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R MEMBE E MAGAZIN OF THE YEAR
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Inspiring places Try something new outdoors PRODUCTION
Planting for the planet
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Boots ready!
Sustainability in our gardens
Seaside strolls & waterfall wanders
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T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R PE O PL E W H O LOV E SCOT L A N D
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WARS The cattle of Culloden and the fight for our Jacobite heritage
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Front cover, 1
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G N I SPR THE MAGAZINE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE SCOTLAND
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WHO’S ON BOARD...
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JONATHAN McINTOSH As we prepare to celebrate our 90th birthday, Jonathan interviewed archivist Ian Riches to find out about the history of the Trust. See page 21.
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SUSAN FLOCKHART Writer Susan spoke to the expert team at Gladstone’s Land to learn about the building’s rich history and exciting future. See page 38.
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hat a daunting privilege it is to welcome you, the valued members of the National Trust for Scotland, to this magazine, which features a celebration of our precious charity’s achievements over the past 90 years. As we acknowledge our roots, we celebrate our launch into our tenth decade. My association with the Trust goes back to 1950 when my mother, babe in arms, settled our family into No 5 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. My father, Jamie Stormonth Darling, had taken over the position of Secretary of the Trust in 1949. Total belief and conviction in the value of conserving, sharing, unveiling and promoting Scotland’s heritage and history drove my father and other early pioneers, as it has successive generations of dedicated volunteers, staff and members. Thank Growing up, no childhood walk was complete without stopping to spot a wildflower, watch the oystercatchers swirl, listen for a you curlew. Our world was also imbued with such things as to all our members architectural details, endangered wildlife, perpetual challenges for your invaluable with finance and an ancient battle site threatened continuing support by insensitive development. Similar of our charity in 2021 challenges continue today, as you’ll read on page 54. The evolution of culture and history is nowhere more clearly illustrated than at Gladstone’s Land in Edinburgh (page 38). The inspirational renovation and unveiling of both the social history and the unique ceilings is a tremendous credit to our expert conservators and innovative property teams. The heart of the Trust today is sustained by our dedicated, informed and passionate army of volunteers, our superbly qualified, hardworking staff and our loyal members. You are our past, our present and our future; the roots and branches of the organisation from which the Trust will flourish and grow. Thank you.
Caroline Borwick
Life member and former trustee of the National Trust for Scotland CHRIS WARDLE The Trust’s manager of gardens and designed landscapes for the North-East celebrates spring and the arrival of daffodils. See page 65.
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND’S STATEMENT OF NEUTRALITY The National Trust for Scotland is a legally constituted charity independent of government. The Trust was established to further its charitable purposes, which are for the public benefit. The Trust is independent of all political parties and will not participate in any activity which furthers the interests of any political organisation or secures or opposes a change in the law for political purposes. No Trustee or employee of the National Trust for Scotland may in this capacity express political views or offer support for any political party, candidate or politician. The Trust reserves the right to organise and carry out campaigning activity, including bringing influence and pressure to bear on government, ministers, politicians and political parties, or to offer support for specific policies, if this serves its charitable purposes. In such circumstances the Trust will always comply with charity law, civil and criminal laws and codes of conduct as they apply in addition to its fiduciary duties.
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BEST FOOT FORWARD We celebrate 90 years of the Trust and look to the future
28 LEADING THE WAY Managing the Trust’s gardens for the benefit of people and the planet
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38 STORIES TO SHARE The new Gladstone’s Land experience brings centuries of history to life
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Bring your binoculars and catch a glimpse of our beautiful birdlife 49
44 EXPLORE MORE By bike or kayak, with paintbrush or camera: try something new on your days out
54 BATTLE SCARS The fight to protect Culloden and the rest of Scotland’s Jacobite treasures
REGULARS 4 AROUND THE COUNTRY We’ve been busy during lockdown, caring for and protecting our places and introducing some smart new attractions. Plus: six fresh waterside walks for all the family; and all the latest Trust goings-on
17 THE WILD SIDE Ranger Roddy Hamilton celebrates the arrival of spring at Pitmedden, Crathes and Drum Castle 19 ME AND MY TRUST Chitra Ramaswamy visits Inveresk Lodge Garden
61 YOUR GUIDE Events for the coming season, including seaside sculptures at Culzean, the return of the Threave Gardening Show and a watery exhibition at Inverewe. Plus: spring treats in our online shop
65 OUT IN THE GARDEN Welcoming the daffodils 70 YOUR WORLD Social media updates 72 MEET OUR EXPERTS Curator Sarah Beattie on a collection of rare coins SPRING 2021 � 3
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Exciting projects are underway to bring a new perspective on four of our fascinating places HOUSE OF DUN
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coming to life by the end of the spring, and by The Angus Folk Collection has a dynamic new home midsummer it will be established into its first flush at House of Dun in Montrose, funded by a generous of colour and texture.’ legacy and the support of our donors. Work began NEWHAILES earlier this year to renovate courtyard buildings at The latest phase of the Newhailes Revival project is the William Adam-designed mansion, and is due to be in full swing. Converted stable blocks at this property completed by the summer. on the outskirts of Edinburgh will house a new cafe ‘Every room in the courtyard, from the stables and a welcome hub for visitors. The grand Newhailes to the hen house and the old potting shed, will House is scheduled to reopen to the public later tell a different story about the area,’ explains this year with a new tour experience, while Iain Hawkins, general manager for the the ever-popular Weehailes playground North-East. ‘We’ll also have a children’s Birth of a will also be opening up to youngsters play area full of recreated toys from nation once again. yesteryear.’ ‘Angus is the birthplace ‘We’re delighted to be putting The courtyard will host artisan of Scotland (the Declaration together three tours for the gift shops and the new Violet’s of Arbroath was signed reopening of Newhailes, so visitors Cafe, named after poet Violet here) and the county has will have a choice of how they Jacob, who was brought up at brilliant stories to tell.’ experience this amazing property,’ House of Dun. Visitors to the Iain Hawkins, explains Claire Grant, the Trust’s Georgian mansion, meanwhile, can House of Dun operations manager for Edinburgh. expect to find costumed guides ‘The cafe will continue telling the story recounting stories about life in the house. of the house and wider estate and will be a warm PITMEDDEN and welcoming place for visitors and members, Chelsea Flower Show designer Chris Beardshaw together with their four-legged friends.’ is helping us to reinterpret part of Pitmedden’s GLADSTONE’S LAND classic parterre garden for the modern world. There are also plans for exciting new visitor tours The contemporary exotic deconstructed parterre at Gladstone’s Land, which is reopening later this plantation will feature bulbs, herbaceous plants and year after a top-to-bottom refurbishment. Visitor grasses in what’s being described as ‘a species-rich experiences will be themed around the former modernistic response to the 21st century’. residents of this 500-year-old building close to the With bulbs planted by winter and the rest of the castle on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, and there will be a planting finished this spring, the garden will be a real brand new coffee shop and ice-cream parlour to enjoy treat for visitors to the Aberdeenshire property – and, on the ground floor. Turn to page 38 to read more like the changes at House of Dun, the work has been about the project. entirely donor-funded. ‘We’re very much looking forward to seeing the For the latest news on the openings and special garden in May, when it should be coming to fruition,’ events for members, sign up for email updates at says Chris Wardle, gardens and designed landscapes nts.org.uk/stay-in-touch manager at the Trust. ‘The design will be really 4 � SPRING 2021
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Worth the wait Clockwise from top left: House of Dun in Angus; the golden gled at Gladstone’s Land; garden designer Chris Beardshaw; Newhailes House
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We’re digging into the history of Scotland’s illicit whisky stills
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he first phase of field work for the Pioneering Spirit project has been carried out by our archaeology team at Mar Lodge Estate. Delivered in partnership with The Glenlivet, Pioneering Spirit was established last year to uncover remnants and stories from the era of illicit whisky-making. ‘We hope to work with volunteers and the local community this year, excavating areas that will give us evidence of exactly how people went about the clandestine production of Scotland’s most famous drink,’ says Trust archaeologist Daniel Rhodes. ‘We have carried out historic research and have commissioned a report to look at what evidence there might be for prosecutions associated with these places. We’re also thinking
Archaeological work at Mar Lodge Estate
about what these sites might mean in terms of society at the time: who was using them and how big the distilling and smuggling racket was.’ Photographs taken on site visits are to be turned into 3D computer models to better understand the locations of
the illicit still sites. Later on this year, we plan to use our findings in a programme of visitor events including trails, events and exhibitions. For more info, sign up for email updates at nts.org.uk/stay-in-touch
‘We hope to work with volunteers and the local community’
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Michael Spence
Threave Garden
Could you represent our members on the Trust’s board? Did you know that we elect members to help govern the Trust on our board of trustees? We are looking to appoint two trustees this year and are keen to hear specifically from members with skills and expertise in gardens and horticulture;
and finance, governance and risk management. Solicitor Michael Spence has served on our board since 2018 and says: ‘Finding out what makes other trustees tick is very interesting because it is a really diverse group of fascinating people with
whom you would not otherwise have the chance to meet. The Trust has great leadership and it is a good time to get involved.’ He advises anyone who thinks they might be suitable for one of the positions to consider applying. ‘People with
decent experience of enjoying Scotland’s heritage have got everything to offer. You will have worthwhile things to give.’ The closing date for applications is 16 April. nts.org.uk/elections
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DAYS OUT WITH THE TRUST
WATERSIDE WALKS Celebrate Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21 with a scenic stroll at one of our beautiful coastal places, lochs, waterfalls or riversides
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l From the Trust’s visitor centre, walk along the balcony to join the main path of the Pass of Killiecrankie to get jaw-dropping views of the River Garry and surrounding woodland. After a short stretch, take the steps down into the gorge to visit Soldier’s Leap, where a Redcoat soldier leapt 18ft across the river to escape his Jacobite pursuers. About half an hour from here is the picturesque green footbridge and, beyond that, Linn of Tummel. Killiecrankie is part of the Pitlochry Path Network, with options for extended routes across Perthshire.
Balmacara l This traditional crofting estate in the northwest Highlands offers 17 miles of walking trails across its rocky moorland hills and rugged coastline, with views over to Skye and Applecross. There are excellent circular walks both short and long, such as the hike up to Loch Achaidh na h-Inich and its picturesque crannog, as well as a beautiful coral beach near Plockton with stunning views. Keep your eyes peeled for pine martens, otters and all sorts of Highland wildlife across the estate.
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Killiecrankie
Mar Lodge
St Abb’s Helad Nationa ve Nature Reser
l Linn of Dee in the heart of the Cairngorms is the stepping-off point for several challenging Munro routes. But it’s also the start of two wonderful family-friendly woodland walks with waymarked trails, starting from the car park. It takes 15 minutes to follow the 0.8km route to see spectacular waterfalls and spot rare wildflowers blooming below the pines. A longer 2.8km route on the Glen Lui trail, again starting from the car park, explores the remains of the old salmon ladder. Look out for dippers and goosanders. to all the generous
Thanks
supporters who help protect our coastlines by donating to last year’s Turning the Tide and this year’s Nature Needs YOU appeals
Dollar Glen l Find a network of woodland walks among the deep gorges and babbling burns, looking out for great spotted woodpeckers and pied flycatchers as you go. Paths and trails are easily accessed from Dollar, via the Mill Green, or from the Quarry car park. With steep climbs and uneven, slippery sections, they’re best tackled by older children and adults. It’s a lovely walk to view Sochie Falls, past Castle Campbell which sits above the steep gorges of the Burn of Care and the Burn of Sorrow.
l Grey Mare’s Tail in Dumfries & Galloway is one of the UK’s highest waterfalls. A gentle five-minute stroll from the car park will take you to the viewpoint. Alternatively, follow the signs for a low-level walk on the west side of the Tail Burn to get closer to the falls. It takes an hour to reach Loch Skeen, the large upland loch that feeds the falls, following the steep path to the right of the gorge. For more capable walkers, try the five- to six-hour hike over the hilltops of Lochcraig Head and White Coomb for rewarding views to the Lake District and Northumberland.
Grey Mare’s Tail
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l There is something for everyone at this stunning coastal headland in the south-east, including an accessible path to enjoy the cliffs and wildlife; the 3.2km Discovery Trail leaves from the car park and heads towards the Nature Centre, following the edges of fields and woods, before the spectacular coastal view opens up. Thousands of seabirds can be seen in spring and summer. From the Discovery Trail, you can also access the Lighthouse Loop, which passes seabird nesting sites around the lighthouse.
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HERITAGE LOTTERY WINNER
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Congratulations to Fiona McNeill of East Kilbride – our first rollover jackpot winner in the Heritage Lottery. The mum of two says the prize of £3,300 couldn’t have come at a better time; she plans to spend her winnings on a longedfor family pet dog. Fiona started supporting the Trust through the Heritage Lottery after becoming a member last year. ‘When Scotland was first hit by the coronavirus, the Trust gave us somewhere to go and spend time with nature,’ she says. ‘Culzean Castle is my favourite property so far. I love the walks around the grounds. ‘I’m looking forward to restrictions easing, so we can take the puppy for a walk at one of the properties.’ For your chance to win, sign up at lottery.nts.org.uk
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obert Burns’s poem ‘The Twa Dogs’ has been brought to life thanks to the support of the NTS Foundation USA. In honour of their former chairperson Helen Sayles, the Foundation commissioned artist Sally Matthews to create a bronze sculpture of the ‘Twa Dogs’ to sit on the Poet’s Path at the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Burns’s poem imagines a conversation between Luath, his own beloved Border Collie, and a Newfoundland named Caesar, in which they discuss their owners. He uses the dogs to examine society’s inequalities. The
Luath and Caesar
poem is the first work in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, known as the Kilmarnock Edition, published in 1786. Animal sculptor Sally conducted thorough research to make the dogs
look just as they would have done in the 1780s. The artwork takes the form of a bench, which visitors can sit on, with Caesar looking down at Luath and a beetle in between them. Plenty for kids to discover
SPRING INSPIRATION The new Lidl Book of Big Adventures is out now Pick up the latest edition of the Lidl Book of Big Adventures for lots more fun children’s activities inspired by the places in the Trust’s care. Produced by the National Trust for Scotland in partnership with Lidl, the spring booklet includes crafts, puzzles and challenges inspired by the Trust’s gardens, its mountain repair team and the amazing wildlife at our places.
Copies of the spring issue are available to pick up at Lidl supermarkets. At the time of going to press, many of our places are closed to visitors, but the Lidl Book of Big Adventures will also be available at participating Trust places once they reopen. Visit our website for details. nts.org.uk/lidl
DOUGIE CUNNINGHAM
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Fiona McNeill at Culloden
New sculpture for the Poet’s Path in Alloway
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his spring sees the start of one of the most ambitious habitat restoration projects southern Scotland has ever seen. The National Trust for Scotland and Galloway Glens Landscape Partnership are working together to restore the land at Threave Estate’s Kelton Mains Farm, turning it from an area of intensive agriculture to a fully restored woodland-wetland ecosystem. As well as giving nature
Part of the land under restoration
space to thrive, Threave Landscape Restoration Project will open networks of paths and nature observation spaces,
allowing our members, visitors and locals alike to freely access and enjoy the progress of this unique area of natural habitat.
‘Threave will become a fully restored woodlandwetland ecosystem, self-sustaining and self-adapting to Scotland’s changing climate,’ says Samuel Gallacher, the Trust’s operations manager for Dumfries & Galloway. ‘The restored landscape at Kelton Mains Farm will support the evolution of existing habitats and the regeneration and creation of new habitats to maximise biodiversity and visitor engagement.’
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‘This will create new habitats adapted to changing conditions’
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MAG AWARD Another accolade for this winning magazine We are delighted that our magazine has been named Member Magazine of the Year in the PPA (Professional Publishers Association) Scottish Magazine Awards for the second time in three years. The Trust’s director of Customer and Cause, Mark Bishop, says, ‘During the challenging months of 2020, this
magazine enabled us to continue sharing the Trust’s stories with you, our members, who have supported the charity so generously with your membership and donations. The award is great recognition of everyone’s efforts and support.’ Thank you to all our members who took part in the recent magazine reader survey and for your positive feedback, which we’ll use to steer future development of the magazine in 2021 and beyond.
WIPEOUT CONTINUES New funding will help us get rid of even more invasive plants We have taken a big step forward in protecting habitats and our native species by eradicating invasive plants. Project Wipeout has secured funding from generous donors, including a further £250,000 from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, meaning work can be extended to the north-east of Scotland. ‘It is important to work on a landscape scale, as plants don’t understand boundaries,’ explains Rob Dewar, natural heritage advisor at the Trust. ‘In the next phase of Project Wipeout we’ll collaborate with the local community on more plant swap removal schemes, building on work in Torridon.’
Project Wipeout
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NATURE CONSERVATION
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Haddo House, home of Lord and Lady Aberdeen
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v longer ut Read a le and find o e tic ’r r e a w is h w t ut ho o b a ie c e ga s mor g the le .uk/ in s s e r add nts.org er y at v la s ast f o -our-p facing
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Facing Our Past project leader Jennifer Melville on how the owners of Haddo House freed four boys from enslavement
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acing Our Past is a National Trust for Scotland project that sets out to discover how the places in our care were acquired or enhanced through the profits of slavery. We now know that many Scots profited, either directly or indirectly. We are aware too that, as attitudes changed towards the end of the 18th century, many Scots became ardent abolitionists. Lord and Lady Aberdeen of Haddo House certainly fall into the latter category: both have been lauded for their philanthropy, especially Lady Ishbel (1857-1939) for her role in improving the lives of women through access to education and housing. The couple began as they meant to go on, when, on honeymoon in Egypt in 1877, they were responsible for freeing four children from enslavement. The year of the Aberdeens’ honeymoon was significant, as it was in 1877 that the AngloEgyptian Convention banned the import and export of enslaved Sudanese and Ethiopian people, and allowed British naval forces to search any vessel suspected of carrying them in Egyptian waters. Slavery had been abolished in most of the British empire since 1834.
ABOVE Johnny and Ishbel, Lord and Lady Aberdeen
In Egypt, the young couple followed the tourist path popular with privileged travellers, down the Nile from Cairo to Aswan and on to Philae. Johnny and Ishbel, however, could never be satisfied with soaking up the sun and touring antiquities. In a new book on Lady Ishbel, Fortune’s Many Houses, author Simon Welfare draws on Ishbel’s diary to chronicle how the pair of evangelical Christians devoted hours to missionary work along the Nile, distributing medicines and books. Appalled by stories that the slave trade still flourished in Egypt, the couple devised a ruse to free enslaved children. They asked to hire some as servants and, when four boys were brought on deck, they immediately adopted them. The boys were baptised into the Presbyterian Church and the three youngest, whom they named Abdeen, Gordon and Haddo, were entrusted to the mission school at Asyut; the oldest, whom they named Campbell, became a paid cabin boy. The Aberdeens kept in touch with the four for the rest of their lives. Fortune’s Many Houses by Simon Welfare is published this spring by Simon & Schuster
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IT’S IN OUR NATURE
Conservation work across our eight National Nature Reserves this year will be supported by Naked Wines
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he National Trust for Scotland cares for eight extraordinary National Nature Reserves, including the UK’s largest, Mar Lodge Estate, as well as the nesting sites of thousands of seabirds and the country’s most celebrated collection of rare arctic-alpine plants at Ben Lawers. We are delighted to announce that Naked Wines has partnered with us as we carry out vital conservation work at our NNRs in 2021. ‘We are hugely proud to work in partnership with the Trust, raising valuable funds to help protect the eight
National Nature Reserves that make Scotland so special,’ says Joanne Gunn, Growth Director at Naked Wines. Jeff Waddell, the Trust’s senior natural heritage advisor, says, ‘The partnership with Naked Wines helps support the broad range of conservation work we deliver, from seabird monitoring on St Kilda to removing invasive plants from Corrieshalloch Gorge, and restoring one of our rarest native woodlands on the edge of the Cairngorm plateau at Mar Lodge Estate. I’ll drink to that – cheers!’
MEMBER OFFER Enjoy 12 delicious bottles of wine from the world’s best independent winemakers for just £47.88 – saving £75. Even better, Naked Wines will donate 20% of proceeds back to the Trust for every case purchased. Claim now at nakedwines.com/ntsm21
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Bluebells light up the woods around Fyvie Castle
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‘ T H E A R R I VA L O F SPR I N G I S A R A P T U RO U S M O M E N T ’ Roddy Hamilton relishes the changing seasons at the Trust’s properties in the North-East
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ou often hear it said that spring is arriving earlier every year. By recording the wildlife on our properties, the ranger service contributes data which builds a clearer picture of changing seasonal events such as the first arrival of migratory species. This data can help our understanding of mismatched events that impact on the various species – the availability of caterpillar prey for nesting birds such as the great tit, for example. Collecting the data can be an enjoyable task, too. Spring arrives in the south before it reaches the north – something that’s quite evident in our properties scattered across the North-East. But, whether you’re in the north of the country or the south, there’s always one rapturous moment when you know spring is here. Like musicians in an orchestra, the birds at Pitmedden Garden begin before sunrise in May, the blackbird and robin joined by wren or dunnock. As spring goes on, the birdsong in the surrounding woods continues. There is no better meditation after winter than feeling the sun on your face and hearing this music – and spring has fully arrived
BELOW The dancing speckled wood butterfly is one of the joys of spring
when one of its signature sounds – the chiffchaff chiff-chaffing its name – can be heard. Montrose Basin at House of Dun, meanwhile, is noisy with new migrants and displaying birds, while on Fyvie Loch, if you care to look long enough, duck dramas unfold and tufted ducks give a comic display, throwing their heads back. There are colours to inspire an impressionist painter in the woodland floors at Crathes and Drum: the crisp whites of cuckoo flower, wood sorrel and wood anemones, blues of bluebells and dog violets, and yellows of celandine. Our conservation work helps maintain the habitats that are part of this canvas. The scent of wild garlic, too, is a powerful reminder of rebirth. One of the glories of spring is experienced as sun in a woodland glade catches the iridescence of the speckled wood butterfly’s spots – and, if you’re lucky, the butterfly will rise from the undergrowth, circling another butterfly in a glinting, helix-shaped territorial display. Roddy Hamilton is a ranger for the Trust’s North-East region, covering nine properties. He has worked for the Trust since 2019. SPRING SPRING 20212021 � 17 � 17
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Chitra Ramaswamy finds relief close to home, among the wildlife visiting Inveresk Lodge Garden
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he first time it was a deer. I heard a rustle, that unforeseen break in nature’s song that hints at a wild animal nearby. Then a tawny flash in a thicket. A face looking directly at us, shiny-eyed and unafraid. The second time it was a baby frog, just past the tadpole stage of life, springing from the sodden meadow path. I had my daughter on my back, and nearly stood on it. Most recently, a kingfisher. It landed on a bare branch overhanging the pond, an electric blue dart aimed from mute skies. It ventured closer, cheeky as a robin, alighting on the wooden platform where my children had just been pretending to fish with reeds. For an elongated minute, a gratefully received pause in hard times, we were a few (human) feet apart. All of this (plus, to the delight of my son, two trains – one CrossCountry and one TransPennine Express – on the east coast mainline hovering beyond the trees) I saw at Inveresk Lodge Garden, a peaceful hillside garden overlooking a wild meadow and woodland on the edge of Edinburgh. It took the pandemic to bring me here, to one of the National Trust for Scotland
BELOW The electric-blue plumage of a kingfisher
properties closest to my own front door. It is a strange truth that the places closest to us are often the ones we know the least. Familiarity can breed obliviousness as well as contempt. But time spent exploring the treasures on our doorsteps is never wasted. I started coming to this garden after my beloved mother died last summer, during the first national lockdown. She loved gardening and would have delighted in Inveresk’s deep contradictory pleasures: the elegant Edwardian glasshouse and cultivated garden with its tended borders and grand old trees – yew, walnut, lime – and, below it, the ponds ringed by wilderness. I saw the deer not long after my mother died, in an agonising time when every new experience was a visitation of loss. That deer was a messenger from grief’s underworld. And though I have never seen another one, each time I return to Inveresk Lodge Garden, the deer’s message awaits me. Chitra Ramaswamy lives in Leith with her partner, two young children and dog. Born in London, she has loved Scotland ever since moving here as a student. SPRING 2021 � 19
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th S N I G E B E D A C DE As our milestone birthday approaches, we look back on 90 years of the National Trust for Scotland – and forward to the future
‘T
he National Trust for Scotland serves the nation as a cabinet into which it can put some of its valuable things, where they will be perfectly safe for all time, and where they are open to be seen and enjoyed by everyone.’ So said Sir John Stirling Maxwell at the Trust’s first AGM, just a year after our founding in May 1931. His words clearly articulated our aim to safeguard Scotland’s cultural and natural treasures for the benefit of the nation.
Today, we are Scotland’s biggest membership organisation and custodians of eight National Nature Reserves, more than 100 historic properties, 38 gardens and 300,000 precious objects. ‘Although the Trust’s activities have widened since Maxwell’s famous words, his principles remain at the core of everything we do,’ says Trust archivist Ian Riches. ‘Our founders would be amazed to see the breadth of our work today and
the important part the Trust plays in Scotland’s identity.’ None of it would be possible without our members and we are hugely grateful for all your support. To mark the National Trust for Scotland’s 90th birthday, join us now as we reflect on our pioneering work over the past nine decades and look forward to developing new ways to conserve, share and promote the places we all love – for the next decade and beyond. SPRING 2021 � 21
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Sir John Stirling Maxwell, owner of Glasgow’s Pollok estate, was one of a group of influential men who had
advocated for the establishment of an organisation to preserve Scotland’s heritage, similar
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Stunning Glencoe
to but separate from England’s National Trust (which had been formed in 1895). The National Trust for Scotland was officially founded on 1 May 1931, with the stated purpose of caring for and preserving ‘Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty’. Crookston Castle – famous for its connections to Mary Queen of Scots and Robert Burns – became the first property under our care. Through the 1930s, we acquired a number of properties, including Burg, Culross Palace, Gladstone’s Land and the birthplaces
of Thomas Carlyle, Hugh Miller and J M Barrie. With the support of the Scottish Mountaineering Club and its president, Percy Unna, we acquired Glencoe in 1935, and we’ve worked tirelessly ever since to care for its landscape, wildlife and paths. Two years later, in 1937, Alexander Munro of Leanach Farm presented the Trust with two pieces of Culloden battlefield (an ownership that would expand as we continued to grow), kickstarting our role in conserving a property so crucial to the history of the Jacobites.
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1940s
THE CALL FOR CULTURAL CONSERVATION GROWS The Second World War strengthened public belief in the importance of conserving Scotland’s heritage for future generations. By the war’s end, we were responsible for 40 natural and cultural heritage properties and had cemented our position as Scotland’s leading conservation charity. Introduced in 1942, the Country House Scheme allowed owners of properties with historical or architectural significance to donate
them directly to the Trust, enabling us to conserve the buildings and provide public access. Through this scheme, our first country house, the House of the Binns in West Lothian, was gifted to the Trust by the Dalyell family in 1944. One of our best-loved properties, Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, was donated to us in 1945 by the 5th Marquess of Ailsa. He asked that the top floor be gifted to General Eisenhower to thank him
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Ceremony to gift the House of the Binns
for his role during the war. The General first visited Culzean in 1946 and stayed there four times, including once while US President. Hill of Tarvit in Fife was bequeathed to the Trust in
1949. From 1951 the house’s upper floor was leased to the charity Marie Curie, which opened its first home for cancer patients here. It remained a Marie Curie Home until 1977.
1950s
PROTECTING SCOTLAND’S NATURAL HERITAGE Ben Lawers, our first property acquired primarily for nature conservation, has a wealth of arctic-alpine plants,
including many species rarely found in the UK. Since taking over the care of Ben Lawers in 1950, we’ve made it our mission Traces of the past in St Kilda
to protect its unique natural heritage. In 1975, it was declared a National Nature Reserve. Our pioneering work here includes restoring montane willow scrub, conserving peat bog and expertly maintaining the mountain footpaths to control erosion. From the central Highlands to Scotland’s most isolated island archipelago: in 1957 we took on responsibility for safeguarding St Kilda. Some 41 miles west of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides, its islands are home to nearly a million
LITTLE HOUSES, SKILLED GARDENERS their period features, and then selling them on as homes to raise funds for the next project. Without this scheme, the character of Culross might have been lost forever. In total, more than 165 buildings across Scotland have been restored under the scheme. The Trust’s activities were certainly diversifying. Also in 1960, we established the School of Heritage Gardening at Threave, for students of horticulture looking to learn both the
On the map
‘History on the Spot’ introduced illustrated maps at sites including Culloden and Glencoe, leading to our first visitor centres in the 1960s.
1960s
When buildings in Culross were designated for slum clearance in the 1930s, the fragile community of this historic Fife burgh was under threat. A campaign to rescue its old houses and preserve the burgh’s historical character began in 1932, the year the Trust bought Culross Palace. Evolving from our previous conservation work in the former royal burgh, we launched the Little Houses Improvement Scheme in 1960. This focused on restoring houses while retaining
seabirds, including the UK’s largest colony of Atlantic puffins. But St Kilda’s human history is equally significant. The last members of its community were evacuated on 29 August 1930, their way of life no longer sustainable. Our responsibility extends to ensuring their stories are never forgotten. In 2005, St Kilda became the UK’s first dual UNESCO World Heritage site, in recognition of its natural and cultural importance.
theory and practice of gardening. Led by our seasoned experts, its training programme sees green-fingered students work in Threave’s grounds,
glasshouses and walled garden, and visit other properties in our care to develop the skills needed for a successful career in horticulture.
Characterful Culross
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PAST AND FUTURE
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1970s
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The new decade saw the National Trust for Scotland take on some remarkable historic buildings for the nation, beginning in 1970 with Kellie Castle, home of the artistic Lorimer family. Under the management of the Trust’s Director, Jamie Stormonth Darling, we also took over care of Castle Fraser, Drum Castle and Haddo House in Aberdeenshire, Priorwood Garden in Melrose and Greenbank in Glasgow. In 1979, the Trust acquired the Isle of Iona, where our archaeologists
have since uncovered some fascinating artefacts from the island’s past. The Robert Adamdesigned townhouses at numbers 5 to 7 Charlotte Square in Edinburgh had come to the Trust via the National Land Fund in 1966. Following careful restoration of the interior, we opened number 7 to the public in 1975 as the Georgian House, a vibrant new tourist attraction that enabled visitors to immerse themselves in the lifestyle of the
Kellie Castle, part of the Trust since 1970
townhouse’s former inhabitants. Crucially, the Georgian House gives an insight into those who lived ‘below stairs’ as well as those above.
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HELLO TO THE HILL HOUSE Heralded as Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s domestic masterpiece, almost every element of the Hill House in Helensburgh was designed by the architect and his wife, Margaret Macdonald. The property came into the care of the Trust in 1982; soon afterwards we embarked upon extensive restoration work following serious leaks in the roof. The north gable was rebuilt and the
The Hill House, Helensburgh
House of Dun
In 1989 our then patron, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, officially opened House of Dun in Montrose to the public.
exterior was repainted in its original grey; interior wall decorations were preserved and replicated to complete the scheme. We also redeveloped the garden in line with the style favoured by large houses at the beginning of the 20th century.
None of this would have been possible without the Trust’s membership, which trebled in the 1970s to a total of more than 100,000 members.
Another unique place also came into our care during this decade: Robert Smail’s Printing Works, the oldest commercial letterpress printers still in operation in the UK. Parts of the business, including some of the presses, dated back to the Victorian era, and we opted to keep it working. The site, in Innerleithen in the Borders, is home to a host of headline-grabbing features that give an insight into Scotland’s industrial past – such as its archive of 52 giant Guard Books (showing every item printed between 1876 and 1956) and a caseroom revealing the intricacies of the art of typesetting, with over 400 cases of type. SPRING 2021 � 25
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1990s
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CONSERVING THE CAIRNGORMS
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The National Trust for Scotland took over Mar Lodge Estate in 1995. This spectacular area of land includes four of the five highest mountains in the UK and a wide variety of iconic Scottish wildlife. As it was our largest countryside property, we wanted to share our plans with our membership (now 200,000-strong), so we produced two special inserts in our members’ magazine and held an open day to explain how our conservation work would benefit the estate.
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Pine trees at Mar Lodge Estate
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2000s
We soon began efforts to regenerate the native Caledonian woodland and to protect the populations of black grouse and capercaillie. Mar Lodge Estate is one of the most important areas for nature conservation in Britain, and in 2017 it was awarded National Nature Reserve status – making it the largest NNR in the UK.
Royal patron
HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay has been the Trust’s patron since 2003 and takes a close interest in our conservation work across Scotland.
SHARING SCOTLAND’S STORIES On Wednesday, 16 April 2008, the anniversary of the Battle of Culloden, we officially opened our beautiful new visitor centre at the battlefield site, making the legacy of Culloden accessible to an ever-widening audience. Meanwhile, plans were underway to celebrate the life and work of Scotland’s Bard at the dynamic new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway, which opened to the public on St Andrew’s Day, 2010.
Poet’s corner
Succeeding the Burns National Heritage Park, the museum brought together all of the Alloway sites, including Burns Cottage, an education pavilion and
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Auld Brig o’ Doon, allowing visitors to follow in Burns’s footsteps, see objects from his life and hear his stories. We continue to share Robert Burns’s legacy, most
recently through the Burns Big Night In, which brought the bard’s poetry to life via talented contemporary performers, reaching people in over 20 countries.
2010s DIGITISATION AND INNOVATION In July 2017 we launched Project Reveal, cataloguing and photographing our collections of objects, so we can share more of their stories in events, publications and online. Sadly, we also became aware that one of our most
beloved properties was in need of urgent care. With invaluable financial support from members and donors, the Hill House conservation programme enclosed the iconic building in a large steel ‘box’, which will act as a
Cataloguing our treasures
drying room while conservationists repair the saturated exterior walls. Walkways around the box allow visitors to see conservation in action while viewing Mackintosh’s masterpiece from neverbefore-seen heights.
2020s and beyond
AN EXCITING FUTURE Throughout our 90-year history, the National Trust for Scotland has evolved to meet the challenges of each decade. Now, as we look forward to our first centenary, in May 2031, we have an exciting opportunity to contribute to Scotland’s future. The tumultuous events of 2020 demonstrate how quickly situations can change, but they’ve also shown how precious our natural and cultural places are to us all. We need to ensure that, whatever the circumstances, Scotland’s invaluable heritage is protected for generations to come.
A great leap forward
Conserving our heritage for our children
As the country’s largest conservation charity, we have a vital role to play in the national effort to tackle climate change and threats to biodiversity. We also want our heritage to be accessible and relevant
to more people than ever, and are making plans to offer new participation opportunities, so everyone can enjoy and learn from our national treasures. As we enter our 10th decade, we are ambitious about what the Trust can do to benefit Scotland’s society if we take a brave
and creative approach to the future. Over the months ahead we will take time to conduct research and gather ideas. We want to take this journey together with our members – so sign up for email updates at nts.org.uk/stay-in-touch and watch this space! SPRING 2021 � 27
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90 years of the Trust, 4
PAST AND FUTURE
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AN EYE ON THE FUTURE We are creating a carbon report on gardening at Crathes so we can measure future progress.
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Cutting-edge materials combine with age-old techniques as the Trust’s gardeners lead the way on sustainable practices that will keep our grounds and landscapes thriving WORDS: AILEEN SCOULAR
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FOR
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GARDENS
GARDENS Best of all, a new generation of optimistic, eco-minded Trust gardeners and gardening apprentices are coming into the organisation, and they’re big fans of sustainability.
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THE MAGIC OF MEADOWS
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In future, native or naturalised plants could replace close-mown grass, and some lawns may be removed completely. Mown ‘strips’ could be limited to the edges of borders and drives, to help control unwanted grass seeds, or more Lessons of lockdown time could be left between cuts. Trust gardeners have already experimented with By mowing lawns less wildflower meadows at Falkland Castle and frequently in 2020 we Culzean, and at Wester Kittochside Farm, reduced our emissions and created spaces for site of the National Museum of Rural Life, wildlife to thrive there’s a ‘Coronation Meadow’ recognised under the scheme launched by our patron, HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay. ‘We’re very keen to learn from the lockdown experience,’ says Ann. ‘Last year, having fewer acres of mown grass around our castles helped to reduce our carbon emissions, and some visitors said it was nice to see our landscapes looking less manicured because it would be good for wildlife.’ Chris Wardle, manager of gardens and designed landscapes for the North-East, agrees: ‘Historically, grass would not have been cut,’ he says. ‘At Castle Fraser, for example, the sheep would have been grazing right to the front door! It’s time to gradually reshape expectations.’
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BOTTOM LEFT James Hannaford is head gardener at Crathes Castle
ABOVE Cornflowers at Culzean attract pollinators
DOUGIE CUNNINGHAM; COLIN HEGGIE
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s Scotland’s biggest single employer of gardeners, and caretaker to some of the country’s most spectacular designed landscapes, the Trust has the opportunity to set horticultural standards and pioneer new ideas. And nowhere is that truer than in sustainability. Right now, our gardeners are experimenting with materials, exploring possibilities and looking afresh at traditional gardening practices. But it could mean our gardens look a little different in future. ‘We may have to redefine how the gardens should look,’ agrees Ann Steele, our head of heritage gardening. ‘We always need to make sure we’re not losing anything of historical significance. But, at the same time, we’re trying to keep our sites relevant to the next generation.’ The Trust is now considering even more carefully what it brings into its gardens, how it transports plants and materials, and how to use its own resources in the most sustainable way – from composting to energy capture. We have already introduced a peat-free policy; many gardens have swapped diesel machinery for rechargeable battery-powered equipment; and chemical fertilisers and pesticides are being reduced. ‘More of our sites have been managing successfully without herbicides and pesticides, which is really encouraging,’ says Ann.
GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT The fruitful beds at Kellie Castle.
‘A new generation of optimistic gardeners are coming into the Trust and they’re big fans of sustainability’ FRESH PERSPECTIVES Our gardening apprentices are tackling sustainability projects head on. ‘One apprentice, Adam Penman, has been tasked with investigating how to turn Kellie Castle into a certified organic garden,’ says Ann. ‘The garden is already managed organically, but it would be good to aim for formal certification.’ At Perth’s Branklyn Garden, apprentice Jamie Sinclair is exploring alternatives to the garden’s historic peat walls, while at Crathes Castle, another apprentice, Timothy Turnbull, is creating a new carbon footprint report for the gardens there so that future progress can be measured. ‘We’re looking at different areas,’ explains James Hannaford, head gardener at Crathes. ‘One area is heating and insulation of the service buildings and glasshouse – maybe we could install a new kind of smart glass in future? We’re looking at water-harvesting and capture of recycled water too, and tying that into supply to the greenhouse and bothy area. Even in a country like Scotland, water is an important resource, and climate change could bring dry springs and summers, and
ABOVE AND BELOW The grounds of Kellie Castle are gardened organically
wetter winters. It’s really exciting to see our apprentices exploring something so relevant.’
IMPROVING THE SOIL NATURALLY Trust gardens produce huge amounts of natural waste every year. Is there a way to reuse it? Simon Jones, manager of gardens and designed landscapes for Glasgow and the South-West, believes so – and he has been researching worms. ‘The material that comes out of a wormery is quite spectacular,’ he says. ‘It’s called vermicast, and it’s full of plant hormones – it has everything soil needs without relying on fertilisers or pesticides. I’m researching how we can scale up the wormery process.’ One traditional way to improve soil is to mulch with chipped woody waste. This reduces weeds and retains moisture, but it can suck valuable nitrogen out of the soil. So, Simon has been exploring another potential solution: biochar. ‘If you process woody waste through a biochar kiln, you end up with a material whose structure is very similar to peat. When you put that back into the soil, SPRING 2021 � 31
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NEW IDEAS
‘FLORISTIC MEADOW’ FOR PITMEDDEN
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Wildflower meadow in the orchard at Falkland Castle SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT
it boosts microbial activity, improves the soil structure, and puts the carbon back into the soil. It’s very simple, but so clever.’ Large amounts of garden waste at Inverewe have encouraged the team there to take composting to a new level. ‘We’ve invested in a wood-chipper and a special thermometer with a data probe, and we’ve given staff extra training,’ explains operations manager Martin Hughes. ‘The long-term goal is to use the compost to build up soil density, and to alleviate the effects of climate change. The topsoil at Inverewe is only 5cm deep in places and more rain could simply wash it away.’ Martin’s team have been experimenting, trying to encourage compostable cups and plates from the cafe to break down faster: ‘Everything is now shredded into 1cm pieces. We’ve also developed a special blend of green and brown waste that reaches the correct composting temperature (65°C) more quickly and efficiently. We check the compost beds regularly with the new thermometer, and it’s definitely making a difference – the compost we put down last winter looks wonderful. We hope Inverewe becomes the place to see how composting can work in a heritage garden.’ Finally, another way to improve soil health is simply to stop digging – something that is being tried at several Trust gardens. ‘Every time you turn the soil, you release carbon dioxide into the environment,’ says Chris Wardle. ‘When you don’t till or dig the soil, beneficial microorganisms increase which, in turn, helps to support bird and insect populations.’
The upper terrace at Pitmedden Garden will soon look very different, courtesy of a pioneering replanting project designed by awardwinning landscape gardener Chris Beardshaw. It has been made possible thanks to funds from a major donor with a huge passion for both gardens and Aberdeenshire. Instead of mown grass and two box hedge (buxus) parterres, the area will be replanted with what Beardshaw describes as a ‘floristic meadow’, bursting with colour from early spring right through to winter. Two ‘deconstructed’ parterres will feature a wide range of herbaceous plants, including ornamental grasses, seasonal bulbs and lateflowering, insect-friendly perennials like helenium and echinacea. At 30m wide by 120m long, the result will be the UK’s
largest floral meadow. ‘The plants are all being grown for us in Scotland, which reduces the “plant miles” and the environmental impact, and any new topsoil will be pesticidefree and peat-free,’ explains Chris Wardle, manager of gardens and designed landscapes for the North-East. ‘It’s a modern approach but very sustainable, too: there will be no staking or fertilisers, and very little cutting-down in winter – so there will be a seed source for birds and shelter for overwintering insects and ladybirds.’ He is looking forward to what lies ahead: ‘It’s a fantastic opportunity for the Trust to experiment: we can create something beautiful and sustainable, and at the same time change how we traditionally manage flower borders.’ Pitmedden’s upper terrace
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TAKING A POSITIVE APPROACH TO PEAT
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When peatland degrades or is damaged, the huge reserves of CO2 contained within it are released into the atmosphere. Some 80% of our peatlands have already been degraded in some way and, as horticulture is one of the culprits, the Trust has a key role to play in demonstrating more sustainable practices. Our gardeners no longer use products containing peat, and our preferred suppliers are peat-free or at least peat-reduced in their growing processes. We’ve also reviewed our peatbased garden features. The peat banks at Inverewe are in good condition, but future refurbishments won’t use peat. Branklyn’s peat walls have greater heritage significance as an early example of their kind, and they’re also more visible, so any alternatives need to look good!
Encouraged by head gardener Jim Jermyn, gardening apprentice Jamie Sinclair is looking at ways of phasing out the peat walls. One option could be to replace them with gabions – steel cages filled with organic material. ‘We could create some gabions, angled into the steep embankment, then fill them with rotting logs for stability, and choppedup, tightly packed bracken and sheep’s wool,’ explains Jim. ‘That’s a marvellous substitute for peat.’ Jamie and Jim are also experimenting with a ‘building block’ made from newspaper and sheep’s wool compost, to replace the peat walls in future. ‘It would be easy for us at Branklyn to rest on our laurels – we have heritage reasons to use peat,’ says Jim. ‘But we want to explore alternatives by thinking outside the box.’
Tarzan the logging horse at Inverewe
‘The way we manage our historic gardens and landscapes has to change’
Branklyn Garden’s famous blue poppies
Join Roots
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CLEAN ENERGY One easy win in Trust gardens is the use of rechargeable battery-powered equipment: ‘It’s something we can do right now, without any adverse effect on our gardens,’ says Simon. For example, at Crathes Castle, all hedge-cutting in 2019 was done with electrical machinery. Many other Trust properties are also switching to electric kit so the next logical step is energy capture. Photovoltaics (solar panels) are an obvious solution; but, as many Trust gardens have ponds and burns, there’s also potential for small-scale hydro-power and wind power. And at Crarae Garden near Inveraray, the use of a borehole to extract the garden’s ground-water could eventually lead to a ground-source heat pump to heat its glasshouses. Or, why not ditch mechanisation altogether and use horse power? Tarzan, a logging horse, visited Inverewe in summer 2019 to help with some forestry work, proving that low-impact and sustainable methods of timber extraction are still relevant in the 21st century. ‘There’s a saying: “If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got”,’ says Chris Wardle. ‘Small decisions, however superficial, can have a big impact. The way we manage our historic gardens and landscapes has to change.’
BRIAN AND NINA CHAPPLE
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CREATIVE THINKING
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Thanks to fresh discoveries and a top-to-bottom revamp, we now have a much clearer picture of the lives of those who called Gladstone’s Land home. Susan Flockhart shares a sneak preview of the soon-to-reopen Edinburgh landmark
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XXXCREDIT HERE XXX
SECRETS
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ithin these walls, eager cooks once shopped for exotic spices while fine ladies browsed for ballgown fabrics. Bawdy spirits ran wild in a basement tavern; factory workers bunked together in crowded lodging rooms; and in a splendid chamber, an eminent cleric sat among his books, writing hellfire sermons and pondering the fate of suspected witches. Over the course of five centuries, Gladstone’s Land on Edinburgh’s Lawnmarket housed several shops and hundreds of residents, and this iconic tenement building is a treasure trove of stories about the people who lived and worked there. This year, visitors to the iconic Royal Mile attraction will be able to discover some of those stories for themselves. Closed since February 2020, it’s set to reopen following an ambitious £1.5m refurbishment that will bring parts of the building into public view for the first time, in the process giving us a fascinating insight into Edinburgh’s commercial and social history.
CASSELL’S OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH VOLUME 1, JAMES GRANT
UNCOVERING THE SECRETS Renovation was still underway when I made a virtual visit late last year, but, amid the rubble and dust, the sense of excitement was palpable as centuries of secrets were uncovered. Dating from at least 1501, Gladstone’s Land was acquired by the National Trust for Scotland in 1934; although it opened to the public 40 years ago, its visitor experience has until now focused mainly on the life and times of merchant Thomas Gledstanes, who bought the building in the early 17th century, extended it and commissioned its famous Renaissance painted ceilings. ‘It has basically stayed the same, with a few minor changes, for the last four decades,’ says visitor services manager Anna Brereton. ‘Thanks to the refurbishment and following extensive historical research, however, we’re now able to tell a much broader story about the various trades that were carried out here and the people who worked in the shops and lived in the flats above.’ Edinburgh’s Lawnmarket originated as a trading centre, and it’s believed that commerce was conducted almost continuously throughout Gladstone’s Land’s 500-year history, mainly in booths beneath the covered archway and in the cellar. Some of those businesses have now been reimagined within the revamped building, with each of the first three storeys displaying typical scenes from its 17th, 18th or
‘An eminent cleric sat in his splendid chamber, writing hellfire sermons and pondering a suspected witch’s fate’ ABOVE The towering Gladstone’s Land, 1880
20th-century past. A new street-level cafe-cumice-cream parlour also offers glimpses of bygone eras, while the self-catering accommodation on the upper floors has been refitted to offer luxurious flats that cleverly evoke their heritage. Now, whether scaling the turnpike staircase or perusing the cafe menu, visitors will gain a real sense of living history.
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GLADSTONE’S LAND
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LOOK UP The hand-painted Renaissance ceilings at Gladstone’s Land date from the 1620s. The stunning artworks were commissioned by Thomas Gledstanes, the merchant after whom the building is now named.
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‘Trading with the East Indies, West Indies, China and Greece, John Riddoch sold spices and dried fruit’
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BELOW Cinnamon was just one of the exotic spices traded by John Riddoch in the 17th century
grandest in Gladstone’s Land. A minister at St Giles Cathedral, Struthers was the 17th-century equivalent of a multi-millionaire, boasting an impressive library of books within his lavishly decorated home and bequeathing £16,000 to charities on his death in 1633. Famous for his rousing sermons, he published books with fearsome-sounding titles such as A Resolution for Death and was involved in the trial of women suspected of witchcraft – among them Marion Muir of Leith, who was executed in 1632. The new William Struthers holiday apartment, named after him, includes playful references to the life and times of this cantankerous figure.
18TH CENTURY Trade continued to flourish at Gladstone’s Land in the 18th century. Among its most successful occupants at that time were Elizabeth Pillans and her husband William Dawson, who in the 1760s ran a ground-floor drapery business and lived in an attached ‘chamber and kitchen’. Surviving trade accounts show that they sold a wide range of expensive fabrics
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address – a commercial hub with huge amounts of trade going on and lots of wealthy residents,’ says visitor services supervisor Kate Stephenson. Two of the most conspicuous tenants during this period were merchant John Riddoch and his wife Margaret Nobill. The pair ran a basement tavern and rented two ground-floor trading booths selling cloth and culinary ingredients. The detailed will John left when he died in 1632 helps shed light on the city’s international trading status at that time. ‘In it, John Riddoch lists the contents of his ship and shop, so we know exactly where and how he was trading and the value of the goods he was selling,’ explains Anna. Trading with the East Indies, West Indies, Greece, China and other countries, John sold an array of spices, dried fruits and other exotic foods. Examples of these will be displayed on the first floor, where his stockroom has been recreated, along with a mock-up of the third-floor ‘hall and kitchen’ where he and his family lived. The second- and third-floor chambers occupied by the Riddochs’ neighbour, William Struthers, were perhaps the
Gladstone's Land, 2
The reopened building is home to a unique cafe and ice-cream parlour, new visitor tours and exclusive holiday apartments Visuals of the cafe on the ground floor
THE NEW GLADSTONE’S LAND
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3D / ENVIRONMENT BY DRINKALL DEAN; GRAPHICS BY PYRAH DESIGN
spects of the building’s history will be revealed across all six storeys when Gladstone’s Land reopens. At street level, beneath the stone arches, a shop, cafe and ice-cream parlour will continue the long tradition of commerce in this part of Edinburgh. The city’s first coffee house opened in 1673 and such establishments, as hubs of commerce and debate, are likely to have been birthplaces of the Scottish Enlightenment.
We also know that ice-cream was sold in the Lawnmarket in the early 1900s. The new cafe will be decorated with newspaper clippings and other ephemera, while many dishes will be flavoured with ingredients traded here hundreds of years ago. Climbing the turnpike staircase will reveal that storeys one to three have been completely reimagined beneath their carefully preserved Renaissance-
painted ceilings, with each floor offering an immersive glimpse of life in Gladstone’s Land during the 17th, 18th or 20th century. Visitors will be free to open cupboards and drawers, sit on chairs and perhaps pour themselves a drink, experiencing the apartment as a living home rather than a museum. They may even be greeted by authentic odours from the past. The displays are designed to appeal to all ages and there will be occasional guided tours – some delving into fascinating aspects of social history such as food and cooking; death and disease; or sex and reproduction. Finally, on the upper floors of the building are four top-quality self-catering apartments. Each of these modern holiday lets has been inspired by a former resident, with ‘left behind’ objects and other details adding to the sense of living with history.
MEMBER COMPETITION
Tasty offerings from the new cafe
• Visit our website for the chance to win an overnight stay for two adults and up to two children in one of the new apartments at Gladstone’s Land.
• The winner will also get a private tour of the building, along with tasty treats from the icecream parlour. Enter this great competition at nts.org.uk/prize
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BELOW Elizabeth Pillans and William Dawson sold textiles, garments and accessories in their drapery shop
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By this time, some of the building’s rooms were rented to multiple lodgers and the third floor of Gladstone’s Land (opening to the public for the first time) will reflect these changes. Beneath its opulent painted ceilings, visitors can enter a reimagined early-20th-century boarding house inspired by Mary Wilson, a widow who in 1911 placed a newspaper advertisement offering a room in her apartment as suitable lodgings for ‘two or three respectable men’. ‘They were probably working-class men in steady jobs,’ Kate suggests. ‘In those days, a lot of young men lived in lodgings before setting up house when they married.’ It’s hoped that the forthcoming publication of the 1921 census data will reveal more about those men and others who lived in Gladstone’s Land during the first part of the 20th century. For the visitor services team, it can’t come soon enough. Painstaking research has revealed an astonishing amount of information about this multi-faceted building, yet Anna and Kate believe they have barely scratched the surface when it comes to uncovering the stories of the more than 300 people who once called it home.
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and clothes. ‘As well as selling silks, laces and printed cottons, they were making up garments and selling fashionable accessories, so we know they catered for a wealthy clientele,’ explains Kate. Shopping was by then becoming a popular leisure activity, and businesses like theirs were likened to ‘gilded theatres’ complete with artificial lighting and elaborate displays. Visitors keen to sample Georgian-era retail therapy can do so on the second floor of Gladstone’s Land, which has been reconfigured to mimic a period draper’s shop with reproduction outfits for trying on. The building’s status as a magnet for the rich was not to last. By the end of the 18th century, wealthier inhabitants were swapping the congested city centre for the New Town. Newspapers reflected the change. One 1858 reporter was almost certainly referring to this address when he bewailed the growing problem of drunkenness and prostitution around High Street ‘dram shops’. In 1898, the Evening News reported a grim case of drink-fuelled domestic abuse involving a rubber worker living at Gladstone’s Land, and in 1924 it declared that a ‘scavenger’ resident had been convicted of ‘disorderly conduct’.
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‘Painstaking research has revealed an astonishing amount of information about this multi-faceted building’
NEW PERSPECTIVES These visuals show the atmospheric new ground-floor cafe at Gladstone’s Land. Keep up to date with the reopening and member events by signing up for email updates at nts.org.uk/ stay-in-touch
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Whether you want to rediscover an old hobby or introduce the family to a new activity, you’ll find all the inspiration and encouragement you need at the Trust, writes Ida Maspero BY XXXX XXXX
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FROM THE SEA TO THE
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SEA KAYAKING
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ur coast is as varied as it is fascinating. In the west, especially, the endless folds of sea lochs, mountainous shores and sandy coves are crying out to be explored. Taking to the water in a kayak gives you a whole new way of looking at the world while also getting your heart-rate up. For truly wild, rugged shores to explore by paddle, nowhere beats Kintail, a vast Trust estate near the Skye
crossing. Here, towering mountains swoop down to the sea, and sealife abounds. ‘For me, the real attraction of kayaking is the unique perspective on the landscape that you get from the water,’ says kayaking instructor and guide Willie Fraser, who is also the Trust’s property manager for Kintail. ‘You can nudge really close to the shore and explore hidden sea caves, beaches, nooks and crannies. ‘Kintail is a spectacular
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backdrop for paddling, with the classic pyramidal peaks of the Five Sisters at the head of the loch. Wildlife sightings are virtually guaranteed: we may spot common seals, otters, porpoises and seabirds, as sea eagles soar overhead.’ Fancy giving it a go? Join Willie and his colleagues for a taster day from Kintail or nearby Balmacara Estate. ‘These days are suitable for complete beginners and
‘While it might seem easy enough to jump into a kayak and paddle off, developing the correct technique from the start will stand you in good stead, helping you stay safe and enjoy the sport much more. I’d recommend joining a beginner’s course or taster session like ours, to learn your skills from an expert.’ Ranger Willie Fraser
Taster day at Kintail
families, with all equipment supplied. Groups are small, and the rangers will give you an insight into the area’s natural and cultural history.’ More experienced paddlers can join Willie and the team on a multi-day or week-long trip of remote Knoydart or the dramatic Inner Hebrides. ‘Folks who’ve come on these trips say it’s a way to de-stress, being so far away from everyday life. And, with a guide, someone else is doing the planning so you can simply relax.’
HIGHLAND ADVENTURES
Get a fresh new perspective on the places you love by seeing them from the waters close to shore.
Sea kayaks at Loch Hourn
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A beautiful day for summiting Ben Lomond
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AMAZING MUNROS
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MUNRO-BAGGING
There are 46 Munros in the care of the Trust, including a large area of the Cairngorms at Mar Lodge estate.
Ben Lomond and Ben Lawers
and fringed by native woodland, this most southerly Munro is easy to reach and a relatively straightforward climb. ‘Climbing a Munro like Ben Lomond is a hit of fresh air and exercise, combined with fantastic views,’ says property manager Alasdair Eckersall. ‘For families, it’s a great team challenge – and you don’t even need to get to the top to enjoy the upland experience. ‘But if you do
Kids can join in the fun
reach the summit and it’s a clear day, you’ll have views as far as Ben Nevis and the Inner Hebrides. You’ll meet the friendly ravens who hang about the summit, keen to share your snack. You might also spot ptarmigan, and look out for skylarks on the ridge in summer.’ Another great first Munro is Ben Lawers on the north shore of Loch Tay. Although it’s Scotland’s tenth-highest peak at 1,214m, the altitude of the car park makes it
achievable. For experienced walkers, there are six more Munros in the Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve. Take care to minimise your impact on these very popular mountains. ‘We know people will be wanting to physically distance while walking, but please help look after Ben Lomond by sticking to the main path surface, rather than spreading out and walking on vegetation, which can cause erosion,’ says Alasdair.
TOP TIP BE PREPARED
‘The key to Munro bagging is preparation. Get a couple of shorter practice walks under your belt to build up fitness. Always check the weather forecast. Even if it looks fine, pack extra layers of clothing and waterproofs, as conditions can change suddenly. I also recommend avoiding a popular hill like Ben Lomond on busy days – the road and car parks can get really jammed, as does the path to the summit.’ Alasdair Eckersall, Ben Lomond
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agging Munros is a classic Scottish outdoor pursuit. Scaling one of the 282 Munros – mountains over 914m (3,000ft) – will reward you with breathtaking views and an unbeatable sense of achievement, whether you’re eight or 80. For many, Ben Lomond (974m) will be the among the first they bag. Rising from the bonnie east banks of vast Loch Lomond
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LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY Glencoe National Nature Reserve
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o you enjoy dabbling with a camera, or even just taking snaps with your phone? A trip to some of Scotland’s most scenic spots will help you discover a whole new way of seeing – and relaxing. ‘Being outdoors taking photographs is like meditation – it’s a mindful way of slowing down and taking the time to really connect with nature,’ says photographer Dougie Cunningham, whose work
regularly features in this magazine. ‘If you’ve been locked up in the city for much of last year, you’ll find it phenomenally relaxing to go outside and engage with the landscape around you. Plus, taking an interest in landscape photography gives you that little nudge to get outdoors, even when you might be feeling reluctant.’ Dramatic Glencoe, a National Nature Reserve in the Trust’s care, is rightfully famed for its fascinating history and its majestic
TOP TIP CONSIDER COMPOSITION
landscapes. Sculpted by glaciers and encircled by towering mountains (eight of which are Munros), this photogenic glen draws amateur and professional photographers from around the world. ‘Glencoe is a really rewarding location, within easy reach of the Central Belt. No one who visits with a camera will come away dissatisfied,’ says Dougie. ‘It has some amazing “park and shoot” spots very close to
‘A good composition is the most important thing in landscape photography, and looking out for strong lines or patterns in a scene is often the best way to compose your shot. Try changing your height too – a nice rock or bit of vegetation in the foreground will draw the viewer in. Arrive early or stay on a little later to catch that magical light at the start and end of the day.’ Photographer Dougie Cunningham
Get creative with your camera
each other, thanks to the road that runs right through the main glen. But if you’re prepared to walk some distance, you’ll be rewarded. ‘The glen looks good in all weathers – even the most dismal days bring moody light and swirling clouds. Whether you feel you’ve captured that winning shot or not, it’s about personal satisfaction and an excuse to be out in the countryside.’
PROUD PEAKS
‘Glencoe looks stunning in all weathers – even dismal days bring moody light and swirling clouds.’
DOUGIE CUNNINGHAM
The photogenic Buachaille Etive Mor, Glencoe
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BIRDWATCHING
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ays outdoors are made all the more interesting when you’re looking out for wildlife. Many Trust places are a haven for birds, so packing a pair of binoculars and a little field guide is always a good call. Famed for its garden, Threave Estate in Dumfries & Galloway also has a nature reserve – a place of wetlands and woodlands where waterfowl and raptors abound. Red kites, kestrels and buzzards circle
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Across the Threave estate there are five wildlife hides from which to observe the local birdlife.
overhead, while peregrine falcons nest in the ruins of Threave Castle. In spring and summer, Threave’s greatest feathered attraction is the pair of nesting ospreys. ‘They return from West Africa in spring,’ explains James Hutchinson, visitor services supervisor. ‘From April you’re very likely to see the female on the nest from the viewing platform by the river – there are telescopes available and volunteers on hand to give a daily update. You may also
be lucky enough to spot a kingfisher along the riverbank.’ Nearby, in the Solway Firth, lies uninhabited Rough Island, part of the Trust’s Rockcliffe coastal nature reserve and a favourite birding spot for James: ‘The island and surrounding mudflats are a haven for oystercatchers and ringed plovers (and other waders) and can be reached on foot at low tide in the spring, late summer and through to winter. But please don’t go
Bring your bins!
there in summer, when the birds are nesting. ‘You can join me on a family-friendly guided walk to Rough Island,’ he adds. ‘Besides the elegant black-and-white oystercatchers with their distinctive calls, you might also spot little egrets and shelducks throughout the year.’
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‘Birdwatching requires patience – give yourself plenty of time to linger at the hides or by the shoreline, and be sure to pack extra layers of clothes, a snack and a hot drink to sustain you. An early start will mean fewer people and more active wildlife; and if birdwatching at a coastal location such as Rough Island, be aware of the tides.’ James Hutchinson, Threave
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For experienced mountain bikers, there are wonderful, challenging routes at Torridon and Mar Lodge Estate.
FAMILY CYCLING The Hermitage and Dunkeld
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ast year’s lockdown saw a surge in people getting out on two wheels to explore their own neighbourhood – so much so that a lot of cycle shops ran out of bikes! For many, it has started a great new habit of a lifetime. Perthshire’s Big Tree Country offers a wealth of cycle routes for all ages and abilities, often in tranquil woodland and by riversides. The jewel in the crown must be the Hermitage, near Dunkeld, where the lofty spires of Douglas firs and the rushing River Braan define
the woodland, originally designed as pleasure grounds for the Dukes of Atholl. ‘There’s lots to see and find: a totem pole, Ossian’s Hall folly above the waterfall,
TOP TIP SLOW DOWN AND LOOK UP
and a cave,’ says visitor services supervisor Louise Medine. ‘The Hermitage is a hotspot for red squirrels too, and in autumn you might see salmon leaping.
‘Remember to pause and look up. When you’re cycling through the woods, it can be tempting just to zip along at speed, but it’s worth slowing down and appreciating the size of the big trees you’re passing under. Look and listen for wildlife, such as red squirrels, woodland birds, and dippers in the river.’ Louise Medine, visitor services supervisor
‘A good route is to start in Dunkeld, from where a fairly level off-road route takes you to the Hermitage. Look out for signs of beavers along the riverbank at Dunkeld – nibbled tree stumps are a giveaway.’ From the Hermitage, you can link to a wider network of paths for a longer ride – through Craigvinean Wood to the Pine Cone Point viewpoint, for example. Thrill-seekers will find a set of downhill mountain-bike trails nearby. Further up the A9, around Pitlochry, is an extensive path network that links Trust places such as Linn of Tummel, Killiecrankie and Craigower hill. ‘Many of the paths are low-level or at the water’s edge, and you can design your own loop rides,’ says Louise.
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WORLD OF COLOUR
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Trust gardens offer great opportunities for artists. Find a quiet corner as the beds start to bloom and try to capture their beauty.
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Culzean Castle & Country Park
Culzean bluebells
TOP TIP DON’T BE AFRAID TO DOODLE
‘Find a quiet spot to sit, take in your surroundings and relax into some doodling. No need to feel the pressure to make an artwork or show it to anyone. You can even download one of the brilliant sketching apps onto your phone or tablet. There’s no shame in using technology.’ Artist Irene Walker
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magnificent architecture of the castle itself. ‘I love to paint onsite – that’s when I’m at my happiest. Or I’ll do a quick sketch or watercolour on the spot to capture the view before returning to my studio to work on it.’ Irene has words of encouragement for those wanting to take up (or return to) art: ‘From an artistic point of view, everybody can draw – it’s just an extension of writing. ‘Take a little notepad and a pencil in your pocket, or a basic watercolour box – you can buy them quite cheaply. Start by getting in tune with your surroundings and relaxing into it. Get comfortable with taking out your sketchbook. Whether it’s a big view or a small detail like a flower, take time to slow down and see.’
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ou may have spent hours creating artworks with the children in your life during lockdown, but it might have been a while since you last picked up a paintbrush for your own enjoyment. Pausing to look at your surroundings with an artist’s eye is an intensely mindful experience. ‘It’s an excuse to sit quietly and appreciate what’s around you – to be at one with nature,’ says Irene Walker, landscape painter and artist-in-residence at the Coach House Gallery at Culzean Castle. ‘For artists, Culzean is splendid in so many ways: the coastline, sea and skies; experiencing the seasonal colours, from bluebells in spring to vivid summer colour in the garden and autumn in the woodlands; and, of course, the
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ECHOES THROUGH THE
Our Jacobite heritage is under attack on several fronts, and we’re constantly having to come up with inventive ways to preserve it. Nowhere does this matter more than at Culloden, the most visited battlefield in Britain WORDS: ANGELA McMANUS
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lowly, methodically, a 21-strong team works to maintain the landscape of the battlefield where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to its brutal and tragic end. There are no noisy tools disturbing the peace of this haunting site, nor any harmful pesticides which might affect its fragile biodiversity. One of the threats to Culloden today is of the botanical variety, so the 21 four-legged foot soldiers are munching their way through saplings and scrub woodland that would otherwise take over the site. As we prepare to mark the 275th anniversary of the Battle of Culloden, we have introduced Shetland cattle, Highland cows, feral goats and Highland ponies to the battlefield. Grazing all year round, they are not just an environmentally friendly solution but a cost-effective one. ‘When the Trust first took on Culloden, it was part of a Forestry Commission plantation and was covered in trees,’ explains Raoul Curtis-Machin, operations manager at Culloden. ‘The first thing we did was to clear the site and then gradually buy more pieces of land that we knew had been part of the battleground. Stopping the trees growing back and taking over was a constant process – as a natural moorland, it wants to return to being a wood. At first it was a matter of getting in work gangs and volunteers with
chainsaws to arrest that natural process. But, thanks to support from donors to the NTS Foundation USA, we’ve started conservation grazing. ‘We have 11 Shetland cattle – they’re an ancient breed and almost became extinct in the 1970s, but they’re particularly suited to this type of conservation grazing,’ explains Raoul. ‘They’re quite light on their feet and eat trees, scrub woodland and branches, which means we’re managing the site in an environmentally responsible way and also keeping alive an old breed.’ The feral goats are described as the ‘hit squad’; they are deployed in the roughest parts of the battlefield, where they knock down trees to get the first of the grazing done. There’s now a plan to zone the battlefield and have these roving groups of animals clearing it area by area on a rotational basis.
PROTECT AND INNOVATE The Trust’s role as a conservation charity is constantly evolving, as we develop innovative techniques to maintain our landscapes, properties and prized collections. The grazing animals at Culloden also help maintain plant biodiversity, and studies have shown an increase in the numbers of nesting skylarks, newts and frogs. The biggest threat to the conservation of Culloden, however, comes from humans, in the form of applications to develop surrounding land. As nearby Inverness expands, the
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Culloden, Jacobites, 1
THE BATTLE OF CULLODEN The course of history changed forever at Culloden on 16 April 1746, when the Jacobite army took its last stand to reclaim the thrones of Britain for a Stuart king. In less than an hour, some 1,300 men were slain – about 1,250 of them Jacobites.
RIGHT Leanach Cottage was reopened to visitors in 2019
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Trust has led calls to protect the wider area. But we only look after a central portion of the battlefield – a third of the ground that was fought over in the 18th century; the rest is farmland and moorland, and developers have an eye on the greenfield sites. ‘Planning for housing developments is the biggest threat to Culloden,’ confirms Raoul. ‘The danger is that if we are surrounded by new houses, it will end up looking like Central Park in New York. No longer will you experience that sense of place and the awe and melancholy that people get when they visit Culloden. It creates such an emotional and almost spiritual response in people. I’ve seen some leaving the battlefield in tears, once they have understood the story and heard about the plight of the Jacobites and how, in a sense, they never stood a chance in this boggy ground.’
‘The biggest threat to the conservation of Culloden comes from planning applications’
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The Trust’s ownership and care of Culloden plays a significant role in our understanding of Jacobite history, according to Professor Murray Pittock of the University of Glasgow, one of our trustees and the Trust’s Scottish history advisor. ‘Culloden is one of the decisive battles of the Western world; it defines the end of the military challenge of the Jacobite cause and, in so defining it, acts as a launch pad for what Great Britain became in the decades and centuries that followed. ‘We’re still living in the world that was contested at Culloden and with the result. It’s much more than a battle between two dynasties: it’s the battle between two visions.’ Professor Pittock adds: ‘The Trust’s support and development of Culloden has been superb and in every way dedicated, thoughtful and with a great deal of organisation and focus – from bringing in livestock, to offering guided tours of the battlefield. It’s now the most visited battle site in Great Britain
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BELOW Culloden visitor centre is home to our interactive museum
LAST ONE STANDING Built in the early 18th century, Leanach Cottage possibly served as a field hospital for government troops as the battle raged.
and the Trust has, over the years, turned it into a superb resource.’ We continue to fight for the protection of the wider battlefield, but we can only do so with engagement and support from the communities and individuals who value Culloden and what it means. A key move forward is last year’s ‘Culloden 300’ consultation report, which received enormous public support; it argued that the time has come to have a national conversation about Culloden if we are to cease speculative development applications. That means finding a more robust way to protect the site through the planning system. By getting the key
stakeholders to work together better, we can prevent damaging development.
HISTORY IN THE LANDSCAPE The Trust cares for many diverse places with Jacobite significance, from the Lone Highlander on the Glenfinnan Monument to House of Dun, where the 18th-century plasterwork by Joseph Enzer includes secret references to the Jacobite cause and is one of the highest-quality relics of that era. Drum Castle, Castle Fraser and Leith Hall were all associated with Jacobite families. Six years ago we also took ownership of Alloa Tower, once the home of the 6th Earl of Mar
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GLENCOE AND GLENFINNAN
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE JACOBITE ERA AT THESE TWO FASCINATING PLACES Our visitor centres at Glencoe and Glenfinnan provide insights into two crucial events in the history of the Jacobites. GLENCOE The Macdonalds of Glencoe remained loyal to the Stuarts after James VII was deposed in 1688, and were punished hard for that Jacobite loyalty. On 13 February 1692, 38 men, women and children were put to the sword by government troops during the infamous Massacre of Glencoe. At our Glencoe visitor centre, this chilling story is brought to life in a powerful film, The Glen Revealed, with animation by Scottish artist David Rooney. ‘Little evidence from that period remains in the landscape – none of the buildings survive, for
One of the exhibitions at the Glenfinnan visitor centre detailing the history of the 1745 Jacobite Rising
example – but we are working on an exciting project to change that by reconstructing a 17th-century turf-andcreel house based on archaeological investigation in the heart of the glen,’ says Emily Bryce, Glencoe operations manager. ‘Thanks to the donations of members
and supporters, and the expertise of a team of traditional craftspeople, the building will take shape near our visitor centre soon.’ GLENFINNAN Glenfinnan Monument was built 70 years after the final attempt to return the Stuarts to the throne as a tribute to
those who fell in the 1745-46 Jacobite Rising. Today, visitors can climb the 62 steps to the top of the monument, stand beside the Lone Highlander and imagine the moment when the remote hamlet of Glenfinnan was at the centre of Scottish history. ‘Our visitor centre tells the story of 19 August 1745 when Charles Edward Stuart rowed up Loch Shiel to Glenfinnan and more than a thousand Highland clansmen gathered to raise the standard, toast “the King o’er the Water” and pledge their support to the Jacobite cause,’ explains Emily. ‘It also recounts the fateful military campaign that followed this hopeful moment, which ended in defeat at the Battle of Culloden.’ SPRING 2021 � 57
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JACOBITES
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BELOW Professor Murray Pittock, expert on Jacobitism
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who led the 1715 Jacobite Rising, and a building of national importance. It was the first property the Trust had acquired since 2009. Elsewhere, there are two important places where our conservation of landscape and history go hand in hand. The first major battle of the Jacobite Risings took place at Killiecrankie on 27 July 1689. Although we don’t own the battlefield site, a number of events took place in the Pass of Killiecrankie before and after the battle and these are interpreted at our visitor centre. Three years after Killiecrankie, Glencoe was the site of the infamous massacre of the Macdonalds by government soldiers. As Professor Murray Pittock explains, ‘In both places the history and the landscape come together because you can see the terrible nature of the history still alive in what is a relatively unspoilt landscape. The Trust conservation mission is beautifully summed up in Killiecrankie and Glencoe because it puts together the land and the history of those two events: one very bloody battle and one very brutal massacre.’
‘The Trust has done an enormous amount to conserve Glenfinnan’ Professor Murray Pittock
SCOTLAND REMEMBERS Looking out across Loch Shiel, the Glenfinnan Monument is a striking tribute to those who fought in the Jacobite Risings. ‘Bonnie’ Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his father’s standard here, marking the start of the final 1745 Jacobite campaign that saw its bloody end at Culloden. ‘The Glenfinnan Monument doesn’t only represent the launch of the 1745 Rising,’ explains Professor Pittock. ‘Britain has changed forever as a consequence of what happened on 19 August 1745, just as much as what happened on 16 April 1746.’ The 18m-high monument was built in 1815, with the kilted Highlander at the top providing a poignant reminder of those who gave
their lives to the Jacobite cause. The Trust has cared for the monument since the 1930s and in 2016 spent £170,000 on a comprehensive renovation with support from donors, particularly from Canada. ‘Since then we have been conducting ongoing conservation work and monitoring the
Find out more nts.org.uk/culloden
tower’s noticeable lean in the face of exposure to challenging weather conditions at the head of the loch,’ says Emily Bryce, operations manager at Glenfinnan. ‘Through careful maintenance, we hope to ensure the structure remains as robust as when it was built.’ Today we also face a huge increase in numbers of visitors who come to see the railway viaduct featured in the Harry Potter films. The task ahead is to inspire these visitors with the Jacobite story, so they leave understanding that there is more to Glenfinnan than the Hogwarts Express. Across Scotland, our expertly curated visitor centres ensure that the history of the Jacobites is never forgotten. Meanwhile, our campaigning and practical conservation work continues apace, to protect these precious places for future generations. Listen to podcasts with Raoul Curtis-Machin and Murray Pittock at nts.org.uk/podcast
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RIGHT The Glenfinnan Monument was renovated in 2016
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S E R U T A E R C CREATIVE OF CULZEAN This summer at Culzean Country Park you can explore a fantastical trail of willow sculptures depicting creatures of the sea and water. Culzean by the Sea runs from 1 May to 26 September and is part of Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters (#YCW2021). Girvan-based artist David Powell has created an enchanting trail of 15 sculptures, including a seahorse, dolphins and dragonflies. There’s also a 3m-high kraken, which will sit on the beach, where children can climb under his sprawling tentacles to ‘feed the belly of the beast’ with waste plastic. Young explorers who uncover all the creatures on the trail will win a small prize. There’s also the chance to enter a draw to win a sculpture worth £500 and a selection of other prizes.
Willow dolphin by David Powell
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Threave Garden Burns Monument
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Garden tips and treats
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Threave Gardening Show, 4-6 June
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Threave Gardening Show returns this summer, with a cleverly updated format to accommodate safe social distancing. Interactive panels throughout the garden will enable visitors to watch lively presentations from the expert team at the NTS School of Heritage Gardening, who will be giving advice and demonstrating horticultural
techniques. Visitors can purchase delicious picnic hampers to enjoy within the stunning garden grounds. The show is run in partnership with Scotland’s Garden Scheme, the Galloway Glens Scheme and the RHS. nts.org.uk/threave
TAKE A DEEP DIVE
Find out more about Trust places through our podcasts Discussing everything from the enduring appeal of Robbie Burns to the evacuation of St Kilda, our For the Love of Scotland podcasts offer fresh insights into the Trust’s beautiful places and valued collections. Hosted by broadcaster Jackie Bird, the podcasts feature a varied range of interviewees, including Trust experts on conservation, archaeology, history and Scottish culture. Tune in and subscribe via our website at nts.org.uk/podcast
Explore Inverewe’s marine wildlife You’re never far from the sea at Inverewe Garden. The waters here are home to nationally important seabed habitats, including maerl beds (Scotland’s coral reef), and seaweed has been used for 100 years to fertilise the garden’s soil. The latest exhibition in the Summerhouse, Inverewe’s Underwater Garden, is a chance to find out more about the
LISTEN TO OUR STORIES
Discover the secrets beneath the waves
amazing local marine wildlife, providing visitors with fascinating insights from below, on and above the sea.
Evacuation of St Kilda
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GO FOR GOLD Daffodils growing at Brodie (top left), Threave (right) and House of the Binns
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Roots For more advice from the Trust’s experts, check out our gardening subscription at nts.org.uk/roots
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GO L D E N T RU M PE TS O F SPR I N G T I M E NORTH-EAST GARDENS MANAGER CHRIS WARDLE CELEBRATES ONE OF OUR BEST-LOVED FLOWERS
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illiam Wordsworth put it best: ‘If one daffodil is worth a thousand pleasures, then one is too few.’ As we start to pull away from winter, the simple joy of this yellow trumpet flower will brighten our spring days. The native daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) is an incredibly hardy
and beautiful flower. It grows across the British Isles, from the Isle of Wight (where it is harvested in early February) to the famous bulb fields of Angus and Fife (where it blooms as late as May). The latest I’ve ever seen daffodils flower was on midsummer’s day at the Cairn o’ Mount in Aberdeenshire. The daffodil originated on the Iberian
EXPERT TIPS FROM CHRIS • Plant tubs of herbs early. Keep them close to the kitchen for easy harvesting when you’re cooking.
• Spread a well-rotted mulch of compost or leaf mould around the plants as they emerge. This keeps
weeds down and feeds the plants, so you won’t need commercial fertiliser. • Make your patio safe and slip-free by scrubbing away any algae that has grown there over winter.
Peninsula and has been known since ancient times. Many thousands of cultivars have been created. The bulb might be poisonous to eat but it has other uses: it contains galantamine, a compound known to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms. Commercially grown bulbs in Wales (where it is the national flower, of course) are supplied to the pharma ceutical industry for this purpose. The Trust has some amazing places to see daffodils. Try Brodie Castle near Forres, which has a National Collection of daffodils; Branklyn Garden near Perth, where small botanical gems can be found amid the rock gardens; and Threave Garden near Dumfries, which is carpeted with blooms each spring. Many other Trust places also have fine displays of golden flowers in their grounds that are at their best as Easter approaches.
‘Small botanical gems can be found amid the rock gardens at Branklyn’ SPRING 2021 � 65
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SHOP ONLINE
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FULL OF THE JOYS OF SPRING
Every purchase made in our online shop helps to support the Trust’s important conservation work This spring, our online shop has a wonderful range of products inspired by the National Trust for Scotland’s vibrant and diverse gardens. Our ‘Flowers and Gardens’ range of bags and scarves is exclusive to the Trust, and features a handdrawn floral design inspired by a visit to the stunning gardens at Inverewe. Made from cotton, the range includes a cross-body bag (£25), shopper (£18), wash bag (£15), purse (£8) and pretty scarf (£20) 66 � SPRING 2021
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that will add style and colour to any outfit. At the time of writing, the ‘bricks and mortar’ shops at our properties remain closed but we look forward to welcoming you back very soon. In the meantime, the full range is available in our online shop, and every penny of profit goes towards supporting our work. nts.org.uk/shop
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Inspired by the flowers of Inverewe Garden
Laura Cooke collects flowers for her jewellery
Forget-menot bracelet
A moment captured The forget-me-not range of jewellery is hand-crafted by Laura Cooke and her team at Botanic Isles, who pick and preserve Scottish flowers and encase them in eco-friendly resin. ‘We’re passionate botanists and take care to understand how resin, which is an incredible medium,
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Eco-friendly gardens The Trust’s diverse range of garden products will help you manage your own little piece of land while encouraging biodiversity and minimising your impact on the planet. Our charming butterfly house (£9) is the perfect way to attract pollinators to your garden. Or create a haven for birds with a wooden birdhouse (£15). It can be attached to trees, fences or walls and is sized for tree sparrows and other small birds.
will react with different species of flower or plant,’ says Laura. ‘It’s also vital to us that we use eco-friendly packaging and silver.’ Prices range from £35 for stud earrings and necklaces to £45 for bracelets and £50 for rings. nts.org.uk/shop
Our expert gardeners, like Owen and Matt at the School of Heritage Gardening at Threave, know well the importance of labelling their seedlings. Our practical plant labels (£5 for five) come with a wax marker and are made from recycled plant pots, so you can do your bit for sustainability while keeping your garden organised. nts.org.uk/shop
Owen Harlow and Matt Auns
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Retail, 1
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A walk to Rough Island
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AT HOME WITH YOUR TRUST
Insights from the Georgian House
Watch exclusive talks from experts via the members’ area of our website
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It has been fantastic to connect with so many Trust members, from Scotland and beyond, via our recent member talks. The ‘At Home with the Trust’ series features an array of Trust experts, from curators to countryside rangers, sharing insights into the places and objects they care for. We have particularly enjoyed the live feedback from attendees, many of whom have their own fascinating Trust stories.
One lifelong member described the talks as the opportunity to experience ‘a little bit of NTS magic’ during the latest lockdown. Don’t worry if you’ve missed any talks: they’re available on the members’ section of our website, along with lots more exclusive content. To hear about future talks, register for our email updates by visiting nts.org.uk/stay-in-touch. nts.org.uk/membercontent
es Changing tim un D of at House
MEMBER EVENTS Keep an eye on your inbox for details of special events to celebrate new attractions at Gladstone’s Land, House of Dun and Pitmedden. Events will take place at each of the properties and online, offering the opportunity for members to participate from across Scotland and farther afield. Register at nts.org.uk/stay-in-touch to make sure you don’t miss out
Our team at the Hill House SPRING 2021 � 69
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KEEP IN TOUCH We’re @nationaltrustforscotland on Facebook and Instagram, and @N_T_S on Twitter. You can email nts@thinkpublishing.co.uk or even pick up a pen and write. The address is: National Trust for Scotland magazine, Think Publishing, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London, NW1 5DH
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It has been great to see photos of your trips to our outdoor places. Tag us on Twitter @N_T_S. Thank you!
Goatfell on the Isle of Arran, our favourite place in the world, managed by @N_T_S. Longing for the sea, the countryside and the fresh air. Ian N @desmond_chester
@N_T_S We had such fun @ThreaveGarden despite the rain this week. Suzanne Stoppard @suzi0207
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On #HeritageTreasuresDay it would be remiss not to mention Newhailes House & Estate. When it reopens, it’s worth doing the tour. The @N_T_S book says architect James Smith originally trained for the priesthood, then went on to father 32 children. East Lothian Voices @EL_Voices
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AMAZE US ON INSTAGRAM
THE INSTA PIC WE LOVE THE MOST GETS A TASTE OF SCOTLAND GIFT BOX This photograph of St Abb’s Head taken by @TinberryTravels has us looking forward to sunnier days.
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AND THE WINNER IS…
@craig_r11 captured this atmospheric shot of Culzean Castle on a pin-sharp winter’s day In beautiful conditions, @racheldanielsxo photographed one of her local landmarks, The Pineapple
@border_lass enjoyed an encounter with the charming local wildlife at St Abb’s Head
@JWilkinOxley takes photography to new heights with this dramatic shot from Ben Lomond
Post your views of our places, tagging them #NationalTrustForScotland and #FortheLoveofScotland 70 � SPRING 2021
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Your World, 1
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YOUR WORLD
MEET OUR EXPERTS VERSION
The Bavarian summer house at Brodick
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THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR SCOTLAND Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road Edinburgh EH11 4DF Telephone 0131 458 0200 Website www.nts.org.uk Patron HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay KG KT GCB OM Chairman Sir Mark Jones Chief Executive Phil Long OBE
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The National Trust for Scotland is a charity, independent of government, supported by legacies, donations and the subscriptions of its 370,000 members. Scottish Charity Number SC 007410
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NTS Magazine Editor Emily Rodway nts.editor@thinkpublishing.co.uk Sub Editor Judy Diamond Design John Pender Assistant Editor Angela McManus Editorial Assistant Jennifer Constable
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TELLING STORIES
Advertising Manager Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@ thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7247
Curator Sarah Beattie brings the past to life via our unique collection objects
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At Brodick Castle, we have a collection of rare Napoleonic coins and medals that is thought to have belonged to Princess Marie of Baden. We only discovered their full significance in 2017 when the collection was being inventoried and valued. Princess Marie, who married the 11th Duke of Hamilton, was the daughter of Napoleon’s adopted daughter Stéphanie. We believe many of the items have a direct connection with Napoleon and Stéphanie, which makes them exciting and rare. With funding from Museums Galleries Scotland, we’re cataloguing the whole collection and having conservation work done before some pieces are put on display. The Trust has a wide audience and I want to explore different ways of interpreting the coins and medals to
Senior Sales Executive Elizabeth Courtney elizabeth.courtney@ thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7208
make them relevant and interesting to all our visitors. I have masters degrees in the Country House and 19th-century art and design, and I am working towards a PhD. For me, the most enjoyable part of this job is pulling out interesting stories that make a visit memorable. I’m based at Culzean but I cover the whole of south-west Scotland. A lot of my work is about researching our collections and buildings and the people who lived in them. I work with the operations teams to help them better understand what they have and how they can make it engaging for visitors. I grew up in Ayrshire and visited Culzean and Brodick often as a child. I always remembered the beautiful Bavarian summer house at Brodick that was built for Princess Marie.
Executive Director John Innes john.innes@ thinkpublishing.co.uk The National Trust for Scotland’s member magazine is published three times a year by Think, on behalf of the National Trust for Scotland. www.thinkpublishing.co.uk Printed in the UK by Walstead Roche. © The National Trust for Scotland 2021 ISSN 2631-3170 Cover image: Alistair Copeland All other photography © The National Trust for Scotland unless otherwise stated. The National Trust for Scotland takes no responsibility for advertisements within the magazine. No unsolicited manuscripts please. If you no longer wish to receive this magazine please contact our Customer Services team by telephone on 0131 458 0200 or by post to National Trust for Scotland, Customer Services, Hermiston Quay, 5 Cultins Road, Edinburgh EH11 4DF.
A GLIMPSE BEHIND THE SCENES
Read more about our expert team at nts.org.uk/behind-the-scenes
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Meet the experts / flannel panel, 1
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