Neil Oliver on the lure of Castle Campbell
23
EXCITING EVENTS
INSIDE
THE MAGAZINE FOR HISTORIC SCOTLAND MEMBERS
WINTER 2015
10 WINTER WALKS TAKE A STROLL AT
Melrose Abbey, Urquhart Castle and St Andrews Castle
EVACUATION!
,000 5YEARS The day St Kilda’s crofting dream died
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To book call Northumbria Travel on 01670 829922 Visit www.northumbriatravel.com or email us at info@northumbriatravel.com 82 Front Street East, Bedlington, Northumberland, NE22 5AB Prices correct at time of going to print and include booking discounts. From prices are per person and based on two sharing the lowest grade stateroom available on selected dates. Prices and savings of up to £1,000pp are valid until 31 December 2015. Savings of £1,000pp on selected dates only. A Chinese visa can be arranged through Viking from £169pp. For more information please visit www.vikingcruises.co.uk/terms-conditions.
Welcome to
CHRISTMAS
It has been another busy and exciting year for Historic Scotland, culminating in our coming together with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland to form Historic Environment Scotland. See page 7 for more on what this means. The days may be getting shorter and chillier, but that’s no excuse to spend the next few months indoors. In this issue, we present 10 great properties to visit on a crisp winter’s day. Our tips include Urquhart Castle, St Andrews Castle and Melrose Abbey – and we even suggest where to refuel with cakes and coffee. As eight years of excavation end at the Links of Noltland site on the island of Westray, Orkney, archaeologist Hazel Moore tells how the project unfolded – and what it has taught us. Journalist Jackie McGlone goes behind the scenes with Dawn McDowell from our listings team to spend a day as an ‘A-lister’ in Edinburgh, visiting the magnificent Parliament House and spotting sites nearby. Television archaeologist Neil Oliver tells us why visiting historic sites is “good for the soul”. He takes the climb to Castle Campbell and shares the dark secrets of its tumultuous history. We share an extract from our book on the archipelago of St Kilda; Beauly Priory goes under the spotlight; and we have tips on how to maintain your home in winter. Finally, remember to check out our Christmas dining events.
MEMBERSHIP OFFER
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
Contributors JACKIE McGLONE My day as an A-lister (p34) A freelance journalist based in Edinburgh, Jackie specialises in the arts, culture and design.
SEE PAGE 49
CLAIRE BOWIE Membership and CRM Manager
MALCOLM COCHRANE, ALY1963
5 big things to see and do this issue 1
Unravel the secrets of Castle Campbell P22
2
Discover 10 winter walks in stunning locations P28
3
Time travel to a crofting past on St Kilda P38
4
Devour Christmas lunch in regal surroundings P50
5
Celebrate Burns at Stirling Castle P55
DR EAMONN O’NEILL The mists of time (p22) An investigative journalist who lectures at the University of Strathclyde, Eamonn is based in the Borders.
MIKE SMITH View from outdoors (p21) In search of a rare butterfly in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Mike is a volunteer intern with the conservation charity Buglife Bothwell Castle
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 1
LOOK INSIDE HISTORIC SCOTLAND WINTER 2015
Historic Environment Scotland Longmore House, Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SH 0131 668 8600 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Membership enquiries 0131 668 8999 hs.members@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Editorial enquiries hs.magazine@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Membership and CRM Manager Claire Bowie Assistant Membership Manager Morag Paterson Membership Co-ordinator Pauline Brews Editor Kathleen Morgan kathleen.morgan@thinkpublishing.co.uk Deputy Editor Fiona McKinlay fiona.mckinlay@thinkpublishing.co.uk Design Matthew Ball, Ross Russell Sub-editors Sam Bartlett, Donald Cowey Editorial Assistant Jonathan McIntosh Advertising Sales Jamie Dawson jamie.dawson@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7221 Publisher John Innes john.innes@thinkpublishing.co.uk Think Suite 2.3, Red Tree Business Suites, 33 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow G40 4LA 0141 375 0504 Photography All images provided by Historic Environment Scotland unless otherwise stated. For access to images of Scotland and our properties, call 0131 668 8647/8785, email hs.images@scotland.gsi.gov.uk, or visit www.historicscotlandimages.gov.uk Historic Scotland is published quarterly and printed on paper made from pulp sourced from sustainable materials. The views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of Historic Environment Scotland. All information is correct at the time of going to press.
22 | Archaeologist Neil Oliver takes a journey of discovery at Castle Campbell
ALAN DONALDSON; JAMES C RICHARDSON; NEWSQUEST; MALCOLM COCHRANE; SHUTTERSTOCK
Š Historic Environment Scotland. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without prior agreement of the Membership and CRM Manager of Historic Environment Scotland. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is a Non Departmental Public Body established by the Historic Environment Scotland Act 2014. HES has assumed the property, rights, liabilities and obligations of Historic Scotland and RCAHMS. Visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ historicenvironmentscotland Scottish Charity No. SC045925. Cover: Melrose Abbey Allan Wright/Alamy Stock Photo
44 | A new chapter in the story of the Neolithic site Links of Noltland 2 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
14 | Visit the Clan and Christmas shop at Stirling Castle
50
EVENTS
Put some sparkle into Christmas with seasonal fare in stunning castles ... and festive fun across the country
50 | Lighting up Christmas
34 | My day as … an A-lister
28 | Ten inspiring winter walks REGULARS
Links of Noltland P48
PLACES TO VISIT
4 THE SCRIPT News and updates from Historic Scotland sites around the country 49 MEMBERSHIP 50 EVENTS 56 GUESS THE YEAR
THIS WINTER
Beauly Priory P18
FEATURES
Castle Campbell P22 Stirling Castle P50
St Andrews Castle P30
38 | Leaving St Kilda Dumbarton Castle P31
Edinburgh Castle P55
Sweetheart Abbey P32
22 THE MISTS OF TIME Neil Oliver, the historian and archaeologist, unravels the secrets of Castle Campbell as his debut novel is published 28 10 WINTER WALKS Get your hiking boots on as we take you to top sites for a stroll in stunning settings – from Urquhart Castle to Sweetheart Abbey
34 MY DAY AS ... Jackie McGlone has her day in court as she discovers how to list historic buildings 38 END OF THE LINE A new book lifts the veil on the evacuation of the Hebridean island St Kilda 44 NORTHERN EXPOSURE As excavation work on the Links of Noltland ends, a new era begins
FIND US ON WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 3
SCRIPT THE
PEOPLE, PLACES, RESEARCH AND MORE …
INCLUDING
How to maintain your home through winter Dallas Dhu distillery 1974 whisky to go on sale Practise the Gaelic for sunshine, and other weather words Literary links to your favourite Historic Scotland sites
JANUARY
YEAR OF FOOD AND DRINK
As a year-long national celebration kicked off, Historic Scotland began its series of culinary events with a Burns menu at Edinburgh Castle. Other highlights throughout the year included The Queen’s Feast at Stirling Castle in May, marking 500 years since the birth of Mary of Guise. A Midwinter Feast on 6 December is another chance to experience Renaissance tradition.
2015 IN REVIEW
Looking back at an incredible year of conservation, global recognition, archaeology, cuisine and more MARCH
THE RETURN OF MONS MEG
FEBRUARY
THE GREAT TAPESTRY VISITS STIRLING More than 42 million years of Scottish history have been woven into the 143m-long tapestry, the brainchild of writer Alexander McCall Smith. Stirling Castle hosted the artwork in its Great Hall, with visitors able to view 160 4 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
panels charting events from the Battle of Bannockburn to Andy Murray’s Wimbledon victory. Designed by artist Andrew Crummy, the tapestry was created by more than 1,000 volunteers led by head stitcher Dorie Wilkie (left).
The medieval cannon beloved of visitors to Edinburgh Castle was welcomed home after a comprehensive health check and inspection. The six-tonne gun was carefully lifted back to its resting place outside St Margaret’s Chapel after being removed for conservation work. It was the first time in 30 years the cannon had left the castle.
APRIL
QUEEN OF SCOTS STATUE UNVEILED AT PALACE
A 7ft bronze statue depicting Mary Queen of Scots was erected at Linlithgow Palace. One of Scotland’s most controversial figures, Mary was born at the palace nearly five centuries ago. The sculpture, by David Annand, stands on a plinth carved by our apprentice stonemasons. Linlithgow gala queen Dominique Delahunty unveiled the statue. MAY
Mary Queen of Scots back at Linlithgow Palace
CASTLE SALUTES MARY OF GUISE
The legacy of a queen largely overshadowed by her daughter was celebrated in an exhibition at Stirling Castle. The Other Mary paid tribute to the Frenchwoman whose most important role was as mother to Mary Queen of Scots. Born 500 years ago, Mary of Guise (pictured) was also a shrewd diplomat who paved the way for her daughter’s reign. The exhibition opened on the weekend of the Queen’s Feast, giving visitors to the castle an opportunity to taste 16th century royal court life.
Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for culture, Europe and external affairs, helps launch Scotland’s Urban Past JUNE
URBAN PAST CELEBRATED
Skateboarders helped the Scottish government minister Fiona Hyslop launch a five-year national initiative to connect communities with their rich architectural, social and personal histories. Scotland’s Urban Past involves events, exhibitions, crowd-sourcing activities and hands-on training, with artists, musicians and actors all contributing. The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
ALEX HEWITT; SHUTTERSTOCK; HERITAGE IMAGE PARTNERSHIP LTD / ALAMY
1.8 million
JULY
FORTH BRIDGE NAMED WORLD HERITAGE SITE
The Forth Bridge became the sixth Scottish landmark to be awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. The 125-year-old cantilever bridge, designed by
NUMBER OF VISITORS
Historic Scotland sites welcomed record-breaking crowds over the summer
Sir John Fowler and Benjamin Baker, joined an elite club including the Edinburgh Old and New Towns, the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, New Lanark, the Antonine
Wall and St Kilda. The 53,000tonne bridge has carried trains across the Firth of Forth since 1890. It took 4,500 men eight years to build.
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 5
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AUGUST
CASTLE FIRST FOR FIREWORKS
An explosive end to the summer season at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle was revealed as the location of Scotland’s first recorded use of fireworks. A research project found that ‘fireballs’ probably featured in a great tournament staged by King James lV in 1507. The findings were revealed at the end of August, as the Virgin Money Fireworks closed the Edinburgh International Festival.
SEPTEMBER
A 10-year strategy for Scotland was launched at the European Association of Archaeologists conference in Glasgow. Around 2,000 attendees from across the continent were welcomed to the event. Historic Scotland and RCAHMS staff presented papers or chaired events at the conference, as well as taking delegates on tours of sites. OCTOBER
LAUNCH OF HES HERALDS NEW BEGINNINGS
Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland joined forces to become Historic Environment Scotland. More on page 7.
Calanais Standing Stones
6 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
Winning entries from Dig Art! 2015 – an art and photography competition uncovering Scotland’s creative potential through archaeology – were exhibited at the conference. The competition attracted hundreds of entries from across Scotland, with an impressive array of artwork including everything from paintings and photographs to cakes and cartoons. LOOKING AHEA
D
TO 2016 AND BEYOND
During the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, Scotland’s fashion-forward creations, cutting-edge technology, feats of engineering and craft will take centre stage in a nationwide programme of events. A competition to design the logo was won by 23-year-old graphic designer Maria Garcia Tena from Edinburgh. We will be keeping you up to date with a range of exciting events to complement the theme.
A Dig Art! winning image by Hugo Anderson-Whymark
The Falkirk Wheel, just one of Scotland’s architectural highlights
SHUTTERSTOCK; HUGO ANDERSON!WHYMARK
ARCHAEOLOGY POLICY UNVEILED
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NEW LEAD PUBLIC BODY FOR THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT Unified organisation pledges to protect Scotland’s heritage
IT IS all change – and business as usual – following the birth of a new body charged with protecting the historic environment in Scotland. Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has been forged from two of the nation’s leading heritage bodies to form an innovative organisation with charitable status. Historic Scotland came together with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) on 1 October, building on more than a century of expertise in managing and recording the historic environment. David Middleton, the first chief executive of HES, said he was looking forward to leading the organisation as it raised the profile and impact of the historic environment sector. He said: “I am delighted to have an opportunity to help shape this exciting new organisation which has such an important role to play in the life of our nation. I have been privileged to have been involved in a range of important national projects and I hope to draw on that experience in my new role.” David has extensive operational experience, having worked with stakeholders across the public and private sectors, and within the Scottish government. He brings an understanding of the built environment through his
HES IN NUMBERS
300+
historic properties and sites
3.5m visitors to staffed sites during 2014-15
Conservation is a key role of Historic Environment Scotland
most recent achievements as chief executive of Transport Scotland, overseeing the reopening of the Borders Railway and progress with the Queensferry Crossing, as well as the recent designation of the Forth Bridge as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As one of the first moves as a newly formed organisation, HES has pledged to make the nation’s planning process more transparent. Details of HES decisions on scheduling monuments, listing buildings and handling scheduled monument consent will be published online at http:// portal.historic-scotland.gov.uk Barbara Cummins, director of heritage management, said: “There will be a right of appeal against decisions on scheduling, listing and
David Middleton CBE
scheduled monument consent, as well as the publishing of our decisions online. We are confident these changes will enable us to be more transparent in what we do to support the management of the country’s historic environment.” Claire Bowie, membership and CRM manager at HES, said: “Work is under way to develop HES corporate branding. Members will continue to see the Historic Scotland brand at our properties and there will be no change to the services provided. “There are no planned changes to the current membership benefits. HES is now a registered Scottish charity and we are looking into the possibility of members being able to sign up to Gift Aid. We will keep members informed of any developments.” For more information visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ about-hes or subscribe to the HES eNewsletter at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ rcahmshsnewsletter
OVER
22m
images in the National Collection of Aerial Photography featuring historic events and places around the world
5m
drawings, photographs, negatives and manuscripts relating to Scotland’s archaeology, buildings, and industrial and maritime heritage
OVER
1m
visits to and 5 million searches on Canmore, the catalogue of Scotland’s archaeology, buildings, and industrial and maritime heritage
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 7
BRETT DEAN
NIKOLAI LUGANSKY
SARAH CONNOLLY
VALENTINA FARCAS
NICOLA BENEDETTI
JUN MÄRKL THOMAS SØNDERGÅRD
STÉPHANE DENÈVE
STEVEN OSBORNE
THIERRY ESCAICH PETER OUNDJIAN
MARITA SØLBERG XIAYIN WANG
BORIS GILTBURG
ALEXANDER LAZAREV
VILDE FRANG BAIBA SKRIDE
RENATA POKUPIĆ STEFAN JACKIW
KATHERINE BRODERICK
IGOR LEVIT
RSNO CHORUS
Celebrating 125 years of Scotland’s National Orchestra
JAIME MARTÍN
From concerts featuring a host of world-class soloists to film music nights featuring the soundtracks of Hollywood’s finest, join the RSNO in 2016 and help us celebrate 125 years of wonderful music. For full information on all of our concerts in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and many more Scottish towns, please visit
rsno.org.uk/live
The RSNO is supported by the Scottish Government
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Edinburgh Castle
TICKET GIVEAWAY
THOUSANDS of free tickets are to be offered in our annual Ticket Giveaway over the St Andrew’s Day weekend of 28-29 November. So why not tell your friends? Non-members are given free admission to a range of outstanding Historic Scotland properties, including Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart castles. Pre-registration is required to participate in the event. Go to www.ticketgiveaway.co.uk for further information
Sally Magnusson (third from right) and Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for culture, Europe and external affairs, flanked by the winners
HERITAGE ANGELS HONOURED
Ceremony for winners of the first Scottish awards for heritage volunteers
Elgin Cathedral
SHUTTERSTOCK; GREG MACVEAN PHOTOGRAPHY
SHOW STOPPERS
ELGIN’S exquisite carved stones are coming home as they take centre stage at a permanent exhibition in the town’s cathedral. With the display opening in spring 2016, the cathedral towers will be closed to the public until then, although the site will remain open from 10am to 4pm.
A GROUP dedicated to keeping alive Scotland’s firefighting past was among volunteers honoured at an inaugural awards ceremony in Edinburgh. The Scottish Heritage Angel Awards, presented by the broadcaster Sally Magnusson at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, recognised volunteers who have helped to protect and raise awareness of Scotland’s heritage and history. Volunteers from the Scottish Fire and Rescue
Service won an award for sharing a lesser-known part of the nation’s history, including the founding of the world’s first municipal fire brigade in Edinburgh, in 1824. The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis were honoured for creating a digital record of around 3,500 graves, memorials and mausolea in the historic 37-acre cemetery. Other winners included some of the 162 disadvantaged 16 to
25-year-olds and 24 volunteer mentors involved in the Scottish Waterways Trust canal college programme. Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose charity, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, established the awards, said: “My earliest passion was for architecture. I am thrilled my foundation is one of the major supporters of the Angel Awards in England and now, for the first year, in Scotland.”
Visit www.scottishheritageangelawards.org.uk
BARCODED MEMBERSHIP CARDS
MEMBERS receiving new cards may notice a barcode on the reverse – this is in preparation for a scanning system due to be launched at sites late next year. For now, cards should be presented to monument staff in the usual way. The system will enable us to improve the member experience by learning more about how you use your membership.
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 9
Help our scientists get to the answers.
Dr Helen Dooley University of Aberdeen
GROUND-BREAKING, EARLY-STAGE RESEARCH CAN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU. Help a Scottish charity fund the worldwide search for answers with a one-off gift. Please call 0133 447 7910 or email Rebecca Mahallati at rebeccam@worldwidecancerresearch.org
Please be the answer to cancer. Worldwide Cancer Research, Registered in Scotland, No 152991. Charity No SC022918.
whatever it takes, wherever it takes us.
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ADVICE
SNOW PROBLEM
Don’t let the frostbite bite by following this advice on winter-proofing your home
Read our Short Guide on Maintaining Your Home at www.historic-scotland. gov.uk/maintainingyour-home.pdf
SECURE YOUR STRUCTURE Check that the masonry 1 fabric of your home is stable. This means ensuring all stonework, including chimneys, is secure and the pointing is sound. Defective masonry at chimney level is dangerous and can let in water, which can result in structure-wide decay.
VISITORS FLOCK TO DOUNE
Caption ty ty ty
DOWN THE DRAIN Ensure that your gutters 2 and drains are clear and that water is being routed correctly down to ground level. Masonry remaining wet during or after rain suggests a blockage. Small growths of moss and plants growing on walls can indicate water lying behind.
REPAIR YOUR ROOF Look for broken or missing 3 slates and make sure that lead flashings and zinc ridges are properly fastened. Finding a slate on the ground after a storm suggests there is a hole in the roof. Locate and repair it as quickly as possible to prevent further damage.
Record-breaking figures have been recorded at 77 staffed Historic Scotland sites this summer, with 34,000 more people visiting between June and August than in the same period in 2014. Its starring role in Outlander helped Doune Castle gain a staggering 44% increase in visitor numbers. The cabinet secretary for culture, Europe and external affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said: “This record-breaking year for visits to Historic Scotland properties demonstrates the value, significance and growing appeal of Scotland’s heritage to visitors. From Orkney to the Borders, Scotland’s history and heritage-filled landscapes are a truly unique resource.”
THINGS TO DO FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER FORTHCOMING EVENTS, SEE PAGE 50
3 MUST"SEE EVENTS THIS WINTER A MIDWINTER FEAST STIRLING CASTLE Sun 6 Dec, 12.30–3.30pm Step into the festive and busy world of the Renaissance royal court and enjoy a feast fit for a queen.
BURNS FOR BEGINNERS EDINBURGH CASTLE Sat 23–Sun 24 Jan, 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm A light-hearted introduction to the much-loved bard.
THE COOLEST WALK ON EARTH HOLYROOD PARK Sun 28 Feb, 9am–12pm Discover a landscape shaped by ice through the ages in the company of an expert geologist and a ranger.
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 11
▼
STEVE LINDRIDGE / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; PICTURESBYROB / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; SHUTTERSTOCK
Scottish winter is always a wet, windy and chilly affair that can result in considerable damage to your home, particularly if you’re caught unprepared. Below are some tips to avoid the perils of wintry weather.
Doune Castle
With her Gaelic lessons lighting up YouTube, Kirsty MacDonald offers key phrases linked to a national preoccupation
Sìde nan seachd sian
A BLETHER ABOUT THE WEATHER Tha i garbh
Tha i ceòthach
(Ha ee garrav) It is windy or wild
(Ha ee keo-ach) It is foggy
ts’
(Sheejuh nan shack shee-an) Terrible weather*
en m ele n e * translates as ‘weather of the sev
Tha sneachd ann (Ha shnyack awn) It is snowing** ** translates as ‘snow is in it’
Tha i fliuch (Ha ee flee ooch) It is wet
Tha i fuar Tha i breagha (Ha ee foo ar) It is cold
(Ha ee bree ah) It is nice
Kirsty MacDonald is our Gaelic language and policy officer. Go to youtube.com/historicscotlandtv or follow @welovehistory on Twitter
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
HUNTLY CASTLE
Visitors remark on the eerie atmosphere of Huntly Castle
“THE 5th Earl of Huntly, George Gordon, suffered a fatal stroke in 1576, while playing football on the castle green, and his body was laid out in the Great Chamber. Following his death, supernatural events occurred at the castle, beginning with the sudden collapse of a servant in the Royal Chamber. “The next day, a servant and his two companions, who were tasked with retrieving spices from the gallery, also collapsed. When they were revived, they
12 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
were visibly shaken and complained of feeling cold. After the earl’s body was embalmed and taken to the chapel his brother, Adam Gordon, reported hearing unsettling sounds emanating from
the Great Chamber. To this day, visitors say the Great Chamber has an eerie atmosphere. The room seems to have a particularly strong effect on young, blonde-haired women, resulting in some visitors running out of the castle screaming.
“Usually, I can tell immediately which visitors are going to sense the uncanny goings-on of the room. “I never mention the paranormal activity to any of our visitors. I like them to discover this secret on their own.”
SHUTTERSTOCK; SOBOLEVNRM
Monument manager Pat McConachie unlocks the secrets of this baronial ruin
Please remember Alzheimer Scotland in your will
Alzheimer Scotland believes nobody should face dementia alone. We work throughout Scotland to help people with dementia to remain a part of their community for as long as possible. We also campaign for better care and treatment, raise awareness, and fund research into dementia. We depend on our supporters and every penny counts. Your gift could help secure our vital services • Dementia Advisors throughout Scotland • Dementia Nurses in every NHS Health Board • Our 24 Hour Dementia Helpline (0808 808 3000) • The Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh
To learn more call 0131 243 1453 or email fundraising@alzscot.org
www.alzscot.org Alzheimer Scotland – Action on Dementia is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland 149069. Registered office: 22 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7RN. It is recognised as a charity by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, no, SC022315
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GIFTS GALORE IN OUR STORE
Check out the range of festive goodies at Clan and Christmas shop ON THE Stirling Castle esplanade, the Clan and Christmas shop has returned for a second year. Scottish food, traditional tartan textiles, Harris Tweed accessories, classic and contemporary decorations and an incredible range of gift ideas are on offer. Products are split in store into four themed sections: Highland, Fun, Pastel and Great Scottish Christmas. Events including tastings and tree decoration workshops will take place in store, with free parking for Historic Scotland members. Visit www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk for more information
Faux fur and Highland hues
14 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
A stag do has never been quite this elegant
Have a great Scottish Christmas with plenty of tartan trimmings
Do you want to build a snowman?
Clackmannan Tower is located on King’s Seat Hill
An archaeologist carries out a magnetic survey of the surrounding landscape
AND OUR SURVEY SAYS …
Experts scan Sir Robert Bruce’s Clackmannan Tower as part of Inner Forth Landscape Initiative
GARRY QUINN / QUINNPHOTOGRAPHY
A TEAM of volunteers has helped archaeologists to survey Clackmannan Tower as part of the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI). Archaeologists from AOC worked at the tower over the weekend of 26 and 27 September, training volunteers in recording methods, while carrying out a topographic and geological survey of the hill on which the tower sits, as well as a laser scan of the tower itself. The survey took place alongside other events at the tower as part of the Doors
Open Days event and Inner Forth Festival. Visitors were able to enjoy guided tours of the tower’s interior which is not usually accessible to the public. The initiative, which began in summer 2014 and runs until spring 2018, aims to “conserve, enhance and celebrate the landscape of the Firth of Forth” through 50 projects, many of which are designed to involve the general public. IFLI is a partnership of nine organisations led by RSPB Scotland and including
Historic Scotland. The history and heritage of the Inner Forth is an important part of the initiative, and staff from across the organisation are involved in several of the projects. We will be involved in two projects in early 2016 – these
are the consolidation of the distillery building at Kennetpans and the limekilns at Charlestown. Learn more about the initiative at www.innerforthlandscape.co.uk
ONLINE SHOP OFFERS FESTIVE FAVES
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new online shop, just in time for Christmas. Seasonal decorations and gifts for the whole family – including
the dog – are available alongside a range of history-inspired products perfect for any time
of year. Members can benefit from a 20% discount by using the promo code MEMBER1015.
Fill your basket at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/shop
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 15
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ALL MAPPED OUT
LITERARY LEGACY
Visit locations linked to some of Scotland’s most beloved authors
TANTALLON CASTLE EDINBURGH CASTLE
With Book Week Scotland 2015 celebrating the transformative power of reading this November, we have been inspired to explore four historic sites with literary links. A visit to Dryburgh Abbey is incomplete without paying tribute to Sir Walter Scott, who is buried there, while Tantallon Castle echoes with the words of Robert Louis Stevenson. Glasgow Cathedral looms large in Lanark by Alasdair Gray, and Muriel Spark betrays a love of Edinburgh Castle in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
GLASGOW CATHEDRAL
DRYBURGH ABBEY
EDINBURGH CASTLE MURIEL SPARK Edinburgh has important links with a plethora of Scottish authors and in 2004 was named the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature. In Muriel Spark’s seminal novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, the “primitive black crag” that is Edinburgh Castle features heavily throughout as an indomitable but ultimately comforting presence.
GLASGOW CATHEDRAL ALASDAIR GRAY Alasdair Gray’s Lanark was first published in 1981 and has come to be revered by authors, academics and readers as a masterpiece of 20th-century fiction. Blending sci-fi, autobiographical elements and social realism, Gray utilises Glasgow landmarks, including the city’s 12th-century cathedral, to create the dystopian setting of Unthank.
TANTALLON CASTLE ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON A dominating presence over the coast of the Firth of Forth, Tantallon Castle was built in the mid-1300s and is one of Scotland’s most spectacular medieval fortifications. The castle walls offer unimpeded views of the Bass Rock, which influenced Robert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling adventure, Kidnapped, and its sequel Catriona.
DRYBURGH ABBEY SIR WALTER SCOTT The abbey, established in 1150, was founded for Premonstratensian canons. David Erskine, the 11th Earl of Buchan, was captivated by the beauty of the pink sandstone ruin and was buried there in 1829. His close friend and the renowned author of Rob Roy and Chronicles of the Canongate, Sir Walter Scott, was buried in the north transept in the former sacristy in 1832.
RAISE A GLASS
Dallas Dhu 1974 single malt to be released
The Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery produced the rare whisky
16 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
WHISKY collectors are ‘weeting their throttle’ as 100 limited-edition bottles of the rare Dallas Dhu single malt are prepared for sale. Founded in 1898, Dallas Dhu distillery was sited on the Altyre Burn, ensuring a plentiful supply of water. Production stopped in 1983, but in 1988 Historic Scotland reopened the distillery as a visitor centre and museum.
Distilled in 1974 and cask-aged for 33 years, this full-bodied whisky is gently smoky, with flavours of nutty oak and malt. Dallas Dhu 1974 70cl will come with an exquisite wooden presentation box hand crafted in Glasgow. Please email hs.members@ scotland.gsi.gov.uk for advance warning of when this rare collector’s item will go on sale
SHUTTERSTOCK; GIUSEPPE MILO; JEREMY SUTTON!HIBBERT / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; GL PORTRAIT / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; PAULA J ANDREWS
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THE SCRIPT
Spotlight on
BEAULY PRIORY Discover the secrets of this Valliscaulian monastery, from Burgundy to Beauly DERIVING its name from the French ‘beau lieu’, or ‘beautiful place’, the picturesque Beauly Priory is one of three monasteries founded by the Valliscaulian Order in Scotland. The others are at Ardchattan and Pluscarden. Arriving near Inverness from their motherhouse in Burgundy, the monks were captivated by a secluded site within the pretty town of Beauly, describing it as ‘prioratus de bello loco’,
Latin for ‘priory of the lovely spot’. The monks were invited to settle by Sir John Bisset, the founding patron of Beauly Priory, whose family was later joined through marriage to the Frasers of Lovat, the area’s major landowners. Today, stunning features remain at the priory, including three 13th-century trefoiled windows illuminating the monks’ choir and east end of the nave, and the elegant west front, rebuilt by Bishop Reid,
commendator of Beauly, in 1541. Although it ceased to function as a place of monastic worship following the Reformation in 1560, the priory maintains an atmosphere of spirituality and reverence. Wandering through the grounds, it’s easy to see why the founding monks regarded the area as the perfect place in which to dedicate their lives to God.
COAT OF ARMS The west front was repaired by Bishop Reid, commendator of Beauly, after it was struck by lightning in 1541. Bishop Reid’s coat of arms can be seen over the west door.
EXPLORE
BEAULY INVERNESS
Beauly Priory The site is a 25-minute train journey from Inverness, then a 10-minute walk from the station. Open daily, 10am–4pm. Visit www.historicscotland.gov.uk/ beaulypriory
Beauly Priory retains a spiritual atmosphere
TIMELINE c1230 Sir John Bisset invites monks of the Valliscaulian Order to found Beauly Priory after arriving from their motherhouse in Burgundy.
18 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
1287
c1510
1544
1560
Sir Simon Fraser of Lovat, the patriarchal head of Clan Fraser, is buried in front of the altar in the chancel.
The priory switches to the Cistercian Order after the suppression of the Valliscaulian Order by the pope.
Hugh Fraser, Lord of Lovat, is entombed at Beauly after being killed at Loch Lochy during the Battle of the Shirts.
The Protestant Reformation of 1560 abruptly ends monastic life.
CHANCEL Sir Simon Fraser of Lovat was buried in front of the altar in 1287.
MACKENZIE CHAPEL Tomb of Sir Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, who died in 1491. CHURCH RITUALS Visitors cleansed themselves at holy water stoups, while piscinas in the walls were used to clean the vessels for mass.
NIGEL BROWN; SHUTTERSTOCK; THE PRINT COLLECTOR / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
PRIOR MACKENZIE’S TOMB The oldest surviving tomb in Beauly Priory is the burial place of Alexander Mackenzie – the illegitimate son of the chief of Clan Mackenzie – who died in 1479.
SOUTH CHAPEL The south chapel, possibly dedicated to St Katherine, may have been adapted from earlier portions of the priory’s domestic buildings.
1564
1582
1634
c1653
1818
c1900
1913
Mary Queen of Scots stays at the property while travelling to the Highlands and is taken by its beauty.
The priory falls into disuse and the lead is removed from its roof.
The priory’s lands are given over to the bishop of Ross by royal charter.
Much of the priory becomes a quarry, its stone used for buildings in Beauly.
John Keats and Charles Brown write the poem On Some Skulls in Beauley Abbey, near Inverness.
The architect Alexander Ross rebuilds the north transept as a mausoleum.
The remains of the property are taken into state care.
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 19
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THE THESCRIPT SCRIPT
The bordered brown lacewing and (inset) Mike Smith in hot pursuit
WIN
A SNOW GLOBE
Rare butterfly reappears
NATURE PHOTOGRAPHERS LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, STANLEY HOWE
In search of an elusive insect, volunteer intern Mike Smith makes an exciting find in Holyrood Park
I’ve spent the last few months surveying Holyrood Park in Edinburgh for the bordered brown lacewing, a tiny insect not seen since 1982 and thought to be possibly extinct in the UK. When I tell curious passers-by what I’ve been doing as part of my internship with the conservation charity Buglife, the most common response is, “What is a lacewing?” This is hardly surprising. As children we learn about different insect groups through our culture, but there are no lacewings in James and the Giant Peach or A Bug’s Life, and there is no Scots word for lacewings. As a result most people pay little attention to the insects and they are often overlooked. Lacewings are amazing creatures, though. As larvae they are voracious aphid consumers and so are of enormous benefit to gardeners. As adults they have beautiful, transparent, heavily veined ‘lace’
VIEW FROM OUTDOORS
wings that are folded over their body at rest. They court by ‘tremulation’ – males and females vibrate their abdomens, causing their courting site to tremor. The bordered brown lacewing is particularly easy to overlook. It’s small with brown wings, and can look like a dead leaf when its wings are folded up over its body. When disturbed on vegetation it falls to the ground to evade capture. It has a specific habitat requirement, living on wood sage found on rocky slopes. Finding the lacewing in Holyrood Park, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, was never going to be easy. But after much searching, find it I did. That the lacewing could go undetected for so long was incredible. It has presumably been living in Holyrood Park for the last 30 years, not extinct, just overlooked. Mike Smith is an intern volunteering with Buglife, funded by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES)
MIKE RECOMMENDS …
ST CYRUS NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE, MONTROSE
“I’ve been visiting sites with historic records of the lacewing. The St Cyrus visitor centre has lacewings hibernating in the roof. This site has an unusual microclimate and many species at the northern limit of their range.”
To mark the launch of our online shop, which offers a selection of exclusive merchandise previously only available in on-site gift shops, we are giving you the chance to win one of these bespoke Edinburgh Castle snowglobes, pictured above. A fun and unique gift, the 13cm souvenir piece will remind you of our capital attraction, and makes a great stocking filler. We have three snowglobes to give away. For your chance to win, answer the following: PRIZE QUESTION At what time might you hear a loud bang during a visit to Edinburgh Castle? Post your answer and details to Snowglobe Competition, Think Scotland, Suite 2.3, Red Tree Business Suites, 33 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow G40 4LA, or email hs.comps@thinkpublishing. co.uk (including “Snowglobe Competition” in the subject line). The closing date for entries is 11 December. BUY ME The Edinburgh Castle snowglobe, priced at £16.99, is available from the Edinburgh Castle Portcullis shop or online at www. historic-scotland.gov.uk/shop For a 20% discount use the code MEMBER1015
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 21
THE MISTS OF TIME The archaeologist and historian Neil Oliver visits the 15th-century fortress Castle Campbell – and tells why history has fuelled his debut novel WORDS: EAMONN O’NEILL PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAN DONALDSON 22 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
C U LT U R E
GEORGE CAIRNS
Neil Oliver is inspired by the power struggles behind Castle Campbell
O
n a fiery hot day, the uphill walk to one of Scotland’s most spectacular castles is worth the sweat. The route takes visitors through overhanging trees until you emerge at a clearing where you can catch a glimpse of the 15th-century fortress, Castle Campbell. It sits at the edge of a ravine, framed serenely against the edge of the Ochil Hills. A final section has to be navigated, taking you across a small burn and along short corkscrew paths before you reach the base of the tower house that forms the building’s main structure. It is there that the shadowed high walls exude foreboding and dark secrets, suggesting less fairy-tale history and more bloody and brutal realities. A stroll through the entrance gate, across the courtyard enhanced by enchanting arches of its highly unusual loggia WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 23
C U LT U R E
GLOOM AND GLORY
1465 The 1st Earl of Argyll buys the damaged castle as a powerbase for his family in the lowlands.
EARLY 1400s Castle built. Papal Bull of 1466 refers to Castle Gloom, and records its partial destruction.
1489 James IV allows earl to change the name from Gloom to Castle Campbell.
The tumultuous history of Castle Campbell
24 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
Castle Campbell was visited by Mary Queen of Scots
History has never felt like something that happened long ago. It feels current studying archaeology at the University of Glasgow. A stint in journalism then beckoned, creating the perfect equation for his fusion of the past and present. “Because I have a journalistic background, I feel there’s no difference in telling a story from 10,000 years ago, 100 years ago, or something that happened today,” he explains. “If the person you’re telling it to hasn’t heard it before, then it’s news. I am a populist historian.” Oliver has carved out a role for himself retelling history for a 21st-century audience. His recently
1556
John Knox preaches to followers in the castle grounds.
1563 Mary Queen of Scots attends the wedding of the 5th Earl’s sister at the castle.
1650
Oliver Cromwell invades Scotland. His troops use Castle Campbell as a base.
1654 Castle Campbell is burned by allies of Cromwell.
published debut novel, Master of Shadows, is set in the mid-15th century, between Scotland and Constantinople. In person, he radiates raw enthusiasm, tinged with the slightly ethereal, battleworn air of a man who has walked through time’s tumultuous events. The 48-year-old presenter and father of two first hit the broadcast big time with his 2002 BBC2 series Two Men in a Trench, journeying to battlefields across Britain and recreating them using digital technology. More television series, with accompanying books, followed, including Coast, which sold to international markets. A History of Scotland was perhaps his biggest hit – appropriate enough given that he lives very near Stirling Castle. This landmark series was presented across online, TV and radio platforms, drawing considerable critical acclaim. His travels and productions have flowed endlessly since, with films such as A History of Ancient Britain, The Last Explorers, Vikings and Sacred Wonders of Britain. His last major project was another Coast series, set in Australia. Yet, it’s here, Castle Campbell, a short drive from his home, that he chooses as his most inspiring Historic Scotland site. Did living in a nation full of castles and history shape his life choices? “Well obviously it’s great fun for someone interested in history to live in a country with such a deep history,” he says. “As an archaeologist first and
1661 Execution of the 8th Earl.
1663 The 9th Earl of Argyll abandons the castle.
SHUTTERSTOCK; HOLMES GARDEN PHOTOS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
gallery – normal enough in Italy but not 16th-century Scotland, when it was added – and, quite suddenly, you enter the sun-flooded gardens. The magnificent view across the region, even on a bright but misty morning, is guaranteed to knock even the most jaded and weary traveller sideways. Only I am not alone in enjoying it. Behind me, sitting silently on a little bench, a figure suddenly stands up: “Hello, I’m Neil Oliver … ” he says, brushing his trademark hair out of his face and squinting into the sun. “Not a bad view of Scotland, eh?” The setting is perfect. A Scottish castle with layer upon layer of history; a rare blue-sky day during the last gasp of summer; and Neil Oliver, the award-winning archaeologist, historian and broadcaster, known to millions of viewers as the presenter of the BBC documentaries Coast and Vikings. Within minutes of meeting him he is already explaining how he came to be fascinated with history. “It was through my father’s father: my granddad. He fought in the First World War. That connection felt very real. It was a realisation early on that I was part of the story as well. He carried shrapnel around in his body. History has never felt to me like something that happened a long, long time ago. It feels current.” This passion for antiquity, and the people and places that drive it, comes naturally to Oliver. The product of a west-coast upbringing, he attended schools in Ayr and Dumfries before
D AY S O U T
C U LT U R E
“This building is an extraordinary statement of fortification in this area,” says Neil Oliver
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 25
D AY S O U T
foremost, I know this country has been inhabited by modern human beings for 10,000 years, but we have a history of human occupation going back through the Neanderthals ... If you go up to places like Applecross you can find evidence of humans of a sort in Scotland the best part of a million years ago, and we’ve been here ever since. So it’s a great place because you are never further than a short car journey, or even a walk, to a place of historical significance.” Oliver sits in the shadow of the tower house of Castle Campbell, the view south-westwards spread out beneath him. The landscape is like an embodiment of his life’s mission. “Wherever I was living I would be curious about what happened the day before I arrived,” he says emphatically.
Places like these give you an idea of how brief your own span of life is The castle has served as a family residence stretching back to the early 15th century when its first structures were built, later passing to the 1st Earl of Argyll, Colin Campbell. As in modern times, power often meant location and the Campbells used this lowland powerbase for the next two centuries. Several layers of rooms and storage buildings were added through the decades, including a great hall for grand receptions and the famed loggia in the east range in 1590. Major historical figures visited,
ALL PRESENT AND CORRECT
A 16th-century inventory gives a glimpse into life at Castle Campbell In 1595 an inventory was conducted at Castle Campbell, giving a rare and detailed insight into life inside the stronghold. Listing its ‘inspreich and geir’, or furnishings and property, the inventory also
26 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
sheds light on the arrangement of the rooms and their contents. Kitchens and larders are mentioned, as are ‘chalmers’, or chambers. Even a ‘wardrup’, or wardrobe, is noted as a large storage space.
The fine cloths required to stage a formal dinner are recorded as ‘ane buirdclat of arras work for ye buird in ye lottar chamber’ – tablecloths for the high table in the hall. In a nod to a design that might not seem out of place in the
21st century, the inventory notes the presence of ‘ane faldane comptar buird wit ane gritt seatt at ye head’, a folding table with a seat at its head. The two-bay loggia mentioned is unusual for a Scottish castle.
The two-bay loggia, or arcade, is an unusual feature
SHUTTERSTOCK
Castle Campbell, with its distinctive terraced gardens, was the lowland stronghold of the influential earls of Argyll
including the Protestant preacher John Knox in 1556 and Mary Queen of Scots in 1563. During his stay, the former allegedly preached from a rocky outcrop known as Knox’s Pulpit in the gardens. The grounds were burned in 1645 by the Marquis of Montrose, and the castle razed in 1654, by Cromwell’s lieutenant, General Monck. Then, in 1661, the execution of the 8th Earl brought its heady history as a residence of the powerful to a dramatic and bloody end. “This building is an extraordinary statement of fortification in this area, continuously of one kind or another, for 1,000 years,” says Oliver, shaking his head in awe. “It’s good for the soul to come and see these places because you get a good idea of how brief your own span of time in life is.” His novel, Master of Shadows, features a Scottish engineer, John Grant, on a quest to settle a death-bed promise and find love. It’s a mix of fact – Grant did exist – and fiction. “I’d always heard about the Fall of Constantinople and thought it was the best film never made,” he says, laughing. “John Grant, a mercenary, was often mentioned in historical accounts; he was a specialist in tunnelling to detect enemies. Constantinople, then called the Great City, was a world crossing point. The book is 10% fact and 90% made up.” With that, Oliver is off, spilling out details of the plot as he gazes across the horizon from Castle Campbell. It’s all there: heroism, loyalty, romance, danger. The stuff of history you might say.
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THE 10 BEST
WINTER WALKS
Whether conquering a mighty volcanic summit or exploring a riverside route, banish the winter blues with a stroll in a striking location WORDS: JONATHAN MCINTOSH
28 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
FEATURING
MELROSE ABBEY
URQUHART CASTLE
Inverness-shire Lochside fortress Often regarded as one of Scotland’s definitive romantic ruins, Urquhart Castle reveals fascinating glimpses into the past, whatever the season. Perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the majestic and expansive Loch Ness, the castle defended the gateway to the Highlands during its 500 years as a fortification, and has also served as a residence for
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ST ANDREWS CASTLE
DUMBARTON CASTLE
many a noble family. In the 1300s, the stronghold played a key role in the struggle for independence, having come under the control of King Robert the Bruce in 1306. Following his death in 1329, Urquhart Castle remained the Highlands’ main line of defence against English invasion. By the 1390s, the Scottish Crown’s focus had shifted from the English to the MacDonalds, the powerhungry Lords of the Isles. For the next 150 years, Urquhart regularly
switched ownership between the two sides. After King James VII was forced into exile in 1688, the crown passed to his Protestant daughter Mary II and her husband, William of Orange, bringing about the Jacobite risings: a series of attempts to restore the Catholic Stuart line. In an effort to stem Jacobite support, Urquhart Castle was garrisoned with government forces. In 1691, the castle was blown up to prevent it from being used in future
RING OF BRODGAR
WHERE TO EAT Benugo Cafe, Urquhart Castle Relish breathtaking views over Loch Ness as you treat yourself to some homemade delicacies including tempting cakes and warming soups. skirmishes, and its remnants claimed as a quarry by the community. Urquhart Castle has a far more peaceful backdrop today. Gaze at impressive views of the loch and Great Glen from the imposing
HUNTLY CASTLE
Grant Tower and it is easy to imagine the castle as a forbidding medieval fortress. The visitor centre features an audiovisual exhibition and collection of medieval artefacts. Escape the elements and recharge your batteries in Benugo Cafe before tackling Urquhart’s discovery missions with your little adventurers. Boat tours of Loch Ness, available from Drumnadrochit village, offer views of the castle sitting proudly above the rocky shoreline. WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 29
D AY S O U T
ST ANDREWS CASTLE
Fife Episcopal residence As the hub of the medieval church and chief residence of Scotland’s most powerful clerics, St Andrews Castle was the setting of crucial
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events that shaped Scotland’s destiny. The 1540s was an especially tempestuous period for the castle. After the Protestant preacher George Wishart was burnt at the stake in 1546, Protestant lairds occupied the castle and assassinated Cardinal David Beaton. The
subsequent siege by the Regent, the Earl of Arran caused extensive damage to the stronghold. The castle’s mines and counter mines are chilling reminders of its history of medieval siege warfare. After emerging from these treasured subterranean passages,
immerse yourself in a multisensory exhibition in the castle’s visitor centre. The nearby West Sands is a perfect contrast to the castle’s depths. The setting for the opening sequence of the film Chariots of Fire, the seemingly endless white sand beach gives dramatic views of the rocky coast.
WHERE TO EAT
MELROSE ABBEY
Scottish Borders Holy ruin Possessing an architectural elegance that ranks it comfortably alongside some of the most impressive medieval church designs in Britain, Melrose Abbey is the ideal location for a winter ramble. Founded in 1136 by King David I, it was the first monastery of the Cistercian Order in Scotland, remaining active for 450 years until the
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WHERE TO EAT Dalgetty’s Tearoom, Melrose Choose from delicious cream teas, Melrose tart and the famous Dalgetty Scotch pie at this fifthgeneration bakery.
30 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
abbey's final monk, Dan Jo Watson, died around 1590. The church was adapted for use in Protestant worship, and remained in use until the 1800s. Only a select few who weren’t monks were privileged enough to be buried at Melrose Abbey during the medieval period, including King Alexander II, who died in 1249. The heart of King Robert the Bruce, who died in 1329, is here, while his body was buried at Dunfermline Abbey. There is plenty to see: the magnificent rose-coloured stone dates back to rebuilding work following Richard II’s attack in 1385, and the vaulting over the presbytery is well preserved. The abbey’s exterior bears some distinctive sculptures, from a bagpipe-playing pig to cooks with ladles. See how many you can spot.
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Mitchell's Deli, St Andrews Savour local seasonal produce while relaxing in the cafe's quirky but cosy surroundings.
D AY S O U T
BOTHWELL CASTLE
South Lanarkshire Medieval garrison Nestled in a quiet spot that overlooks the River Clyde, the largest of Scotland’s 13th-century stone castles owes its origins to Walter of Moray, who became lord of Bothwell in 1242. Although he managed to complete the castle’s impressive donjon, or circular tower, the Wars of Independence from 1296 cut short
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DUMBARTON CASTLE
Dunbartonshire Volcanic stronghold A 350-millionyear-old volcanic plug overlooking the Firth of Clyde, Dumbarton Rock, then known as Alt Clut, was central to a kingdom covering roughly the modern area of Strathclyde, from the 5th century. Built on the rock by Alexander II of Scotland in around the 1220s, Dumbarton Castle was originally a bastion to defend against the kings of Norway, who reigned over the Hebrides and islands in the Clyde. William Wallace is said to have been imprisoned in the castle in 1305, during the Wars of Independence, before being taken to London for execution.
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Walter’s grand vision for the fortification. The castle featured heavily in the wars with England, the most pivotal attack being Edward I’s siege of 1301. Following the last recorded siege in 1337, it lay empty until 1362, when Joanna Moray, heiress to Bothwell, married Archibald ‘the Grim’, later 3rd Earl of Douglas. The castle was then reconstructed, leading to the inclusion of the great hall and chapel. After the
Black Douglases lost their lands in 1455, it returned to the Crown. Visits to the pit prison and the tower is a must, offering varied insights into the grim reality of medieval prison life. A gentle counterpoint to the impressive stronghold built of red sandstone is the nearby riverside walk. The National Cycle Route 75 path, with its treelined banks fringing the River Clyde, is a favourite of walkers, joggers and cyclists.
The location of the castle made it an ideal safe embarkation point for important figures such as Mary Queen of Scots, who sailed to France from the stronghold in 1548. Take on the 500-step ascent to the summit of the rock and admire great examples of Georgian architecture. Those with a head for heights can explore the castle’s twin peaks – White Tower Crag and the Beak – and admire the views over the Clyde, Loch Lomond and Argyll. WHERE TO EAT Benvenuti Cafe, Dumbarton After a steep climb to the summit, refuel at this popular pit stop. Enjoy coffee, cakes and tablet ice cream.
WHERE TO EAT Stefano’s Italian, Bothwell Indulge yourself at this family favourite known for a friendly atmosphere and Scottish seafood.
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 31
D AY S O U T
RING OF BRODGAR
Orkney Neolithic monument › Dating from 2500 to 2000 BC, the enigmatic stone ring is 104m wide and originally consisted of 60 megaliths. Today only 27 of these stones remain. The purpose of the site remains a mystery, but it is thought to have been a place of astronomical observation or religious ritual.
HUNTINGTOWER CASTLE
Perthshire Lordly residence › Once known as The House of Ruthven, this fine castle features two tower houses joined together, built in the 15th and 16th centuries. The property’s painted ceilings are especially memorable. Its grounds, with fragrant borders in the summer, are also great for winter walks.
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32 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
SWEETHEART ABBEY
Dumfries and Galloway Romantic relic › With a gorgeous setting between Criffel Hill and the glistening waters of the Solway Firth, this red sandstone abbey was founded by Lady Dervorgilla of Galloway in memory of her husband Lord John Balliol. The remaining ruin is well preserved, particularly its impressive west front.
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HUNTLY CASTLE
Aberdeenshire Stately palace › Close to the confluence of the rivers Bogie and Deveron near the market town of Huntly, this castle was a baronial dwelling for five centuries. Robert the Bruce recuperated here in 1307 following an illness. The castle is renowned for its heraldic frontispiece and inscribed stone friezes, the result of a 1602 makeover.
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DUNSTAFFNAGE CASTLE AND CHAPEL
Argyll Venerable redoubt › Built in around 1220 by Duncan MacDougall, the castle overlooks the Firth of Lorn. Walk from the castle to the 13th-century chapel and contemplate the plight of Flora MacDonald, held at the castle after helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape.
10
SHUTTERSTOCK; ALLAN WRIGHT / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; DENNIS HARDLEY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
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MY DAY AS AN
A!LISTER As the nation’s courts are scrutinised by a team from Historic Environment Scotland, JACKIE McGLONE discovers what it feels like to judge our finest buildings PHOTOGRAPHS: MALCOLM COCHRANE
Parliament Hall with its distinctive oak-trussed ceiling
34 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
BEHIND THE SCENES
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Court 9 within the Supreme Courts building; dressed to impress at Parliament Hall; Parliament Square with its King Charles II statue; sculptures of Justice and Mercy flank the clam shell symbolising Edinburgh; the cell where murderer and bodysnatcher William Burke spent three days before sentencing
I
n the ‘dungeons’ of the Supreme Courts of Scotland, Dawn McDowell hurries along a narrow, white-walled corridor, enters the condemned cell and exclaims “this is what really excites a Listings person”. It is important for me to discover what stimulates her professional interest, because I am an A-lister for a day, shadowing Dawn, deputy head of designations (listing) at Historic Environment Scotland. She is part of the five-strong team reviewing the Scottish Court Service (SCS) estate, which includes many listed buildings. Filing into the condemned cell, with its narrow-barred window – the bars are inches apart to prevent even the skinniest prisoner escaping – we discover it is directly beneath Court 3. An impressive table covers the original hatch, through which the accused man or woman would have been led, to climb a narrow, winding stone staircase into the oak-panelled courtroom. The last occupant of this cell in Parliament Square, Edinburgh, was Henry John Burnett, a 21-yearold from Aberdeen convicted of
the murder of a merchant seaman, and the last person to have been hanged in Scotland, in 1963. This is just one intriguing fact disclosed by Karen Glen, buildings manager for the Supreme Courts, whose knowledge is encyclopaedic. The much-carved wooden bench on which prisoners awaited their fate has been removed, along with decades of graffiti, says Karen. Canada-born Dawn is taking in every detail, helped by a near-photographic memory. Armed with a camera and notebook, and a plan showing the footprint of the buildings we are visiting today, she immerses herself daily in such specifics.
Dawn McDowell (left) and Jackie McGlone
Our latest survey will put the Supreme Courts into a wider context Of course, she says, the living history of the properties she visits – whether a condemned cell or a ha-ha wall in rolling countryside – fascinates her. It is the fabric of the cell, though, and the fact it, the staircase and the hatch remain intact, that piques her interest. “I have to see everything I can here, because our latest survey will put the Supreme Courts into a wider context than it has been when listed previously,” explains Dawn. We move on to explore the warren of 60 cells now used to store legal documents. Sharing the same corridor is a tiny, chillingly cold cell where the murderer and bodysnatcher William Burke was held for three days before being sentenced to death. “He wasn’t liked,” says Karen, dryly. We have come to the grand series of A-listed buildings in Parliament Square, which includes the complex of courtrooms, Parliament Hall and WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 35
BEHIND THE SCENES
the Signet Library. Earlier, over coffee at Longmore House, the headquarters of HES, Dawn had noted that “Parliament Hall is the jewel in Scotland’s crown”. Her working day began at around 8.30am when she signed off several legal documents. Talking me through the 30-page Scottish Dawn McDowell Courts Preliminary Report – surveys the final version will be Parliament Hall published later this year – she describes how the listing process works. “My job is to gather information, assess and identify buildings for their special architectural or historic court buildings was conducted. There interest,” she says. “If they meet the are now 11 A-listed courts, while the 30 criteria for listing they are added to the category B-listed buildings have been statutory List. There are around 47,300 reduced to 24. Two court buildings have listed buildings in Scotland, of which 8% been added to the List. are category A. “We make sure the information “I was hired almost 15 years ago to we offer is as up to date as possible, assess buildings for listing area by area. although we can’t propose buildings More recently I have been involved in for listing ourselves,” explains Dawn. thematic reviews, such as courts. “Listing helps people manage their Whether it’s a church hall or courtroom, buildings, but it also tells them why the we always begin with map-based buildings are interesting.” searching. Then we go on site to assess Walking from her office at Longmore the building. Our work will include House towards the Royal Mile and a photographic survey,” says Dawn. Parliament Square, she says: “We don’t “It’s rather like being a detective,” she adds. “We gather facts and evidence. make decisions on proposed changes to listed buildings, but we can give advice.” It’s a methodical approach, peeling Along Nicolson Street, we pass away layers of what has been built several listed buildings, including the successively on to a building. There category B Edinburgh Festival Theatre is yet more research before our findings and A-listed University of Edinburgh are presented to colleagues, and then in Old College on South Bridge. consultation with owners.” Dawn pauses to look at the imposing The review of courts led to a number central quadrangle, indicating of changes to the listings: there were great architectural signatures of 13 A-listed courts before the review of Robert Adam. On the nearby George IV the 51 listed Bridge are Central Library and the National Library of Scotland. A short walk away is George Square, and another university building, the A-listed David Hume Tower. “In Edinburgh there are more than 4,000 listed buildings,” says Dawn, entering Parliament Square where the Supreme Courts building stands. 36 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
Designed by Robert Reid, it is, she adds, “without parallel in Scotland and of national importance. It’s unique because of its evolution and the fact it houses the Court of Session, the sole supreme civil court”. The centrepiece, though, is Parliament Hall, where we meet Karen. A building as architecturally spectacular as it is historically significant and, dating from 1631-1640, it was designed by Sir James
MALCOLM COCHRANE, SHUTTERSTOCK
It’s like being a detective. We gather facts and evidence
The A-listed Gilbert Scott Building at the University of Glasgow has a lavishly decorated exterior
TOP 5 LISTED BUILDINGS
DAWN McDOWELL CHOOSES THE SITES THAT MOST INSPIRE HER GILBERT SCOTT BUILDING University of Glasgow
This outstanding example of late 19th-century gothic revival architecture was one of the first buildings I encountered after moving from Canada. The interior and exterior are wonderful – lavishly decorated.
Murray, King Charles I’s master of works. With its Baltic and Scottish oaktrussed roof supported on stone corbels, the main space is largely unaltered architecturally, says Dawn, adding it is the oldest parliamentary building in the United Kingdom. Karen notes the development of the grand complex of buildings mirrors changes in the Scottish legal system. Dawn explains her final report will
THE BURRELL COLLECTION Glasgow
ST ANDREW’S HOUSE Edinburgh
I spent hours studying the Burrell Collection during the 1990s for my degree. Then I had the privilege of listing it category A in 2013 when it turned 30 years old – the youngest age a building can be considered for listing.
This monumental A-listed art deco building – a symbol of authority and national pride – looms over the city centre’s eastern edge. It was built by Thomas Smith Tait, Scotland’s foremost early modern architect, from 1933 to 1939.
TURBINE HALL at Ben Cruachan Power Station, Argyll and Bute
DAWN McDOWELL’S HOUSE West Lothian
In 2011, I was involved listing this feat of engineering built from 1959 to 1965. The A-listed structure is like the set of a Bond film. The power station is underground in a 3,240 cubic metre cavern housing four turbines.
I live in a category C-listed building. Dating back to the late 1700s, it is two storeys high and built in rubble covered with white harl. It’s a perfect neighbour to the historic buildings nearby.
review the content of the listing’s descriptive text and consider which parts of the building should be included in the listing. “Following this current review we are saying that the 1990s extension in the Cowgate – taking up almost a third of the site – is not part of the listing,” she says. “It was not made clear before and will be helpful to the SCS in their management of the buildings.”
We have lunch in the court’s modern canteen, before she walks back to her office to write up her notes. “I’ve asked Karen, ‘Where are we on the site plan? What date was this? When was that changed?’” Dawn says. “When I make my notes, I’ll always remember visually where I was in a building. I take pictures in my head as I’m walking so that I can recreate the visit in my mind. Look, see, remember.” WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 37
The men of St Kilda in 1886, four decades before the island was evacuated
END of the LINE
St Kilda was evacuated in 1930 after a plea for help from islanders. This extract from a new book tells of the end of an era WORDS: ANGELA GANNON AND GEORGE GEDDES
38 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
St Kilda is best known – at least in the popular consciousness – for its evacuation. More famous even than its remoteness, or the supposed specially ‘evolved’ big toe of its inhabitants, the evacuation has become legendary. This ‘fall of man’, often portrayed as the final act in St Kilda’s history, is now entrenched in the literature describing the archipelago and an urge to explain it has become central to the historical narrative. The abandonment of smaller islands was, in fact, a common response to changing circumstances – in particular, the decline in the ability of communities to
remain largely self-reliant. Having said that, formal evacuation only occurred in cases where islanders petitioned the government. Eight years after the departure from St Kilda, 12 people were taken from the tiny island of Eilean nan Ron off the coast of Sutherland. In 1953, 27 people from Soay, off Skye, petitioned the government for resettlement on Mull. The islanders were picked up by the old westcoast steamer Hebrides, some 14 years after its last trip to St Kilda. While the evacuation of St Kilda took place in August 1930, the community had ebbed and flowed for centuries. A sizeable influx
HISTORY
NORMAN MACLEOD © UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN; GILLIES ! SHEEP: NEWSQUEST LICENSOR SCRAN; CHILDREN: NTS
The evacuation involved moving 1,300 sheep from Hirta
of people followed the 1727– 1728 smallpox epidemic but there was a large exodus in 1852 as about a third of the population emigrated to Australia, partly as a response to disputes within the Church of Scotland. Historical records of later years recall the continual movement of younger people in search of work. A single croft was unable to support parents with as many as 12 children, who would, in turn, go on to have families of their own. Set in the wider context of the Outer Hebrides, these movements of people were not unusual for the time. Indeed, a limit on the amount of available land,
John and Rachel Ann Gillies leaving St Kilda on 29 August 1930
St Kilda children, photographed in around 1900, facing an uncertain future
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 39
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St Kilda women and children, photographed in 1886, at a time of strict religious attitudes
houses and jobs meant that emigration, of one form or another, was inevitable. Alexander MacLeod, the island’s tacksman, may have emigrated to America in 1773 for financial reasons, but the decision by 20-yearold Alexander Ferguson (son of the senior St Kildan) to leave in 1892 was surely centred on the opportunities that Glasgow had to offer. The years after the Great War proved to be a tipping point on St Kilda, where the number of able-bodied people declined to such an extent that handling a boat, cultivating the fields and harvesting the cliffs became more difficult. The remoteness of the community from improving healthcare and burgeoning
40 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
job opportunities was stark. Another islander, Reverend Donald John Gillies, left in 1924 to pursue a religious career. It was the lure of far-off places that proved so appealing to him, not to mention the opportunity of an easier life. The MacDonald family left for Harris the same year, the father William following sons who had gone before him. For Lachlan MacDonald, “life had become pretty well impossible”; healthcare was a crucial issue as much as the difficulty in making a livelihood. Bill Lawson’s family history shows that the last generation of St Kildans found their way to various places across Scotland, from Lewis and Aberdeenshire
The years after the Great War proved the tipping point to Glasgow, as well as to more far-flung communities in America, Canada and Australia. More St Kildans probably lived in the outside world by 1930 than still resided on the island. News of the evacuation brought a flurry of letters to the office of the secretary of state for Scotland, all seeking permission to join the government boat. Applications from the writer and photographer Alasdair Alpin MacGregor, Seton Gordon, the Daily Mirror, the Daily Express and numerous press
agencies were summarily refused, the Admiralty being “hostile to the idea of publicity”, while Mr Tom Johnston, the under-secretary of state for Scotland, was “strongly of the opinion that the utmost effort should be made to avoid the miseries of the poor people being turned into a show”. The file in which these applications can be found also holds enquiries as to the possibility of buying, leasing or settling St Kilda in the event of evacuation, as well as an offer to sell the government “100 acres with buildings” near Guelph, Ontario, by a Canadian: “Why not send them all here?” he suggested. Among the more unusual
D AY S O U T
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ST KILDA TIMELINE PREHISTORY Hirta, the largest island, is settled more than 2,000 years ago
FROM TOP LEFT: NTS; NTS LICENSOR; ALEXANDER COCKBURN, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SCOTLAND; NORMAN MACLEOD © UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN
Ann MacKinnon and her son Finlay bring in fulmar on Hirta, 1925
1697 The first detailed account of St Kilda and its inhabitants is prepared by Martin Martin 1830s The farmland is reorganised around the crofting system, and the islanders build new blackhouses. While Harris is suffering the clearances, the St Kildans are doing well from seabird produce
St Kildan men relax outside the home of a senior islander, 1927
1877 The first tourist steamer reaches St Kilda, marking a watershed in the importance of tourism to its economy 1930 The last 36 St Kildans leave the archipelago in August after a thorough assessment by the Scottish Office 1957 The islands are bequeathed to the National Trust for Scotland. They become a National Nature Reserve and the RAF builds a radar station
MEDIEVAL St Kilda is the outpost of the MacLeods' Highland empire centred around Dunvegan Castle, Skye, and a place of pilgrimage with possibly up to six chapels 1727 A smallpox epidemic kills most of the island’s population. One small group survives on a sea stack 1860s The islanders’ homes are rebuilt by the MacLeod estate; 16 new cottages replace the traditional blackhouses 1914*1918 A naval garrison during the First World War brings the best communications St Kilda has ever had 1931 St Kilda is sold by the MacLeods to the Earl of Dumfries, who views the islands as a nature reserve and encourages a population of Soay sheep
St Kilda village and bay, photographed by Norman MacLeod, 1886
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 41
D AY S O U T
BIRTH OF A WORLD HERITAGE SITE A documentary in literature, songs, poetry and folklore
requests were two from islanders who wished to return to St Kilda to witness the evacuation. Christina (Kirsty) MacQueen wrote she “would like to see my brother and sister, and be present when the last remnants of my race bid the old home goodbye”. A week later, she wrote again, adding: “I am anxious to tell my people something about mainland life that has not been told them and, further, to appeal to them to make governments, of whatever colour, do their duty and save the home that was mine and my father’s.” She continued: “The whole business from start to finish has been the work of despairing Sassenachs.” She wrote in the Oban Times that “governments for the last 40 years have been unheeding for our plea of better facilities during the winter”.
42 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
St Kildans with time and money would come back Despite a refusal from the government to provide travel, MacGregor managed to make his way to St Kilda on the Hebrides, arriving on 23 August 1930. Acting as special correspondent to the Times, he captured the final days before evacuation. Writing a lengthy description in 1931, he noted that “Hirta will now be devoid of human interest”, but it was perhaps hard for him to imagine or realise that those St Kildans with the time and money to return would go back to the island many times in the following years. The evacuation of St Kilda had a profound effect on the island’s history and archaeology. This ‘final’ act was grist to the mill of
journalists and historians, but also an opportunity for archaeologists and other researchers, who could study the abandoned landscape and the islands’ natural environment. A joint expedition from Oxford and Cambridge undertook detailed fieldwork a year later, but the first dedicated archaeological research was not set in motion until 1957. The evacuation created an artificial chronological horizon, which has usually been seen by archaeologists as the critical point when change, development – and, in effect, St Kilda’s entire history – abruptly stopped. St Kilda: The Last and Outmost Isle, by Angela Gannon and George Geddes, is published by RCAHMS at £25. To receive a 20% discount with free UK P&P, Historic Scotland members should call BookSource on 0845 370 0067 and quote READER20
For more information, visit www.nts.org.uk/St-Kilda
© JILL HARDEN
For hundreds of years, Boreray and its seabird colonies were central to St Kildan life
St Kilda, an archipelago 41 miles west of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides, became a World Heritage Site in 1986. As of 2005, it is one of the few such sites to be recognised both for its natural and cultural status. The archipelago – made up of Hirta, Soay, Boreray and Dun – provided evidence of how people had lived and evolved since prehistoric times in challenging and remote conditions. There is a wealth of evidence, dating from the 15th century, and including literature, songs, poetry and folklore, about life on the islands. Bequeathed to the National Trust for Scotland in 1957, the archipelago is Europe’s most significant seabird population. It has the largest colony of fulmars in the British Isles, and is a major breeding ground for puffins and gannets. Today the National Trust for Scotland continues to look after St Kilda, working in close partnership with Scottish Natural Heritage, the MoD, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Historic Environment Scotland to ensure that the conservation and research of this World Heritage Site is sustained for the future.
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ARCHAEOLOGY
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Sean Rice of EASE Archaeology excavates cattle skulls found in a Neolithic house
44 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
ARCHAEOLOGY
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
T
After years of excavation work at a Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement, archaeologist Hazel Moore anticipates an exciting future for the Orkney site
he Links of Noltland, a four-hectare area of sand dunes on the island of Westray in Orkney, is exposed to the ravages of the North Atlantic. Under pressure from major geomorphological changes, dunes are being eroded rapidly, exposing an exceptional slice of prehistoric landscape. At the site, more than 30 buildings have been recorded, along with cultivated fields and surrounding walls, middens and cemeteries. These date from between the Neolithic period, just after 3000 BC, and the Bronze Age, a little after 1000 BC. The remains, once exposed to the elements, are extremely vulnerable and would, without intervention, be swiftly destroyed. The aim of the project, encompassing large-scale archaeological prospection and rescue excavation, has been to investigate and record the endangered remains. Work to consolidate the dunes – including landscaping, and lyme and marram grass planting – has been successfully trialled and is being extended across the site. While efforts have so far focused primarily on fieldwork, preliminary analysis of findings is already providing a wealth of information and significant insights into the life of the first settlers in the far north of the
Grobust Bay and the Links of Noltland
Dave Parry shows a polished stone axe found this year
British Isles during the third and second millennia BC. To place ourselves in the time of these early farmers, we must first imagine a landscape quite different from the archipelago of small islands found today. With sea levels considerably lower than they are now, Neolithic Westray would have formed part of a larger landmass with a more sheltered coastline, connected to its neighbouring islands of Papa Westray (Papay) and perhaps Eday. Local woodland, although more extensive then, would not have presented an obstacle to farming but rather added ecological diversity, supporting species such as red deer which are no longer present. The settlement at Noltland, which arose shortly before 3000 BC, overlapped with the earliest known farmstead in Orkney, located at Knap of Howar on Papay, with origins in the late fourth millennium BC. These settlements, which are inter-visible and originally belonged to the same island, are now separated by open sea. Three discrete Neolithic settlements have so far been identified at Noltland – a single and a double homestead, and an enclosed settlement made up of multiple houses surrounded by a stout encircling wall. Exhibiting a range of architectural styles and much evidence of modification, these settlements overlap in date, and suggest a gradual expansion over time. The stone-built houses,
The aim has been to investigate and record the endangered remains WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 45
ARCHAEOLOGY
BRONZE AGE
EASE Archaeology staff survey the past at the Grobust house
BEGINNING OF THE END
During the Bronze Age life changed dramatically at Links of Noltland
46 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
which are well preserved, are set within a contemporary landscape. Ancient fields, enclosures, butchery and midden areas abound. The exceptional preservation conditions – the result of the area being engulfed by sand dunes in later prehistory – have preserved organic materials, especially bone, to an extent rarely found on other sites of this period. Studying the ‘rubbish’ generated by the Neolithic farmers is providing a detailed picture of daily life some 5,000 years ago. Evidence indicates long-horned cattle formed the mainstay of the Neolithic economy, with sheep and some pigs also kept. The cattle are likely to have also been used for ploughing. Dogs are indicated by the presence of skeletal remains and quantities of well-chewed bones found in the middens. Domestic animals provided meat and milk, but also hide, horn and bones, which were used extensively throughout the life of the settlement. In addition to clothing and house furnishings, animal by-products would have included sinew for cordage and bone for the manufacture of tools, as well as a range of other objects such as decorative pins, pendants and necklaces. The assemblage of Neolithic bone objects
This site has provided firm genetic evidence for the existence of auroch from Noltland is unsurpassed, and provides us with a rare opportunity to examine the farming and craftworking tools used by the early farmers. Barley and wheat were cultivated in small, enclosed fields surrounding the houses. The contents of the middens indicate the diet was supplemented with wild foods such as shellfish and, occasionally, fish. More unusually, it appears there was a managed herd of red deer. Uniquely within Orkney, this site has provided firm genetic evidence for the existence of wild cattle or auroch –
A piece of spiral decorated pottery found at the site
JAMES C RICHARDSON
Noltland began towards the end of the third millennium. As sea levels rose and land was inundated, large deposits of sand were carried onshore and dispersed over the farmland. Investigations of Bronze Age Noltland have uncovered the remains of three settlements, along with farming remains, middens, an extensive cemetery and a large communal building. Evidence suggests these settlements were home to the descendants of the first farmers. As the environment changed, the community adapted its farming practices and architecture to cope with the worsening conditions. New methods were tried to manage the soil; cultivated fields were extended, often to take in rich areas of Neolithic midden; spade-dug cultivation increased and sheep became the dominant domestic animal. Thickwalled round and oval houses were built. By the mid-second millennium, houses, grazing land and fields were regularly engulfed during sandstorms. It is likely loose, blowing sand deposits would have a detrimental effect on grazing land, impoverishing soil and killing vegetation. Native woodland had by the Bronze Age largely disappeared. The older settlements at Noltland had been abandoned by the end of the second millennium BC. Settlements were built on higher ground and in the less sandy parts of the hinterland, developing into an extensive broch village. Sand dunes several metres high covered the earlier prehistoric remains, preserving them until recent times, when the sand was again stripped away by the wind and the latest chapter in the story began.
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ARCHAEOLOGY
Bos primigenius. Such animals were not native to the isles and would have had to be imported. These wild cattle were crossbred with the existing domestic herd, their offspring retaining recognisably ‘wild’ features such as extending and forward-projecting horns. The cosmological importance of cattle is evident in the use of their remains throughout the Neolithic period at Noltland. Joints of meat and animal skulls were placed in buildings and middens as votive deposits, offered in fulfilment of a vow. The most spectacular find of this type was in a house’s foundations, where the skulls of 28 cattle were uncovered. Collected over a long period, the skulls were set face down, with horns interlinked, within the thickness of the walls. Many other tantalising glimpses into everyday life and ritual were offered through excavation. What emerges is a portrait of a lively, culturally expressive farming community that grew and prospered over many generations. While clearly part of a wider Neolithic community within Orkney, the Noltland 48 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
The Westray Wife figurine was a pivotal find
people were distinctive and individual in terms of artistic and architectural expression. Here we find a much wider range of building types than elsewhere, encompassing subterranean and freestanding structures, and forming single and multiple household groupings. The pottery exhibits extravagant and unique motifs, including spirals that are rarely found elsewhere. Then there is the Westray Wife. More than any other single artefact from the
What emerges is a portrait of a culturally expressive farming community
site, this tiny figurine illustrates the distinctive nature of the Noltland community. Recognised at the time of discovery in 2009 as the earliest human representation in the British Isles, the Wifey, as she is affectionately known, has since been joined by three figurines recovered from other parts of the settlement. “The discovery of the Westray Wife was a turning point for the project,” says Richard Strachan, senior archaeologist, who has project managed the excavation since 2008. “This amazing artefact was exhibited across the country and now features in the BBC’s documentary on the Story of Scottish Art.” He adds: “Last year, Links of Noltland won Current Archaeology magazine’s Best Rescue Dig 2014 – an endorsement of the international significance of the site.” While excavation work at Links of Noltland is complete, work continues on understanding the people who lived, worked and died there. Hazel Moore is co-director of EASE Archaeology, working in partnership with Historic Scotland
JAMES C RICHARDSON
Excavation has offered tantalising glimpses of life and ritual
Buy a Christmas gift of membership online and get two months extra free – 14 MONTHS FOR THE PRICE OF 12
CHRISTMAS MEMBERSHIP GIFT OFFER
F
or a Christmas gift with a difference, buy your loved one a year’s Historic Scotland Membership. And if you pay for the membership online using a credit or debit card, your gift will include an extra two months’ membership for free. What’s more, as a member you
will receive a 20% discount. To get your discount – and two months extra free –make sure you are registered and logged in to the members’ website at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ member For more information call 0131 668 8999.
EXTRA 2 MONTHS FREE Terms and conditions apply. See website for details. Offer valid for gift memberships purchased until 31 December 2015. Please note, the last UK posting date is Thursday 17 December 2015. Orders placed prior to this will be processed and posted out in time for Christmas, but we cannot guarantee delivery.
FIVE REASONS WHY HISTORIC SCOTLAND MEMBERSHIP MAKES THE PERFECT GIFT
2
A personal copy of Historic Scotland direct to the gift recipient’s door every quarter, packed with news and features.
1
Free entry to more than 70 of Scotland’s top heritage attractions, including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Urquhart Castle.
5
3
We’ll send you, or the recipient, a special gift pack complete with your own personal message.
It’s not just Scotland – half-price entry to 500 heritage attractions in England, Wales and on the Isle of Man.
4
Member activities, from free guided tours to daytime events
EVENTS A RANGE OF EXCITING ACTIVITIES ACROSS SCOTLAND
SEASON’S EATINGS 50 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
KEEP UP TO DATE Pick up your events guide at any of our properties or visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/events for full details DAYTIME EVENTS ARE FREE TO MEMBERS, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
NOVEMBER!FEBRUARY
Make sure this Christmas is a cracker with a festive lunch at Edinburgh or Stirling castles, and a range of great activities across the country
Toilets
Restaurant/café
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Dogs not permitted
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Caption xxxx
Celebrate Christmas at Historic Scotland properties
FESTIVE FOOD
CHRISTMAS LUNCHES EDINBURGH CASTLE
Fri 4, Sat 5, Thur 10–Sun 13, Thur 17–Thur 24 Dec; 12.30–2pm £32 members, £38 nonmembers, £12 child members, £15 child non-members Tuck in to a traditional Christmas lunch held in the Jacobite Room. While enjoying the fabulous festive meal, marvel at the views across Princes Street.
CHRISTMAS WINE AND DINE EDINBURGH CASTLE
Sun 13 and Sun 20 Dec; 12.30pm
Share your
#BestDaysEver with us online
£58 members, £65 non-members Spice things up this Christmas and enjoy the best of Scottish cuisine at our Wine and Dine lunch in the magnificent Queen Anne Room.
CHRISTMAS LUNCHES STIRLING CASTLE
Wed 16–Thur 24 Dec; 12.30pm arrival for 1pm sitting £26 members, £31.95 non-members, £17.25 child members, £19.80 child non-members Enjoy a delicious three-course meal in the castle’s Green Room, not normally open to the public.
Go to www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/member, log in and click on events to book. Call Edinburgh Castle on 0131 226 9443 and Stirling Castle on 01786 431321; or visit hs.functions@scotland.gsi.gov.uk WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 51
FESTIVE EVENTS CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FAYRE STIRLING CASTLE
Tue 1 Dec; 6pm–9pm Ticketed event £5, including parking 01786 450000 Join in the spirit of Christmas at our annual fayre in the Great Hall. Wander through the stalls of local crafts, fine food and drink.
SANTA’S GROTTO DUFF HOUSE
hs.rangers@scotland.gsi. gov.uk Booking essential
NOVEMBER
STANDING STONES OF STENNESS AND BARNHOUSE VILLAGE WALK
Listen to a talk that will explore some of the features that make the Royal Park historically important, both culturally and naturally.
STANDING STONES OF STENNESS
Every Wed, Nov–Mar except 23 and 30 Dec; 10am 01856 841732 orkneyrangers@scotland. gsi.gov.uk Join our rangers for a guided tour of our oldest stone circle and explore the links with the nearby Neolithic village of Barnhouse.
RING OF BRODGAR WALK RING OF BRODGAR
Every Thur, Nov–Mar except 24 and 31 Dec; 1pm 01856 841732 orkneyrangers@scotland. gsi.gov.uk Explore the area around the Ring of Brodgar during the weekly guided walk with a ranger and find out the special significance of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. 52 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
Compare Edinburgh and Nanjing, China, at A Tale of Two Cities
A TALE OF TWO CITIES EDINBURGH CASTLE
THE OTHER MARY EDINBURGH CASTLE
Sat 21–Sun 22 Nov 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 668 8885 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events On the weekend of the 500th anniversary of her birth, join Mary of Guise in the Great Hall. Listen as she contemplates her life in Scotland and all she has achieved to secure the throne for her daughter, Mary Queen of Scots. DECEMBER
THE VITAL PARK HOLYROOD PARK
Sun 6 Dec; 1pm-2.30pm 0131 652 8150
Wed 9 Dec–Sun 14 Feb; 9.30am-5pm, last entry 4pm 0131 225 9846 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events Find out how the cities of Edinburgh and Nanjing developed over the centuries and discover the similarities and celebrate the differences. The exhibition explores the urban and architectural development of these two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Santa returns for festive fun. Tickets include a gift from the North Pole for those not on the naughty list.
A MIDWINTER FEAST STIRLING CASTLE
Sun 6 Dec; 12.30pm–3.30pm 0131 668 8885 Meet the queen, Mary of Guise, and experience the traditions of a Renaissance royal festive feast with music, dancing and more.
CAROLS AT THE CASTLE STIRLING CASTLE
Sun 13 Dec; 7pm Ticketed event £15 adults, £10 concessions, 10% member discount 01786 450000 Join us for an evening of festive cheer. Enjoy the sounds of the Stirling contingent of the National Youth Choir of Scotland as they
MARK FERGUSON / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Standing Stones of Stenness, Orkney
Sat 5-Sun 6 Dec; 11am–4pm Ticketed event £10 per child 01261 818181 Booking essential
Toilets
Restaurant/café
Gift shop
Reasonable wheelchair access
Dogs not permitted
Parking
Test your strength - or willpower at the Christmas Shopping Fayre
perform classic carols and popular songs.
A VERY MARY CHRISTMAS EDINBURGH CASTLE
TALES AND TRADITIONS OF A VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS EDINBURGH CASTLE
Mon 21–Wed 23 Dec; 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 668 8885 Discover the origins of the Christmas cracker, find out who sent the first ever Christmas card and learn about some of our fun festive traditions.
Thur 24, Sun 27– Thur 31 Dec; 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 668 8885 It is the festive season at Court. While Reformation Scotland shuns Christmas festivities, Mary Queen of Scots is celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas with her courtiers. Visit the castle and join in the festivities.
To book ticketed events, go to www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/member, log in and click on events
Visit the Victorian era at Edinburgh Castle
WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 53
THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAND A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO MORE THAN 4,100 CASTLES, TOWERS, HISTORIC HOUSES, STATELY HOMES AND FAMILY LANDS Martin Coventry
NEW BOOK
• Deluxe fifth edition hardback (plus 64 pages of colour photos) £30.00 • • Fifth edition paperback £19.95 • 752 text pages 260x190 mm 425 b&w drawings and 290 photos 12pp of maps An ideal Christmas present, this new acclaimed and popular book is the definitive and most comprehensive work available, the ‘Bible of Scottish Castles’. It has more than 4,100 entries, 1,000 more than the last edition, covering all the castles, towers and fortified houses of Scotland, plus hundreds of mansions, historic houses, stately homes, and many other properties and lands. Arranged alphabetically, each entry has NGR and location, description, architecture and development, both inside and out, depictions on old maps, family and notable owners, history and sieges, ghosts and gruesome or amusing tales. Plus opening, websites and telephone numbers. Maps locate all the sites. Comprehensive indexes include by site name and x-refs (10,000 entries) plus by clan/family name, as well as open to the public, accommodation providers, wedding venues, gardens, and ghosts and bogles. Plus much more. Postage and packing is FREE in the UK. At press, due late Oct./early Nov. 2015. Printed in Scotland. For more info about the book, see www.thecastlesofscotland.co.uk or email info@thecastlesofscotland.co.uk Send a cheque or Postal Order, made out to Goblinshead, with your name, delivery address and contact details to: GOBLINSHEAD The Tower, West Wing, Prestongrange House, Prestonpans EH32 9RP www.thecastlesofscotland.co.uk orders@thecastlesofscotland.co.uk 01875 812003
Time travel, history, intrigue and passion
13th Annual Outlander Tour
®
Seven Nights • September 18-25, or October 9-16, 2016 • $3,495 A deluxe, fully escorted journey into the magical world of Jamie and Claire, based on the award-winning Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Culloden Battlefield, Loch Ness, Craigh na Dun, Castle Leoch, St Kilda’s Kirk, Fort William, and an evening with a Jacobite soldier when you’re transported back to 1743!
{
Special Extended Tour!
Includes the 7-night tour plus the magnificent Standing Stones of Calanais!
Ten Nights • June 18-28, 2016 • $4,595
}
Deluxe escorted tours • 18-guest maximum • E-mail Judy@celticjourneys.us for more information
www.CelticJourneys.us • Call us at 703.941.6455
Toilets
Restaurant/café
Gift shop
Reasonable wheelchair access
Dogs not permitted
Parking
WINTER WARMER WALK LINLITHGOW PALACE
Sun 13 Dec; 1–3pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Enjoy a guided walk with the ranger to explore Linlithgow Loch and Peel. Discover the animals that make the loch their home and learn how this extraordinary place was created. JANUARY
NEW YEAR’S SCHILTRON EDINBURGH CASTLE
Fri 1–Sun 3 Jan; 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 668 8885 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events Learn how 16th-century Scots fought with pikes in schiltrons. Fun for the whole family.
HOT ROCKS! HOLYROOD PARK
Sun 24 Jan; 9am–12pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential First in a series of two. Join an expert geologist and a ranger on a longer guided walk to discover the fascinating geological history of Holyrood Park. Discover fossilised lagoons, walk on lava and find out about James Hutton, the father of modern geology.
WINTER WARMER WALKS HOLYROOD PARK
Sun 31 Jan; 1–3pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential Enjoy a guided walk to learn more about the turbulent past of Arthur’s Seat, created by fire and ice. Find out about the people who lived and worked in the park from 7,000 years ago until the present day.
Get involved at a Celebration of Burns
ROBERT BURNS CELEBRATION OF BURNS STIRLING CASTLE
Sat 23–Sun 24 Jan; 12pm–3pm 01786 450000 www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/ events In 1787, Robert Burns visited Stirling Castle, after which he returned to his hotel where he etched into a glass window pane the celebrated Stirling lines. Come along to join a tour that will explore his visit to the castle and how it inspired his
work. Don’t miss the Burns for Bairns tour for the little poets.
BURNS FOR BEGINNERS EDINBURGH CASTLE
Sat 23–Sun 24 Jan; 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 668 8885 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events Learn more about the works of Robert Burns in this lighthearted introduction to the bard. Audience participation highly encouraged.
hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential Join us on a guided walk to learn more about Blackness Bay on the shore of the Firth of Forth. Find out what makes this area so special.
THE COOLEST WALK ON EARTH HOLYROOD PARK
FEBRUARY
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN MEDIEVAL SCOTLAND
and equipped with all the tools of his gruesome trade. Listen as he recounts the gory nature of crime and punishment.
EDINBURGH CASTLE
Sat 6–Fri 12 Feb; 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 668 8885 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events Meet Gilbert Savage the Executioner, resplendent in black
WINTER WARMER WALK BLACKNESS CASTLE
Sat 13 Feb; 1–2.30pm 0131 652 8150
Sun 28 Feb; 9am–12pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential
Second in a series of two. Join an expert geologist and a ranger on a guided walk to discover how the landscape Explore Blackness Bay of Holyrood Park has near the castle been shaped and sculpted by ice. WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 55
GUESS THE YEAR WORK OUT THE MYSTERY YEAR AND WIN
WINNING PRIZE The winning entry will receive a hamper from Scottish Hampers (www.scottishhampers.co.uk) containing a bottle of Bordeaux, Scottish cheese, crackers and flame-roasted coffee, among other treats. The competition is only open to members aged 18 or over. GEORGE IV VISITS EDINBURGH The Entry of George IV into Edinburgh from the Calton Hill,
an oil painting by John Wilson Ewbank, celebrates the first royal visit to Scotland in 171 years. It captures the excitement of the day, which, according to one account, was “overcast with heavy clouds”.
ANSWER THIS QUESTION In which year did George IV visit Edinburgh? a) 1820 b) 1822 c) 1829
WEARING THE KILT BECAME ALL THE RAGE FOR THE MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASSES FOLLOWING GEORGE IV’S VISIT TO EDINBURGH
LAST ISSUE’S GUESS THE YEAR Lord Darnley and Mary Queen of Scots honeymooned at Huntingtower Castle in 1565. The winner will be announced in the Spring 2016 issue 56 HISTORIC SCOTLAND
MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY 2015
WIN
HOW TO ENTER If you can identify the correct year from the options below, visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ guesstheyear or post your answer, with your name, membership number and address, to Guess the Year, Historic Scotland magazine, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH by Friday 15 January 2016. See www.historicscotland.gov.uk/member for terms and conditions.
Give a gift that
keeps on growing Dedicate a tree in the heart of the Scottish Highlands, an ideal gift for any occasion.
Individual tree gift TE DICA
DE
A
TREE
£15
Plant a tree and receive a certificate with your personal message in a gift pack. Certificates available for Christmas, Baby, Celebration, In Memory and General.
Grove of trees
Plant a grove of eight trees and a personalised webpage will be set up for you, your family and friends to view online. Additional trees cost £5 each, and you can plant as many trees as you like.
£50
Trees for Life will plant your trees to restore the Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands, creating homes for wildlife and forests for the future. Please order at: treesforlife.org.uk or 01309 691292. Christmas cards, calendars, diaries and other Trees for Life gifts are also available. 100% of proceeds are used to fund our work.
treesforlife.org.uk Scottish Charity No. SC021303
RANGE ROVER
MAKES ITS OWN HEADLINES landrover.co.uk
Since its launch in 1970, Range Rover has set an ever-improving benchmark for refinement. A suite of technologies, such as the latest four-corner air suspension, makes sure interior conditions are always extremely comfortable – no matter what’s beneath your wheels.
Range Rover 3.0 TDV6 Vogue Auto Representative Example
Dynamic Response™ independently regulates the front and rear suspension to control how the body leans, helping it corner with supreme confidence. To enjoy it for yourself, take a look at our latest finance options – from only £799 a month, plus deposit and final payment.
Call today and find out more. Pentland Land Rover
Newbridge, Edinburgh, EH28 8TH
Tel: 0131 603 4802 www.pentland.edinburgh.landrover.co.uk Locations also at: Elgin Perth Cupar
On-the-Road Price*
£74,950.00
Customer Deposit
£18,110.00
Total Amount of Credit
£56,840.00
Purchase Fee (included in final payment) 36 Monthly Payments
£10.00 £799.00
Final Payment
£37,975.00
Total Amount Payable
£84,849.00
Duration of Agreement
37 months
Representative APR Interest Rate (Fixed) %
6.9% APR 6.73%
*The model pictured is a Range Rover TDV6 Vogue Auto with optional extras of 22” five split-spoke alloy wheels (£2,500) and fog lamps (£140) at an on-the-road price of £77,590. Pentland Land Rover is a trading style of John Clark Motor Group who is acting as a credit broker and not a lender.
Official Fuel Consumption Figures for the Range Rover range in mpg (l/100km): Urban 15.4 (18.3) – 41.5 (6.8), Extra Urban 28.3 (10.0) – 47.9 (5.9), Combined 21.6 (13.1) – 45.6 (6.2). CO2 emissions 299 – 164 g/km. The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. A vehicle’s actual fuel consumption may differ from that achieved in such tests and these figures are for comparative purposes only. Representative Example relates to a Range Rover 3.0 TDV6 Vogue Auto. Representative 6.9% APR available on new Range Rover 3.0 TDV6 Vogue Auto models registered between 1st October to the 31st December at participating Retailers only. With Land Rover Freedom Personal Contract Purchase you have the option at the end of the agreement to: (1) return the vehicle and not pay the Final Payment. If the vehicle has exceeded the allowed mileage a charge per excess mile will apply. In this example, 14p per excess mile up to 4,999, or for excess mileage of 5,000 or more, a charge of 28p will apply to each excess mile above the allowed mileage. If the vehicle is in good condition and has not exceeded the allowed mileage you will have nothing further to pay; (2) pay the Final Payment to own the vehicle or (3) part exchange the vehicle subject to settlement of your existing credit agreement; new credit agreements are subject to status. Representative example is based upon an annual mileage of 10,000 miles. Credit is subject to status and only available to applicants aged 18 and over resident in Mainland UK and N.Ireland. This credit offer is only available through Black Horse Limited trading as Land Rover Financial Services, St William House, Tresillian Terrace, Cardiff CF10 5BH. We can introduce you to Land Rover Financial Services and a limited number of other lenders to provide funding for your vehicle. We may receive commission or other benefits for introducing you to such lenders.