Scotland Magazine July/August 2021 by The Chelsea Magazine Company

ANCESTRY • HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL

Edinburgh Celebrate the Festival City’s past, present and future

“The Greatest Honour”

The Duke of Edinburgh’s lone piper on his proudest performance

VICTORIA & ALBERT

View their private Scottish paintings

PIPES ARE CALLING Master the bagpipes

Castles & Country Houses Our grandest properties open their doors once more

KEATS’ ROMANTIC TOUR

How Scotland stole the English poet’s heart ISSUE 117 Jul/Aug 2021 £4.95

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Editor’s letter It’s been a long, hard lockdown. We’ve done what we can to get through it – we’ve reconnected with nature, we’ve exercised outdoors and we’ve learned to appreciate what’s in our own backyard. But now it’s time to spread our wings a little, to travel to the places that have been calling us, and it’s time to go inside. This issue, to celebrate the fact that many of our finest houses and most romantic castles are opening their doors to the public again, we’ve selected six of our favourite stately homes, where you can expect a warm reception, in Roll out the red carpet (p24). No longer must these properties be admired from their exquisite grounds or via photographs, now you can step inside the interiors and be transported to another era. Another thing we’ve all missed throughout the pandemic is city breaks, and there are few cities in the world that can rival the history and majesty of Edinburgh. In The festival city (p16), we look back at some of the memorable events that have set the capital alive in Augusts gone, as well as look to the future of how you can enjoy festival season once more. Before I go, if you like what you read in the pages of Scotland, then be sure to sign up to our newsletter (scotlandmag.com/newsletter), which includes even more stories and reader offers, so that you don’t miss a thing. I hope you enjoy the issue.

ANCESTRY • HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL

The world’s favourite Scottish-interest magazine

Edinburgh Celebrate the Festival City’s past, present and future

“The Greatest Honour” The Duke of Edinburgh’s lone piper on his proudest performance

VICTORIA & ALBERT

View the royal couple’s private art collection

PIPES ARE CALLING Master the bagpipes

Castles & Country Houses Our grandest properties open their doors once more

001_UK_COVER_SM117 v6.indd 2

KEATS’ ROMANTIC TOUR

How Scotland stole the English poet’s heart ISSUE 117 September 2021 US/CAN $7.99

07/06/2021 17:04

COVER IMAGE:

Edinburgh Castle © Guido Cozzi/4Corners Inset: Pipe Major CSgt Peter Grant SCOTS © MOD Crown Copyright

SALLY COFFEY

Editor

editor@scotlandmag.com

@Scotland_Mag

facebook.com/ScotlandMagazine

@scotlandmagazine

Scotland 3

Sutherland p74

42 Blair Castle p24

Edinburgh p16

Glasgow p42

Campbeltown p64

CONTENTS ISSUE 117

03 Editor’s letter 06 The Clan Courier Local news and the latest travel tip-offs

09 Dates for your diary This season’s best in-person and virtual events

12 Notes from the isles Kate Francis’s family reunites in the Outer Hebrides

14 We’ve got mail Your letters and stories of Scotland

16 The festival city New venues and a changed cityscape will give Edinburgh’s festivals a new feel from now on

24 Roll out the red carpet Expect a royal reception as Scotland’s grandest properties open their doors once more

36 The Duke of Edinburgh remembered From Gordonstoun School to Balmoral Castle, the late Duke of Edinburgh rarely left Scotland for long

40 The greatest honour We interview Pipe Major CSgt Peter Grant SCOTS 4, who played at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral

42 Pick up the pipes How the The National Piping Centre in Glasgow made learning the pipes more accessible than ever

70 The pier has a bustle about it [...] PS Waverley calls in for pleasure cruises during the summer months

24 © PUBLIC DOMAIN SOURCED/ACCESS RIGHTS FROM IANDAGNALL COMPUTING/ALAMY/HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2021/ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST/VISIT BRITAIN/MELODY THORNTON/ CINDY-LOU RAMSAY. ILLUSTRATION © MICHAEL A HILL

48 Man on a mission As the David Livingstone Birthplace prepares to reopen, we delve into the explorer’s legacy

52 The real-life horse whisperer Meet the man who is the embodiment of Robert Redford’s fictional character

56 Clan Reunited The extraordinary story of Clan MacEwen’s determination to regroup after 500 years

58 Ode to Burns In his bicentenary year, we chart the Scottish tour to Burns Country, which inspired John Keats

64 Decline and rise Our Master of Malt turns his attention to Campbeltown, an often-overlooked whisky region

66 Take pleasure in Scotland’s piers Scotland’s rocky coastline meant its piers were more functional than fun, but vital nonetheless

70 Pictures in Time A new exhibition showcases some of the Scottish paintings from Victoria & Albert’s private collection

72 A right royal red herring Sometimes family tree research reveals more than you bargained for

74 A scattered people Tenants faced a hard choice in the north Highlands, which led many to flee Scotland forever

82 The library Double murder, proverbial wisdom and some political postulation are on our reading list this issue

Scotland 5

News & events

CLAN COURIER Made-to-fit tweed, a community buyout and a distillery reawakened

[TWEED]

SUITS YOU Anyone who has visited the Harris Distillery recently can attest that the staff uniform is super stylish, with beautiful jackets made of the distillery’s very own tweed. The tweed was the result of a local competition run with Harris Tweed Hebrides, the Harris Tweed Authority and the islands’ education services, in which local children were asked to design a new Isle of Harris Distillery tweed while learning more about the history of the fabric that is synonymous with the island. The winner of the competition was 14-year-old Scott Murray from Sir E. Scott School, and his winning tweed was woven in consultation with Scottish designer Judy R Clark to create a unique cloth. Now you can buy one of the jackets, which include teal velvet collars embroidered with rose gold threads and whose linings are inspired by the Hebridean seas. All jackets are made in Scotland to order, and international delivery is available. £660 (including UK postage) harrisdistillery.com

6 Scotland

[WHISKY]

BRORA DISTILLERY REBORN Brora Distillery, whose doors have remained closed for 38 years, has finally reopened after a three-year restoration project under its new owner, whisky giant Diageo. Originally opened in 1819, Brora Distillery (called Clynelish for much of its history), closed shop in 1983, and has lay silent ever since. Despite its closure, in recent years, its historic single malt bottlings have gained legendary status for their exceptional quality and in 2019 a bottle of Brora 1972 Limited Edition 40-Year-Old sold for a staggering £54,450. Brora-local, Master Distiller Stewart Bowman, son of the last exciseman at Brora, had the honour of reopening the Brora gates and filling the first cask of Brora spirit in decades. Bowman said: “In 1983 my father wrote in an old distillery ledger ‘Commencement of Brora Distillery silent season (undetermined period)’. Growing up in the village we often wondered whether Brora would ever return, but today we filled the first cask. It is with great pride that I can now say to my father, the Brora community, and all the ‘old hands’ that worked at Brora and helped to craft a legendary whisky, that the stills are alive, and we are making Brora spirit once again.” brora.com

[MUSIC]

SING FOR YOUR SUPPER The Royal Celtic Society has said it will offer a bursary of £500 per year to a student in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s traditional music department. The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland offers the UK’s only Bachelor of Music degree dedicated to traditional music, with students studying Gaelic and Scots song, the fiddle, bagpipes and more. The bursary will begin in the 2021/2022 academic year and though it will be available to students in all traditional music disciplines, the intention is that it will be especially

focused on students of song. Alan Hay, Chairman of the Royal Celtic Society, said: “It is a great privilege for us to work with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. “The Royal Celtic Society’s charitable purpose covers the full spectrum of Scotland’s cultural heritage, including language, literature, music and arts. So, we are particularly happy that the Conservatoire will generally apply this bursary to the field of song, which supports our interest in language, poetry, literature, and even history, as well as music.”

Scotland 7

[COMMUNITY]

LAND IN LOCAL HANDS Globally important peatlands and ancient woods in Dumfries and Galloway will be restored, native woodlands established, and nature-based tourism opportunities created thanks to the biggest community land buyout ever in Scotland. The Langholm Initiative charity has bought 5,200 acres of land and six residential properties for £3.8m from the Buccleuch family, meaning the community now owns the land for the first time in its history. Work will now begin on creating the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve to help tackle climate breakdown, restore nature, and support community regeneration. The buyout was funded thanks to a £1m grant from the Scottish Land Fund, plus finance from South of Scotland Enterprise, the John Muir Trust, The Carman Family Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation and the Bently Foundation. The target was finally reached with additional support from charities such as Borders Forest Trust, Rewilding Britain, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust, and Trees for Life, plus a crowdfunding campaign. Margaret Pool, Chair of The Langholm Initiative, said: “Together we’ve achieved something which once seemed impossible,

and today we can celebrate as a new era begins for this special land with which our community has such a deep and longstanding connection. “Our sincere, heartfelt thanks go to so many people for making this historic moment for Langholm happen – including the generous donors and tireless volunteers, and to Buccleuch for being so supportive and positive in their approach.”

The Langholm Initiative and Buccleuch are still in discussions over the purchase of an additional 5,300 acres of land, which would double the size of the nature reserve. The Langholm Initiative hopes its buyout can inspire other communities across the UK and Scotland to use community ownership as a catalyst for regeneration with the environment at its heart. langholminitiative.org.uk

[HOTELS]

HIGHLAND HOPES A new hotel group hopes to further develop some of the Highlands’ most loved hotels into sustainable businesses that will both create local careers and provide amazing places for people to stay as they travel the North Coast 500. Hotels that have recently been bought by Highland Coast Hotels include Kylesku Hotel, a popular destination seafood restaurant and inn, the Royal Golf Hotel Dornoch, the Royal Marine Hotel in Brora, and Newton Lodge. David Whitehead, Chairman of the hotel group, who previously headed up the North Highlands Initiative, assures visitors that the hotels will retain their own character and “independent spirit” and “sit in the heart of the community”.

8 Scotland

Roddy Watt, CEO of Highland Coast Hotels, added: “We envisage that our substantial investment in the next few years will support sustainable growth in local Highland communities, extend the traditional season, and create many more full-time career opportunities within the hospitality sector. “Our hotels will offer a broadening range of opportunities to our guests to immerse themselves in what the region has to offer. Crucially, we intend to do all of this while being environmentally sensitive and protecting and preserving one of the most beautiful and fragile landscapes in the UK, and one of Europe’s last great wildlands.” highlandcoasthotels.com

News & events

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY As the world slowly reopens, here are some of the forthcoming events you might want to circle on your calendar 18-25 August EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL What? Inaugurated in 1947, the same year as the Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival is the world’s longest continually running film festival. This year sees it adapt to the times with a new hybrid format. edfilmfest.org.uk Until 12 September ARBROATH 2020+1 FESTIVAL What? Not to be defeated when celebratory events for the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath were cancelled, this year the festival returns with an adapted programme of events (both in-person and online) ranging from a music performance in a fish market to an open-air promenade production on the beach. arbroathfestival.com

The Big Net is part of a major retrospective of Donald Smith’s work at the Edinburgh Art Festival

SCOTLAND

29 July-29 August EDINBURGH ART FESTIVAL What? Edinburgh Art Festival was founded in 2004 to bring together the city’s leading galleries, museums and artist-run spaces thus adding visual art to Edinburgh’s summer festival scene, a previously missing ingredient. edinburghartfestival.com

6-30 August EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL What? The self-proclaimed ‘greatest celebration of culture and arts on the planet’, the Edinburgh Fringe is taking a sensible dual approach this year, with a virtual and in-person offering. Keep your eye on their website, or subscribe to their newsletter, to keep up to date. edfringe.com

7-29 August EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL What? Bringing world-leading artists together, this year the Edinburgh International Festival has reinvented itself with most of the programme taking place in covered outdoor auditoria with a few indoor events alongside digital streams and broadcasts. eif.co.uk

Until 12 September THE GALLOWAY HOARD: VIKING-AGE TREASURE, EDINBURGH What? The Galloway Hoard brings together the richest collection of rare and unique Viking-age objects ever found in Britain or Ireland and is currently on display in a free exhibition at Edinburgh’s National Museum of Scotland. nms.ac.uk 18 September THE NATIONAL WHISKY FESTIVAL, ABERDEEN What? After three years of events in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Paisley, this year the National Whisky Festival heads to Aberdeen to host its unique whisky tastings,

Scotland 9

News & events

Car and Motorcycle Show back to Canmore in 2021. canmorehighlandgames.ca 4-5 September SCOTFEST, OK What? An authentic celebration of Scottish and Celtic culture, modelled on Scotland’s 178-yearold Lonach Gathering and the 189-year-old Braemar Gathering. okscotfest.com

As part of the Arbroath 2020+1 festival, there will be a sound and visual performance at Lunan Bay

incredible live music, and whisky related crafts. nationalwhiskyfestival.scot 24-7 September COWAL OPEN STUDIOS What? Over the Cowal Open Studio weekend, you can visit over 50 artists and makers – painters, glass artists, ceramicists, sculptors, photographers, jewellers and more – in their scenic studios in Cowal, Argyll. cowalopenstudios.co.uk 2-7 November THE BAILLIE GIFFORD BORDERS BOOK FESTIVAL, SCOTTISH BORDERS What? One of the leading literary festivals in Britain, Baillie Gifford’s sparkling cast of authors and stars of both the stage and screen will speak from the glorious setting of Abbotsford House, the ostentatious home of Sir Walter Scott. The event forms part of the 250th anniversary celebrations of the esteemed author’s life and work. bordersbookfestival.org

10 Scotland

US & CANADA

7 August SAINT ANDREW’S SOCIETY OF DETROIT HIGHLAND GAMES What? A celebration of Scottish culture and heritage in its 172nd year, which includes pipes, drums, Highland dancing, heavy athletics, and a cèilidh the night before. highlandgames.com 13-15 August FERGUS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES, ONT What? Showcasing all things Scottish, with a focus on heavy events, dancing, piping, clans and interactive family fun and community involvement. This event even holds its own mini military tattoo. fergusscottishfestival.com 14 August SPARTA CELTIC FESTIVAL, MI What? This free, family-friendly event gives expression to Celtic heritage, with three stages dedicated to music and dancing, and Highland games. spartacelticfest.org

28 August EDMONTON SCOTTISH SOCIETY HIGHLAND GATHERING, AB, CANADA What? The 49th Highland Gathering organised by The Edmonton Scottish Society, this event includes Alberta’s largest Highland Dance Competition, traditional heavy events, and fairs selling Celtic wares. edmontonscottishsociety.org 3-4 September SCOTFESTBC, BC, CANADA Attend to enjoy world-class piping, the SFU Pipe Band, caber tossing, Celtic music, workshops, a whisky school and both Scottish and world artisans. Not to mention the haggis and Irn Bru… scotfestbc.com 4-5 September CANMORE HIGHLAND GAMES, AB, CANADA What? Currently planning for a live event, The Three Sisters Scottish Festival Society is determined to bring heavy sports, pipes and drums, the tug o’war and British

17-19 September NEW HAMPSHIRE HIGHLAND GAMES & FESTIVAL What? Hosted at the Loon Mountain Resort, organisers NHSCOT aim to bring Scotland to you – no passport required. This three-day celebration offers Scottish music, food and drink, and activities for all ages. nhscot.org 18 September MAINE CELTIC CELEBRATION What? With its own medieval artisan village, sheepherding demonstrations, ‘The Kilted Canter’ 5km running race, a Highland games and a children’s area, this celebration promises to provide fun for all the family. mainecelticcelebration.com

VIRTUAL

1 August MONTREAL SCOTTISH FESTIVAL What? Montrealers of all backgrounds are invited to unite to celebrate Scottish sport, music, and culture in this 40-year-old Highland games event, which this year goes digital. montrealhighlandgames.com 6-8 August GODERICH CELTIC ROOTS FESTIVAL What? The Goderich Celtic Roots Festival is an annual celebration of the music, craft, and culture of the seven Celtic nations. This year its virtual event will include the ‘Robinson Emerging Artist Showcase’, to help support new and rising performers. celticfestival.ca

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JOURNAL

| Window into Scotland

Notes from the Isles

Our friend finally makes it back to the Outer Hebrides for a long-awaited reunion Words by KATE FRANCIS

THIS PAGE: Kate and Cronie, her faithful Border Terrier OPPOSITE: The machair in bloom on South Uist, Outer Hebrides

12 Scotland

hese notes are indeed ‘from the Isles’ again. On Easter Monday, having received my second jab in the morning, Mary and I set off for our base in the Outer Hebrides, having been given the all-clear from our neighbours there, so long as we kept our distance. Driving up Skye to catch the ferry across the Minch from Uig, for the first time in over a year, was magical, with flurries of snow punctuating a gloriously sunny day. The Cuillin, in their white winter cladding, were truly majestic. Despite warnings of heavy traffic, the roads were empty and we didn’t get stuck behind any lumbering caravans. I am one whose schedule always allows for a puncture, so we had plenty of time for a ramble in the hills before the boat came in, ensuring that Cronie was peaceful during the nearly two-hour crossing. It’s then about an hour’s drive south through the islands and we were home just before dark, to a warm welcome from my daughter Victoria and her family. A kind neighbour had delivered a huge box of crabs, so supper was a gourmet feast. (The same neighbour, Angus, who’d provided us with enough lobsters to feed the 40 members of the family who attended Douglas’s 80th birthday party, nine years ago.) There was no socialising; drivers waved from their cars, not stopping to chat, but that was the only blot on an otherwise blissful break. We

walked miles along the western beaches and machair, avoiding the new-born lambs, who Cronie thinks are there for her to play with. The weather gave us everything, from deep winter to high summer: only one grandson was brave enough to swim while we were there, but after we’d gone, they were all diving off our crumbling pier below the house. We ate like royalty and sat by the blazing fire, fuelled with driftwood collected off the beaches during our walks, exchanging happy memories, reading, doing puzzles and struggling to get an internet connection for those who were working or studying. Cronie behaved herself; she dispatched a few trespassing sheep from the garden, which I didn’t discourage because the neighbour who owns them doesn’t bother with fencing, and they make a frightful mess. There was no sign of the recently imported sea eagles, which are known to carry off smallish dogs as well as lambs. The time sped, every moment filled with joy and laughter, and departure day brought a bonus. Due to engine failure in Lewis, our ferry was delayed by five hours and, thanks to modern methods of communication, we were given due notice so didn’t waste those precious hours parked in a queue of cars on the jetty. We agreed on a final walk and when we got to the machair above the beach we saw a crofter hard at work, spreading seaweed with a pitchfork all over his newly dug field, a rare sight these days but once a common practice on the crofts: 100 per cent effective free fertilizer.

Window into Scotland |

His brother was struggling on the beach below, scooping up more of the glistening treasure and tossing it into an ancient trailer. We then witnessed their old tractor getting completely stuck in the sand, wheels spinning and digging ever deeper, and our final view of this bucolic scene was of the two brothers standing by the brimming trailer, slapping their thighs, and roaring with laughter, before emptying the entire load back onto the sand. A few years ago, I would fill the boot of my car with seaweed every morning, driving back along the shore when I’d collected the daily paper. It was difficult to dislodge from the rocks and hard work spreading it all over the garden, but it was enormously satisfying and productive. The neighbours used to stop their cars and watch my harvesting, and I’d give them bossy lectures on the benefits of it as a fertilizer, but I never saw anyone else collecting it. Winter is giving way to summer but there is still snow on the hills and ice on my pond in the early morning, though we are usually into our shirtsleeves by lunchtime. The birds are busy nest-building and it’s good to hear their courting songs; great chevrons of honking geese fly over, morning and evening, to and from their feeding grounds. Soon the swallows will return to patch up and move into their crumbling summer homes in my back porch, already vacated by the families of wrens who lodge there in the winter. The trees are sprouting – daffodils and bluebells are abundant, and blossom adorns all the hedgerows. Word of a free meal has spread through the local deer population and

JOURNAL

We ate like royalty and sat by the blazing fire, fuelled with driftwood collected off the beaches during our walks, exchanging happy memories they come down from the hills at night and help themselves to the leaves of some of my favourite shrubs outside the back door. So far, they haven’t found a gap in the fence that would give them access to the front garden: my fingers are crossed. People ask: why is it called Eilean Dubh – the Black Isle? There are several theories to the name: one is that in the old days the land was covered in forests of dark trees that stood out very black in the winter snow; another is that the famously fertile soil is so dark it’s almost black. Some attribute the name to St Duthus, who did productive missionary work in the area in 1000 AD. Whatever the origin of its name, it certainly doesn’t apply now. Looking down from the top of a hill today I decided that Eilean Dubh should be Eilean Òr-bhuidhe, or the Golden Isle. The rapacious whins (gorse) are in full bloom all over the land, interspersed with broom. The yellow flowers of oil seed rape cover many acres of fields – daffodils, dandelions and celandine carpet the gardens and verges. To add to this sea of gold, the Scottish election day (which will have been decided by the time you read this) looms and the country is festooned with yellow banners and posters. S

Scotland 13

MAILBAG

| Your letters

WE’VE GOT MAIL A selection of messages from our readers across the globe OUTER HEBRIDES ADVENTURE

TIMELESS FASHION

In Issue 115, the When Life Gives You Salmon story had a photo of the Drawing Room at Kinloch Lodge. I FOOD | Lords and Ladies of the Isles noticed in the photo, two paintings of two young girls in lovely, smocked dresses (bottom left). I was amazed how much they resemble the photo of my granddaughter (second from left). My mother made my dress in 1950. I wore it in 1956. My older daughter wore the dress in 1978, my younger daughter in 1988 and my granddaughter wore it in 2012. So, three generations have enjoyed wearing this beautiful, smocked dress. My maternal grandparents were born in Glasgow and emigrated to Canada in the 1920s. I have been fortunate to visit Scotland on two occasions and have fond memories and I still have relatives that live in Glasgow. Carol A. Suarez, Los Angeles, California, US

I was pleased to hear that your editor wants to tour the Outer Hebrides. As members of the MacLeod Clan, my wife, daughter, and I toured the Outer Hebrides in 2007. We enjoyed three days in Edinburgh and then drove to the Isle of Skye. We cherish our tour of the MacLeod Castle at Dunvegan. We stayed overnight in Uig and then rode the car ferry to the Isle of Lewis. On Lewis, we visited the Arnol Blackhouse, Dun Carloway broch, the Callanish Standing Stones, and the Seallam! genealogy centre. All very interesting places. We travelled all the way south to the tip of South Uist, home of my great great grandmother. We rode the car ferry from Lochboisdale on South Uist to Oban on the mainland. On the way back to Edinburgh, the hotel at the Falls of Lora was a great stop. No professional tours go to all the Outer Hebrides, so we planned our own tour and made all the arrangements ourselves. Please go and enjoy the Outer Hebrides – it is an amazing experience! Bruce McLeod and family, by email

LEAVING CALEDONIA

I read Stephen McGinty’s Fringe of Gold article in Issue 113 with interest, thinking what a delightful place this would be to visit, but now, it is also one of the places I can call ‘home’ in Scotland. As I push further back into my family research, I have discovered that James Stewart, my 3x great grandfather was born in Elie in 1830 and my 3x great grandmother was born in Crail in 1833. When they married in July 1854, James was living in Pittenweem. At the time of their marriage, James was described as a ‘labourer’, so like many young couples of the time, they left home shortly after in search of a better life, and came to Victoria, Australia. So, as I re-read the article, and look at the beautiful photos of the East Neuk, I look at it a bit differently, and think again about the courage it must have taken for those many, like James and Janet, to leave kith and kin for ever. Rob Stephenson, Can’t see yours or want Strathfieldsaye, Victoria, to read more Australia

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TRAVEL

| Edinburgh

The

Festival City New venues and a changed cityscape will give Edinburgh’s festivals a different feel from this August onwards and until you can make it in person, much of it can be enjoyed from home Words by FIONA LAING

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| Edinburgh

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: The first ‘Edinburgh Festival’, 1947; Maggie O’Farrell in conversation with Stuart Kelly at the virtual Edinburgh International Book Festival, 2020; The Scottish National Gallery and the Old Town; Fringe Festival performer on the Royal Mile

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ugust in Edinburgh has a character all of its own. It’s a familiar crescendo to the city’s year. The summer starts to fizz with energy after Easter as visitors roll in and the festivals take shape. We scramble for tickets, dodge venue builders and then we dive into the colourful cultural extravaganza that is August. Since 1947, what we call ‘the festival’ has evolved – from that first International Festival piercing the post-war gloom with its irreverent sidekick the Fringe, into the string of festivals that envelope us in their cultural arms. But will the festival ever be the same? There is no doubt that the pandemic has made an impact. In the spring of 2020, just as the August festivals were gearing up for their launches, the Covid spanner brought things to an abrupt halt. What emerged was innovative and inspiring. The digital-powered virtual festivals that were staged in August 2020 took imagination, quick thinking, and technical know-how. The Edinburgh International Book Festival is a case in point. It went online and hosted 146 free events involving 300 guests in live and pre-recorded sessions. They were viewed a quarter of a million times by people across the world. As Nick Barley, the Edinburgh International Book Festival director said at the time: “While an online festival cannot recreate the joyous coming together of authors and audiences, the cultural exchange, and the stimulation of creativity that a gathering of people in one physical space can bring, I believe we have created something very special. “We have reached corners of the globe, and corners of Scotland, that we have never reached before, and brought an accessibility to the festival that I never want to lose.”

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| Edinburgh

And so, this year the Book Festival is building on those digital successes and has a hybrid event planned. It will also be hosted at its new home, the Edinburgh College of Art on Lauriston Place. “The art college works for us very well as we can create studios inside the building, which have the potential for a socially distanced audience if we are allowed. There is also a courtyard that will give us the village green feel which was so much a part of Charlotte Square,” explains Barley this year. Not that the Book Festival has been a stranger to innovative technology since it was founded in 1983. It was an early adopter of online booking systems and in 2019 started streaming some live events to screens in George Street. Back in 2007, the authors Norman Mailer and Alice Munro were interviewed by video link and then used LongPen to sign books virtually with a robotic arm in Charlotte Square. LongPen was invented by Margaret Atwood, who was in Edinburgh for Munro’s remote appearance. Virtual book signings were a feature again last year but in a different format. Barley says: “The pandemic made us re-evaluate what’s

important to us and how we do things in the new environment […] the changes were due, but they have come quicker than they might have done. “Digital events will continue to be a key part of future Book Festivals, enabling us to reach truly global audiences, as well as those closer to home who face barriers to attending in person. Our hybrid festivals will engage audiences around the world in a more environmentally responsible way.” When organisers cancelled the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) for the first time since 1947, they also quickly created an alternative virtual experience. My Light Shines On was conceived to bring joy to the festival community and remind the world of the unique festival experience. Music, theatre, and dance sprang from the EIF’s founding vision that great art can be used to heal divisions by focusing on our shared sense of humanity – Edinburgh’s response to the destruction and suffering of the Second World War. In the face of the Covid pandemic, that vision was as relevant as ever. More than a million people across the world watched the 35 videos created by more than 500 artists and arts workers in the city’s empty venues.

Music, theatre and dance sprang from the EIF’s founding vision that art can be used to heal divisions

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The Palace of Holyroodhouse, as seen from Arthur’s Seat; inside the Café Royal in Edinburgh’s New Town; The Witchery hotel on the Royal Mile

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FIONA’S FESTIVAL GUIDE

Eating is always a pleasurable part of being in Edinburgh at festival time. With my festival hat on, among my picks are well-established favourites: Angels with Bagpipes (angelswithbagpipes.co.uk) and Wedgwood (wedgwoodtherestaurant. co.uk), both on the Royal Mile, and in the New Town, Cafe St Honoré (cafesthonore.com) and Fishers in the City (fishersrestaurants.co.uk). One newer place I’ve been meaning to try is the Little Chartroom (thelittlechartroom.com) on Leith Walk, which had been getting quite a bit of attention locally before the pandemic. Now everyone is talking about it, so I should have acted sooner. Two traditional New Town pubs are also worth a mention. The Abbotsford on Rose Street (theabbotsford. com) does a great haggis, neeps, and tatties, while the Café Royal (caferoyaledinburgh.com) is hard to beat for its oysters, gastro grub and dramatic surroundings.

WHERE TO STAY

Again, the EIF is no stranger to leading the way. An arts festival was pretty much an untried concept in Britain and was an opportunity for Edinburgh to create a new post-war identity as “the cultural resort of Europe”. The first year’s programme included Margot Fonteyn dancing in Sleeping Beauty with the Sadler’s Wells Ballet and two Shakespeare plays performed by the Old Vic. One of the highlights was the reuniting of the Vienna Philharmonic with renowned conductor Bruno Walter, who had been persecuted by the Nazis. Beside this, eight companies arrived uninvited and staged their own shows in what was quickly termed the Festival Fringe. Edinburgh rose to the challenge and welcomed both the performers and audiences for a sun-kissed first festival. The city was transformed with decorated shop fronts, floral displays and flags flying everywhere. Residents offered more than 6,000 beds to the visitors, while volunteers manned the Festival Club in George Street, preparing 2,500 meals a day. Since then, the EIF has innovated in numerous ways. In 1948, it initiated a major change in theatrical style when a ‘thrust’ or ‘apron’ stage was employed for A Satire of the Three Estates at the Assembly Hall. From 1982, a spectacular fireworks concert has closed each festival with sophisticated pyrotechnics, while digital wizardry was employed to create a spellbinding opening show in 2015, with the Harmonium Project transforming the exterior of the Usher Hall.

The Witchery on the Royal Mile (thewitchery.com), right by the castle, has some of the most flamboyant Gothic-inspired suites imaginable. For a touch more peace, book a stay in The Witchery’s sister hotel, Prestonfield House (prestonfield.com), which is equally theatrical but benefits from a country estate setting, with peacocks on the lawn and incredible views of Arthur’s Seat.

One of Edinburgh’s most eagerly anticipated openings is a city sibling for Perthshire’s luxury Gleneagles. Transforming the ornate British Linen Bank building in St Andrew Square into a boutique hotel and members club, the Gleneagles Townhouse (gleneagles.com/townhouse) will also have public dining and drinking spaces and a rooftop terrace. It is due to open in autumn 2021. It will be possible to stay inside the most distinctive part of the new St James Quarter (stjamesquarter. com). A 12-storey 200-plus room hotel will take up residence in the striking circular centrepiece. Set to open in 2022 the W Edinburgh (w-hotels. marriott.com) will bring its unique spin on luxury to the city, with its rooftop spaces expected to be a major attraction amid the decadent styling of this trailblazing New York-born brand.

WHERE TO ESCAPE THE CROWDS If the festival buzz becomes too much, my tip is to head north of the New Town and take a wander through the tranquil Royal Botanic Garden (rbge.org.uk). Strolling from Alpine to Oriental landscapes, or lingering over a cup of tea, it’s a perfect green circuit-breaker. Even if it is hosting a Fringe show (as it did), there’s always a corner of calm.

FIND OUT MORE For the latest festival news, visit edinburghfestivalcity.com

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WHERE TO EAT

| Edinburgh

This year the EIF has reimagined itself again and will use bespoke outdoor venues for live performances in three locations including Edinburgh University’s Old College Quad. Again, there is a parallel programme of digital work for audiences who cannot travel. The pandemic is perhaps hardest to handle for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The hustle and bustle of the Fringe venues, which spring up throughout the city, is going to be truly tricky to manage under Covid-safe social distancing. Undeterred, the organisers opened show registration in May 2021 and are preparing for both online and in-person events in August of this year. Part of the delight of Fringe shows is their unpredictability, and what exactly will be on offer this year will only emerge in its own good time. The major casualty of the pandemic this year is the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which organisers had to cancel again. They vow it will be back on the Castle Esplanade next year. For sure, Covid will leave its mark on the cultural side of Edinburgh in August, but more noticeable are the physical changes to the cityscape as it snoozed through the pandemic. Princes Street is now bookended by two new landmarks – and both are intending to carve out a future niche in the Festival arena.

At the west end is Johnnie Walker Princes Street (johnniewalkerprincesstreet.com) and what we expect will become a must-do on the international tourist trail. It transforms the veteran department store that many still refer to as Binns, but which was latterly Frasers, into a whisky temple honouring the iconic international brand. Its doors are set to open in summer 2021. Between rooftop hospitality and ground-floor retail, there are studio spaces waiting to host performances. In the meantime, the iconic Binns clock has been beautifully restored and will be keeping us entertained with its performing pipers. In the east, no-one can miss the St James Quarter, with its cloud-piercing spiral centrepiece – known as the walnut whip, when we are being at our most charitable. Love it or hate it, the shops, hotel, cinema, and homes of the St James Quarter have changed the skyline for ever. On the ground, public spaces are earmarked for cultural and community events. Who could have predicted a pandemic would herald so many new ways to enjoy Edinburgh’s festivals? And next year there will be nothing better than diving into that reallife experience of intense drama, spirit-lifting music, and side-splitting comedy before plunging into the chaotic crowds soaking up the colours, sounds and flavours of Edinburgh at festival time. S

Next year there will be nothing better than diving into intense drama and spirit-lifting music

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: ‘Macbeth’, performed at the Festival Theatre as part of the Edinburgh International Festival in 2017; the Binns clock; the St James Quarter development and the ‘walnut whip’

22 Scotland

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Words by SALLY COFFEY

ROLL OUT THE

red carpet

Expect a royal reception as Scotland’s grandest properties open their doors once more and look forward to welcoming you back

THIS IMAGE: Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders, Scotland’s largest inhabited castle

GRAND HOUSES

| Stately home special

s the world locked down and we were forced to spend weeks or months at a time confined to our own homes, many of us no doubt fantasised about how much better it would be to quarantine in a Bridgertonscale house, with a scandalously big estate all to ourselves. The truth is, while some of Scotland’s palatial properties remain family homes, many more have been turned into heritage houses and great museums to meet the astronomical running costs, including heating, and carrying out fragile restoration projects. Luckily, organisations such as Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland are there to offer a buffer to country piles that might otherwise fall to ruin or be closed off to the public. Stately homes and castles are huge attractions to Scotland’s visitors, offering windows into the past. Without visitors, they become little more than mausoleums to past lives, gathering dust as the shutters go down and the curtains are closed. Throughout the pandemic, though locals have been able to make use of their incredible grounds for exercise, for most of the past year-and-a-half their interiors have been out of bounds. Thankfully, they are opening once again. The National Trust for Scotland’s Chief Executive Philip Long OBE sums up the relief and excitement among custodians of these historic houses as they prepare to reopen: “Everyone at the Trust is looking forward to welcoming our visitors back to the beautiful places we protect,” he says. “Across Scotland, our teams are hard at work preparing for reopening and giving everyone a warm, and of course, safe welcome.” Whether you can make it this year, or are planning to visit next year, here are some of the finest castles and country houses across Scotland that you should factor into your next trip.

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Blair Castle, the ancestral home of Clan Murray; the Drawing Room at Blair Castle; the infamous letter written by Bonnie Prince Charlie that is currently on display at Blair Castle

BLAIR CASTLE Pitlochry, Perthshire

hough the annual Atholl Highlanders Weekend won’t take place in 2021 (it is scheduled for 28-29 May 2022), there are other reasons to visit the ancestral seat of the Duke of Atholl, the hereditary Chief of Clan Murray, before then. The castle is currently displaying a stunning piece of Scottish history for the first time ever – a letter from Bonnie Prince Charlie to his loyal supporter and military strategist Lord George Murray, brother to the 2nd Duke of Atholl, James Murray, in which he calls Lord George an “idiot” for suggesting a war council. Keren Guthrie, the castle archivist, says of Charlie’s letter: “So much is romanticised about Bonnie Prince Charles, but this letter catches him in a moment of utter frustration – and perhaps misguided in the belief in his own abilities. George was very loyal to the Jacobite cause and his brother William was a close confidant of the Young Pretender, so the tone is all the more remarkable.” The letter forms part of a new long-term exhibition at the castle, A Family Divided – The Atholls and the Jacobite Risings, which includes many letters written to and from the Murray family during the 18th century, demonstrating just how conflicted they were over the Jacobites. In another letter, Lord George Murray writes to his brother William saying that he is prepared to storm the castle and demolish the family home in the name of the cause. William, who has already been disinherited for his alliance to the Jacobites, replies saying he has no qualms about destroying family artworks in the face of public service. As well as personal letters, the exhibition, which will run for the next few years, includes: a pardon obtained by the 1st Duke for his son George after the first Jacobite Rebellion of 1715; a compass said to have been used by Bonnie Prince Charlie; and a canon ball kept after the siege in 1746. blair-castle.co.uk

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GRAND HOUSES

THIS IMAGE: The turreted, fairytale castle of Craigievar RIGHT: Lady Sempill’s Room at Craigievar

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| Stately home special

Stately home special |

GRAND HOUSES

CRAIGIEVAR CASTLE Alford, Aberdeenshire

isitors to the pretty-in-pink castle of Craigievar, the supposed inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella castle, can now walk a path that follows the castle’s 16th-century footprint for a deeper sense of what life here may have been like hundreds of years ago. With building begun in 1576 and completed c.1626, Craigievar is one of the best-preserved examples of a Scottish Baronial tower house castle, and its exterior remains virtually unchanged. The former seat of Clan Sempill, and the Forbes’ family home for 350 years, the castle was donated to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) in the 1960s. However, a key part of the castle’s design – what is known as a Barmkin (an enclosure that would have held a courtyard) – has long been forgotten. Now, using 3D technology, archaeological studies and old plans and paintings, the NTS has been able to reveal what the lost walls and the fortifications of the castle would have looked like and visitors can now walk the defensive lines. Dr Daniel Rhodes, NTS archaeologist, says: “To be able to take our archaeological knowledge and recreate the past for our visitors to enjoy is a fantastic opportunity. It must have been a bustling courtyard often full of livestock and people. A real comparison to today’s fairytale beauty.” nts.org.uk/visit/places/craigievar

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GRAND HOUSES

| Stately home special FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: The Queen Mother, who grew up at Glamis Castle, with princesses Elizabeth and Margaret; inside Glamis Castle in Angus, an often overlooked region; Floors Castle, designed by Scottish architect William Adam

GLAMIS CASTLE Glamis, Angus

hough it is the family home of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Glamis Castle has long been associated with strong female figures, including the Queen Mother, who grew up here, and Princess Margaret, who was born here. In 2021, the castle is extending its Women of Glamis exhibition – which tells the stories of some of the remarkable women who have lived here, from the late 14th century to the present day – until 31 October. Stories include those of the nursemaid, Annie Jackson, who saved the life of the 13th Earl’s grandson Hubert, when the ship SS Sidon was wrecked off the Bay of Biscay in 1885. It will also delve into the pasts of two of the Queen Mother’s family members – her cousin, Lilian Bowes Lyon, the author/ poet who sponsored two Jewish boys during the Second World War, and her aunt, Lady Mildred Bowes Lyon, a promising opera composer. New exhibits for this year include a magnificent reproduction of the 18th-century bridal gown worn by Mary Eleanor Bowes, the richest heiress in Great Britain at the time. Mary Eleanor was reputedly buried in her silver and white Rococco-style wedding dress, which was encrusted with diamonds, in Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey in 1800. Alongside this dress is an original mid-18th-century dress believed to have been worn by Lady Margaret Ogilvy, a leading Jacobite, when she was presented at court to Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 1745, and a replica of the Queen Mother’s engagement dress. Angus is often overlooked by visitors to Scotland but the Insider’s Guide to Angus – 100 Unmissable Experiences (visitangus.com/insiders-guide) has lots of ideas for further exploration in the region. glamis-castle.co.uk

FLOORS CASTLE Kelso, Scottish Borders

his year is the 300th anniversary of Scotland’s largest inhabited castle, Floors Castle, which was originally built as a much smaller Georgian house. In 1721, John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe, commissioned leading Scottish architect William Adam to significantly remodel his home of Floors Castle into a spectacular property fit for a ducal seat. This year, Floors will celebrate this tricentenary with an exhibition that will also run through the 2022 season, on the 1st Duke of Roxburghe. The Duke’s story is told through letters, written mainly from him to his mother, which offer unique insight into the times he lived in. The Duke’s rise to prominence coincided with the fall of the Catholic monarchy, the rise of Jacobitism and the Glorious Revolution, as well as the War of the Spanish Succession, and the creation of modern Britain through the Union of 1707. Floors is an exceptionally grand palace, with two symmetrical wings, and it is topped with battlements, turrets and finials – additions made in the 19th century by the esteemed architect William Playfair. floorscastle.com

Glamis Castle has long been associated with strong female figures, not least the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret Scotland 31

GRAND HOUSES

| Stately home special THIS IMAGE: Inveraray Castle in Argyll is the seat of Clan Campbell LEFT: The Parisian -style Tapestry Drawing Room at Inveraray Castle

INVERARAY CASTLE Inveraray, Argyll

ne of Scotland’s most iconic castles, Inveraray is due to open any day now. The home of the Dukes of Argyll and the seat of Clan Campbell, Inveraray is still a family home and is the foremost place to learn about the part the Campbells played in the history of Scotland. For a small fee, you can view the Argyll Papers, the archive collection of the earls and dukes and their families, an invaluable resource, particularly if you are researching Campbell family history, but you must book in advance. Campbell connections or not, Inveraray is one of the most impressive of all of Scotland’s buildings. Sitting on the shores of Loch Fyne, its bold exterior with its conical turrets earned it a starring role as ‘Duneagle’ in Downton Abbey’s 2012 Christmas special. Its dark-grey colour is too austere for some, but don’t let that fool you. Inside are some of the most resplendent neoclassical rooms of any stately home, including the Parisian-style Tapestry Drawing Room, which still has its original Beauvais tapestries, designed especially for this room, in situ. This year’s main exhibition is on Princess Louise – the Duchess of Argyll, and daughter of Queen Victoria – and her husband the Marquis of Lorne, and entry is included with tickets to the castle. inveraray-castle.com

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GRAND HOUSES

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| Stately home special

MOUNT STUART Isle of Bute

Originally built in 1719, when it was rebuilt following a devastating fire in 1877, Mount Stuart was at the forefront of Victorian home innovation. Though the Georgian wings and much of the contents survived, inside it evolved into a contemporary Victorian property, with numerous mod-cons for the time, including what is thought to be the first domestic heated swimming pool, an early telephone system and a passenger lift. It was also the first house in Scotland to be wired for electricity. Today, Mount Stuart continues to innovate and this year it celebrates 20 years of presenting visual arts here, with an exhibition by Ilana Halperin inspired by the geology of the Isle of Bute, which will run until 15 August 2021. The title, There is a Volcano Behind My House, references the extinct volcano behind the artist’s Isle of Bute home, and the exhibition includes watercolours inspired by geological features on the isle, such as the Highland Boundary Fault Line, which bisects the island, and two large-scale woven textile works produced in partnership with Bute Fabrics. If you can’t make it here before the end of the exhibition, don’t worry. Mount Stuart has a rolling programme of shows, and the architectural details of the house itself, which includes mosaic detailing inspired by St Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev and its beautiful marble chapel, will more than hold your interest. S mountstuart.com

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THIS IMAGE: ‘The Library’ by Ilana Halperin, 2020, part of the new exhibition at Mount Stuart BELOW: Mount Stuart was rebuilt in 1877 after a fire

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Putting pride in your heritage to work for you A Non-profit Organization providing student scholarships for highland dance and bagpiping and making charitable donations to the National Trust for Scotland and other non-profit organizations that promote Scottish tradition, history, crafts and culture here in the states and abroad Scottish Gaelic studies at UNC Chapel Hill was largely funded by Scottish Heritage USA for the academic years of 2018-20 and plans are currently in process to fund a Department of Gaelic Studies at UNC! WE ARE ALSO A PROUD SPONSOR OF THE GRANDFATHER MT. HIGHLAND GAMES CULTURAL VILLAGE!

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Eisenhower Suite at Culzean Castle-Scottish Heritage funded the refurbishing and reconstruction of this guest suite

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heroes of scotland

| The Duke of Edinburgh

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH REMEMBERED Having enjoyed a pioneering education at Gordonstoun in Moray, the late HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was never far from Scotland, perhaps in his heart he never left Words by JENNY ROWE

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The Duke of Edinburgh |

n 16 April 2021, a week after her husband’s death on 9 April, Her Majesty The Queen shared a private photograph of her and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on holiday in Scotland. The previously unseen image shows the couple smiling together at the top of the Coyles of Muick in Aberdeenshire, near Balmoral, in 2003. Their happy place; further emphasised by the recent naming of the Queen’s new corgi puppy, Muick. Personally, the Duke had a long association with Scotland and the royal couple clearly shared their love for the country’s wild, secluded landscapes, which perhaps afforded them the privacy and freedom that some of their royal residences could not. Prince Philip was born in Corfu on 10 June 1921, to parents Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and Princess Alice of Battenberg, LEFT TO RIGHT: but between 1934 to 1939 he The newly released attended Gordonstoun, now a photograph of the leading independent boarding school royal couple on the in Moray, Scotland. Coyles of Muick; the Royal Family at At the time, 13-year-old Philip was Balmoral; a young only the 10th pupil to join the Philip dressed up school, which had been founded by for a Gordonstoun school play Dr Kurt Hahn, a Jewish German

HEROES OF SCOTLAND

educationalist. Having witnessed the destruction of Nazi Germany, which forced him to flee to Britain, Dr Hahn wanted his new school to raise pupils that were moral contributors to society. The headmaster was a formative figure in the Duke’s life, and his school report, originally released with permission from Buckingham Palace in anticipation of his 100th birthday in June 2021, demonstrates that Philip, born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, thrived under Dr Hahn’s influence and guidance. In the historic notes, written in 1947 prior to the Duke’s engagement to the Queen, Philip was praised for his “meticulous attention to detail”, ambition and “ease and forthrightness in dealing with... all kinds.” That said, Dr Hahn, who wrote the report, continued that “When he was in the middle-school, he got into a fair number of scrapes through recklessness and wildness. He was often naughty, never nasty.” The Duke’s mischievous sense of humour is exemplified by a story within the report, which describes how Philip, who was at this time already “impatient of what for short may be called Royalty nonsense” had, when asked for an autograph, “on one occasion signed himself ‘The Earl of Baldwin’, to the bewilderment of the autograph-hunter”.

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HEROES OF SCOTLAND

| The Duke of Edinburgh

Another such example, demonstrating how the Duke’s charm could get him out of trouble, was also detailed by the founding Gordonstoun headmaster: “He was in the habit of cycling regardless of safety rules, and on one occasion he avoided a clash with a baby in a perambulator by inches, thanks to his unusual agility: he appeased the mother by an apology which was irresistible.” The school has now seen three generations of the British Royal Family through its doors (three of Prince Philip’s four children and two of his grandchildren CLOCKWISE, attended Gordonstoun), and his FROM BOTTOM appreciation for his education LEFT: The opening continued until the very end, with a of the Borders Railway; the Duke spokesperson from the school stating of Edinburgh that he had written to them in the attending a final days of his life. presentation reception for The Unable to organise a large-scale DofE Gold Award commemorative event due to socialholders; the Duke distancing , the school paid tribute to of Edinburgh and their alumnus at Hopeman Harbour HRH Princess Anne preparing in Moray. Pupils gathered on the a barbecue school’s yacht, Ocean Spirit, and laid at Balmoral; a wreath in the water as a lone piper spectating at the Braemar Gathering played Flowers of the Forest.

38 Scotland

Watching the caber toss, tug of war and other Highland games events brought out a more relaxed side of the Queen and the Duke As the Second World War loomed, Prince Philip left school to become a cadet at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon. While there he escorted the young princesses Elizabeth and Margaret during a royal tour of the college. By 1943, Prince Philip had spent more time in the company of the Royal Family and, after a Christmas visit, Princess Elizabeth placed a photograph of him on her dressing table. Three years later, Prince Philip asked King George VI for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The engagement to Princess Elizabeth was officially announced on 9 July 1947, they were married a few months later and their first child, Charles, Prince of Wales, was born in 1948. It was on his wedding day that Philip was given the title of Duke of Edinburgh. There have only been two other dukes of Edinburgh, the most recent being Queen Victoria’s second

The Duke of Edinburgh |

son Prince Alfred, who was given the title in 1866. Philip’s youngest son, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, is expected to inherit the title in due course. Under this name, Prince Philip launched The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 1956, taking inspiration from Dr Hahn’s educational principles, which encouraged community-mindedness, and the ‘Moray Badge’, which Philip participated in during his school days. The Duke of Edinburgh Award went on to help several million young people across 144 nations by promoting volunteering and outdoor activity. Famous alumni of the award include HRH The Duchess of Cambridge herself, as well as Olympians and Paralympians Hannah Cockroft, Peter and Richard Chambers, Dame Kelly Holmes and Maddie Hinch. Having given up a dazzling naval career to promote his wife’s role as head of the British monarchy, Philip’s loyal support to the Queen throughout their 73-year marriage was tremendous and this will be his biggest legacy. Her Majesty had paid tribute to her husband in the past, describing him fondly as her “strength and stay”. Indeed, the role Prince Philip played at the centre of national life for decades, means he has a special place in our hearts too. On his death he was the longest serving royal

HEROES OF SCOTLAND

consort in British history. Having only retired from royal duties four years ago, Prince Philip completed 22,219 solo engagements over his lifetime. Among them, many were in Scotland, such as the opening of the Borders Railway in 2015 (on the day the Queen became Britain’s longest serving monarch), and the opening of the new Queensferry Crossing over the Forth in 2017. A passionate military man, Prince Philip took up invitations to many related events over the years. For example, he attended the closure of RAF Kinloss in 2011 and the reopening of The Highlanders’ Museum – which covers the entire regimental history of The Highlanders (now 4th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland) – in Fort George in 2013. Yet the Queen and the Duke needed no excuse to escape to Scotland. They often attended the Braemar Gathering while staying at Balmoral Castle during their annual summer holidays there. Watching the traditional caber toss, tug of war and other Highland games events brought out a more relaxed side of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh – on many occasions the couple, sometimes accompanied by other family members, were photographed in fits of laughter. It seems many of the Queen’s favourite memories, and many of the Duke’s most enduring connections and achievements, have Scotland in common. S

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HEROES OF SCOTLAND

| Sir Walter Scott 250

THE GREATEST HONOUR Pipe Major CSgt Peter Grant 4 SCOTS, the lone piper who played Flowers of the Forest at the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, explains why he was chosen and how it felt to have the eyes of the world watching him

The Lone Piper |

SCOTLAND TODAY

LEFT: Colour Sergeant Peter Grant, the Pipe Major of the 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland

eing from Braemar, it was my early ambition to play in the massed pipes and drums at the Braemar Gathering. At roughly seven or eight years old I joined the Ballater and District Pipe Band as a junior member. I played with them throughout my teenage years at various Highland games in the northeast of Scotland. My interest in joining the military as a piper was generated from being exposed to Her Majesty’s Royal Guard at Balmoral Castle every year. I was mesmerised by the pipe bands and really attracted to the idea of being a soldier and a piper. Throughout my military career I have been an infantry soldier and a piper. Our pipers and drummers are soldiers first and I have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan on several occasions. As a piper I have performed at various ceremonies throughout the world. I have played with the band at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Buckingham Palace, Balmoral Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which have created so many fond memories over the years. I have early memories of seeing the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family as a young boy. When the Royal Family passed through Braemar on the way to the Braemar Gathering, my friends and I would line up on the pavement to try and wave to them. They always smiled and waved back, and I specifically remember being waved at by the Duke of Edinburgh on several occasions. It wasn’t until I joined the military that I had personal encounters with the Royal Family. The Duke of Edinburgh had a long affiliation with my Battalion, most recently as our Royal Colonel. He became a familiar face to us and would attend many of our parades, and presented us with our medals after a tour of Afghanistan. He was always very forthcoming and would often mingle with the troops after the official ceremonies. We had a lot to talk about and I think that was because of his military background. I was at home when I got the call that the Duke of Edinburgh had passed away. I felt great sadness, particularly for Her Majesty The Queen, who had lost her husband of so many years. The reason I was chosen to play is because I am the Pipe Major of 4 SCOTS and the Duke of Edinburgh was our Royal Colonel. I knew I had an important role to play and preparations were instantly made for me to travel south to Windsor. You prepare for an occasion such as this by making sure your uniform is up to the highest standard and your instrument is set up well. Pipes are very temperamental so I had to make sure I tuned them in a way that would give me the best possible sound on my performance. On the day there was a lot of pressure leading up to me playing because I was well aware that my performance was about to be broadcast to millions around the world. When it came down to the moment, my sole focus was to play well for the Duke of Edinburgh and the Royal Family, which made the cameras an afterthought. I am extremely proud and privileged to have been part of the ceremony, it was the greatest honour of my military career. It felt personal to me because the Duke of Edinburgh had been in my life for as long as I can remember, and I am so glad that I played well for him. I have received nothing but kind comments from people around the world describing my performance as poignant and emotional. I am truly humbled. S

My sole focus was to play well for the Duke of Edinburgh and the Royal Family

Scotland 41

TRADITIONS

| Learning the pipes

Words by PAUL F COCKBURN

PICK UP THE PIPES It’s 25 years since the launch of The National Piping Centre in Glasgow and learning the pipes has never been more accessible

LEFT TO RIGHT: Glasgow’s National Piping Centre; a Highland piper in traditional Scottish piper’s uniform; the National Piping Centre merged with the College of Piping in 2018

42 Scotland

ven just 25 years ago, the conventional route to learning the bagpipes was to do so through your local pipe band, or – if you could – your local Boys’ Brigade pipe band. “If you go right back in history, to the turn of the 20th century, the Boys’ Brigade had, in the Glasgow area alone, about 130 pipe bands,” explains John Mulhearn, head of piping studies at the National Piping Centre in the city. That’s difficult to comprehend now, he admits, but not because of a general loss of interest in learning the Highland bagpipes. Quite the opposite: most youngsters in Scotland

now learn to play the Highland bagpipes in school: 29 out of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas have piping teachers in both state and private schools. “That’s incredible and wasn’t even on the horizon until the mid-1970s, when there was campaigning for piping in schools led by Seumas MacNeill and John MacFadyen” says John. “Right at the minute, that would be the most common route into it, I would say—which is a great state of affairs.” In addition, there are organisations such as the National Piping Centre, which first opened its doors 25 years ago: currently, it provides tuition options for everyone from

Learning the pipes |

complete beginners all the way through to professional standard performers. You can even now study for a BMus (Traditional Music Piping), run by the centre and the nearby Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The establishment of the Piping Degree in 1996 was arguably a game-changer, not least in providing a recognised and respected qualification for teachers, but schools aligning with the system of certification introduced by the Piping and Drumming Qualifications Board have also ensured young learners can progress with the instrument while gaining genuine exam credits with the Scottish Qualifications Authority. This has legitimised the teaching and learning of the instrument in schools across the country. But what if you’ve missed your chance at school and still want to learn the Highland bagpipes? The National Piping Centre, which officially merged with the Glasgow-based College of Piping in 2018, offers a range of short and longerterm courses. Whatever option you choose, however, you certainly won’t start out with the pipes themselves. “You’ll start with a practice chanter,” says John, “and you will learn all of your basic finger work, all the basic techniques

TRADITIONS

“You can be on the practice chanter, before graduating to the pipes, for anywhere from three months to three years” that we use, and the initial repertoire. You can be on the practice chanter, before graduating to the pipes, for anywhere from three months to three years – it very much depends, individual to individual.” The chanter may be the beginner’s tool, but it will stay with you through your time as a piper. “You’re always going to use it: when it comes to learning new repertoire, to practising techniques. It’s obviously a much quieter instrument, and a bit more portable. Most people learning with a teacher are taught through using a book that kind of guides them; there are a few different tutor books on the market, of which obviously we have our own. And it sort of provides a structure to building up your technical control and your repertoire.”

Scotland 43

TRADITIONS

| Learning the pipes

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: The National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland play in the 2019 Celtic Connections Festival at the Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow; the practice chanter is a vital instrument for pipers at all levels; the Museum of Piping holds 300 years of piping heritage; pre-booked tour groups can try the bagpipes themselves at the Museum of Piping within the National Piping Centre

44 Scotland

These books have a history going back hundreds of years: Joseph MacDonald’s A Compleat Theory of the Scots Highland Bagpipe was first published in around 1760, and pretty much set the format that survives today – an opening tutorial section, followed by a selection of tunes. “Gradually, as the decades went by, more books began to appear until, in the 20th century, there was a book called Logan’s Complete Tutor for the Highland Bagpipe (1901), which was a hugely influential book of its time. Again, it took parts of these earlier collections and just took it a bit further, and contained a fairly comprehensive introductory repertoire,” says John. “And that leads to the College of Piping’s tutor book, which is perhaps one of the most widely distributed books there’s ever been in piping full stop.” Learning the chanter is one thing; the shift to the full Highland bagpipe is quite another, John accepts. “It’s almost like learning a whole other instrument,” he says. “Basically, like I said, you learn all your basic finger work (on the chanter); personally, I would normally make sure that a student has maybe about four tunes thoroughly memorised before I would recommend that they make the transition onto the pipes.”

Learning the pipes |

TRADITIONS

Learning the chanter is one thing; the shift to the full Highland pipes is quite another

Scotland 45

| Learning the pipes

TRADITIONS

“On the pipes the common practice is to perform from memory. You don’t perform with a score in front of you”

ABOVE: 29 out of Scotland’s 32 local authorities have piping teachers in schools

46 Scotland

“The important point is really the memorisation,” he says. “On the pipes, and traditional music more generally, the common practice is to perform from memory. You don’t perform with a score in front of you, as classical musicians would do. More to the point, when you’re making that transition onto the pipes, you really don’t want to be thinking what your fingers are doing; you don’t really have the capacity to think about what your fingers are doing because you’re thinking about balancing the pressure inside the bag with your arm.” Actually, playing the tunes needs to be at the level of “muscle memory”, he believes. “Essentially the bag is a

reservoir of air, that ensures air keeps circulating through the four reeds that are in the pipes. You need to learn how to maintain an equilibrium of the air inside the bag when obviously you’ve got an input and an output in four different places. So, maintaining that balance is […] there’s a learning curve to that, and if you’re also having to think about what’s the next thing you’re going to play, what’s the next note […] It is a challenge. Some people get it remarkably easily; but most people require really working on it over a period of time.” Having experience of other musical instruments – especially wind instruments – can help. “The penny drops a bit quicker, put it that way,” he admits. “Oddly, and I don’t know entirely why this is the case,” John continues, “I find that people who play the saxophone actually take to the pipes a bit quicker than other instruments. I’m not entirely sure why...”. To find out about piping lessons and courses, in person or online, go to thepipingcentre.co.uk

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Scotland 47

SCOTTISH FIGURES

| David Livingstone

THIS IMAGE: Portrait of David Livingstone by John Jabez Edwin Mayall c.1857 RIGHT: David Livingstone Birthplace

48 Scotland

David Livingstone |

SCOTTISH FIGURES

Man on a Mission The reopening of the David Livingstone Birthplace museum is an opportunity to delve into Scotland’s relationship with colonialism and slavery through the life of its most famous explorer Words by SALLY COFFEY

“

r Livingstone, I presume’. These are the immortal words Henry Morton Stanley is said to have greeted David Livingstone with, one of the world’s most famous explorers, when he eventually located him in 1871 in Ujiji, a village on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in what is modern-day Tanzania. Stanley had been sent on an unusual assignment by the New York Herald newspaper – to locate David Livingstone, who had been missing for several years in Africa. By the time Stanley found him, Livingstone was a waif of a man, “pale”, “wearied” and with a grey beard, he looked far older than his 58 years. Still, despite his ragged appearance, Livingstone had achieved much in his 30 years of exploring and charting Africa. He had survived a lion mauling, walked the width of southern Africa, and charted the Zambezi River. He had also become the first European to discover Victoria Falls (which he named after his queen, of course) and become a mouthpiece

against the inhumanity of the African slave trade. But Livingstone wasn’t done yet. Though Stanley implored him to return to Britain with him (among other ailments, he was suffering from a lifetime of malaria), Livingstone chose to stay and continue his mission to find the source of the River Nile. But before we continue the story, we must go right back to the beginning to understand what motivated Livingstone in his explorations. David Livingstone’s story begins in 1813 when he was born to mill workers, Agnes and Neil, in Blantyre, a town just southeast of Glasgow. The location of his birth, and the place where he spent his entire childhood, is now preparing to reopen under its modern guise, David Livingstone’s Birthplace museum. Housed in the former tenement building where Livingstone was born, the museum has recently undergone major restoration and development, including the creation of a

Scotland 49

SCOTTISH FIGURES

| David Livingstone large central building, where visitors can learn all about the life of one of Scotland’s most celebrated explorers. David Livingstone’s beginnings were humble for a man who went on to become one of Victorian society’s biggest celebrities. Of course, most visitors want to see the room where Livingstone, as well as countless other millworker children were born – at one point 24 families would have been housed here. Livingstone began work in the mill aged 10 as a piecer – a job that entailed going beneath the spinning jenny and piecing together the broken threads. Visitors to the museum can see a replica spinning jenny for a sense of how dangerous and cramped this job would have been. Livingstone went to the village school and later attended evening classes. He was lucky to grow up at a time in Scotland when educational provision was good, following the Scottish Enlightenment. He worked at the mill for nine years, during which he was promoted to being a spinner. Aged 19, thanks to his mill earnings and some financial support from his brother, Livingstone was able to afford to go to Strathclyde University to study medicine. After university, Livingstone was accepted into the London Missionary Society. He trained for several years and although he originally wanted to go to China, this was prevented by the Opium Wars. Fellow missionary, Robert Moffat, persuaded him to visit Africa and so he arrived in Capetown on his first trip in 1841, and over the next few decades he gradually moved further and further north. Livingstone was driven in his work by an unwavering commitment to Christianity, but his travels showed him some of the horrors of the slave trade first-hand and his descriptions through letters home and to several newspapers helped build a case for the abolition of the slave trade. Though Livingstone accrued a lot of fame on his missions, including meeting Queen Victoria, he never forgot his roots. On a visit back to Scotland in 1857 he attended a soirée at the mill as a local boy done good, in the same year that he published his book Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa. The museum has a signed copy of this book that was given to his former school master. It was in 1858, by which time Livingstone had been married to Mary Moffat, (daughter of Robert) for many years and had become a father of six, that he undertook the first of two major expeditions: exploring the Zambezi River. On this expedition, funded by the British Government, he was joined by his brother, Charles, who was given the intriguing job title of ‘moral agent’. Sadly, Livingstone’s wife died of malaria in 1862 – a condition that Livingstone suffered on and off with for years himself – and in 1864 he was ordered home as his expedition had not yielded the desired results. Back home, he wrote extensively about the slave trade and in 1866 he embarked on another major expedition – funded by private benefactors – to find the source of the River Nile.

“While some of Livingstone’s legacy may have been for the good of Africa, other outcomes were not so positive” 50 Scotland

David Livingstone |

However, with limited resources and little money, Livingstone relied on the very slave traders whose businesses he disapproved of to carry his letters home, which is perhaps why his correspondence stopped suddenly, as they realised what he was doing. In one letter to the New York Herald, before his correspondence stopped, Livingstone wrote: “If my disclosures regarding the terrible Ujijian slavery should lead to the suppression of the East Coast slave trade, I shall regard that as a greater matter by far than the discovery of all the Nile sources together.” But while some of Livingstone’s legacy may have been for the good of Africa – he opened Central Africa to other missionaries, who set up hospitals and schools there – other outcomes were not so positive. Directly or indirectly, Livingstone’s work opened the gates to colonial rule – his detailed maps meant outsiders could enter the interior, which led – at least in part – to the Scramble for Africa. Today, far from being hailed by everyone as a Scottish hero, some people accuse him of having been an imperialist. Natalie Milor, curator of the David Livingstone Trust, says that his intention was unlikely to be the furthering of colonial rule, which anyway was already underway in South Africa. “People were using his words to try and encourage others. I think he would have been appalled,” she says. But the museum doesn’t shy away from such debate and encourages discussions on how much Livingstone was complicit with imperialism. Shortly after Stanley and Livingstone parted ways, Livingstone died near Lake Bangweulu in what is today

Zambia. His team of 60, whose numbers had been bolstered by Stanley, embalmed his body, removed his heart, and organs and buried them under a tree. The museum has a special installation of a tree to commemorate this episode. Livingstone’s body was then wrapped up and carried to the east coast of Africa, from where it wasn transported back to the UK. He lay in state for a few days, before being buried at Westminster Abbey. Describing this journey, Milor says: “It was a very dangerous thing to do to transport a body 1000 miles. The fact they did that is heroic – five people carried his body, and 55 people carried his items, his letters, and journals. “We don’t know what the motivation was – it could have been out of loyalty; it could have been about money, or it could have been because they were worried they would be accused of killing him.” Following Livingstone’s death, Stanley returned to Africa and his fame soon soared. However, his dubious connection with King Leopold II meant that at the time of his death, he was denied burial alongside his old friend. S

SCOTTISH FIGURES

CLOCKWISE, FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Livingstone and daughter, Anna Mary; Stanley with Ndugu M’Hali, a child he adopted and renamed ‘Kalulu’; Jacob Wainwright, one of the boys who helped carry Livingstone’s body to the coast; Mary Livingstone and son William Oswell; an object owned by Chuma and Susi, two of the men who helped carry Livingstone’s body

Scotland 51

RURAL SCOTLAND

52 Scotland

| Meet a farrier

Meet a farrier |

RURAL SCOTLAND

Words by T R GORDON

The Real-Life HORSE WHISPERER Our writer heads to the Scottish Borders to meet a man who is the embodiment of Robert Redford’s fictional character

ames Clarke is a farrier working in the Scottish Borders. With its traditional common ridings and other equestrian events, the Borders is definitely horse country. But James Clarke is more than just a man nailing shoes on horses’ hooves. He possesses a rare gift for communicating with the equine family. I spent a day with this talented farrier, who talks to the animals just as surely as you and I talk to other humans. And although they don’t talk back, there is a definite channel of understanding and communication. James, affectionately known as Jim-X, began his love affair with horses as a child. He can’t remember a time when there weren’t horses in his life. His father used to drive cattle with horses, and his grandfather bred and raised Clydesdales. When not working in the farrier trade, he will often be found at horse sales – buying, selling, trading, or just looking. Horses are his life, and his passion shines through early on in any conversation.

With such a strong equestrian background, coupled with a desire to work for himself, the farrier trade suits Jim-X perfectly. But one doesn’t become a farrier simply by strapping on a leather apron and nailing horseshoes. An intensive college course of eight weeks is followed by a fouryear apprenticeship with another 21 weeks in the classroom, staggered at intervals to apply on the job what has been learned in the books. The course itself is rigorous, with detailed studies of anatomy, bone structure, muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood supply and the lymphatic system. Proper shoeing can correct foot or leg problems, or if done improperly can seriously damage the horse. It’s not a job to be taken lightly, whether working on a child’s pony or a million-dollar thoroughbred. And Jim-X takes it very seriously. With the UK having some of the strictest licensing requirements in the world, Jim-X could go literally anywhere on the planet with his credentials. He carries about 20

OPPOSITE PAGE: Farrier James Clarke, better known as Jim-X, at work on horses of all breeds and sizes ABOVE: Jim-X riding in the Scottish Borders countryside

Scotland 53

| Meet a farrier

In keeping with time-honoured traditions, Jim-X can also make a horseshoe from a straight rod of steel, firing it to a red-hot glow in the furnace and hammering it into shape

ABOVE: Jim-X carries about 20 different sizes of horsehoe in his rolling inventory OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Langholm Common Riding in the Borders, one of many similar annual events in the region; most exercised horses need to be regularly shod to keep their hooves healthy; Jim-X has learnt to read horses’ expressions

54 Scotland

different sizes of horseshoe in his rolling inventory to fit anything from a diminutive pony to a gargantuan draft horse. But in keeping with the time-honoured traditions of his vocation, he can also make a horseshoe from a straight rod of steel, firing it to a red-hot glow in the furnace and hammering it into shape for a custom fit. As much as 90 per cent of his work is hot shoeing, meaning the shoe is heated to a red fiery glow and then applied to the hoof. The hot shoe burns into the dead part of the hoof, giving a good interface between shoe and foot while assuring a proper fit. Jim-X explained in his delightful but very quick brogue, “You fit the shoe to the shape of the foot. You don’t fit the foot to the shape of the shoe.” It came out as a bit of a tongue-twister, and I had to ask him to repeat what he had said more than once! As he expertly and deftly lifted the rear foot of a stocky cob (a heavy general-purpose horse with big strong feet), Jim-X offered some wisdom for anybody to keep in mind around such a powerful creature. Pointing to its muscular hindquarters, he explained: “This is the horse’s engine right here. All its propulsion comes from the back legs.” He then jokingly added, “The front legs are just there to keep it from falling over and bumping its nose on the ground.” Jim-X then showed me how he could tell this horse had a bit of laminitis, a foot infection, six months earlier. “The growth pattern on the hoof is similar to rings on a tree”, he said. “The foot will tell you if a horse has had a problem.” The foot was still a little sore and the cob fidgeted nervously until Jim-X quietly reassured it, “Whoa, little one. There you go. You’re alright.” The empathetic language of the horse whisperer. As might be expected from someone who spends a huge amount of time around horses, and has for nearly his entire

life, James has had his share of injuries and close calls. At the time of our meeting, he had recently come off a young horse that fell on top of him on the road, fracturing several ribs and damaging his wrist. But it was another incident that very nearly did for him. Jim-X had gotten the front shoes off a horse and walked out of the stable to get new shoes. All of a sudden, wham! He turned around to see two hoof prints embedded in the concrete wall, just missing his head with both back feet. Jim-X obviously enjoys riding as much as his farrier work. He seems to be equally comfortable and confident on the back of a horse or beside it with his farrier chaps and nailing a shoe. “There’s nothing nicer than having a good horse. Just sit up on its back and go for a ride. It’s a good feeling, just sort of mellows you down. A horse will pick up on your mood straightaway. It can sense if you’re tense, relaxed, nervous, confident. It’s a lovely feeling when you’re sitting on and you know with these two pieces of leather you’ve got control over this powerful animal.” I wondered if all farriers are also riders. Jim-X explained, “The best farriers are probably experienced with horses but there are excellent farriers who don’t ride at all. There are good women farriers around too.” “At the end of the day, it all boils down to pride in your work. Maintain your standards and be your own worst critic. Remember your training and keep your wits about you. There’s nothing better than finishing a job and being able to say, ‘That’s good. That looks alright.’ I never want to do a job and say, ‘I could’ve done better than that.’ You develop a good reputation and people know they can trust you and rely on you.” As my day with this real-life horse whisperer was drawing to a close, Jim-X was working on his final steed of the day, an uncooperative gelding. He quietly spoke: “Behave yourself. You’re just being naughty now.” As he laid his hand on the creature, it shuddered with an understanding skin. And then, all was calm. “You learn when they’re trying to tell you things. You can tell by a horse’s expression what’s going through its mind. You learn peculiarities and traits of each animal and how to make allowances for that. It would be a wonderful thing if horses could talk … tell you what’s wrong or where they hurt. It would make the job so much easier. Sometimes you just wish they could talk to you.” Somehow I think they do, James Clarke. Not everybody can hear them, but you certainly can. S

RURAL SCOTLAND

Meet a farrier |

RURAL SCOTLAND

Scotland 55

MEET THE CLAN

| MacEwen

CLAN REUNITED Clan MacEwen has been reborn, over 500 years since it was officially disbanded

any clans in Scotland are ancient and have centuries of history and tangled tales to draw upon, of rivalries and septs, of bloody battles and homelands that still call them back. But few Scottish clans that have disbanded, have reformed again and fewer still have done so after a period of more than half a millennium. Since its last clan chief died in 1493, there has been no chief of Clan MacEwen and so it has been considered Armigerous. Until now, that is. As of 2019, Sir John R. H. McEwen has been named Commander of the Clan MacEwen, recognised by the Court of Lyon, and though he has not been fully recognised as chief yet – there is a lengthy process involved in which he must prove himself over a period of time before a set of undifferenced arms can be matriculated – he is well on his way. But what happened to the original clan and how did it fall into obscurity all those years ago? Unfortunately, details are sketchy. Though it claims no ancestry, the Clan MacEwen Society derives the core of its identity from Clan Ewen of Otter. The clan’s name is an anglicised spelling of the Scottish Gaelic name MacEòghann, ‘son of Eòghann’ – other septs and clans may also have taken their name from men named Eoghann. The MacEwen Lords of Otter are recorded sporadically in the 14th and 15th centuries and their genealogy is recorded in MS 1467, a medieval Gaelic manuscript held at the National Museum of Scotland, which contains pedigrees of various Scottish clans, and which was translated in the 19th century. According to the translation: “In March 1432, Swene MacEwen resigned his title to the Barony of Otter to his feudal lord, King James. The king restored Swene to his title, but designated Gillespie Campbell (heir to Duncan Campbell of Lochow) as heir to the Barony of Otter.” Therefore, when Swene died in 1493, the barony passed into the hands of the Campbells. According to Clan MacLachlan legend, after Swene’s death, its clan stepped in to act as protectorate for the MacEwens as they had a long history as allies. To this day, Clan Maclachlan extends its membership to descendents of Clan MacEwen. Another tradition states that in the 15th century, a MacEwen clan arrived at the earldom of Lennox under their own chieftain and that at

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“Clan MacEwen is concerned with the remnants, the scattered element, those who have wandered bereft, chiefless”

ABOVE: Attendees at the clan’s 2019 gathering at the ruined Castle MacEwen, which overlooks Kilfinan Bay in Argyll

MacEwen |

some point this chieftain was granted arms by Mary, Queen of Scots. Whatever happened to different septs of MacEwens is debatable, but what is known is that the MacEwen Lords of Otter ended with Swene and so the fact that there is now a chief-in-waiting, is big news. Sir John is the 5th Baronet of Marchmont and Bardrochat, a title created by Her Majesty The Queen in 1953 for the Conservative politician John McEwen, Sir John’s grandfather, who was Secretary of State in Winston Churchill’s Cabinet during WWII. Speaking to the BBC at the time of his appointment as Commander, Sir John said: “I am the fifth baronet, after my grandfather, my uncle Jamie, my father Robin and my brother James. “I am an ordinary writer and actor, husband of a teacher, smallholder and the main carer of our four children. “I have no particular qualifications for chiefship – unless you count the baronetcy – but I love my clan, and my country, and would love for the clans to play a full and active part in the life of modern Scotland.” Since then, the clan has been busy organising itself once more. In 2019 it held the largest gathering of MacEwens in recorded history at the site of its ancestral home Castle MacEwen in Kilfinan, Argyll. Over

MEET THE CLAN

100 MacEwens from as far as Hawaii and New Zealand descended upon the sleepy Cowal Peninsula for the event around the ruined fort, to enjoy a weekend of Scottish culture and celebration. Ross M. McEwen LL.M (Dist) FSA Scot, Vice-Chair of the Clan MacEwen Society, says: “After more than 500 years since our last chief, our clan are now reorganising and bringing together MacEwens from around the world as we look to ‘reintroduce’ ourselves to the global Scottish and clan community.” The clan welcomes all descendants of MacEwen, MacEwan, McEwen, McEwan and mny other derivations, though Clan Ewing has opted to go its own way. Sir John says: “Clan MacEwen is concerned with the remnants, the scattered element, those who wandered, bereft, chiefless and recognising no chief.” Its clan motto, settled upon at the time of the revival of the clans in the 18th century, is ‘Reviresco’ meaning ‘I grow strong again’, which seems fitting. S To find out more about Clan MacEwen, go to clanmacewen.com

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Historic trips |

TRAVEL

LEFT: Portrait of John Keats by William Hilton, based on a Joseph Severn work of c.1822 RIGHT: The Robert Burns Mausoleum in St Michael’s Churchyard, Dumfries

Words by MARGARET BRECKNELL

ODE to BURNS In the bicentenary year of his death, we chart the Scottish tour that proved revelatory for that most English of poets, John Keats

wo hundred years ago this year, the poet, John Keats, died in Rome, where he had gone to convalesce after contracting tuberculosis. Aged just 25, Keats left behind an impressive collection of work, made even more remarkable by the fact that he only took the decision to concentrate on his writing three years before his death. A trip he made to Scotland in the summer of 1818 played an important part in this decision-making process. Accompanied by his friend, Charles Armitage Brown, the poet set off from London in mid-June of that year on a walking tour of northern England and Scotland. The events surrounding the expedition are pleasingly well-documented. Keats wrote a series of detailed letters to family and friends, while his companion kept a journal.

Having taken the coach from Carlisle to Dumfries, in southwest Scotland, the pair arrived on the afternoon of 1 July 1818. They immediately went to visit Robert Burns’ grave in St Michael’s Churchyard before dinner. Keats declared in a letter to his brother, Tom, that the tomb was “not very much to my taste, though on a scale large enough to show they wanted to honour him”. From Dumfries the two travellers made their way west to Portpatrick, where they took the ferry to Ireland, but were back on Scottish soil within two days. They then continued their journey northwards towards Ayr, arriving at Burns’ cottage in Alloway on 11 July. Keats had intended the visit to the birthplace of one of his literary idols to be a highlight of the tour but he was underwhelmed.

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TRAVEL

| Historic trips

CLOCKWISE, FROM RIGHT: Burns Cottage in Alloway, the birthplace of Scotland’s national bard; the Rest and Be Thankful viewpoint in Argyll; ‘Ben Nevis’ by Henry Jutsum, c.19th century

While under Burns’ roof, he attempted to write a celebratory poem in honour of the occasion, but later confessed to a friend that the lines he produced were “so bad I cannot transcribe them”. The whisky that the pair drank to Burns’ memory may well have contributed to what Charles Brown later memorably described as “the annihilation of his poetic power”. However, Keats’ main issue appears to have been with the garrulous old caretaker who showed them round. He was, asserted Keats, “a mahogany faced old Jackass” who talked so much that “his gab hindered my sublimity”. Keats did find much to admire in the surrounding countryside, describing the approach to Ayr as “extremely fine”. He had come to Scotland intent on finding beautiful landscapes to enjoy, remarking in one letter that he had embarked on his northern adventure in the belief that “it would give me more experience, use me to more hardship, identify finer scenes, load me with grander mountains and strengthen more my reach in Poetry, than would stopping at home among books”. The poet’s expectation of experiencing “hardship”, whilst ostensibly being on an extended holiday, may appear odd, but the truth is that this was no casual walking trip. Keats and Brown were determined to take advantage of the early daylight to be enjoyed on July mornings, often rising from their beds at 4am and walking for several hours before even stopping for breakfast. They were not equipped with the detailed maps and guidebooks that travellers take for granted today. On the morning of 17 July this meant that their breakfast was particularly delayed. Keats records that: “We were up at 4 this morning and have walked to breakfast 15 miles through two tremendous Glens – at the end of the first there is a place called Rest And Be Thankful which we took for an inn – it was nothing but a stone and so we were cheated into 5 more miles to breakfast”. In addition, Keats and Brown were travelling on a tight budget. On arriving in Oban on 21 July, the pair

While under Burns’ roof, he attempted to write a celebratory poem in honour of the occasion 60 Scotland

Scotland 61

TRAVEL

| Historic trips

Keats was particularly keen to visit Fingal’s Cave on Staffa [...] This involved undertaking a gruelling trek across Mull

proposed to travel across the water to the Inner Hebrides. Keats was particularly keen to visit Fingal’s Cave on Staffa. However, after discovering the expense this would entail, the impoverished young men were initially compelled to abandon the idea, only to change their mind the following morning when they found a guide who offered to show them “the Curiosities” of the islands at a more reasonable cost. This involved undertaking a gruelling trek across Mull through boggy terrain in pouring rain. They spent their first night on the island in a shepherd’s hut “into which we could scarcely get for the Smoke through a door lower than my Shoulders”, Keats recalled. Many of the islanders they met did not speak any English, but Keats was quick to praise their kindness, remembering how on asking for directions at a cottage, “a young woman without a word threw on her cloak and walked a mile in a mizzling rain and splashy way to put us right again”. The pair did eventually make it across Mull to Iona and Staffa, but it came at a cost to the poet’s health. On returning to Oban on 26 July, they were compelled to rest for a few days before heading on to Fort William and Inverness because Keats was suffering from a sore throat. When they did set out on the next leg of their journey north, Keats was determined to continue with the climb up Ben Nevis, which the pair had planned. He was still far from well, but his account of the trip reveals him to have been in high spirits. Having set off “about five in the morning with a Guide in the Tartan and Cap”, the pair eventually reached the top several hours later “after much fag and tug and a rest and a glass of whisky apiece”. With the mist swirling around him at the summit, Keats even found the energy to write a sonnet. That climb up Ben Nevis proved to be the last great adventure of Keats’ northern tour. On arriving at Inverness, he saw a doctor who, according to Brown, found the poet “too thin and fevered to proceed on our journey”. Keats took a coach to the port of Cromarty, from where he caught a boat back home to London, leaving Brown to continue the tour alone. Despite its premature ending, the walking tour of Scotland did provide Keats with the experience and inspiration he had craved. In the three years that followed, he went on to write some of the most memorable poems in the English language before his premature death in Rome in February 1821. S

62 Scotland

RIGHT: Fingal’s Cave on the Isle of Staffa

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MADE IN SCOTLAND

| Whisky

DECLINE AND RISE

Our Master of Malt turns his attention to Campbeltown, one of the often-overlooked whisky regions Words by JOHN LAMOND

ampbeltown is, geographically, the smallest of Scotland’s whisky regions. In the Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009, it is constituted as “comprising the South Kintyre ward of the Argyll and Bute Council as that ward is constituted in the Argyll and Bute (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006(13)”. In the Statistical Account of 1795, it was reported that there were 32 licensed stills in and around Campbeltown,

RIGHT: Cask stencils at Springbank Distillery in Campbeltown

64 Scotland

which produced 25,150 gallons of whisky annually. And remember, these were licensed stills at a time of very high levels of illicit distillation. In 1891, Campbeltown, with a population at that time of only 1,969, had 19 licensed distilleries and by then the town was known as ‘Whisky City’. You could say that they were a spirited people, they were certainly very wealthy: at that time, it was reputed to be the wealthiest town in Britain per capita. Over time, the number of distilleries has fluctuated greatly. The early years of Prohibition in the US saw huge growth in demand as the town is two tides closer to America than Glasgow, but greed spelled the town’s downfall. Short cuts were taken and the quality dropped and after Rieclachan Distillery closed in 1934, there were no distilleries left in production in the town. Since then, Springbank, Glen Scotia and Glengyle have reopened. The area had long been a smuggling centre, a fact that was supported by the area’s geography, topography, and independence. The town is 138 miles from Glasgow, a journey that takes three-and-a-half hours by road – on a good day – and yet it is only 12 miles from Ireland. Springbank was established in 1828 by Hugh and Archibald Mitchell and remains owned by the same family almost 200 years later through the company J & A Mitchell & Co Ltd. It was built on the former site of their father’s illicit distillery and its quality was good enough for a certain John Walker of Kilmarnock to buy 118 gallons in 1838 at 8s 8d (£0.43) a gallon. J & A Mitchell is a very obstinate company, single-mindedly doing things its own way. For example, in 2008, when the rest of the industry was greatly ramping up production, Springbank stopped production for six months because it considered that the price of malting barley was excessive. Everything that can be done on site is done on site. Unlike other distilleries, which have a malting team, a brewing team, and a distilling team, Springbank’s team malts the barley on the malting floor, then mashes, brews and distils before starting all over again. The whisky is matured, bottled, and dispatched, all from the location in Longrow on the site of the long demolished Longrow Distillery.

Whisky |

TASTING NOTES ■ Springbank 10 is big-bodied, medium-dry, and fresh with quite a solid and gently earthy peat note and a slight tarry ropes character – water brings out some heather honey and a light melon fruity touch on the nose. The flavour is again big-bodied, medium-sweet, creamy and rich with some marzipan and quite a dark peaty touch. It finishes long, rich, toasty and salty. £42. springbank.scot

■ Glen Scotia Campbeltown Harbour ticks boxes as a typical Campbeltown malt. Its nose is quite full, showing orange, apple, honey, and a hint of tea. With water, the citrus comes out more positively along with a note of tarry ropes on a harbour wall. The flavour is also quite fullbodied, fresh, and medium-dry with good richness and weight, a little spice, some chocolate smoke at the back and a touch of new leather. It finishes long and quite tangy with the fruit and spice lingering over the peat smoke. £35 (US$50). glenscotia.com ■ Today’s retailer is also from Campbeltown: Cadenhead’s is the world’s oldest independent bottler of whiskies. Originating in Aberdeen in 1842, it has long bottled spirits (it was world-renowned for its rums for most of its existence) from all around the world. It was taken over in 1972 by J & A Mitchell who, in addition to the Campbeltown store, have added stores in Edinburgh and London. cadenhead.scot

MADE IN SCOTLAND

Everything that can be done on site is done on site [...] Springbank’s team malts the barley, then mashes, brews and distils it

The distillery has three stills and operates a quirky form of two-and-a-half distillations: the wash still is heated by direct fire, producing the low wines. They are passed to the second still where they are boiled again and flow out as feints, which are then filled into the third still. The spirit cut is separated from the heads and tails and passed on for maturation. Again, to be different, the distillery produces three single malts: Springbank, which I have already described; Hazelburn, which is a fully triple-distilled whisky; and Longrow, which is a heavily peated version of Springbank. Glen Scotia is a distillery that has had a very chequered history. When I visited it around 2003, the brewhouse had no roof and the buildings were seriously in need of TLC. Over the past four or five years, the new owners have spent substantial (and necessary) sums of money on maintenance and as a result their bottlings have also noticeably and pleasantly improved. S

ABOVE: Looking over the rooftops to the harbour at Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula in Argyll

John Lamond is a world-leading authority on whisky and author of several books, including the The Malt Whisky File.

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Words by DR JOSEPH BRENNAN

TAKE PLEASURE IN SCOTLAND’S PIERS Scotland’s rocky coastline meant its piers were more functional than fun, but vital nonetheless

he ‘pleasure pier’ – as a uniquely British construction – was, strictly speaking, a mostly English and Welsh tradition. Though Scots have always derived ‘pleasure’ from their piers, the traditions that were born from these structures were generally of a different type to what most would associate with the pleasure pier today. Almost all of Britain’s piers started out with steamers in mind. However, as the expansion of the rail network during Queen Victoria’s reign took over the role of bringing visitors to the seaside, many of the seaward-stretching piers of England and Wales gradually gave themselves over to promenades and amusements instead. A survey of the relatively small number of piers dotted around the Scottish coast reveals a key observation: these structures are more loch- and riparian-side than seaside, and often in difficult-to-reach locales. This ruled out trains in many cases, preserving their primarily watercraft serving functions. In a pinch, Scotland’s coast was too dramatic, too scenic. That said, Scotland was an immensely fashionable frontier for the Victorian visitor, having its share of resort towns catering to saltwater bathing, mineral baths, and other medicinal seaside obsessions; but Scotland’s piers did not repurpose in the same fashion as their cousins to the south. Scotland offered the Victorians a more rustic retreat, and its piers – plotted along some of the most scenic stretches of sheltered inner coastlines – were the threshold through which many visitors gained access to these shores. In some cases, ‘by-water’ remained the only way of reaching these locations long after the Victorians. Over time, these piers started offering provisions for pleasure, too, and localised leisure activities sprung up on them – such as the swimming club that set up on Edinburgh’s pier at Leith once the sea-traffic had stopped calling.

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Here, we visit six of the pleasure piers still standing in Scotland and remember two that have been lost to time, with their stories revealing the vital link to steamer and ferry services that these structures offered in terms of both livelihoods and leisure pursuits. PS Waverley, for example, is the last remaining seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world and calls in regularly to many of the piers on our tour.

BLAIRMORE PIER (BUILT 1855) Blairmore is an early wooden pier that served steamer traffic from the mid-19th century at a time when country retreats and villas were being built along the Cowal peninsula on the western shore of Loch Long. This was an especially scenic part of Argyll and Bute and a hub for Scottish pier-building. This small village became a major destination due to the pier, attracting more than 4,000 steamers each year at the height of popularity (at the turn of the 20th century). After decline and closure, it made a triumphant reopening for its 150th anniversary in 2005. However, in 2020 a crowdfunding campaign was held to pay for ongoing maintenance and to try and find ways for it to generate income for the future. The original pier ticket office has been lovingly restored as a holiday chalet available for hire. Rates at the ‘Old Ticket Office’ start from £50 for one night in the low season and £375 for a weekly stay in the high. cottages.com; seelochlomond.co.uk/discover/blairmore-cowal

ROTHESAY PIER (BUILT 1884) On the Isle of Bute, this pier is more of a terminus and remains an artery for steamers carrying passengers and cargo from the Clyde. Sadly, its main baronial terminal building was lost to fire in 1962 – replaced with a replica in 1992. Its original Victorian toilets (dating from 1898) still stand, however.

Scottish piers |

NOSTALGIA

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: Portobello Pier, c.1890; PS Waverley, the last seagoing passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world; Dunoon Pier building, a bustling place to visit to this day; Tighnabruaich Pier

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| Scottish piers Tours of the gents (during quiet times) are even possible – for those ladies so inclined! Development of the site has continued into the current century, with today’s visitors enjoying cruises on PS Waverley and pier-adjacent attractions, such as fine gardens.

TIGHNABRUAICH PIER (BUILT 1885) This pier is a listed building within a National Scenic Area along the Firth of Clyde. Of traditional wooden construction, it continues to receive goods and visitors today. In fact, the village – located on the western arm of the Kyles of Bute in Argyll and Bute – was entirely dependent on the pier until 1969, when access was eventually gained via the national road network.

FORT WILLIAM PIER (BUILT 1894) On the eastern shore of Loch Linnhe, Fort William Pier has long provided a gateway to this popular town in Lochaber in the Scottish Highlands, connecting wayfarers with Ben Nevis. A former bait shed on the pier was converted by a local fisherman, Finlay Finlayson, in 1989 and has maintained a reputation for serving the freshest catch with unparalleled views across the loch. The eatery – Crannog Restaurant – remains popular today and offers cruises. Ensure you book ahead of your visit.

DUNOON PIER (BUILT 1835 – REBUILT 1895) This pier shares a resemblance to Rothesay, and Dunoon is the main town along the Cowal peninsula. From the Victorian times to the 1960s, fleets of paddle steamers would bring people from Glasgow to Dunoon on their annual holiday. Even today, the pier has a bustle about it, accommodating three main services: Argyll Ferries, which operates a passenger service to Gourock; Western Ferries, which has the capacity to transport cars; and PS Waverley, which calls in for traditional pleasure cruises during the summer months. piers.org.uk/piers/dunoon

KILCREGGAN PIER (BUILT 1850 – REBUILT 1897) Kilcreggan juts out into the Clyde along the Rosneath peninsula, which separates Gare Loch from Loch Long. It is the last remaining traditional Victorian wooden pier on the Clyde. Its backdrop of handsome houses from the same period is proof of the profitability of piers in Victorian Scotland – built to house the directors of steamship companies. Like at Blairmore, visitors can soak up some Scottish pier history with a stay at one of its original entrance buildings – ‘Pier Cottage’ – or a visit to the museum, which is also housed in one of its original buildings. airbnb.co.uk/rooms/42483974

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: Blairmore Pier’s former ticket office; Dunoon Pier, c.1900; the Victorian gents toilets at Rothesay Pier; West Bay, Rothesay, c.1890

68 Scotland

The piers along Scotland’s shores are all packed with stories. Whether you wish to live among them with a stay in one of their original buildings (at Blairmore or Kilcreggan); or opt for a more imaginative journey, walking the shores of Edinburgh’s beaches, or simply use them as a point to disembark along your journey: tourists, history buffs and local conservationists alike are bound to find that piers are the perfect accompaniment to any Scottish coastal tour. S Dr Joseph Brennan is a travel writer with a penchant for Victorian-era exploration and an enduring love of Scotland. josephbrennan.com

FORGOTTEN PIERS As part of our survey – which is not exhaustive – it is worth remembering two piers that are lost to us, as they have legacies still moored in the places they were built. Both were along the coastal suburbs of Edinburgh, at Leith (Trinity Chain Pier, 1821– 1898) and Portobello (1871–1917). Trinity Chain was designed by Samuel Brown (of Union Bridge fame) as a precursor (built two years prior) to the famous — also lost — Royal Suspension Chain Pier in Brighton, England. The pier fell into disuse before succumbing to a storm. One of the pier’s shoreend buildings, known as the Pier Bar during its lifetime, lives on as the ‘Old Chain Pier’, a popular pub today. oldchainpier.com Portobello Pier resembled more closely the pleasure pier as it is conjured in the popular imagination – as a place to promenade and be seen by visiting or Edinburgh-local society elite. Its attractions included a camera obscura, tearoom and concert hall. It is also notable as the only pier in Britain to be designed by Sir Thomas Bouch, infamous following the Tay Bridge Disaster of 1879. Storm damage, disuse and corrosion of its iron supports led to its demolition, while plans for a restoration of a pier on the site have been ongoing since the 1930s.

NOSTALGIA

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EXHIBITION

| Victoria & Albert

Pictures in time

Watercolours cherished by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, which depict their love and affection for Scotland, as well as each other, have gone on display at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh

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t’s an image not often associated with royal couples – a doting pair spending their evenings happily hunched over their collection of watercolours as they organise them into albums, and reminisce. But this was indeed a favourite pastime of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It’s no secret, of course, that both Victoria and Albert were patrons of the arts – Albert was heavily involved with the Great Exhibition of 1851, and Victoria was a vocal supporter of the Art Union scheme. However, a new exhibition at the Palace of Holyroodhouse focuses on a more personal venture – the recording of the royal couple’s private and public lives through paintings. Victoria and Albert: Our Lives in Watercolours, is the largest collection of the couple’s personal paintings ever to go on display and includes artworks commissioned by Victoria and Albert to capture some of the places and moments special to them – often with artists travelling alongside the royal couple. Paintings going on display include the 1857 artwork by James Roberts, The Drawing Room, Balmoral, which shows a suitably elegant room, with no shortage of tartan – Victoria and Albert embraced the early 19th-century fashion for tartan and were avid fans of Sir Walter Scott and his romantic view of the rugged Highlands.

Victoria & Albert | Another painting, this time by Egron Sellif Lundgren, called The Gillies’ Ball (c. 1859) shows one of the regular Gillies balls that the couple hosted at Balmoral each autumn. Victoria and Albert loved to gift paintings to each other and the watercolour Salmon Leistering in the River Dee by Carl Haag (1853) came about after the artist accompanied the royal party on a trip to watch salmon fishing. Haag made several sketches on the trip and Victoria noted in her journal how he was “much struck with McDonald carrying one of the boys through the water” and so she commissioned Haag to paint the scene as a surprise birthday present for Albert. Victoria and Albert had a habit of travelling incognito through the Scottish Highlands and made four ‘Great Expeditions’ through the Cairngorms in the years shortly before Albert’s death, staying in local inns under pseudonyms such as ‘Lord and Lady Churchill’. A watercolour by Richard Principal Leitch, Crossing the Poll Tarff, 9 October 1861 (c.1862-3) shows one such trip, when the royal party were led on horseback across the river by the Falls of Tarf at the head of Glen Tilt, accompanied by two pipers. Victoria wrote about this moment in her journal: “A few minutes brought us to the celebrated Ford of the Tarff…which is very deep & after heavy rain almost impassable….where the current, from the fine high falls, is

very strong…It was quite exciting.” Albert died shortly after this trip, in December 1861, and so the watercolour albums and the memories they recalled no doubt took on even greater significance for Victoria, and hopefully provided some solace for the grieving queen. As one might expect, the Palace of Holyroodhouse features in several of the works in the exhibition. A scene by Edinburgh artist, George Greig, shows the mourning Queen in her oak-panelled sitting room, which is hung with richly coloured tapestries, in 1863, just a couple of years after her husband’s death. Victoria was fascinated by the palace, calling it the “ancient Palace of my ancestors”. The first monarch to open the palace to the public, it’s thanks to her foresight that you can now enter this very room, now called the Privy Chamber.

EXHIBITION

CLOCKWISE, FROM CENTRE Crossing the Poll Tarff, 9 October 1861, Richard Principal Leitch; Queen Victoria’s Sitting or Morning Drawing Room, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, George Greig; Salmon Leistering in the River Dee, Carl Haag; The Gillies’ Ball, Egron Sellif Lundgren; The Drawing Room, Balmoral, James Roberts

Victoria & Albert: Our Lives in Watercolour is at The Queen’s Gallery, Palace of Holyroodhouse, until 3 October 2021.

Victoria commissioned Haag to paint the salmon scene as a surprise birthday gift for Albert

Scotland 71

ANCESTRY

| Mystery solved

A RIGHT ROYAL RED HERRING

Sometimes family tree research reveals more than you bargained for Words by ANTHONY ADOLPH

Jane Lane helped Charles II escape south, whence he eventually made it to Paris

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Having eliminated a possible baptism for him at Wooburn (the person concerned appearing to have married and had children there), we were left with three possible baptisms for him in 1719/20, but they were all up in Morayshire, in northeast Scotland, under the surname Laing. Returning to George’s will, however, we found another bequest, to ‘my Cousin Janet Mellis of Glasgow wife of William Mellis’. A search for a possible marriage for her revealed, at Forres, Morayshire: ‘William Mellis and Janet Laing married 21 Nov 1798’. It appeared that the Laings may have come from Morayshire to London and changed their spelling to the English ‘Lane’. We researched the Laings of Kinloss, Morayshire and constructed a family tree showing that Andrew Laing, baptised there in 1720, was probably the uncle of Janet Laing who married William Mellis, and this Andrew had a brother John, baptised in 1727. We then looked for the burial of a John Lane in London with an age corresponding to a birth in 1727, and found one in Holborn, London in 1814, aged 87, and a will for him, proved at the PCC the same year. To our delight, we found that this not only named a son George – our George – but also ‘Mrs Davison the niece of the late Bailey John Laing late of Elgin in the county of Murray [i.e., Moray[shire]] Esquire’. Final confirmation of the connection came from Bruce Bishop’s The Lands and People of Moray (part 1), which quotes from an original record, dated 5 July 1777, as follows: “The Council signed a Charter in favour of John Laing (of London)… [granting him] the lands of Over Manbeen sometime belonging to John Laing, merchant in Elgin…” English records naming Scottish relations and Scottish records confirming that John Laing was now ‘of London’ were better proof than we could have hoped for that the Laings of Morayshire had become Lanes of London. Perhaps they started claiming Jane Lane as a relation fancifully, and after a few generations it became ‘family fact’, as happens too often. In truth, there was no connection at all. The truth was there, in the original records of our British archives. S Have your family history traced properly, using original, archival records, by a professional genealogist of more than 30 years’ experience. Anthony Adolph, genealogist, writer and broadcaster, is the author of 10 books, including Collins’ Tracing Your Scottish Family History (2008). anthonyadolph.co.uk; mail@anthonyadolph.co.uk; Callow Farmhouse, Callow, Herefordshire HR2 8DE; 07890 068218

ane Lane (c.1626-1689) was the daughter of Thomas Lane of Bentley Hall, Staffordshire. When Charles II was defeated by Cromwell’s forces at the Battle of Worcester in 1651, he escaped and took refuge at Bentley. Jane happened to have a pass for her and a servant to visit her sister, so she let Charles pretend to be her servant. Thus, she helped him escape south, whence he eventually made it safely to Paris, where the Royalist court in exile was based. Jane later joined the king there, and gossips spoke of her as his lover, even as his ‘wife’. Jane Lane’s fame long outlived her, and in the 19th century, the Lanes of Northchurch House, Hertfordshire made proud claims of their connection to her, claims which passed down – without a family tree to prove it – to a client of mine in New Zealand, who has very kindly allowed me to relate the following story of our efforts to discover the truth. The line went back for sure to George Lane, who died in 1842 aged 82, suggesting a birth in 1761/2. There was a likely baptism for George at St George’s Hanover Square, London in 1761, son of John, but no likely burial for John there, and many possible John Lane baptisms in London – and Staffordshire – but no clues as to which might be correct. Faced with such a predicament, the trick is to try to find out more about the people concerned. My client had already found a will for George, proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) in 1843. Some wills name wife and children alone. Sometimes, though, testators left money to all manner of cousins, and this was the case with George. We tried to identify various of these, to not much effect, until we investigated ‘my Cousin Frances otherwise Fanny Lane daughter of my cousin Andrew Lane of Pishobury Hertfordshire gent[leman]’. We found Andrew’s baptism in 1764 at Haynes, Bedfordshire, son of Andrew Lane, for whom we then found a burial nearby at Old Warden, in Hertfordshire: “Erected by Lord Onglay [more usually rendered ‘Ongley’] in memory of the long and faithful service of Andrew Lain who lived 51 years in the family of the late and present lord, he died Jan’y 20 [or 22 ] 1811 aged 91 years.”

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HISTORY

| The Highland Clearances

Words by ROBERT JAMES

A SCATTERED PEOPLE

In the second part of our story, we look at the hard choice faced by tenants in the north Highlands, which led many to flee Scotland forever

e ended part one of this deep dive into the Highland Clearances in Sutherland with Patrick Sellar’s brutal evictions of the tenants from the inland straths and hills of the Highland Estate of the Countess of Sutherland. Forced evictions and relocation of tenants to the coast continued after Sellar’s departure and while these clearances were not as brutal as those in Strathnaver, they were executed without compassion. Forced evictions from ancestral lands were just the start of the problems for the peasantry. The fifteen thousand people relocated to the coasts were offered small strips of

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ABOVE: A statue at the summit of Ben Bhraggie near Golspie controversially commemorates George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland

unimproved land, the populace so densely packed that 30 families existed on an area that would previously have occupied 12. The Highland croft had been born and with it, a new class of people: crofters. The strips of lands leased to tenants were deliberately designed to be too small to enable them to continue their subsistence farming lifestyle – they would have to participate in the cash economy or starve. The predominant employment opportunity was sea fishing yet people from the inland straths were ignorant of the ways of the sea. Not only did they have no cultural knowledge nor experience of how to

The Highland Clearances |

fish, but they also lacked the right equipment – you cannot catch herring without boats, sails or netting! Eager to remove this barrier to employment, the Countess loaned aspiring fishermen the capital sums required to set themselves up as skippers, with interest charged at 6 per cent. The northern seas are a dangerous place, particularly for inexperienced crews in open boats. The ocean can rise from a placid state into mountainous swells, so terrific in their fury that they defy description. Nevertheless, young men served their dangerous apprenticeship upon the sea with many hundreds losing their lives. In time, despite the obstacles, many went on to become successful fishermen and make more money than they ever dared to dream of. However, good fortune was not evenly distributed. For those tenants relocated to the purpose-built fishing stations on the west and east coasts, access to lowland markets was easy. However, the poor souls inhabiting the north Sutherland

ABOVE: ‘The Last of the Clan’ by Thomas Faed depicting the Highlanders’ emigration was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1865

The strips of lands leased to tenants were designed to be deliberately too small to enable them to continue their subsistence farming lifestyle

HISTORY

coast found life to be very tough indeed. Few harbours were built and those that did exist were handicapped by their geographic distance from their markets – fishing from the north coast was an economic disaster. In 1830 the Countess took a tour of the north and was astonished and distressed at the destitution. So appalled was she at the crofters’ living conditions that she initiated a house building programme. The rude turf houses were to be torn down and replaced by stone-built cottages equipped with windows, a chimney and a slate roof. The Estate provided architects plans gratis but the Countess’s deputies, concerned at the cost to the Estate of such a programme, derailed the benevolence of the Countess by insisting the tenants built these new houses at their own cost. This they did, on fear of eviction, even knowing these expensive dwellings were on rented lands. They had no guarantee of tenure and, if evicted, they would never be compensated for their investment. Crofters did not suffer in silence. They could petition the Countess if they felt they were being unjustly treated but no petition would be considered unless it was certified in writing by the parish church minster as being valid. The problem was that ministers were not only appointees of the Countess, they were her employees and tenants too. Consequently, ministers would seldom endorse their parishioners’

Scotland 75

HISTORY

| The Highland Clearances

complaints, condemning the poor to suffer without recourse or representation. Church ministers never admitted their sycophancy (though they were regularly accused of it), preferring instead to perpetuate the guilt of Scottish Presbyterianism. One minster proclaimed to his parishioners “all the evils inflicted upon you are ordained by God and for your own good”. This was a common justification proclaimed by the established church, a position that would seal its ultimate demise in rural Sutherland, with it largely replaced by the Free Church in the 1840s. Meanwhile, King William IV and his government, recognising the great wealth, power and influence of the Countess and her husband, elevated them to the highest echelons of British aristocracy. In 1833 they became the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland. The accolade came late for the Duke – he was to die six months later. The Duchess outlived him by six years. The 2nd Duke of Sutherland assumed control of the Estate upon his father’s death, but while there was a new man at the helm, the economic revitalisation strategy initiated by his parents continued unabated.

76 Scotland

It is a common misunderstanding that the 1st Duke and Duchess forcibly evicted the native inhabitants from their ancestral lands and sent them overseas. There were no enforced emigrations to the colonies from the Sutherland Estate under their stewardship, though a few thousand did voluntarily emigrate to the USA, Canada and to Australia. It was a deliberate policy of the Estate to retain as many relocated tenants as possible – the financial prosperity of the Estate relied upon their participation in the local economy. However, that position was to change in 1846 when the potato famine that caused so much devastation in Ireland, swept the Highlands of Scotland too. The potato famine crushed the mercantilist policy of the Sutherland Estate. Tens of thousands of people were left destitute, starving and dying on land owned by the richest man in Europe. The 2nd Duke did provide food for his tenants during this time, but it was not philanthropic support. They were fed the bare minimum of food to sustain life in return for their hard labour in his road building programme (the so called ‘Destitution Roads’). He also deferred rent payments to avoid a wave of homeless beggars but when the famine subsided in 1852, the 2nd Duke of

The Highland Clearances |

HISTORY

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Sutherland came to realise that the Sutherland Estate had more people than its economy could support. The Duke, faced with a lingering humanitarian crisis, offered his tenants a bleak choice. Pay your rent arrears and remain a tenant; default on your debt and face eviction; or accept the cancellation of your debt in conjunction with enforced emigration overseas with passage paid for by the Duke. Faced with little choice, many thousands of Sutherland natives accepted the inevitable and departed the homelands of their forefathers, setting sail for an uncertain life overseas. In its scale and ambition, the Sutherland Estate experiment was the most extraordinary example of social engineering in 19th-century Britain, undertaken by the richest family in Europe. Yet it was a failure in no small part because it did not gradually nurture its tenantry into the new practices,

LEFT TO RIGHT: Ceannabeinne near Durness was a thriving township until the Highland Clearances of 1842; a former shepherd’s cottage in Strathmore; a portrait of George Granville SutherlandLeveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland, by an unknown artist, c.1810

In its scale and ambition, the Sutherland Estate experiment was the most extraordinary example of social engineering in 19th-century Britain

demanding instead instant transformation enforced with punitive policies. The 1st Duke invested upwards of £500,000 (£435 million in today’s money) on the programme of economic improvement of the Sutherland Estate; it is doubtful whether that investment has been recouped, even to this day. The pre-clearance life of the Sutherland Highlander was not blissful, they often lived on the verge of hunger and destitution, locked in perpetual feudal servitude. They were, however, a proud people content to follow nature’s seasonal rhythms in a close-knit cohesive social group. The Highland Clearances marked the transition of the native people from clansman to crofter, ending a traditional way of life. The betrayal by the chiefs of their loyal clansfolk marks a dark period in Scottish history – a darkness that is still very much part of the conscience of the modern Scot. The interior of Sutherland was cleared of its people two hundred years ago – today it continues to suffer from depopulation. S Robert James runs North Coast Explorer with his wife Sally-Ann, offering private, bespoke tours of the northwest Highlands, including a three-day tour of places linked to the clearances. northcoast.scot

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SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies

SCOTTISH SOCIETIES If you are interested in joining any of these Scottish Societies, please contact them at the address shown and they will be happy to provide you with membership information.

W W W. C L A N A N D E R S O N S O C I E T Y. O R G

Armstrong Clan Society

Arms awarded by the Lord Lyon in 1985. We invite descendants of the Armstrongs, Crosiers, Fairburns, Groziers and Nixons thru their paternal or maternal lines to join this famous family. We are tax-exempt and publish the ARMSTRONG CHRONICLES quarterly for our worldwide membership.

www.armstrong.org Chris Armstrong, President Armstrong Clan Society P O Box 346 Flowery Branch, GA 30542

Membership is open to those descended from Baird, Barde, Bard, Beard, Beaird, Byrd, Bayard, Bardt, Barth and Biard or varied spellings of the name of Scottish origin. In addition to the Society newsletter and the opportunity to associate with fellow clansmen, members may query the Society genealogist, whose database contains over 100,000 entries of Bairds and related names. For information write: Clan Baird Commander Richard Baird of Rickarton, Ury and Member of the Lochwood, President, Stonehaven, Scotland Scottish Clans and Dr. Debra Baird, Convenor Associations, Inc. www.clanbairdsociety.com

Established 1997

Contact Information: G. Allen Cummings, Secretary 330 S Middleton Drive Unit 203 Calabash, NC 28467

Website:

www.clancumming.us

CL AN ANDERSON and the Chief, Hope-Vere Anderson, invites membership from Anderson descendants and those bearing the name Anderson. Contact casltd73@gmail.com for more info, or Clan Anderson, 3734 Hunting Ridge Dr. SW, Lilburn, GA, 30047 or c/o Barbeth, New Abbey, Dumfries DG2 8DB Scotland.

Clan Cumming Society USA

Celebrating 175 years of Home, Family and Love. 708-447-5092 | ChicagoScots.org

CLAN CAMPBELL SOCIETY (NORTH AMERICA) A society for Campbells, members of recognized septs, their descendants and their friends. Recognized septs include: Ballantine, Burnett, Burns, Caddell, Calder, Harris, Hastings, Loudon, MacArthur, MacConachie, MacDiamid, MacIver, McKellar, MacKelvie, MacKessock, MacNichol, MacTavish, MacThomas, Moore, Muir, Orr, Pinkerton, Thomas, Thompson.

Prospective members, please email membership@ccsna.org or visit www.ccsna.org

CLAN CARMICHAEL USA

The Scottish Home CLAN DAVIDSON 2800 Des Plains Avenue SOCIETY Invites membership from Davidsons of all spellings N. Riverside, IL 60546 and of all septs and descendants from Scotland. Write for application form: John Dawson PMB 132, 10 Benning St. Lebanon, NH 03784 john@jdawsonservices.com www.clandavidsonusa.com

A nationwide organization of over 2,000 families who trace their ancestry to any of the branches of Clann Domhnaill. We embrace all the MacDonalds and other surnames that are recognized as branches or adherents of the greatest of the Highland clans.

Marion Schmitz,

CDUSA Membership Secretary 1685 Casitas Ave. Pasadena, CA 91103 membership@clandonaldusa.org

clandonaldusa.org

President Don Carmichael Membership Chair Adele C. Harrah 3732 W. Palo Alto Avenue Fresno, CA 93711 membership@clancarmichael.com www.clancarmichael.com

Clan Blair Society Membership cordially invited from Blair descendants, and other interested parties.

clanblair.org

Russell McCrary Email: clanmembership@clanblair.org

Family of Bruce International, Inc., USA

Family of Bruce International, Inc., USA, the only such organization recognized by the hereditary chief of the Name of Bruce, The Rt. Hon. Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, is a non-profit organization established to create kinship amongst its family members and promote interest in the Family of Bruce and its history. Membership is open to persons who qualify by surname, by descent, or by recognized septs: Carlisle, Carruthers, Crosby, Randolph and Stenhouse. Associate membership is also available.

Membership inquiries should be directed to: Donald E. Bruce, FSA Scot President 1051 Eagle Ridge Trail Stillwater, MN 55082 bruce1051@comcast.net

Polly A. (Bruce) Tilford, Secretary 5561 Earl Young Road Bloomington, IN 47408

www.familyofbruceinternational.org

HOUSE OF BURNETT, INC.

Sanctioned by James C.A. Burnett of Leys,

Chief of the Name, and Head of the House of Burnett

Contact: Jackelyn A Daugherty, Secretary PO Box 666 Topock, AZ 86436 (928) 788-9434 jdaugherty@1791.com

78 Scotland

Forbes Clan-Forbes.org @ClanForbesSociety

Clan Crawford Association Membership extended to all Crawford’s of various spellings worldwide. Join to preserve our legacy & receive assistance with events, heraldry, highland games, DNA genealogy, forums, surname history, quarterly newsletter and more. Joanne Crawford, Board of Directors jcrawfordphd@sbcglobal.net

www.clancrawfordassoc.org

Clan Cunningham International Open to all Cunninghams and associated families from the District of Cunninghame. Write to:

Kathleen Lester 2201 CR 44800 Blossom, TX 75416

www.clancunninghamintl.org

president@clan-forbes.org Sign up for a free e-newsletter!

Clan Dunbar

DUNBARS OF THE WORLD, UNITE! Join your clan, wherever you are, and learn more of the illustrious history of the great family that once owned huge amounts of Scotland. Meet the warriors, maidens, bish-ops and merchants whose talent, bravery, politics and poetry made the name reverberate throughout the Middle Ages. Under the leadership of Sir James Dunbar, BT, Chief of the Name, and Chieftain David C. Dunbar, Clan Dunbar is now International. **Exciting DNA Project ** Clan Tour of Scotland with focus on Dunbar history planned for summer of 2019 ** Interactive Clan Website ** Genealogists CONTACT: Kathryn Dunbar, Secretary, PO Box 1493, Tomball, TX 77377-1493; Chieftain@ClanDunbar.org

www.ClanDunbar.com

Scottish Societies | SCOTLAND Clan Hope of Craighall Society

CLAN ELLIOT SOCIETY, U.S.A.

For all of the name and lineage of Hope

INTERNATIONAL & AUSTRALIA President & Commissioner: Stephen J. Hope president@clanhope.org www.clanhopeaustralia.org UNITED STATES of AMERICA High Commissioner: Richard Rex Hope highcommissionerusa@clanhope.org Membership Chair: Cynthia Hope Henderson membership@clanhope.org www.clanhope.org CANADA Commissioner: Scott Hale commissioner@clanhope.ca www.clanhope.ca SCOTLAND Commissioner: Colin Douglas Hope commissionerscotland@clanhope.org www.clanhope.org

Welcomes membership of all who are connected with this great border family. William Elliott, Clan President. Direct inquiries to: Membership-Treasurer Jim Dougherty 160 Webb Town Road Tunnel Hill, IL 62792 https://elliotclan-usa.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ClanHopeofCraighall

Clan Irwin Association Chief and Patron

SALTOUN SALTOUN SALTOUN

LOVAT LOVAT LOVAT

Operating under the authority of The RT. Hon. Lady Saltoun, Chief of the name of Fraser The RT Hon. Lord Lovat, Of the Clan Fraser of Lovat Registered members are invited to share in the bond of this heritage and receive the Nessie newsletter. For membership and information please visit www.CFSNA.com

Alexander H. Irvine, 27th Baron & Laird of Drum, Chief of the name Contact: Barbara Edelman 65 Colonial Drive Telford, PA 18969 215-721-3955 barb3.edelman@gmail.com www.clanirwin.org www.facebook.com/groups/clanirwin * Twitt@Clan_Irwin IRWIN * IRVINE * IRVIN * IRVING * ERWIN And the many other spellings of the name

CLAN LAMONT SOCIETY of North America

Organized July 1975 The first worldwide Clan Graham Organization

CLAN GRAHAM SOCIETY Ne Oublie • “Do Not Forget” to join us!

www.clangrahamsociety.org www.facebook.com/ClanGrahamSociety

Clan Hamilton Society

Hamiltons and those of Hamilton descent are cordially invited to join the Society. Visit our website: http://www.clanhamilton.org

The Society invites membership from residents of North America who are descendants of Lamont families of Scotland and the Septs of Clan Lamont. Send inquiries to: Frank C. Brown, Secretary/ Treasurer, 900 Gatling Pointe Parkway, Smithfield, VA 23430; 757-279-0812; clsnatreasurer@gmail.com. www.clsna.us

Clan Leslie Society International The Honorable Alexander Leslie Chief of Clan Leslie Loren Leslie, Chieftain Septs: Abernethy, Bartholomew, Carnie, Lang & More (Moore) Send inquiries to: Linda Flowers, CLSI Treasurer, 302 SW 3rd, Tuttle, OK 73089 Email: lflowjingo@sbcglobal.net www.clanlesliesociety.org

Clan MacAlister Society An Educational 501(c)(3) Non Profit Corp.

Representing MacAlister Clansmen Worldwide MacAlester, Alexander, Alison, Alister, Loup, Lister, Sanders, Sandy, Saunders Stewart McA. Flora, Chairman clanmacalisterpres@gmail.com www.ClanMacAlisterSociety.org

Inquiries should be sent to: Sherri Lambert, Treasurer PO Box 5399 Vernon Hills, IL 60061

The Clan Hannay Society

For those with family names of Hannay, Hannah, Hanna and Hanney. Membership Sec: Mrs. Jacquie Hannay 5 Picket Cross, Bankend Road, Dumfries DG1 4AH SCOTLAND www.clanhannay.org

April Rich Membership Chair 218 Oxbow Drive Willimantic, CT 06226 clanhaymembership@hotmail.com

www.ClanHay.com The American Branch of the First Family of Scotland welcomes inquiries from descendants of Hay / Hayes / Haynes, Constable, Delgatie, Erroll, Gifford, Leith, MacGarra, Peebles and Turriff

Membership invited from all U.S. residents of or connected to the name in any of its recognized forms. INQUIRIES TO: Roger H. Johnston 107 Stellamar Drive Hutto, TX. 78634 texscott2020@gmail.com Visit the Clan Website: http://www.clanmacgillivray.net

Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc.

Clan MacDougall Society Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc. of North America, Inc. Valerie McDougall VP Membership

Valerie McDougall VP Membership

PO Box 338047 PO BoxMcDougall, 338047 Valerie VP Membership Greeley, CO. 80633 80633 MacDougall MacDowall MacDowall POGreeley, BoxCO. 338047, Greeley, CO. 80633 Home Page:ww.macdougall.org Email:membership@macdougall.org HomeEmail:membership@macdougall.org Page:ww.macdougall.org • www.macdougall.org Email: membership@macdougall.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall Facebook: www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall Names with Clan MacDougall of Argyll Names Associated with Clan MacDougall of Argyll Names Associated withAssociated Clan MacDougall of Argyll and Clanof MacDowall of Galloway and Clan and MacDowall Galloway Clan of MacDowall Galloway

MacDougall

Macoual Coul MacCoul Coul MacoualMacCoul Coul MacCulloch Dulothe MacCowan MacConcher MacDugle Conacher MacConcher MacConacher Conacher MacConacher Conacher MacClintock MacDoual M’Gowall MacDowall Coyle MacCoyle MacDill Coyle MacCoyle MacDill Coyle MacCowan MacDougall MacLintock McDowell Dole MacDole Dole Mcdougle McDoll MacDole Dole MacHale MacLugash McDoll MacCullich Dowdle MacHowell MacDugal Macoual MacCullagh Dulothe MacDulothe Dowdle Dulothe Dowdle MacDulothe Doual MacKichan MacDowal MacConcher McLintock MacDoual McDougal Doual MacDoual Doual McDougal Dougal MacLinden MacDill McCown MacDougall MacDougald Dougal MacDougallDougalMacdowell MacDougald Dougle MacLucas McLullich McDoll Mactheul Mcdougle Dougle Mcdougle DougleMcCulloch McDougald Dugal MacCoul MacDulothe McDougald McCown MacDugal MacDugle Dugal MacDugal Dugal MacLintock MacDugle Dowall MacConacher McDougal MacNamell MacDowal Dowall MacDowal DowallMacowen MacDowall MacDowel MacCoyle MacDougald MacDowall MacClintock Lullich MacDole McHoul McDougald McDowell MacLuke Macdowell MacDowell MacdowellMacDowell McDowell Lullich May MacCullich Lullich McLullich MacCullich Spelling Variations Vary McLullich or Omit the Mac, Mc McCulloch MacCullagh MacCulloch McCulloch MacCullochMacCullagh MacLintock McLintock MacClintock MacLintockMacClintockMcLintock McCown MacCowan Macowen MacCowanMcCownMacowen Mactheul MacHale McHoul MacHale MactheulMcHoul McCown MacHowell MacCowanMacHowellMcCownMacCowan Int’l Assn. of Clan MacInnes (Aonghais) M’Gowall MacNamell MacKichan M’Gowall MacKichan MacNamell Worldwide, we welcome descendants of all spelling MacLinden MacClintock MacLintock MacClintock MacLinden MacLintock MacLucas MacLugash MacLuke MacLucas MacLugash MacLuke variations, including (Mc)Angus, (Mc)Canse, (Mc)Ginnis,

Clan MacInnes

Spelling Spelling Variations May Vary or Omit the Variations Mac, Mc May Vary or Omit the Mac, Mc

(Mc)Guenis, (Mc)Inch, (Mc)Innes, (Mc)Innis, (Mc)Kinnis, (Mc)Masters, (Mc)Neish, (Mc)Ninch, and more. Scott Mcinnis, Member Services: scott@macinnes.org or visit: www.macinnes.org

MACGREGOR AMERICAN CLAN GREGOR SOCIETY Founded in 1909 and the only officially recognized Clan Gregor organization in the USA. If you believe you are a Gregor, MacGregor, McGregor or one of the Septs, contact our registrar. Gregor Gregory Gregg

Grier King Lecky

MacAdams Magruder McGehee

McNish Peter many others

Registrar: Jeanne P., Lehr, 11 Ballas Crt, St. Louis, MO 63131 www.acgsus.org

Clan Macneil

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

Invites all Macneils . . . regardless of surname spelling, some of which are listed below: MCNEILL MACNEIL MACNEAL MACNIEL MCNEELY NEAL NEILSON O’NEILL to join us in preserving our heritage. Contact: Sally Mitchell, VP Membership, 183 Pheasant Walk Way, Vilas, NC 28692, 770-713-3544; Email: membrshipcma@gmail.com or visit www.clanmacneilusa.us

Clan MacKinnon Society Since 1891

Family | History | Philanthropy | Fun Septs: Love, MacKinney, MacKinning, MacKinven, MacMorran, Morren, Sherry

www.TheMacKinnon.com ClanMacKinnonSociety@gmail.com / @The_MacKinnon @TheMacKinnon

CLAN POLLOCK Among the Most Ancient Families of Scotland. If you are a descendant of Pollock, Pollok, Pook, Polk, Polke, Paulk, Poalk, Poalke, Poulk, Poolke, Pogue, you are cordially invited to contact: Archie D. Pollock, Jr. P. O. Box 404, Greenville, Ky 42345 (615) 456-1699 apollockis@comcast.net

Scotland 79

SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies

Clan Maclachlan Association of North America, Inc. All spellings of MacLachlan, Gilchrist and MacEwen. Founded in 1965.

CMANA, Inc.

Lt. Governor John Cherry, Treasurer JCherry@aol.com www.cmana.net

www.facebook.com/ClanMacLachlanSociety

Clan MacLaren Society of North America

MACLAREN MACLAURIN LAWRENCE LAWSON LOW[E] LOW[E]RY LAW[E] PATTERSON MACPATRICK MACRORY

Recognized by the Chief of Clan MacLaren

Mark McLaren, FSA Scot President 611 Indian Home Rd. Danville, CA 94526 President@clanmaclarenna.org

Clan Macnachtan Association Worldwide

Descendants andSepts of the CLAN MACNAUGHTON are invited to join our Worldwide Association to learn and share our MacNaughton and Scottish heritage. For more info go to: clanmacnaughton.net or contact Mary Nivison Burton, Membership Secretary at: membersec@clanmacnaughton.net New Second Edition!

A History of the Clan Macnachtan Paperback available through Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca

CLAN MacLELLAN John B. McClellan, Jr. Treasurer Clan MacLellan 383 Ash Brook Lane Sunnyvale, TX 75182-3250 treasurer@clanmaclellan.net

Welcomes MacLellans and their descendants regardless of surname spelling to join in preserving our heritage. Family names include: MacClellan(d), McClellan(d), McLellan(d)

ClanMacRae MacRaeSociety Society Clan ofofNorth NorthAmerica America Granted GrantedArms Armsinin2008 2008

We invite MacRaes of all We invite MacRaes of all spelling variations and their spelling variations descendants to joinand ourtheir Clan descendants to join ouryour Clan MacRae Society. Learn MacRaeMacRae Society. history Learn your Scottish and family lineage! Scottish MacRae history and

family lineage! www.macrae.org Need more info? Contact: www.macrae.org Bruce McRae, President

303-670-9611 Need more info? Contact: brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com

Moffet Maffat Maffit Muffet Morphat Morphit

Moffett Maffatt Maffitt Muffett Morphatt Morphitt

Other spelling variations may be recognized!

www.clanmoffat.org

Anyone bearing the name MacTavish or any of the recognized connected names and their descendants and all variant spellings are invited to join us to celebrate our history. Members receive a newsletter, the “Non Oblitus” and support in doing family genealogy.

Cash - MacTavish - Stephenson - Stevens Stevenson - Thompson - Thomson For membership information please visit us at www.clanmactavish.org www.facebook.com/ClanMacTavish or contact: Clan MacTavish Treasurer

Clan MacTavish

membershipsecretary.mactavish@gmail.com

23 Garland Rd. Lancaster, NH 03584

Muirhead Clan Society

CLAN MAITLAND SOCIETY

CHIEF: IAN MAITLAND The Earl of Lauderdale WE ARE ALL RELATED! Contact your local society NORTH AMERICA Rosemary Maitland Thom Rthomnvprdcan@aol.com www.clanmaitlandna.org AUSTRALIA Amanda Maitland 6/1 Hinemoa Avenue, Normanhurst NSW 2076 clanmaitland@yahoo.com.au NEW ZEALAND Judette Maitland 33 Disley Street, Highbury, Wellington 6012 NZ judette@xtra.co.nz We welcome all with Maitland, Lauderdale, Maitlen and similar name spelling. See the entire list and your family history at: www.clanmaitland.org.uk

CLAN MATHESON SOCIETY 2021 International Clan Gathering & Parliament July 8-11, 2021

www.clanmuirhead.com

Crest Badge Of Clan Member

Chev. Raymond L. Morehead, GOTJ, FSA Scot. President/Chief E lect 6522 194th Avenue E . Bonney Lake, W A 98391 1-253-219-8736 E -mail: raymond@clanmuirhead.com

Nesbitt Nisbet Society of North America Clan Nisbet, a Borders family, welcomes Nesbit/Nisbet and all various spellings worldwide. Share our history and learn about Alexander Nisbet, Scotland’s famous author of heraldry. For more information, visit www.ibydeit.org or contact Dave Nesbitt Harvey, President, at dharvey@ibydeit.org.

Clan Ross America

Representing the great Highland Clan of Ross since 1976

Sir Alexander Matheson of Matheson, Bt., Chief of Clan Matheson, Invites all Mathesons/Mathiesons/Mathisons and other variations of the name and supporters of Clan Matheson to gather as the Honored Clan at the 65th Annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games & Gathering O’ Scottish Clans

Clan MacNicol of North America

Clan Maxwell

80 Scotland

Moffatt Moffitt Maffett Muffatt Muffitt Morphett

The only organization authorized and under the patronage of the 27th Hereditary Chief of Clan MacTavish, Steven MacTavish of Dunardry.

Visit our website: www.clanmaclellan.net

Canadian Membership Secretary Jacques McNicoll Website www.clanmacnicol.org E-mail mcnicollclan@videotron.qc.ca Postal Address 202 rue Berlioz Apt. 203, Verdun, Québec H3E 1B8, Canada

Moffat Moffit Maffet Muffat Muffit Morphet

Bruce McRae, President 303-670-9611 CLAN MACTAVISH Inc. brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com

Visit www.clanmathesonusa.org for more information, Colvin Matheson, Chief’s Lieutenant, USA colvinmatheson@verizon.net

President and Deputy Membership Secretary Jeremy Nicholson Website www.clanmacnicol.org E-mail presidentna@clanmacnicol.org Postal Address P.O. Box 501166 Atlanta, GA 31150-1166, USA

Invites membership from Moffats of all spellings. Spouses and those legally adopted by Moffats are also eligible for membership.

Scholarships available for Scottish studies.

Chief John MacNeacail of MacNeacail and Scorrybreac Clan MacNicol, a small but vibrant Clan active in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland and the U.S.A. From the misty Isle of Skye, the Hebrides and the Northwest Highlands, the sons and daughters of MacNicol, Nicol, Nicolson (and of other spelling variations) have spread to six continents. Nearly two centuries ago, the Chiefly line emigrated to Australia where it thrives to this day. Membership open to all who acknowledge the Clan Chief as its leader and wish to join the Society. New members receive a copy of the book on Clan history and two Clan newsletters during the year.

CLAN MOFFAT SOCIETY

SOCIETY

Adair Maxton Blackstock Mescall Dinwiddie Monreith Dinwoodie Moss Edgar Nithsdale Herries Paulk Kirk Peacock Kirkland Polk Latimer Pollo(c)k Latimore Sturgeon MacKittrick Wardlaw PO Box 3225, Staunton, VA 24401

www.clanmaxwellsociety.com

Paul D Ross, President Virg Bumann, VP Membership 1015 Archer St. San Diego, CA 92109 membership@clanross.org info@clanross.org www.clanross.org

RBANA RBANA

Robert Burns Association of North America Robert Burns Association of North America Welcomes membership of all who are interested in the Life Welcomes membership of all who are interested in the Life and Works of the Scottish Bard Robert Burns, as well as and Works of the Scottish Bard Robert Burns, as well as Scottish literature and culture. RBANA is an association Scottish literature and culture. RBANA is an association dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of the life, dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of the life, works and philosophy of Scotland’s National Bard – Robert works and philosophy of Scotland’s National Bard – Robert Burns, as well as to the promotion of Scottish culture and Burns, as well as to the promotion of Scottish culture and heritage in North America. heritage in North America. Contact Details: Contact Details: Secretary: secretary@rbana.com Secretary: secretary@rbana.com President: president@rbana.com President: president@rbana.com Website: www.rbana.org Website: www.rbana.org

Scottish Societies | SCOTLAND

Clan Uisdean, USA

CLAN SHAW SOCIETY Invites membership or inquiries from all: Shaw, Ayson, Adamson, Esson, MacAy, MacHay, Shiach, Sheach, Sheath, Seith, Seth, Skaith, Scaith and Shay. Mike Shaw, Secretary 2403 West Crawford Denison, TX 75020

Founded

Defenders of Freedom, Mindful of Knowledge & Labor

1756

Dedicated to the preservation of the legacy of the families McCuistion, McCuiston, McQuiston, McQuistion, McQuesten, McChristian, McQuestion, McQueston and all variations thereof in the United States, who are descendants of Uisdean, son of Alexander McDonald, Lord of the Isles, Earl of Ross and Justiciar of the Highlands. Uisdean is also a descendant of Robert the Bruce, hero-king of Scotland. Contact: BJ McCuiston, Secretary, PO Box 2193 Gilroy, CA 95021-2193 or billiejo@garlic.com

Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York 150 East 55th Street - 3rd Floor New York, NY 10022 David M. Murphy, 103rd President Tel. 212/223–4248; Fax 212/223–0748 www.standrewsny.org KENNEDY SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA

Clan Wallace Society

cordially invites membership inquiries from all descendants of Kennedy and the Clan Septs: Cannaday Kanaday Cassels Cassillis Carrick MacUlrick MacWalrick Ulric

Celebrating over 50 years. For more information contact our membership chairman at membership @clanwallace.org.

(some spellings may vary)

Colleen Caldwell, Membership Chairman Kennedy Society of North America 2115 Pierpont S. Estates Morgantown, West Virginia 26508 c_caldwell83@yahoo.com www.kennedysociety.net

St Andrews Society of the City of Milwaukee

SCOTTISH HERITAGE USA, INC.

P.O. Box 457, Pinehurst, NC 28374

Supporting the work of the National Trust for Scotland and providing grants to non-profits promoting and preserving Scottish Tradition, history, crafts and culture. shusa457@gmail.com www.scottishheritageusa.org

REL I

H E FI R S

www.standrewssocietymilwaukee.org Contact: Tom W estgaard, FSA Scot Phone 414-421-1598 P.O. Box 210 288 Milwaukee, W I 53221-80 0 5

H E FI R S

THEROBERT ROBERT BURNS BURNS SOCIETY THE SOCIETY OFCHARLESTON CHARLESTON OF

The Clan MacThomas Combie McColm McComas McComb(e) McCombie McComie McComish

SEPT NAMES

MacOmie

Cocktail and Clarsach * Haggis Cere * Four-Cour Plated Me

Regimental MacOmish Pipes

And Drums, Tamthe Citadel

Thom * Thomas Dance Thoms * Thomson Valet Service www.clanmacthomas.org

Andrew MacThomas of Finegand, 19th Chief, welcomes members. Please direct inquiries to: Cathy McComb Ludemann North American Branch membership-na@clanmacthomas.com

MMXX MMXX PRESENTS

THE CHARLESTON PRESENTS THE CHARLESTON TARTAN BALL TARTAN BALL 5 November 2021

est. 1849, Michigan’s Oldest Charitable Organization and The Oldest Continuous Highland Games in North America Come Join the Fun!

The 5Daniel Island November 2021Club Charleston, SC

St. Andrew’ s Society of Pitts burgh

www.s tandrews p itts burgh.org or call Paul Thompson 724-468-5800

website: http://clanwallace.org

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St. Andrew’s Society of Detroit 2363 Rochester Road Troy, MI 48083 www.detroitscots.com

Welcomes Scots and all interested in Scottish heritage and traditions

Membership Chairman: Charles W allace 4634 N. Beechwood Drive Macon, GA 31210 -230 4

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Like Us On Facebook

www.theargyllcolonyplus.org

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Join us to learn more about your highland heritage and an opportunity to publish your own research

ED E TH ISTRE EV

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50 6 Shinnecock Court New Bern, NC 28562

A O F M I LW

NC Scottish Heritage Society

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For a list of spelling variations and septs Webs ite: www.clans inclairus a.org

A O F M I LW

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Membership Contact Keith A. Sinclair ClanSincMembership@gmail.com

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President Tom H. Robinson TomHRobinson@aol.com

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Come j oin ( and enj oy) your Sinclair family

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Do you know who came to North America almost 10 0 years before Columbus’ famous voyage? Prince Henry Sinclair in 1 3 9 8

ST A N

Clan Sinclair As s ociation, Inc. ( U .S.A.)

The Daniel Island Club

n Young Cla

A charitable & s ocial “We organiz ation formed to p romote fellows hip among thos e s urnamed Y oung, des cendants of any Scots man and anyone interes ted in all things Scottis h.

Ride!”

For membership information, contact Linda Y oung- Sheik o M embers hip Secretary (6 1 6 ) 5 8 1 -2 2 2 9

clanyoungmembership@yahoo.com www.clanyoungsociety.com

• Cocktails and Clarsach Charleston, SC

• Haggis Ceremony Black Tie, Highland Evening Dress, Mess Dress

(Miniatures) • Four-Course Plated Meal • Regimental Pipes And Drums, the Citadel • Dance • Valet Service Tickets: www.burnscharleston.org Black Tie, Highland Evening Dress, Mess Dress (Miniatures) Tickets: www.burnscharleston.org Scotland 81

Books |

READING CORNER

THE LIBRARY

Double murder, proverbial wisdom and some political postulation are on our reading list this issue

NATURE

FICTION

TRADITIONS

FICTION

POLITICS

Wild Winter: In Search of Nature in Scotland’s Mountain Landscape

A Killing in Van Diemen’s Land

Scottish Proverbs

The Other Side of Stone

BY COLIN S.K WALKER

BY LINDA CRACKNELL

Nation to Nation: Scotland’s Place in the World

If you love linguistic history, this little illustrated book is a treasure trove. It’s packed with more than 1,000 alphabetised sayings that explore how proverbs – often described as ‘the wisdom of many and the wit of one’ – provide insight into the social and cultural lives of past and present generations. Alongside those that have been in common usage for hundreds of years, you’ll also find some more modern proverbs, all recorded in colourful colloquial language, for example: ‘The fish that sooms in a dub will aye taste o’ mud’, which means ‘You can never change your upbringing’. (£6.99, Birlinn Ltd) birlinn.co.uk

The latest work by Saltire-shortlisted Linda Cracknell, this novel is set in a Perthshire woollen mill and uses real history to illustrate the impact of industrialisation on rural Scotland. It also spotlights the struggle for women’s rights: the protagonist, Catherine, a cotton spinner from Paisley, is a fierce suffragette, who has followed her husband to the village where he’s begun work at a local mill. Both militant members of the Labour Movement, their story develops alongside those of other characters, such as a 19th-century stone mason and modern-day architect. (£14.99, Taproot Press) taprootpressuk.co.uk

BY DOUGLAS WATT

BY JOHN D. BURNS

Author of The Last Hillwalker and Bothy Tales, John Burns is a bestselling and awardwinning mountain writer who has spent over 40 years exploring Britain’s mountains. In this book, he sets out on his most inclement adventure yet, walking from the mouth of the River Ness to the Isle of Mull, and from remote Sutherland to the Cairngorms in winter, in search of rutting red deer, pupping seals, minke whales, pine martens and more. He finds a habitat in crisis, but also rewilding projects and a deep connection with the land. (£7.99, Vertebrate Publishing) v-publishing.co.uk

Investigative advocate John MacKenzie and his sidekick Davie Scougall return for the thrilling fifth instalment of this gripping Scottish historical crime series. Set in Edinburgh in 1690, when Jacobite and Williamite armies jostled in Ireland to determine who would be King of Scotland, England and Ireland, it is a time of upheaval, uncertainty and fear. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is dragged out of retirement to solve the double murder of a city merchant and church elder Jacob Kerr, who was stabbed to death in an apparent robbery gone wrong. (£8.99, Luath Press) luath.co.uk

BY STEPHEN GETHINS

With the prospect of a second referendum on Scottish Independence looking more likely, this exploration of Scotland’s role on the world stage is timely to say the least. In the first book of its kind, former MP, SNP spokesperson on International Affairs and Special Adviser on International Affairs in the Scottish Government, Stephen Gethins considers what Scotland’s foreign policy footprint is and how it can be used by the UK as a resource, or otherwise provide the foundations for a Foreign Ministry in a newly Independent Scotland. (£12.99, Luath Press) luath.co.uk

Scotland 82

SCOTLAND — 2022 Escorted Tours — British Isles

Scotland: Dumfries and Galloway England: Hadrian’s Wall, Lake District Wales: Snowdonia National Park, Welsh Castles Ireland: Dublin, the magnificent Neolithic site at Knowth in Bru Na Boinne, Belfast

May 5-19, 2022 • 14 Nights • $5,795

Special 19th Annual Outlander Tour®

Western & Northern Isles of Scotland

A combination tour of the popular Lords of the Isles and Viking Treasure. Skye, Lewis, Harris, Orkney, the Northwest and Northeast coasts, and the Highlands. Includes the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

August 11-27, 2022 • 16 Nights • $5,995

19th Annual Outlander Tour®

Based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon. An extended version of the 9-night Outlander Tour. The addition of the Isle of Lewis, the Calanais Stone Circle, and other archaeological wonders of the Outer Hebrides, makes this extended version a once-in-a-lifetime adventure!

Based on the book series by Diana Gabaldon. Time travel back to the 18th-century Highlands, where history and fantasy come face to face. See secret places and magical sites that are off the beaten path and that will paint a new portrait of Scotland for you.

June 23-July 4, 2022 • 11 Nights • $4,995

October 2-11, 2022 • 9 Nights • $4,195

Deluxe escorted tours 16-guest maximum

Contact Judy at judy@celticjourneys.us

Scotsmaster / Member of the Better Business Bureau / Licensed and Insured / Tourist Board Certification

www.CelticJourneys.us • (703) 941-6455

Maclaurin

The

A PASSION FOR COLOUR

JOLOMO T H E R E T R O S P E C T I V E . . . . . . . . C O N T I N U E D . .

THE MACLAURIN ART GALLERY, AYR JULY 3RD TO SEPTEMBER 5TH 2021 Maclaurin Art Gallery Rozelle Park Monument Road AYR KA7 4NQ Tel: 01292 445447

www.themaclaurin.org.uk

Open all year round Monday - Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm Sunday 12noon - 5.00pm

The Maclaurin Trust is a Scottish Charity No - 12798