland's independence it is understandably cited as a source of national pride and patriotism. Conveniently forgotten is that the Scottish solution to the problem of King Alexander's death was to make a good marriage for his heir, Margaret the 'Maid of Norway'. The intended bridegroom?... none other than the future Edward II of England.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvSW_6zFM92YdbiF4B0yuFyvM9P5rRvEK4CIF94Dl6N9Sd3T_BfK6KbQ74G_lJVmIhyayFBf_rtHVxMO2Ju8l4lVQRdrZ26eQx4wI9M3uecoNtvyM0Hi3m3Pbh-HgOTfbImSsaNtaSxI/s1600/bannockburnlive2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvSW_6zFM92YdbiF4B0yuFyvM9P5rRvEK4CIF94Dl6N9Sd3T_BfK6KbQ74G_lJVmIhyayFBf_rtHVxMO2Ju8l4lVQRdrZ26eQx4wI9M3uecoNtvyM0Hi3m3Pbh-HgOTfbImSsaNtaSxI/s1600/bannockburnlive2.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-54361205610908483172014-03-06T13:11:00.000+00:002014-03-06T13:53:38.060+00:00What is a 'Broken Clan'?<a href="http://www.clancunninghamintl.org/" target="_blank">Clan Cunningham website</a> announces jubilantly, "We are no longer a broken clan!".<br />
Indeed there is now a Chief of the Name and Arms of Cunninghame (sic) which, after 218 years without one, is good news.<br />
<br />
A chief-less clan is often cited as 'broken'. But I wonder if members of Clan Cunningham knew we were a 'broken clan' before we ceased to be one? Of the 324 Scottish clans or families within which individuals have coats of arms recorded, only 121 currently have a chief, as recognised by the <a href="http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/242.html" target="_blank">Lord Lyon</a>. It does sound a little dramatic to suggest that the rest are 'broken'!<br />
<br />
Historical documents often use the phrase 'broken men', also known as thieves, vagabonds, caterans, 'unanswerable men' and 'clanless men'; men who, in a subsistence agricultural society, have lost their land, perhaps due to a larger clan taking over their traditional clan lands. These men, without the protection of a chief, without any source of income, relied on their wits, turned to crime and were a constant problem to the authorities in Edinburgh. A look through the <a href="http://rps.ac.uk/" target="_blank">Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707</a> gives 49 references to 'broken men' and the resulting problems. Interestingly there is not a single reference to a 'broken clan'.<br />
<br />
Amongst the several Acts for the "repressing of the insolence of the barbarous people and broken men of the highlands", only one clan is specifically mentioned: "that wicked race and name of the Glengregor, notorious villains and malefactors". The MacGregors were displaced from their clan lands by the Campbell Earl of Argyll but they never lost their chief. The present chief is Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor Bt., much respected convenor of the <a href="http://www.clanchiefs.org.uk/" target="_blank">Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs</a>.<br />
<br />
So what is a 'broken clan'?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3715677906758513085.post-13672373089000862832014-01-19T16:41:00.000+00:002014-03-06T13:54:51.174+00:00When is a castle not a castle?A castle is advertised for sale. So I took a look.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWV69-Gr3uxgWdMWiM0Dxc6vdGX3D7bm-cR8XFD-ocapzsTCQoGvAYgdbuw0Xr93lxkmvVoXfvfrHdSMezs6AbJps8616l_BkiwyXCcwg8n8TJdMzF62-6kYvUw40PATMSVN5y84XJDho/s1600/cavers-castle+b&w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWV69-Gr3uxgWdMWiM0Dxc6vdGX3D7bm-cR8XFD-ocapzsTCQoGvAYgdbuw0Xr93lxkmvVoXfvfrHdSMezs6AbJps8616l_BkiwyXCcwg8n8TJdMzF62-6kYvUw40PATMSVN5y84XJDho/s1600/cavers-castle+b&w.jpg" height="241" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cavers Castle (or maybe Cavers House?) in its prime.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://www.rettie.co.uk/property-for-sale/borders/denholm/MEL130005-house-building-plot-land-country-home-cavers" target="_blank">Cavers Castle</a>, a tower house of the Black Douglas, was destroyed by the English in 1545, remodelled in the 1750s and much extended in 1887. It has been a ruin since 1953 when the last Palmer Douglas laird, quite remarkably, sold the contents and allowed the army to use the building for target practice. Now mature spruce trees surround and oppress the sad skeleton, swaying arrogantly in what was drive, lawn, flower bed.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkr700etuIZnWdXFcMJ6oU9VQS7MvoxvFXMsrDFECa4wEOuU04bIYKX1Bvywf4E1l0bDc67QCxX50Lqt2SFHMnGD8yLwPDO0NpSgDxnunelSV_vnH6OdLtur3O1mEIBm2IKekbdHpSMmo/s1600/Cavers+now.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkr700etuIZnWdXFcMJ6oU9VQS7MvoxvFXMsrDFECa4wEOuU04bIYKX1Bvywf4E1l0bDc67QCxX50Lqt2SFHMnGD8yLwPDO0NpSgDxnunelSV_vnH6OdLtur3O1mEIBm2IKekbdHpSMmo/s1600/Cavers+now.JPG" height="242" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cavers now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I chatted to some people from a cottage nearby. "It's not really a castle", they said, "more of a mansion house". And when I looked in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Castles-Scotland-Martin-Coventry/dp/1841584495" target="_blank">my favourite reference book</a>, the entry under Cavers Castle read, 'See Cavers House'. </div>
<br />
So which is it?<br />
The generally accepted definition of a castle is a 'private fortified residence'. When built in the 16th century Cavers was undoubtedly a castle; but in 1887 it was rebuilt for gracious living with no thought for defence. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert did not build Balmoral as a fortified residence in 1856 but, unlike Cavers, it does have many of the architectural defensive features of a castle.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSA8m4YsMbvYWO72yPcqAn_hCuZyi1M2dq-tIBuxSbv6BsoZUhFp-6Sn49JBF4q91SOI8IfN54jaAQdxzygW99Rxy8D_wMx1BV-9HSMy8i4jiaTliAKjNXWZaFr4P0ySdSBCnVdCqtr7k/s1600/Balmoral_Castle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSA8m4YsMbvYWO72yPcqAn_hCuZyi1M2dq-tIBuxSbv6BsoZUhFp-6Sn49JBF4q91SOI8IfN54jaAQdxzygW99Rxy8D_wMx1BV-9HSMy8i4jiaTliAKjNXWZaFr4P0ySdSBCnVdCqtr7k/s1600/Balmoral_Castle.jpg" height="171" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balmoral Castle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<a href="http://www.blair-castle.co.uk/castle_history_evolution.cfm" target="_blank">Blair Castle</a>, seat of the Dukes of Atholl, started as a castle, was remodelled in 1740 to be a stylish country house with no turrets or castellations then in the 1860s, under the influence of Balmoral, was transformed back into a castle!<br />
<br />
So it is a grey area... which could confuse the potential castle purchaser. Or, more unfortunately, a visitor to our shores; <a href="http://www.venlaw.co.uk/p/3/History-of-Castle-Venlaw" target="_blank">Castle Venlaw</a> in Peebles, for example, is a very good hotel, but no more a castle than your house or mine!<br />
<br />Alastair Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00869403688092052553noreply@blogger.com0