Scotland September/October 2022 by The Chelsea Magazine Company

Queen & Country THE SALTIRE Symbol of Scotland JOHN KNOX Is this Scotland’s most divisive ﬁgure? Heirs & GracesGraces Tracing ancestry Aberdeenshirein ANCESTRY • HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL The world’s leading Scottish-interest magazine How Her Majesty spends her time, both on and o duty ISSUE 124 Sept/Oct 2022 £4.95 COASTSMUGGLERS’ Uncover tales of illicit goings on in Berwickshire experienceaWINLuxuryScotland Myths & Legends Enduring folk tales woven into our favourite places

The Archway Gallery 7 Union St, Lochgilphead PA31 8JS Tel: 01546 606894 Email: info@thearchway.co.uk www.thearchway.co.uk Archway-Gallery archwaythe archwaygallery JOHN LOWRIE MORRISON OBE Blossoms & Boats - Crinan Canal 20TH AUGUST - 10TH SEPTEMBER 2022 JolomoArt JolomoArt JolomoArt

PUBLISHINGChairman

Queen & Country Heirs & GracesGraces both on and o duty COAST experience Myths & Legends This issue, our editor Smugglers’Berwickshire’sexploredTrail Scotland 3 editor@scotlandmag.comfacebook.com/ScotlandMagazine @scotlandmagazine@Scotland_Mag SALLY COFFEY Editor Editor’s letter © The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2022. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission of the publishers. The information contained in Scotland magazine has been published in good faith and every e ort has been made to ensure its accuracy. However, where appropriate, you are strongly advised to check prices, opening times, dates, etc, before making ﬁnal arrangements. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information contained within this publication is hereby excluded. The opinions expressed by contributors to Scotland magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel: 020 7349 3700 Fax: 020 7349 3701 Email: editor@scotlandmag.com Printedwww.scotlandmag.cominEnglandbyWilliamGibbons Ltd Production All Points Media SUBSCRIPTIONS UK and Rest of MarketSCOTLAND,Email:www.scotlandmag.com/subscribeWorld:Tel:+44(0)1858438898scotland@subscription.co.ukSovereignPark,LathkillStreet,Harborough,Leicestershire,LE169EFUSAandCanada:www.britsubs.com/scotlandTel:1-800-925-8215(tollfree)Email:SCOcustserv@cdsfulﬁllment.com Post: SCOTLAND, PO Box 37518, Boone, IA 50037-0518 (USA only); OR SCOTLAND, 1415 Janette Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N8X 1Z1 (Canada only) Annual subscription rates (6 issues) UK – £23.95; USA and Canada – $39.95/$44.95 Rest of World – £39.95; New Zealand & Australia – AUD $79.95 Did you know you can manage your subscription online? Oversee your print and digital subscriptions online today simply by signing up at https://www.subscription.co.uk/chelsea/Solo/. Stay up to date with the latest issues, update your personal details, and even renew your subscription with just a click of a button. Back www.chelseamagazines.com/shopIssuesDistribution Scotland Magazine Issue #124, (ISSN 1475-5505) (USPS 020-429) is published six times a year (bi-monthly) by The Chelsea Magazine Company, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ, UK. Distributed in the U.S. by NPS Media Group, 2 Enterprise Drive, Suite 420, Shelton, CT 06484. Periodicals Postage paid at Shelton, CT and additional mailing o ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Scotland magazine, PO Box 37518, Boone, IA 50037-0518. UK and Rest of World: Seymour, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7429 4000 EDITORIALEditor Sally Co ey Assistant Editor Henrietta Easton Consultant Editor Roddy Martine Art Editor Clare White PR Requests pr@chelseamagazines.comSCOTLAND IS PROUD TO SUPPORT THE SCOTTISH HOTEL AWARDS Simon Temlett, Awards Director simon.temlett@chelseamagazines.com

Paul Dobson Managing Director James Dobson Publisher Simon Temlett Chief Financial O cer Vicki Gavin EA to Chairman Sophie Easton ADVERTISING SALES

Group Sales Director Catherine Chapman Business Development Elizabeth Kenyon Advertising Manager Daisy Welch

If there’s one thing Scottish people are good at above all else, it’s telling a good story. Be it through literature, song, or oral storytelling, Scotland’s tradition of passing down tales of long ago – be they fact or ction – is one of the things that enriches our country’s culture. In Myths, from Mull to Braemar (p62), author Helen Fields goes in search of some of the most enduring of our nation’s folk tales that help keep the magic of our past alive and which have inspired her own stories. One person who undoubtedly heard many tales of long ago while she was growing up was Alison Hughes, and in Buchan and Beyond (p46), she allows us to join her as she travels around rural Aberdeenshire joining up the dots of her family’s story. It makes for riveting reading and will stir memories in many of you, I suspect. This issue, I have been on a few travels of my own. Firstly, in the metaphorical sense as I have traced Her Majesty’s story in Scotland in Queen and Country (p32), and then in a very real sense, hearing tales of smugglers and their illicit activities along the Berwickshire coast on a recent visit to St Abbs (p74). As you can see in the photo above, this coastline may leave you looking and feeling a little windswept, but it’s worth it for the abundance of birdlife, the pretty shing villages, and the slow approach to things. In fact, I liked it so much, I almost didn’t tell you about it. Enjoy the issue.

Tobermory p62 03 Editor’s letter 06 The clan courier Scottish news and the latest travel tips 12 Notes from the isles Our friend uncovers unexpected history in Orkney CONTENTS 58 82 14 We’ve got mail Your letters and stories of Scotland 16 South by Southwest We discover gardens, abbeys, and Scotland’s Book Town in the undervisited region of Galloway 26 Skaill back Orkney’s oldest house has a world-famous Neolithic settlement in its grounds, and its fair share of ghosts 32 Queen & country We take a closer look at the Queen’s main duties in Scotland, and the places she likes to spend her time when her work is done 42 Hotels with history Now owned by Sir Andy Murray, the history of the Cromlix hotel is one of church, court and power Wigtown p16 Cromlix p42 ISSUE 124 Skaill House p26 St Abbs p74 Athelstaneford p52 AdenParkCountryp46

and everything

Scotland 5 Take a teatime break with us Enjoy more essential stories, inbox.straightandtravel,Scottishcoveringhistory,heritageculturetoyourToreceive Scotland’s latest news and exclusive letters from the Editor, simply emailandfromtheeditorscotlandmag.com/visitenteryouraddress. 52 74 42 ANDERSON/PHOTOGRAPHY/SALLYFLINTSCOTLAND/JEREMYOFGALLERIESREEVE/NATIONALANTONIA© HILLAMICHAELILLUSTRATION©MEDIA.BAXTERHOTEL/JASONCROMLIX 44 Travels with Tom Our tour guide talks us through the impact that turbulent times had on the Scottish Borders 46 Buchan & beyond Alison Hughes follows her family’s story in rural Aberdeenshire and falls in love with the region 52 Flying the ag for Scotland We uncover the history of the Saltire, as Scotland’s Flag Heritage Centre reopens 57 Competition Enter our competition to be in with a chance of winning a Luxury Scotland getaway for you and a guest 58 A crofter’s life We meet Seumas Campbell, a farmer continuing the family tradition on Skye, and his lovely sheep dogs 62 Myths, from Mull to Braemar From selkies to ghosts, author Helen Fields takes us on an armchair tour of Scotland’s legends 70 John Knox 450 years after his death, we look back at the life of one of Scotland’s most divisive ﬁgures 74 St Abbs We discover the unassuming ﬁshing village of St Abbs, on Berwickshire’s smugglers’ trail 81 Dates for your diary

Author Rosemary Goring reveals what she discovered when researching her book on Mary, Queen of Scots Saltire, or St Andrew’s Cross, is a symbol of Scotland it stands

The

for

This season’s best events celebrating Scottish culture and history, both in Scotland and overseas The story behind...

COURIERCLAN A beloved hotel celebrates a milestone birthday, and ‘Outlander’ returns to its roots News & events

Scotland 7 ELLIOT/VISITSCOTLANDRICHARD© [ANNIVERSARY]

TURNSKINLOCHLODGE50

One of Skye’s most loved hotels is celebrating a milestone birthday with the release of a new book. The book features 35 recipes from head chef, Jordan Webb – ﬁtting since food has been integral to the hotel’s story – as well as essays from the Macdonald family. One of those essays is by Clare Macdonald, who pioneered the use of local ingredients from Skye’s natural larder at Kinloch shortly after opening the hotel with her husband Godfrey, Lord Macdonald, and High Chief of Clan Donald. The hotel is now run by Clare and Godfrey’s daughter, IsabellaCo-writtenMacdonald.byAlisha Fernandez Miranda, 50 Years, Kinloch Lodge, published in September 2022 (£35), can be bought through the hotel’s website. kinloch-lodge.co.uk

8 Scotland [TRAVEL]

This autumn or winter, you can make the most of the shorter days at a trio of welcoming family-run Skye hotels, which is o ering special deals for this time of year. Picture the scene: you’re enjoying a favourite tipple by the ﬁreside after a bracing walk in the wild, before stepping outside for some star-gazing. Bliss.

The Sonas Collection of hotels, which includes Skeabost, Duisdale, and Toravaig House, all on the Isle of Skye, are o ering a special two-night Misty Isle break from 23 October 2022 to 3 April 2023. Starting at just £75 per person per night (based on two sharing) and including a two-course dinner on the ﬁrst night, complimentary welcome drinks, and a full Scottish cooked breakfast both mornings, this is a great bargain for anyone wanting to see the Isle of Skye at this quiet time of year, when it will almost feel as though you have the island to yourself. skyehotel.co.uk/autumn-winter-breaks [RESOURCES]

COSY DOWN FOR LESS ON SKYE

JACOBITE ONE-STOP-SHOP

With a total of 500 books on the Jacobite era, including the papers of F. Peter Lole, a leading authority on Jacobite glass, a new collection at the AK Bell Library in Perth hopes to become one of the leading resources of Jacobite literature in the world.

Mr Michael Nevin, Chair of The 1745 Association SCIO, an organisation founded almost 80 years ago on the bicentenary of the Raising of the Standard at Glenﬁnnan, which looks after the library, said: “We hope it will become a leading public collection of Jacobite history and materials, not just in Scotland but anywhere in theWhileworld.”many of the books can be read elsewhere, the hope is it will become a central source of research on the Jacobite era. Nevin says: “It is particularly appropriate that the Collection is in Perth, not just because the AK Bell Library is a wonderful, open and airy modern facility, well designed for the post-Covid era, but because Perth was the only city visited by both James Francis Edward Stuart during the Fifteen and his son Charles Edward Stuart during the Forty-Five and is easily accessible to scholars from anywhere in the central region.”

culturepk.org.uk/your-local-library/ak-bell-library/

The ﬁrst ever Sir Jackie Stewart Classic, an event celebrating the life and achievements of the Scottish racing legend known as the ‘Flying Scot’ has been a roaring success, raising over £125,000 for global charity Race Against Dementia.

[SPECIAL GUEST]

OUTLANDER AUTHOR COMES TO INVERNESS

Speaking after the event, Sir Jackie Stewart said: “The event has been way beyond my expectations. This is Scotland at its best. To have everyone here together in these wonderful settings raising awareness and money for such a vital cause close to my heart has been wonderful.”

The author of the Outlander series of books, Diana Gabaldon is gearing up for a starring role at the Eden Court in Inverness this autumn. An Audience with Diana Gabaldon on 15 October 2022 will see the much-loved writer share her inspirations, insight into her research process, talk about her love of Scotland, and even discuss her work-in-progress Book Ten in the series, in what is reportedly her favourite place in Scotland – the capital of the Highlands. Sinead Robertson, chair of local fan group Inverness Outlanders, who invited the author to headline the event, said: “Inverness is the home of Outlander and the starting point of the tumultuous time-travelling storylines set in 18th-century Jacobite Scotland, so it’s very ﬁtting that she has agreed to come to the city which is at the heart of it all. “It’s especially apt that she is visiting during the VisitScotland ‘Year of Stories 2022’, because we can think of no story set in Scotland that has had a bigger or more signiﬁcant worldwide impact than Outlander.”

Tickets for An Audience with Diana Gabaldon at Eden Courtare £20. eden-court.co.uk

Scotland 9

The event, sponsored by Rolex, and held at Thirlestane Castle in the Scottish Borders, attracted over 20,000 motorsport fans over two days in June.

thirlestanecastle.co.uk

[CHARITY] OFF TO A FLYING START

Fans watched in awe as 50 classic and contemporary cars sprinted up the Thirlestane Castle driveway over the weekend, including a Red Bull Formula 1 race car, which also had its own ‘pit’ garage on-site. Sir Jackie Stewart OBE thrilled fans further by driving a 1969 Matra MS-80 02, the car that took him to his ﬁrst Formula 1 World Championship, along the track on both days. Jackie Stewart OBE set up the charity Race Against Dementia to raise money for research into prevention and treatment for dementia, a disease that a ects 50 million people worldwide, including his beloved wife, Lady Helen Stewart.

News & events

SCOTLANDSCOTLAND/VISITMUSEUMSSHIELDS/NATIONALCOUNCIL/DAMIANFIFE©

10 Scotland News & events JOLOMO©

should have just enough time to pop along to the beautiful Blossoms and Boats – The Crinan Canal show at The Archway Gallery in Lochgilphead (until 10 September 2022), and there’s another planned for The Glasgow Gallery (from 22 October 2022). Others will soon follow, as we can’t get enough of him. jolomo.com

1 Edinburgh Printmakers

[DISTILLERY]

EDITOR’S DIARY

A OFBARRELBARRA

2 The Scottish Gallery

4 Lemond Gallery

3 Jolomo Studios

If Scottish fine art is more your thing, then this contemporary gallery just outside Glasgow will delight. Covering everyone from classicists to innovators, its curators are experts in their field and can help you get your fine art collection o the ground or assist you in developing an already impressive one. There are regular exhibitions, including a forthcoming solo show from Joe Hargan Da Pai Ppai (15-23 October), and a big group Christmas show (12-20 November), which both sound great. lemondgallery.com

Another gallery space that is often missed by visitors to the capital is this one, which stands in an a uent part of the New Town, on Dundas Street, in a smart Georgian building. As well as changing exhibitions, it displays a wide range of 20th-century and modern art, including paintings, sculpture, and prints, alongside a collection of craft and design pieces, from ceramics to jewellery, all of which are for sale. scottish-gallery.co.uk

5 Sproson Gallery

A little out of Edinburgh’s city centre, in the former factory headquarters of North British Rubber (who brought the world Wellington Boots), this gallery is continuing to celebrate British makers. There’s a huge printmaking studio, where locals (and those on longer trips) can sign up for courses, an excellent vegan café, and an exciting programme of rolling exhibitions. edinburghprintmakers.co.uk

This gallery in St Andrews is a new venture for a family of picture framers, who have utilised the contacts they have made over the years in the contemporary art world to open a gallery that supports modern artists. There will be lots of exhibitions combining emerging and established talent and I’m told prices will suit all budgets, so it’s one to watch. sprosongallery.com

If, like me, you are a fan of Scotland’s most celebrated living landscape artist, John Lowrie Morrison OBE (Jolomo, see below and our proﬁle on the artist next issue), then it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the Jolomo Studios website to hear about his latest exhibitions. UK readers FIVE OF THE GALLERIESCONTEMPORARYBEST…ART

Each issue, our editor shares some of the events and places that have her circling her calendar. As the weather starts to cool, this issue she’s heading indoors for some culture

The Isle of Barra Distillers, on the Outer Hebridean Isle of Barra, has launched its very first Island Dark Rum – a strong, bold, and rustic rum, inspired by the rocky east coastline of the Isle of Barra, with a smooth finish that is reminiscent of the fine golden sands of the west side of the island. Michael and Katie Morrison, founders of the Isle of Barra Distillery, said: “While our story progresses, our family distillery continually grows. Naturally, as does our product range of fine spirits. Filled with interest and ambition, we understand that perfection takes time. Releasing a rum from the Isle of Barra has always been an interest and a goal of ours and now the time is right for us to explore this spirit.” You can pick up a bottle in the distillery shop, or order online. isleofbarradistillers.com

Your next break to Atholl Estates

Explore the very best that Highland Perthshire has to offer, all from the tranquility of our selfcatering accommodation and Woodland Lodges. Nestled around the estate, there’s the historic Old Blair and newly refurbished Blairinraish Cottages to our intimate Shepherds’ Huts, there really is a lodge for every occassion, each opulently fitted out with everything you need for the perfect Highland break. Visit our website for more information.

A luxurious range of self-catering accommodation set within the stunning Atholl Estates in Highland Perthshire. From grand stately homes to cosy Woodland Lodges, enjoy a Highland getaway like no other.

Your next break to Atholl Estates

www.atholl-estates.co.uk

12 Scotland JOURNAL | Window into Scotland

Words by KATE FRANCIS

ABOVE: Kate and Cronie, her BorderfaithfulTerrier BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: The chapel was designed by artist, and prisoner of war, backbeenPalumbi,fellowwasrood-screenwrought-irontheChiocchetti;DomenicobeautifulinsidemadebyhisprisonerwhohadablacksmithhomeinItaly

This issue our friend takes a treasured trip to the Northern Isles to discover a way of life distinct from her own

My three darling daughters took me on a birthday trip to Orkney recently; sadly, my son couldn’t attend because he was committed to a charity hike in the Becausesouth.of work schedules, we could only stay for two days and nights, but we managed to cram in a full programme. The highlight for me was The Italian Chapel, which has always been on my wish list. The story behind its creation is such an inspiring example of faith and community spirit. During the Second World War, several hundred Italian prisoners, captured during the North African campaign, were sent to Orkney to build the Churchill Barriers to seal off Scapa Flow from enemy invasion. Their quarters were a cluster of grim huts, and their hearts must have sunk on arrival: a permanent cold wind; miles of treeless pasture; almost Arctic winters; ice-cold sea; pasta replaced with haggis and neeps. But despite the daunting difference to their Mediterranean homeland, and contrary to the stories we hear today about the treatment of war prisoners in alien countries, these Italians discovered a community of affectionate people who wanted to make life as bearable as possible for their visitors. It didn’t take them long to settle in and start improving their temporary home. They made a garden with owers and paths, put up a recreation hut with a concrete billiard table

Notes from the Isles

A new commandant, Major Buckland, sensing their homesickness, conferred with their padre, Father Gioacchino Giacobazzi, and one of the prisoners, Domenico Chiocchetti, an extremely talented artist.

The islands were taken over, probably from the Picts, by Vikings from Norway at the end of the 8th century, but in 1468 they were ‘pawned’ by Christian I of Norway, who couldn’t nd the money for his daughter Margaret’s dowry on her marriage to James III of Scotland. The dowry was never paid, so Scotland kept Orkney and the incoming lairds treated the islanders like serfs – hence their antipathy to Scots today. Of the many treasures we visited, Skara Brae stands out next to the chapel in my memory. A cluster of Stone Age houses, it was completely buried during a storm and forgotten for 4,000 years, until another storm uncovered the ruins in 1850. Because there are no trees in Orkney, everything was built of stone – not just the structures, but all the furniture and ttings. The settlement is now below ground level, so you walk round the dunes looking down into the rooms and passageways and marvel at how little the essentials of domestic life – dressers to store food, box beds, basins – have changed. During the Mesolithic period, more than 8,000 years ago, God decided to make some geological adjustments to our world. He sent a massive tsunami to cut off a peninsula from Europe’s western coast and Britain was formed, surrounded byAimingarchipelagos.atdiversity, He varied the scenery in each island group, and the characters of the inhabitants. With our strong Hebridean roots we were conscious of the distinct difference between the Outer Hebrides in the west and Orkney to the northeast. Going clockwise round the top of mainland Britain, the Hebrides in the west are completely different to the Orkney Islands to the northeast, despite being only 100 miles apart as the crow ies, and their people are different too. The Western Isles are noted for their steep, rocky hills carpeted in heather, with cascading burns, sh- lled lochs, and miles of sandy beaches below acres of fertile machair. Sheep predominate, with few cattle. Their people are Celtic, Gaelic-speaking, gentle and bardic. In contrast, Orkney has attish, treeless, green pastureland, almost entirely given to cattle, with few sheep and little sign of arable elds. Their people are down to earth, extrovert, and friendly, with an ironic sense of humour. With Orkney ticked off my wish list, Shetland here I come. two

S Scotland 13 Window into Scotland | JOURNAL MCARTHURVISITSCOTLAND/FIONN©

and staged theatrical performances. But they lacked the one thing that could bring them, if not ‘happiness’, at least spiritual ful lment: a chapel. Their strong Catholic faith didn’t blend easily with Orkney’s somewhat austere Presbyterianism. They yearned for the comfort of their own church – and their faith was rewarded.

A combination of goodwill, pastoral concern and artistic genius resulted in the building of this chapel. They were given two Nissen huts, which they joined together end to end. Such an eyesore could have daunted the most optimistic of builders, but, with the commandant’s blessing, Chiocchetti took over, assisted by a team of fellow prisoners, who had previously been cement workers, electricians, smiths, builders, and joiners.

Almost all the materials available were scraps from the land and from the many wartime shipwrecks that dotted Scapa Flow. They lined the interior of the hanger with plasterboard, which they adorned with ornate designs. The altar, altar-rail and holy water stoop were moulded in concrete and decorated. Lanterns were made from discarded tins of bully beef, candlesticks from rods salvaged from the wrecks and Giuseppe Palumbi, a smith, made a fantastic wrought-iron rood-screen. While all this was in production, Chiocchetti applied his unique talents to the artwork, transforming the chancel with a series of truly glorious wallThepaintings.exterior of the front entrance was given a Gothic-style façade, which screened the corrugated iron structure, all clad with painted cement. Now restored, it’s dif cult to believe this chapel evolved from a couple of Nissen huts. Such a strong bond was forged between the Italians and the hospitable Orcadians that, when Chiocchetti returned in 1960 to restore his masterpiece, he was entertained as a celebrity by all the islanders. On our visit, we stayed in a charming old mill, with parts of the original timber slicing through our two bedrooms. I asked our friendly hostess whether they considered themselves Scottish or Nordic and she almost exploded in horror: “We are Orcadians – we don’t like the Scots!”

PICKETTVISITBRITAIN/ANDREW©

MAILBAG | Your letters

PIPING UP ABOUT OUR MISTAKE

Can’t see yours or want to read more letters? Go to scotlandmag.com/yourviews

John Coble, Athens, Georgia, USA

SAD NEWS TRAVELS FAR I am so glad Kate Francis’s Notes from the Isles have continued in Scotland. I’ve enjoyed reading her columns for years. They are like letters from a family member updating us with the latest news in their life. It’s the first thing I read in each new issue. What she wrote in the July 2022 issue (122) was a bit sad. In 2008, my wife and I went on a choir tour of Scotland with singers from several churches from Atlanta, Georgia. I was the organist who accompanied the choir. We sang in a number of churches around Scotland, including St Giles’ Cathedral, which was quite a thrill. One of the churches we sang in was the Old High Church, Inverness. The organ was not a large instrument, but it was built by a famous English organ builder, Henry Willis (‘Father’ Willis), and it was a treat for me to play it. At that time, the church was raising funds to refurbish the organ. The members of our group and I made our contributions. I said at the time, I hoped to return once the organ work was done and play it again, maybe perform a recital. Years later, I read in an American organ journal that the work had been completed. I still had hopes of returning to the church someday. Not long ago I read some sad news elsewhere, and Kate’s writing in the July issue confirmed that Old High Church had closed and held its final services. It somehow seemed appropriate to receive that news from Kate Francis. I’m sad to hear that a beautiful church has closed and that I will not have the opportunity for a return visit to play the organ again, but I am thankful for the memory of our last visit.

facebook.com/ScotlandMagazineeditor@scotlandmag.com @scotlandmagazine@Scotland_Mag

A Drum Major in full uniformHighlandoutsideEdinburghCastle

WILD ABOUT ARRAN I read the article, Wild Isle in the July 2022 edition of Scotland (122) with great interest and fond memories of beautiful Arran. I am from the Vancouver area in British Columbia, Canada, and have visited the beautiful Isle of Arran many times. The article brought back great memories of the vacations I have spent on Arran, walking the hillsides, glens, and shores, and viewing the ‘Big Five’ animals on this special island. My family heritage on my mother’s side, John Murchie, is originally from High Clachaig, Bourtree Bank near Kilmory, with our records going back until around the late 1700s. We had a Murchie reunion in Arran Museum, where we met up with over 35 Murchie relatives still living throughout Arran and on the Isle of Mull. Kudos to Robin McKelvie and his children for the very vivid portrayal of the beauty of wildlife on Arran. Sharon McKenzie, White Rock near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

In the September 2022 issue of Scotland (123), there is a photo of a soldier with Edinburgh Castle in the background. The caption identiﬁes him as a Pipe Major. He is a Drum Major. He is holding a mace. In the British Army, Drum Majors must have been drummers, not so in civilian bands; I have heard them called peacocks. I am in charge of the US Naval Academy Pipes and Drums, one of only two pipe bands in the US military. Several years ago, I brought them to Scotland, and we are planning a trip in March 2023. I bring in old copies of the magazine for the Midshipmen to get a better idea of what Scotland is like. We have two concerts a year with a Scottish theme. There is a history professor at the Academy who is Scottish, called Matthew Dziennik. We laugh that the two bastions of Scottish culture have Polish last names. My mother’s maiden name was MacNary, with a great grandfather a Gillies. Matthew’s grandfather was in the Polish Army in WWII and settled in Scotland. Edward Kitlowski, Director USNA Pipes and Drums, by email EDITOR REPLIES: Apologies Edward, this was an error we should have picked up on, and as you can imagine, you are not the only one to point out the mistake. Sorry. We’ll strive to do better. Scotland

WE’VE GOT MAIL

The Editor, Scotland, 2 Jubilee Place, London, SW3 3TQ

A selection of messages from our readers across the globe

23 SEPTEMBER - 2 OCTOBER 2022 BOOK FESTI V AL WIGTOWN A CELEBRATION10-DAY in NationalScotland’sBook Town SCO37984No.Charity Scan here to join mailingourlist WIGTOWNBOOKFESTIVAL.COM Actual Investors

South bySouthwest Words by FIONA LAING We take a tour through the under-visited region of Galloway, home to gorgeous gardens, standing stones, ancient abbeys, and Scotland’s famous book town

18 Scotland TRAVEL | South West Coastal 300

PREVIOUS PAGE: An aerial view of the Isle of Whithorn and its harbour THIS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Belted Galloway cattle adaptedhaveto living on the harsh upland pastures and southerlyScotland’sofregion;moorswindsweptofthetheMullGallowayismostpoint

HILLAMICHAEL©ILLUSTRATION:

The Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, built by Robert Stevenson in 1830, tops the high headland amid the gulls, puf ns, and a stylish café. This is as far south as you can drive in Scotland. But it is worth it. Of all the parts of Scotland we write about, it is Galloway that is the real hidden gem. Tucked into the southwest corner of the mainland and off the main road and rail network, it takes a conscious decision to get here. But the rewards for making the effort are great. From gloriously green forests in the north to the beaches and cliffs of the long, rugged coastline, through rich farmland and wild moorland, Galloway is layered in history. Its fans come to escape the bustle of modern-day life, but once you unwind it’s easy to become caught up getting under its skin. Galloway is the western part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council area and is made up of the traditional counties of Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire. The Solway Firth lies to the south and the North Channel of the Irish Sea is to the west, with Northern Ireland just 22 miles away. Stranraer on the west coast is 85 miles from Glasgow, so although it seems far off the tourist trail, it’s really no distance at all. I’m exploring a small portion of the South West Coastal 300 (SWC300) driving route, a route that takes in the coast, hills, and forests of southwest ©

SHIELDS/VISITSCOTLANDRUTHERFORD/ALAMY/DAMIANIAN

The wind could atten you – it certainly takes your breath away as you gaze out across the sea. Here on the edge of Scotland, an engineering masterpiece guards the seafarers and tempts countless modern tourists along a single-track road.

Its fans come to escape the bustle of modern-day life, but once you unwind it’s easy to become caught up getting under its skin

20 Scotland TRAVEL | South West Coastal 300 Scotland, with the majority of its 300 sweeping miles falling within Dumfries and Galloway, though a few also cross over into Ayrshire. For this trip, I’m travelling from Newton Stewart to Stranraer, sticking to the area referred to on old maps as Wigtownshire, which covers two peninsulas – the Machars and the Rhins of Galloway. At the southern tip of the Rhins is the lighthouse, dramatic in its hair-tugging majesty where, in normal times, climbing the light tower and learning about life there is as good an excuse as any to enjoy the Gallie Craig Coffee House. Hunkered into the hillside with a living green roof, its shelter is welcome as you make out Ireland on the western horizon. Just 10 miles north, the contrast couldn’t be greater. A lush oasis of exotic plants means Logan Botanic Garden is one of those quirks of nature that make you smile. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, this sister to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh nurtures plants collected from across the world, which really have no business growing this far north. Galloway has something of a reputation for its gardens and my stretch of the SWC300 takes in several botanical jewels. For a contrast, I stop at Castle Kennedy Gardens, where 75 acres take in woodlands, lakes, a walled garden, and a spectacular ruined castle as a backdrop for champion trees and colourful shrubs. At many of the attractions you visit, it is the stories behind them that leave the lasting impression, as is the case at Knockinaam Lodge. This luxury country house hotel is reputedly the venue of a key Second World War meeting between General Eisenhower and Winston Churchill. The isolated former shooting lodge in a gentle hollow by a shingle beach is not such an unlikely venue for world leaders to have a secret meeting. Wigtownshire was playing a crucial part in the war effort, with nearby West Freugh an air base

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22 Scotland TRAVEL | South West Coastal 300 and training camp, and Garlieston on the Machars the site of the secret development of the temporary portable Mulberry harbours that would play such a decisive role in the D-Day operation in June 1944. My SWC300 drive takes me back further in history when I pull up at Glenluce Abbey. The ruined Cistercian abbey is my gateway to the Machars, the cradle of Scotland’s Christianity.FromGlenluce to the Isle of Whithorn, at the tip of the Machars peninsula, the in uence of the early men of faith is chronicled. The abbey beside the water of Luce and the one at Whithorn grew from the roots put down by St Ninian in the simple chapel on the windy headland of the Isle when he arrived from Ireland. Many people walk the Whithorn Way – the 143-mile pilgrims’ route from Glasgow Cathedral to Whithorn, one of Scotland’s most in uential medieval religious centres. Along the way they will nd not only relics from early Christian times but also some of Britain’s most important discoveries from the prehistoric era. There are Bronze Age standing stones at Drumtroddan and Iron Age crannogs discovered at White eld Loch. In the car, my route from Glenluce takes me past what is said to be Scotland’s second oldest pub. The Cock Inn at Auchenmalg heralds a stretch of road that clings to the coast to the shing village of Port William. The arresting statue by Andrew Brown of a sherman gazing over the water re ects the impact Galloway has on me – that focus on the sea. I linger on the wide sands near Monreith, the Many people walk the Whithorn Way – the 143-mile pilgrims’ route from Glasgow Cathedral to Whithorn

RIGHT: Wigtown is known as the ‘Book Town’ and is home to many book shops and a yearly book festival

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In the mid-1990s, it was suggested that a book town modelled on Hay-on-Wye in Powys, Wales, could help regenerate a community in Scotland. Six small towns submitted bids. An international panel chose Wigtown, and it was o cially designated as Scotland’s National Book Town in 1998. The former county town of Wigtownshire had been at its lowest ebb. There were empty and run-down properties and the almost derelict county buildings were threatened with demolition. The Book Town’s hoped-for regeneration came and Wigtown now has 20 or so book-related businesses ﬂourishing beside a selection of charming shops and refreshment stops and the refurbished County Buildings. First held in 1999, the 10-day Wigtown Book Festival each autumn is run by a small professional sta assisted by more than 100 volunteers. In the spring, there is Big Bang, a festival of space and science wigtownbookfestival.com; wigtown-booktown.co.uk WIGTOWN’S

REWRITING

STORY

Scotland 23 South West Coastal 300 | TRAVEL

BELOW: The standing stones at Drumtroddan are thought to date back to the 2nd or 3rd millennium BC

24 TRAVEL | South West Coastal 300 Wigtown has put the area on the world stage as the location of an annual book festival, as well as many book shops family home of author and adventurer Gavin Maxwell, remembering being enchanted by his book Ring of Bright Water. Later, I divert to nd the cave that St Ninian is said to have used as a retreat. However, it is in Whithorn where the strands of history are really brought together. The Whithorn Story exhibition charts the generations who have left their mark on the landscape. Then, exploring the cathedral remains and the modern reconstruction of an Iron Age house helps make sense of those long-gone years. Heading north through rolling elds where ‘belted’ Galloway cattle graze towards Newton Stewart – the eastern end of my drive – it’s time to come right up to date. Wigtown has put the area on the world stage as the location of an annual book festival, as well as many book shops. In this, Scotland’s Year of Stories, Wigtown is hoping to draw on some of Scotland’s most intriguing tales, from great works of literature to local stories, to inspire visitors to the Wigtown Book Festival (held from 23 September to 2 October) to explore the places, people and cultures connected to all forms of its stories. A highlight of this year’s festival will be a story-telling workshop set in an enchanted bookshop, The Bookshop Untold. However, if you can’t make the event this year, it’s worth planning a future visit around the annual festival, when as many at 200 events around the themes of books, music, poetry, and theatre give visitors the chance to experience a little of the Galloway literary magic. To toast my Wigtownshire adventure, I have the choice of two distilleries. There’s whisky being made at Bladnoch, but I plump for Crafty Distillery, whose tasting room has views of the Galloway Hills. Since 2017, Graham Taylor and Craig Rankin have been crafting whisky and vodka and making gin using local botanicals (bladder wrack seaweed and noble r needles) in their modern, creative distillery, which is the ideal place to drink in the spirit of the region.

S OPPOSITE: Wigtown is home to handbiggestScotland’ssecond-bookshop

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toOrkney and Shetland and Spot

The

Alternatively travel to Orkney’s port of Stromness from Caithness. This 90 minute journey on MV Hamnavoe is the only sailing to Orkney which passes the iconic Old Man of Hoy, Britain’s tallest sea stack.

OrkneyShetland

northlinkferries.co.uk Operated by Discovering the Northern Isles of Scotland has never been easier with NorthLink Ferries. comfortable and reliable service offers sailings from Aberdeen to Lerwick, Shetland, with regular calls into Orkney’s capital of Kirkwall.

Words by MARK ROWE SKAILLBACK We visit Orkney’s oldest house, whose former owner discovered Skara Brae, one of the best preserved Neolithic settlements in the world, in its grounds

Skaill House | STATELYHOMES

Entrance to the house is included in your ticket to Skara Brae, yet, while the latter is indisputably the headline act, surprisingly few take up the option.

Glowering over Skara Brae to the east stands Skaill House, home for the past 400 years to a magni cently larger-thanlife bishop, powerful lairds and to this day said to be thoroughly haunted.

Don’t make that mistake: instead, step through Skaill’s formidable front door, still protected by the original medieval drawbar, a defensive implement that was remarkably adept – as was necessary – at preventing violent entry. ‘Skaill’ is an old Norse word for a hall, and from the outside this looks every inch a stage set from a Hammer House of Horror movie: the façade appears to have been forged from smooth grey stone, with parapet walls, and bolted together with buttresses and turrets. It stands severe and isolated amid

LEFT: Skaill House lies just a short distance from Skara Brae, which was unearthed by the 7th Laird of Breckness in 1850 BELOW: Skara Brae

Skara Brae, the best-preserved Neolithic village in northern Europe, is set within a magni cently elemental location. To the west, relentless Atlantic Ocean waves muscle up against the modern-day defences that provide shelter between the sea and the wind-battered ensemble of 5,000-year-old houses. The serrated, undulating liminal edges of Orkney pull away to the north and south, less a coastline, more an elemental jawline.

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In Room 1 you’ll nd the Oriental Lowestoft dinner service used by Captain Cook on his Paci c expeditions.

28 Scotland STATELYHOMES | Skaill House rectangular terraces and sunken gardens. The interior matches the exterior and is atmospherically spooky, creaking and groaning as if the old pile is muttering to itself. Staff, including the sceptical, and some visitors, swear to have seen benign ghosts, including a mysterious woman in black. To further stoke the imagination of the credulous, the southern wing of the house stands on a pre-Norse burial ground. The house was built for Bishop George Graham, who purchased the land in 1620 and the original modest building that stood here was converted into a manse. Graham looms large in Orkney’s history and he and Skaill seem to have been made for one another. In 1615 he had been appointed Bishop of Orkney and Shetland and he subsequently became Bishop of St Magnus’s Cathedral in Kirkwall, though it seems his spiritual role came a distant fourth to his political, nancial, and landowning interests. Charges were laid against him for his ‘handling of church monies’ (a delicate euphemism for embezzlement of funds). Although he was never prosecuted, he had to go as far as to sign a letter of repentance to avoid any loss of lands. He would, however, be dismissed from his role as Bishop of Orkney and later excommunicated in 1638. Graham was a complex character, reputedly lenient towards witchcraft (it seems he may have been suf ciently enlightened to believe the practice was hokum) and he is an important recorder of the islands’ history. In the 1633 famine, when one in ve of Orkney’s population is believed to have died as gales and cold weather triggered a poor harvest, Graham talked of “multitudes dying in the open

FROMCLOCKWISE,ABOVE: A Soviet ﬂag was brought back from WWII by the 11th Laird; grandfatherthebackskinservice;LowestoftCook’sCaptainOrientaldinnerthistigerwasbroughtfromIndiabypresentLaird’s elds and none to bury them. The picture of death is seen in the faces of theLater,many.”John, the bishop’s youngest son, became the rst Laird of Breckness (Breckness castle stood near Stromness) and took residence in the Therehouse.have since been 12 Lairds of Breckness, with income over the centuries arising from rent from tenants, kelp, growing ax and even, it is said – way back – a little bit of Thesmuggling.current Laird, Major Malcolm Macrae, inherited the estate in 1991. He restored the house as a family home to look as it did in the 1950s – though he has retained the tinkering done to it over the centuries – and it has been open to the public since 1997. Wander around and you will nd blood-red carpets, framed by whitewashed walls, low ceilings, thick bay windows, supersized replaces, secret compartments, silver chalices, sconces, blades, and daggers. If you asked a child to draw a scary old house and ll it with items to match, they would probably come up with something like Skaill. The xtures and ttings are often priceless. Bishop Graham’s old bedroom features an imposing four-poster oak bed, while later additions include 19th-century landscape panels from China embroidered in satin and silk.

Following Cook’s death in 1779 in Hawaii, HMS Resolution and HMS Discovery made their return to Britain, however rough seas forced the ships up the west coast of Ireland instead and they eventually anchored at Stromness in August 1780. The gift re ected a custom for visiting ships to pay tribute to the laird. Thanks to views over the Bay of Skaill and the Loch of Skaill, Room 4 is wonderfully bright. Seascape paintings of Orkney hang on the wall and there is a circular rent table where the lairds would keep records of payments by tenants. Your eye is drawn immediately however to a tiger skin to end all tiger skins. Dramatically spread-eagled on the oor, but most certainly not defanged, the skin was brought back from India by the present laird’s grandfather who had been inspector general of police in north India. Perhaps the most incongruous item is the huge military ag draped above the main staircase. This is the ag from an infantry division of the Soviet Red Army and was brought back to Orkney by HW Scarth, the 11th Laird, who volunteered for the British army to ght alongside antirevolutionary white Russians, against the Bolsheviks in

Scotland 29

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1919. During the Second World War the ag had to be hurriedly secreted to avoid embarrassment when a Russian admiral arrived for dinner. The 11th Laird was also responsible for furnishing the library, which features a curious round window (this has prosaic origins as it was retro tted to accommodate a new boiler). Items of greater antiquity include a Norse calendar stick, which includes a Runic inscription of an ale horn to denote Christmas Day, and a tree symbol to mark the rst day of summer.

LEFT: bedroomGraham’sBishopoldwith his original four-poster oak bed BOOK TICKETS

30 Scotland STATELYHOMES | Skaill House

GETTING TO ORKNEY Loganair runs regular ﬂights to Kirkwall on Orkney Mainland from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, as well as ThereInverness.arethree main ferry routes from the Scottish mainland to Orkney: the Northlink Ferries services from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, and from Scrabster to Stromness; and the Pentland Ferries crossing from Gill’s Bay to St Margaret’s Hope. Foot passengers can also take the John O’ Groats Ferries service from John O’ Groats and Burwick. loganair.co.uk; northlinkferries.co.uk; pentlandferries. co.uk; jogferry.co.uk

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The winter of 1850 brought a storm that was, even by Orcadian standards, exceptionally violent and swept the full force of the Atlantic Ocean into the bay, leaving the mound of Skara Brae completely exposed for the rst time in thousands of years. The 7th Laird of Skaill House, William Graham Watt, excavated the mound and brought four houses and inter-linking passageways to light.

So, what about those resident ghosts? The main one to look out for is Ubby, who haunts the wing of the house where he once lived. A former employee of the house, Ubby would row out into the Loch of Skaill to build the small islet there by dropping large stones. The current laird recalls once smelling fresh cigarette smoke but no trace of anyone was to be found. Meanwhile a visitor insists that she had a question about the house answered by a male member of staff while in the gun room, and yet no males were working on the day of her Whenvisit.you visit, Ubby or any of the other ghosts may or may not be cooperative, of course. But one thing is certain: you will be treading upon old bones. The original agstone oor has been replaced by a 1930s oak oor but when the agstones in the main hall were lifted, skeletons were found buried underneath. At the time, it was suggested that they had been put there to protect the house from unknown spirits. We now know that the house was built on the site of a Pictish graveyard, The skeletons were re-buried and are still there today under the oor. S

Skaill House is open seven days a week from Easter to October and entry is via a joint ticket with Skara Brae. skaillhouse.co.uk

You’ll also nd Orkney chairs, distinctive works of art still made to this day, which are designed with high backs and arm rests to keep out drafts. A large compartment, known as the Armada chest, is said to have been retrieved from a Spanish galleon wrecked in the area.

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Skaill House is intertwined with the uncovering of the secrets of Skara Brae. The 18th century saw an explosion of interest in the deep past and antiquarians, collectors and amateurs all rummaged around in the soil of western Orkney. They were given a helping hand by agricultural improvements that ploughed up land, making it easier to root out anything that looked promising.

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Ever wondered what Her Majesty’s duties are in Scotland or where she spends her time when the work is done? Read on and all will be revealed… Words by SALLY COFFEY Queen & Country

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Before the Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997, Her Majesty took family holidays around the Western Isles each year aboard her, and she continues to base herself in Balmoral from August to October each year.

During this ceremony, Her Majesty was presented with the Honours of Scotland, Scotland’s own crown jewels, with the crown, sceptre, and sword all being ceremonially presented to her as 1,700 worshippers looked on, with many more thousands of people watching the broadcast on TV.

Indeed, with her mother growing up in Glamis Castle in Angus – where her sister Margaret was born – before spending many of her later years living on Scotland’s far north coast at Castle of Mey, one almost gets the impression that Her Majesty considers herself every bit as Scottish as she doesOnEnglish.avisitto Scotland in 2021, Her Majesty even took a tour of an Irn-Bru factory, which is pretty much the most Scottish thing you can do.

HER MAJESTY’S FIRST VISIT

But while not all Scottish people love the Queen and all that she represents, her love of Scotland is clear to see.

Scotland 35 PREVIOUS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Queen Victoria and inHolyroodhousethetheitandEstatetheAlbertPrinceboughtBalmoralin1852transformedintoapalace;QueenatPalaceofJune2022

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A recent poll ahead of this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations by the British Future thinktank found that only 45% of Scottish people are in favour of keeping the monarchy – quite a drop from the nearly 60% of people across the whole of Britain – a gure that perhaps re ects the unease many Scottish people have about the Union with England.

FROMCLOCKWISE,TOPLEFT: The Crown of Scotland; Her Majesty visits an Irn-Bru factory; the Royal Yacht Britannia; the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh during inVisitCoronationtheirStatetoScotland1953

Shortly after her coronation at Westminster Abbey in London in June 1953, the Queen made her rst of cial visit to Scotland as monarch (though she had visited Balmoral in 1952). She arrived to huge fanfare on 24 June of that year, with a procession through the streets of Edinburgh, as the royal carriage transported Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh from Princes Street up to the Royal Mile to St Giles’ Cathedral where she attended a National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication – some of our readers may even remember the occasion.

One almost gets the impression that Her Majesty considers herself every bit as Scottish as she does English Historically, it’s fair to say that Scotland hasn’t had an easy relationship with the Royal Family. For years it fought for its independence from England, which was eventually hard won, only to nd its own Royal House of Stuart swallowed up by the Union with England and later spat out in favour of, rst a Dutch king, and then the Hanoverians, leading to a series of bloody JacobiteWhetherrisings.they simply forgot about Scotland or feared it, for 200 years no reigning monarch set foot here until George IV’s carefully orchestrated tour in 1822 that aimed to garner support for the Union. And though Queen’s Victoria’s clear affection for Scotland went some way to redeem the royals in the eyes of some Scottish people, relations have been strained ever since.

The Moderator of the General Assembly said: “Today, The Queen in Scotland

| ROYALS

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HER MAJESTY’S DUTIES

Each year at the end of June and start of July the Queen comes to the Palace of Holyroodhouse to carry out traditional duties and recognise the good work of Scottish people. Known as Royal Week in Scotland and Holyrood Week elsewhere, it’s a chance to celebrate Scottish culture, achievement, and community. This tradition was established by Her Majesty’s grandfather King George V and has only ever been missed in exceptional circumstances. This year, Her Majesty’s appearance at Royal Week marked the rst time she had been seen in public since her Jubilee celebrations and bystanders were delighted to see her arrive wearing a pale blue tweed coat with matching hat. During Royal Week, Her Majesty attends meetings and visits other parts of Scotland, and when she is at the palace,

36 Scotland ROYALS | The Queen in Scotland FROMCLOCKWISE,OPPOSITE: The Palace KingcommissionedoflegendaryofJacobwithGalleryWessex;theaccompaniedinHolyroodhouseofthethewasasHolyroodhouseofitstandstodaybuiltin1671;QueenattendsCeremonytheKeysatJune2022,byCountessoftheGreatislinedportraitsbydeWetIItherealandKingsScotland,byCharlesII

you and I are Scotland, greeting with all that we have to offer of love and duty our gracious young Queen.”

ROYAL WEEK

This year, Her Majesty’s appearance at Royal Week marked the ﬁrst time she had been seen since her Jubilee celebrations

As Head of State, The Queen’s duties are pretty much the same in Scotland as they are in England. She is obliged to perform ceremonial and formal roles related to the government of the UK while remaining neutral regarding political matters. She does not vote, nor can she ever stand forAselection.withthe rest of the UK, the Queen opens each new session of Parliament in Scotland, which means visiting Scotland’s devolved assembly at Holyrood; she grants Royal Assent to legislation, and approves Orders and Proclamations through the Privy Council. In addition, Her Majesty is expected to hold investitures and host state visits. Although in modern times state visits may be associated with Windsor or Buckingham Palace, Her Majesty has hosted them at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, her of cial residence in Scotland. The late King of Norway and the current King of Sweden have both visited the Palace of Holyroodhouse, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which was held in Rwanda this year, was held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in 1997. And then, of course there are the other duties – the busy diary of openings and representations – The Queen remains the patron of over 30 associations in Scotland. When Her Majesty opened the Forth Road Bridge in Queensferry, just outside Edinburgh in 1964, few people would have imagined she would still be Queen in 2017, much less that she would return to open a new bridge crossing over the Forth on the same day 53 years later.

The visit followed on from the christening of the Royal Yacht Britannia at John brown’s shipyard at Clydebank on 16 April 1953, which Her Majesty wasted no time in using to explore this part of her realm more fully.

38 Scotland THE ROBERT BURNS SOCIETY OF AnnouncesCHARLESTONtheFollowing Events 4 November 2022 The Charleston Tartan Ball Bagpipes and Drums * Cocktails and Clarsach * Dance * * Haggis Ceremony * Plated Dinner * Daniel Island Club Charleston, SC Black-Tie, Mess Dress, Highland Evening Dress Mark your calendars for 2023 Events 14 April 2023 The National Tartan Day Dinner 15 April 2023 The Charleston Scottish Performing Arts Classic Information and www.burnscharleston.orgtickets: * www.charletonscottishgames.com 5 November 2022 Charleston Scottish Games* Riverfront Park North Charleston, SC

the Scottish variant of the Royal Standard of the United Kingdom is own, and the Royal Company of Archers forms Her Majesty’s ceremonial bodyguard.

The Royal Company of Archers is most regularly seen at the Holyroodhouse garden parties when members form avenues along which Her Majesty proceeds with the Company’s Captain General and President of the Council presenting guests at random to her.

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BALMORAL Queen Victoria is largely credited with fanning the ames of Scottish tourism, rst lit by Sir Walter Scott, and helping OPPOSITE: The Queen’s

THE ROYAL COMPANY OF ARCHERS

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One of the key traditions of Royal Week is the Ceremony of the Keys, an ancient tradition in which the palace’s forecourt is turned into a parade ground and hundreds of guests gather to watch as Her Majesty is presented with the keys to the city of Edinburgh, which are passed to her on a red velvet cushion by the Lord Provost, who formally welcomes her to Edinburgh and pledges the city’s loyalty.

Scotland 39 The Queen in Scotland | ROYALS

When it is not protecting the Queen, the Royal Company of Archers is very much still an archery club, whereby members, who must be Scottish or have a strong Scottish connection, are elected. It is known for its distinct uniform, which features a dark green tunic with black facings, dark green trousers with a black and crimson stripe, and a Balmoral bonnet that displays the Royal Company of Archers’ badge and an eagle feather.

Her Majesty has regularly been seen in her tweeds and wellies, embracing the natural environment of the Cairngorms

Did you know that Her Majesty has her own private bodyguard in Scotland? The Royal Company of Archers is the of cial name given to the Sovereign’s bodyguard in Scotland, an old archery club formed in 1676, which in return for being given “perpetual access to all public butts, plains and pasturages legally allotted for shooting arrows”, including the grounds at Holyroodhouse, is required to present to the Sovereign three barbed arrows on request. The Royal Company of Archers provides protection for Her Majesty on her request at any state or ceremonial occasion. It also provided a guard on vigil when Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother lay in state.

The Royal Company of Archers also attends investitures at Holyroodhouse; when new Colours for Scottish regiments are presented; and during the installation of the Knights of the Thistle – Scotland’s oldest order of chivalry.

The Queen then passes the keys back to the Lord Provost forDuringsafekeeping.hertime at the palace, the Queen hosts an annual garden party with around 8,000 guests from all walks of Scottish life, she holds investitures in the Great Gallery, and audiences in the Morning Drawing Room.

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40 Scotland ROYALS | The Queen in Scotland transform Scotland’s image from uncouth backwater to the fashionable land of the picturesque. It was love at rst sight when she landed in Edinburgh in 1842, and over the next few years her affection was sealed, with her and Albert buying Balmoral and the estate within which it stood, and transforming it into the palace we see today.

S FROMCLOCKWISE,TOP:The Queen and her son Prince Charles on the Balmoral Estate; the Queen spent much of her early years on the Balmoral Estate and still returns every summer, when she takes a break from royal duties

Other world leaders could learn a little from Her Majesty in terms of green travel, too, as like Victoria before her, she often travels to Scotland by royal train. In the documentary, Our Queen at Ninety, the Queen’s granddaughter, Princess Eugenie, said of Balmoral, “I think Granny is most happy there. I think she really, really loves the Highlands.” And who could blame her?

Today, Balmoral is still a favoured holiday home of the Royal Family and Her Majesty has regularly been seen in her tweeds and wellies, embracing the natural environment of the Cairngorms, and watching her corgis run free. More often, we expect she has enjoyed not being seen at all. Unlike Victoria, Her Majesty didn’t have to wait until she became Queen to discover Scotland’s allure. She spent much of her early years at Balmoral, as her parents took more interest in the estate than any monarch since Queen Victoria, so she may well consider it her true family home. She spends summer at Balmoral every year, when she takes a break from her many duties, and members of the Royal Family are often invited to join her. Her Majesty and other senior royals are often seen attending mass at the tiny church of Crathie.

Scotland 41 Promotion Did you know that beneath the pavements of Edinburgh, there is a vast labyrinth of buried streets and passageways, frozen in time? Visitors can venture underground into Edinburgh’s hidden history at The Real Mary King’s Close, where over 400 years of stories are just waiting to be told. During a one-hour guided tour of Edinburgh’s only preserved 17th-century street, led by a former resident of the Close, you will discover the real stories of the people who lived, worked, and died in these underground alleyways. Wander through a labyrinth of Old Town streets, whilst avoiding the cry of ‘gardyloo’, and uncover myths and legends, the truth behind the deadly plague epidemic, and hear about a famous royal visitor.

Beneath the bustling streets of Edinburgh’s Old Town lies The Real Mary King’s Close, a warren of alleyways frozen in time and holding centuries of stories waiting to be revealed… terror into people’s hearts at the very sight of them…

ABOVE: Visitors to The Real Mary King’s Close will be given a guided tour by a ‘real-life’ former resident of the street BELOW: A model of a plague doctor shows Edinburgh’s dark history with the disease

For years, the hidden closes of the Old Town have been shrouded in myths and mysteries, with blood-curdling tales of murders, and of plague victims being bricked up in the walls and left to die. The True Crime Tours reveal a truer story, and – as is often the case – it is more fascinating than any ﬁction. The True Crime Tours will only be available for those aged over 18 and brave enough to uncover the dark truths of Edinburgh’s hidden history. These special tours will be available from Saturday 15 October until Monday 31 October 2022. Check the website (realmarykingsclose.com) for more information.

In October, The Real Mary King’s Close will be launching two exclusive tours for Halloween: the Lantern Led Tours, and the True Crime Tours. Participants in the Lantern Led Tours will descend down the historic steps into complete darkness: their only light source the ﬂicker of their lanterns. There, they will discover the stories of the people of Edinburgh years ago, learning all about their lives and deaths, and they will meet two insidious characters that once struck

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HIDDENEDINBURGH’SHISTORY

If you are looking for a more exclusive, premium experience, The Real Mary King’s Close has also launched a series of new private tours. Join A Dram of History, a guided tour followed by your very own whisky tasting experience with a whisky expert. Learn about the incredible women who shaped Edinburgh’s history and meet Jex Blake and Mary King herself during the Herstory Tours. You could also learn about over four centuries of Scotland’s untold LGBT history during the Pride History Tours.

All these premium tours are available to book directly with The Real Mary King’s Close. Find out more on the website. The Real Mary King’s Close is located in the heart of the Old Town, across from the magniﬁcent St Giles’ Cathedral on The Royal Mile. Voted Scotland’s Best Heritage Experience in 2019, this is a sell-out attraction and it is strongly recommended you pre-book tickets online. S realmarykingsclose.com

Words by HENRIETTA EASTON Once owned by one of the most important families in Scotland’s ecclesiastical history, this Perthshire hotel is now run by the country’s biggest sports star

The Andy Appeal

When the Lords of Cromlix acquired the Cromlix estate in the early 15th century, little did they know that 600 years later it would be owned by Scotland’s greatest sportsperson, Sir Andy Murray, and run as a ve-star hotel. They’d probably be pleased, as the hotel is the epitome of Scottish luxury, bursting with grandeur.

Whether it is for a game on Sir Andy’s own tennis court, a relaxing countryside break, or as a base to explore the many historic sites in the area (Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument are just a short drive away), there are numerous reasons why Cromlix may appeal. Considering the calibre of the hotel’s owner, a game of tennis really is a must, and the hotel offers specialist tennis coaching for its guests. For something a little more relaxing, the estate’s private loch is ideal for a spot of shing – there are larger lochs on the estate too, which are available for guests to sh at on request. But really there isn’t much need to leave the house and gardens. The hotel lawn is a perfect idyll in which to while away an afternoon. Guests can play croquet or giant chess and sip a coffee on the terrace. If it rains, there is a wood-panelled Billiard Room, complete with a full-sized snooker table and plenty of board games. Dining at Cromlix is a modern affair, with food cooked in front of the guests in an open kitchen. As is to be expected, the Chez Roux restaurant, overseen by Michel Roux Jr and with award-winning executive head chef Darin Campbell, is excellent and serves delectable dishes with Scottish twists, all made using local produce. After dinner, what could be better than retiring to the Balvenie Whisky Room for a private tasting tour of Scotland’s nest malts?

Scotland 43 HOTELSWITHHISTORY | Cromlix ©

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Tennis court; the chapel; Sir Andy Murray; the Eden bedroom; the cosy lounge; the impressive front gate; whisky room

However, the Victorian mansion that stands today looks very different to how it would have been when the original owners of the estate managed it in the 15thThecentury.name‘Cromlix’ probably derives from ‘Crom Leac’, meaning the curve of sloping slab of a hillside, but little is known about the Lords of Cromlix before the 15th century. We know that in the early 1400s Edward Chisholm, who was knighted soon after, acquired the estate. His son James became Bishop of Dunblane in 1487, and was succeeded by William Chisholm who, in Rankin’s Church of Scotland (1888), is described as an “ecclesiastic of the worst possible type of fornication” and as “a robber bishop.” Responsible for a great deal of protestant persecution, these early Cromlix Lords were senior gures in the Church from the Court of King James III through to the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. William II Chisholm was the last Roman Catholic Bishop of Dunblane. Although they owned the land where the hotel now stands, this wealthy family had another estate, properties in the south, a house in Dunblane and Hill House on the Cromlix estate. It was 400 years before the main house, ‘Cromlix Cottage’, as it was then called, was built. The ‘cottage’ was built as a family home by Captain Arthur Drummond in 1874, a Victorian descendent of the Chisholms. Just four years later the cottage was destroyed by a re, and only the chapel, survived. In 1880 the house was rebuilt in much the same style, and photographs show that the public rooms looked much as they are today, with their wood-panelling and plenty of portraiture. Because the house was built as a family ‘cottage’ much of it still retains its rustic theme; most notably, there is not the grand staircase that you may expect of a house of this size and age, and the main downstairs rooms of the Red Dining Room and Library are cosy and comfortable.

The house remained in the hands of the Hay-Drummonds until the death of Evelyn Hay-Drummond in 1971, who had married Terence Eden, the 8th Lord of Auckland. In 1981 it was converted to a four-star hotel, which remained open until 2012.

Just three miles outside of Dunblane, Murray’s hometown, the hotel is set in 34 acres of unspoiled Perthshire countryside. Hidden up a sweeping driveway, the Victorian-mansion hotel boasts its own loch and private chapel, a whisky room, a Chez Roux restaurant, ve beautiful suites, 10 bedrooms, and private gate lodge accommodation. And, of course, there are two professional tennis courts, on which Sir Andy, and his mother Judy, can often be spotted. Despite its grand appearance and country-estate style furnishings, Cromlix has the welcoming, and intimate feel of a boutique hotel, complete with delightfully modern touches.

The juxtaposition of this history, alongside the luxurious and contemporary feel it now holds, serve as a reminder of the hotel’s fascinating past, and its exciting future. S cromlix.com

LTD/ALAMYLIBRARYPICTURE2015/CROMLIX/ALLSTARWALLACESTUART

Whilst at Cromlix, complete with its castle-like turrets, inherent Scottish character, and grand furnishings, it is hard to ignore the overwhelming history of the place. Stepping into the chapel, you’ll see the family banners of Hay and Drummond, and the boar’s head emblem of the Chisholms.

In 2010, the hotel had served as the wedding venue for Sir Andy’s brother, Jamie. When Sir Andy heard of its closure due to nancial dif culties, he leapt at the chance to buy it in 2013. Keen to return to his roots, and to attract more visitors to the Dunblane area, Andy put the hotel under extensive refurbishment and opened it as it is today in 2014: it also hosted Sir Andy’s wedding to his wife Kim in 2015.

BELOW: Jedburgh Abbey is one of a group of byBordersabbeys12th-centuryinthefoundedKingDavidI

The rst golden age of the Borders was inaugurated by the great Scots King David I, who in the 12th century established a range of monastic foundations in the Tweed Valley, including Jedburgh, Kelso, Dryburgh and Melrose Abbeys. Hand in hand with the monks came commerce and, underpinned by the security offered by Roxburgh Castle, wealth, trade and learning. But then, all over Europe, the High Middle Ages went into reverse. The Borders was hit as badly as anywhere. Historians still debate cause and effect. Were famine and poor harvests a by-product of the incessant warfare of the time, or vice versa? This was the time of Robert the Bruce and the wars against England that stuttered on into the 16th century. The impact on the Border country was severe. Towns like Berwick shrank: the medieval castle (where the railway station is today) is well outside the later Elizabethan walls. Roxburgh disappeared altogether and its castle was destroyed. The abbeys fell into ruin and were nally dissolved in the Reformation. The era of the Border Reivers began. Law and order was left to the Border Wardens, often from the same families as the gang-like reivers themselves. The Border families – Scott, Elliott, Hume, Armstrong, and the rest – names that still dominate the region, built themselves what are now iconic, but were then mean and dispiriting, tower houses (or ‘peel towers’) to shelter from the chaos. Even churches were converted for defensive use.

44 Scotland LAMVISITSCOTLAND/KENNY© COLUMN | Touring Scotland

ABOVE: Tom runs a cultural tour company in Scotland

In the modern world we are used to progress – growing cities, new inventions, better healthcare. But our forebears lived a different reality where things changed little, or even got worse. Nowhere illustrates this better than the Scottish Borders – a beautiful landscape, seemingly timeless until you look closely at the extraordinary historic buildings and ancient sites scattered across the hills and dales. These tell a story of decline and fall and rise again, at least twice over. The rst written history set in Scotland was by Tacitus, the Roman historian whose fatherin-law, Agricola, commanded the legions of Britain. He struck north as far as Aberdeenshire, ghting native tribes whose intricate earthen ramparts decorate many a Border hillside. This is the densest concentration of such Iron Age structures in the world. The refurbished Trimontium Museum in Melrose holds a stunning collection of Roman and native weapons, tools, jewellery, coins, and even clothing from the area. The fall of Rome cast a renewed darkness over the Borders, at least in terms of the historical record. Into the void came Anglo-Saxons from over the sea, bringing their language with them. Some call this the Age of Arthur. Did the mythical king lead the resistance from the Border hills? After all, the rst written reference to him comes from a poem – The Gododdyn (or Y Gododdin) – about a battle between local tribes and the warriors from over the sea. And Merlin’s stories are rewritten large in the forests just to the west.

One papal legate —later to become Pope Pius II —described a night of terror in 1435 as he travelled through the Borders This issue our very own tour guide ponders the impact turbulent times had on the Scottish Borders

One papal legate – later to become Pope Pius II – described a night of terror in 1435 as he travelled through the Borders and was left to fend for himself outside by his host who locked the doors of his peel tower behind him.

In 1603 the Union of the Crowns of England and Scotland brought order to the Borderlands. The last reivers were caught and hanged. Ironically the same families that had lived a double existence through the last centuries of the Middles Ages found fortune in the modern world. Their elegant stately homes now grace the peaceful valleys under the shadows of their crumbling towers on the crags above.

TRAVELS WITH TOM

It was Walter Scott who recorded the Border ballads and preserved the memory of the reivers for posterity through his books. He built a fantasy home – Abbotsford House – that captured the romance of the region and inspired the world with his vision of architecture and sculpted parkland based on a romantic ideal of the past. Scott invested historical ction, and the Borders still feels like a story land – its customs still alive, its pretty market towns redolent with the names of the past and its lush green pastures dotted with the relics of its roller-coaster history. S

Tom Miers, Finlaggan Pursuivant, acts as Herald to the Chiefs of Clan Donald, and runs tour company Clans & Castles (clansandcastles.scot)

THE GIFT THAT LASTS ALL YEAR UK EUR AUSTRALIA REST OF WORLD USA CANADA £23.95 €41.95 AUD $79.95 £39.95 USD $24.95USD $34.95 upSaveto31%THE PERFECT GIFT FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS Give a subscription this Christmas USA / Canada phone: 800-925-8215 (quote code X256N1) USA / Canada order online: www.britsubs.com/Scotland UK / Rest of World phone: +44 (0)1858 438898 (quote code CSCOXM22) UK / Rest of World order online: www.chelseamagazines.com/CSCOXM22 All gift subscriptions will start with the ﬁrst issue published after Christmas. Prices displayed are for a 1 year (6 issues) subscription, discount calculated from UK subscription price £35.00.

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Even the names – Maud, New Deer, Cowbog, Brucklay Castle – were intriguing. But it took the sorting out of old photos and letters to create the spark that prompted me to head ‘up north’, hoping to meet up with relatives, explore the places I had heard about and ll in some missing pieces of the jigsaw in the family tree.

For many years I have been fascinated by my Scottish roots, fuelled by tales my grandmother used to tell me of her childhood growing up in rural Aberdeenshire.

46 Scotland FAMILYHISTORY | Tracing ancestry

I knew that seven of my grandmother’s siblings had emigrated to Canada and America at the turn of the last century, that my great-grandfather had died relatively young at the age of 56, leaving Granny Watson to look after ve children ranging in ages from 16 (my grandmother Agnes) to the youngest, Micky, aged seven. All this in a time when there was no NHS or social security – life must have been tough, yet letters and photos from the time show a happy family who kept in touch, despite the distance. The Watson family came from farming stock, living, and working on various farms around New Pitsligo and New Deer. According to the census of 1851, my great, great grandparents lived at Buchan BEYOND&

FROMCLOCKWISETOPLEFT: harbour;Gardenstown’s Katie’s Wuddie by FarmingAberdeenshireDonaldson;JohnMuseumatAdenCountryPark;themainroomatHareshowe;Agnes(Alison’sgrandmother)andKate(Ellen’sMother);Hareshowehouse

Alison Hughes goes on a journey of discovery in rural Aberdeenshire, connecting the dots of her family’s story

Tracing ancestry | FAMILYHISTORY

48 Scotland FAMILYHISTORY | Tracing ancestry

I wanted to see ‘Katie’s Wuddie’ (Katie’s Wood) where the family used to picnic and Brucklay Castle where the children had attended Sunday School.

We were told that a grassed-over mound of stones was all that remained of the original cottage. But the setting was idyllic and peaceful – a track leads up to the hill and I could imagine Granny Watson welcoming her grandchildren here.

I was keen to see the places where my grandmother had grown up – Hillhead, where she had spent most of her childhood, and Ivy Cottage – ‘the wee house on the hillside’ where Granny Watson had lived after her husband died. I had already fallen in love with the landscape of rolling hills, and the wide, open vistas. I could see how the call of ‘hame’ would be strong if your roots were here.

It was probably from here that her youngest children had walked across the elds to Whitehill School, where they had been taught by Gavin Greig, famed for his collections of old folksongs and his play Mains Wooin’, written in the Buchan dialect [Buchan is the name given to the Northern Scots dialect spoken in this part of rural Aberdeenshire – ed].

The purchase included the ‘steading’ (outbuildings), and the original plan was for it to be a working farm of eight acres, planted with ‘neeps’ (turnips) and corn. In the event, it was dif cult to nd suf cient volunteers to work the farm, but the layouts of the elds and garden are faithful to the original site, down to the fruit bushes and ‘ruck founs’ (stone circles on which the corn stacks were built).

At one time the Brucklay estate, where my grandfather was a tenant farmer, stretched to Fraserburgh; and the laird, William Dingwall Fordyce, was so well respected that a monument, funded by his tenants, was erected in his memory. He was “a just and liberal landlord, a trustworthy Member of Parliament and an exemplary Christian gentleman”.

HUGHESGALE/ALAMY/ALISONPHOTOGRAPHY/WILLIAMELLIOTT©SJ

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The writer and her as(theAgnesGrannyIvysculleryDingwallmonumentgreatCountryAdengrandparents’great-greatgrave;HouseatAdenPark;Alison’sgrandparents;toWilliamFordyce;theatHareshowe;CottagewithWatson,andWinniewriter’smother)achild

After Brucklay, the search was on for Ivy Cottage. In my folder, I had two poems by John Donaldson, one entitled Katie’s Wuddie and the other Ivy Cottage, both dedicated to my grandmother Aggie.

Now, Brucklay has been sold off in lots and the castle, whose roof was removed in 1952 to avoid taxes, is a ruin. But another surprise awaited me – I had met up with my mother’s cousin Ellen, a lady of 96, who informed me that another relative of ours had recently purchased the plot where the ruins stand, and we could go and visit.

I remember Aggie telling me proudly that they had been taught a few words of French at school – surely unusual for a rural Aberdeenshire school in 1900. But the schoolmaster

Inside, the farmhouse has been restored to how it looked in the 1950s. There is an electric stove and a wireless, but also many of the Barron family’s older possessions such as the sideboard and china; in the scullery I recognised similar items to those my own grandmother had – a washboard, butter pats and stone jars.

I was thrilled to discover that Hareshowe Farm is now part of the Aberdeenshire Farming Museum in Aden Country Park – it had been moved there in 1991 when Margaret Barron (another relative) sold it to the museum.

I had pictures of Aggie near the wood, reading and writing letters and I was sure the spot was as ‘bonny’ as the poet said. The search proved quite a challenge as there had been a change of name and a new build stood in place of Ivy Cottage at the edge of Katie’s Wood.

I remember Aggie telling me proudly that they had been taught a few words of French – surely unusual for a rural Aberdeenshire school in 1900 Hareshowe of Ironside, farming 70 acres.

HISTORY I had already fallen in love with the landscape of rolling hills and wide, open vistas 49

The A96 will take you along the coast from Fraserburgh to Inverness but between New Aberdour and Macduff is the real coastal road – a gorse-lined rollercoaster of a route which spurs down to tiny shing villages built right against the cliffs. Crovie is the smallest, with just one line of houses between the sea and the cliffs; Pennan is slightly bigger – this is where cult lm Local Hero was lmed (and, yes, the phone box is still there!) – and Gardenstown is the largest of the three with its walled shing harbour and boats. Today, there are just a handful of registered shing boats catching mainly crab and lobster, compared with 92 in the early 1900s. Jim Wood, a volunteer at the Gardenstown Heritage Centre, joined the eet in 1953 – he told me that it was a hard life, but enjoyable nevertheless, “without all the stresses of today”. It was probably hardest for the ‘gutting girls’ who cleaned the sh onshore. They would move from harbour to harbour, going as far south as the Essex coast for their work, their hands bandaged up for protection. There were also the women who went from village to village selling sh from the baskets (creels) on their backs. The great, great grandmother of Maurice Sutherland was one of these women and Maurice has continued the family business with his smokery just along the coast in Portsoy. I can vouch for the tastiness of the smoked haddock – an essential ingredient for the local soup, Cullen Skink, invented in the neighbouring village.

Tracing ancestry had an impressive heritage, being related to both Grieg, the composer, and to Rabbie Burns. Although all my direct ancestors had been farmers, I knew there was one branch of the family that had been shermen. The coast is only half an hour’s drive away and there was a cluster of villages that I wanted to visit.

visitabdn.com/listing/aden-country-park Majestic Aberdeenshire’s website has plenty of ideas for itineraries, including the coastal trail (part of the North East 250 route). visitabdn.com PLAN YOUR VISIT

50 Scotland FAMILYHISTORY

I understood now what kept the Watson family close as I too, like Mac in Local Hero, had succumbed to the charms of the area and the relaxed pace of life. S Aden Country Park is a 230-acre country park near Mintlaw, with woods, a lake, and a farming museum. Once home to the Russell family, the estate fell on hard times and was sold to the local authority in the 1970s. The ruins of the ‘Big House’ can still be seen. Today, Aden Country Park is a wonderful, award-winning resource for locals and visitors alike.

I was struck by something Ellen’s niece, Lorna, had said to me about the differing attitudes of the shermen and the farmers. Farmers would always be prudent with their money, saving for next season’s grain, whereas the sherfolk, knowing their lives were at risk every time they set sail, lived more in the moment. But one thing they had in common was a sense of community, which brought structure and security to life. This did not protect from tragedy or the often-harsh realities of everyday, but the rhythm of the seasons and working closely with nature gave a solid base to these Buchan families.

FROMCLOCKWISE,FARLEFT: The ﬁshing village of Crovie and Gamrie Bay; the harbour village of Portsoy where Maurice Sutherland has his ﬁlmfeaturedfamousPennansmokery;anditsphoneboxinthe Local Hero; the town’smemoriesphotoscollectionhousesHeritageGardenstownCentreagrowingofandfromthehistory

SHIELDSFRASERBURGH/DAMIANLAM/DISCOVERTOMKINS/KENNYVISITSCOTLAND/PAUL©

Scotland 51 HISTORY

52 Scotland ICONS | The Saltire

The Picts and the Scots were caught and forced to face their pursuers at Athelstaneford, which is now East Lothian, where the Peffer, which ows in the Firth of Forth at Aberlady, forms a wide vale. There was, therefore, a watery obstacle to crossing the vale and the two armies came together at the ford. In fear for his men and the outcome of the battle, King Angus led prayers for a safe deliverance and, so legend has it, was overwhelmed by a blinding light the night before the battle. That night while he slept he had a dream that the next morning he would see a cross in the

As Scotland’s Flag Heritage Centre reopens after major restoration, we uncover the fascinating history of Scotland’s national symbol and the meaning behind it

t’s hard to think of Scotland without an image of the white Saltire cross against a blue background uttering into your head. The oldest ag in Europe and the Commonwealth, the Saltire, or St Andrew’s Cross, is a symbol of Scotland and everything it stands for; its history is one of courage, valour, hope and reward – is there anything moreTheScottish?Saltireag is believed to have its origins in a battle fought in the year AD832 when an army of Picts, under the leadership of the High King of Alba, Angus mac Fergus, and helped by a contingent of Scots led by Eochaidh, went on a punitive raid into Lothian, which was, at the time , Northumbrian territory. During the raid they were pursued by a larger group of Angles and Saxons, led by Athelstan.

Scotland 53 The Saltire | ICONS © ANDERSONLAM/SALLYVISITSCOTLAND/KENNY

Words by HENRIETTA EASTON

LEFT TO RIGHT: A Scottish Saltire ﬂag ﬂies proudly at the inHeritageStirling;MonumentWallaceintheFlagCentreAthelstaneford

FLYING THE FLAG FOR SCOTLAND

The doo’cot in which the centre is housed is one of the earliest surviving Scottish examples of such a building from the 16th century, which were once very common in rural parts of Scotland. Fittingly, the son of the builder George Hepburn, Sir John Hepburn, was the founder and the rst colonel of the Royal Scots regiment, which has used the Saltire as its emblem since the 17th century. The story of King Angus, Saint Andrew and the Saltire are synonymous with Scotland and its history; a powerful emblem of freedom, bravery and pride.

The rst recorded mention of the Saltire as Scotland’s national symbol is in the Acts of Parliament of King Robert II in July 1385, where every Scottish soldier was ordered to wear a white Saltire on their uniform. If the uniform was white, then the Saltire would be stitched onto a black background. Of course, the blue background that we know today represents the blue sky behind the white Saltire that appeared for Angus.

RIGHT: The centre re-opened to the public in July 2022 following restorationmajorworks

King Angus looked into the rising sun and was rewarded by seeing a cloud formation of the white Saltire against a clear blue sky sky and conquer his enemies. The following morning King Angus looked into the rising sun and was rewarded by seeing a cloud formation of the white Saltire (the white diagonal cross on which St Andrew had been martyred) against a clear blueAngussky.

The ag was also own on Scottish ships, used as the logo of Scottish banks, on Scottish coins and seals, and displayed at the funerals of Scottish kings and queens, including King James VI and his mother, Mary, Queen of Scots. And when King George IV visited Edinburgh in 1822, the rst visit to Scotland by a reigning monarch in almost two centuries, he was presented with a Saltire cross made of pearls on velvet, within a circle of gold. The Scots have been enormously proud of their ag since its origin over a thousand years ago, it seems. The birthplace of the Saltire, the East Lothian village of Athelstanford, where the battle and King Angus’s vision took place, is now home to the Scottish Flag Heritage Centre, which re-opened in July 2022 after a successful £100,000 restoration project. The centre, which is housed in a 16th-century doo’cot (a dovecot), tells the story of the legendary battle of Athelstaneford and the origin and symbolism of the Saltire as Scotland’s ag, along with the history of St Andrew and Scottish societies all over the globe. Visitors to the centre will be able to experience the story of the 9th-century battle through a unique audio visual experience, before ascending to the top of the doo’cot to look out at the spectacular views towards the battle site itself.

54 Scotland ICONS | The Saltire

vowed then and there that if the Scots won this battle ahead of them St Andrew would become the patron saint of Scotland. Of course, they did win, the Saltire became the ag of Scotland, and St Andrew its patron saint. In later years, heroes of Scotland William Wallace and Robert the Bruce are believed to have appealed to Saint Andrew to help them in times of emergency.

ABOVE: The centre is home to the carvedthehasMemorial,Saltirewhichadepictionofbattlesceneingranite

The Flag Heritage Centre is open from 9am – 6pm from April until the end of October. The ﬂag memorial is open all year round

Scotland 55 www.lochcarron.com PRIVATE FITTING FOR HIGHLAND WEAR & KILTS Visit our Bespoke Morris Room in Selkirk for a private kilt fitting ONLINEvisit@lochcarron.com01750726100ONLINESALES&KILTORDERS If you can’t make it to us let us help you online with your kilt hello@lochcarron.com PRE-BOOKED WEAVING MILL TOURS Visit our authentic tartan weaving mill in Selkirk LOCHCARRONvisit@lochcarron.com01750726100WEAVERS SHOP – WESTER ROSS Highland Wear fittings & gifts Joy@lochcarron.com01520722212 Waverley Mill, Rogers Road, Selkirk, Scotland, TD7 5DX Our new Lochcarron Visitor Centre is now open Scottish Heritage USA, Inc. Founded 1965 We are a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enrichment Scottish traditions, history, and culture and fostering strong ties with the places of Scotland. Membership Benefits You e nable support for scholarships in piping, drumming and Highland dance You provide grants for historical treasures owned by the National Trust for Scotland You receive a subscription to “Scotland” magazine (6 issues) You receive a subscription to the National Trust for Scotland magazine (3 issues) You receive 10 Scottish Heritage USA e newsletters You gain FREE admission* to all (over 70) National Trust for Scot land properties** *including a reciprocal membership to the National Trust for Scotland USA and FREE admission to National Trust sites Wales and Northern Ireland. **AND FREE admission to sites owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation USA P.O. Box 457, Pinehurst, NC 28370 -0457  shusa457@gmail.com ♦ www.scottishheritageusa.org ♦ Official Sponsor of the Scottish Cultural Village at Grandfather Mountain Highland Gam Scottish Heritage USA, Inc. Founded 1965 We are a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enrichment of Scottish traditions, history, and culture and fostering strong ties with the people and places of Scotland. Membership Benefits ➢ You enable support for scholarships in piping, drumming and Highland dance ➢ You provide grants for historical treasures owned by the National Trust for Scotland ➢ You receive a subscription to “Scotland” magazine (6 issues) ➢ You receive a subscription to the National Trust for Scotland magazine (3 issues) ➢ You receive 10 Scottish Heritage USA e newsletters ➢ You gain FREE admission* to all (over 70) National Trust for Scotland properties** *including a reciprocal membership to the National Trust for Scotland USA and FREE admission to National Trust sites in Engla nd, Wales and Northern Ireland. **AND FREE admission to sites owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation USA P.O. Box 457, Pinehurst, NC 28370 0457  shusa457@gmail.com ♦ www.scottishheritageusa.org ♦ 910.295.4448 Official Sponsor of the Scottish Cultural Village at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Scottish Heritage USA, Inc. Founded 1965 We are a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enrichment of Scottish traditions, history, and culture and fostering strong ties with the people and places of Scotland. Membership Benefits ➢ You enable support for scholarships in piping, drumming and Highland dance ➢ You provide grants for historical treasures owned by the National Trust for Scotland ➢ You receive a subscription to “Scotland” magazine (6 issues) ➢ You receive a subscription to the National Trust for Scotland magazine (3 issues) ➢ You receive 10 Scottish Heritage USA e newsletters ➢ You gain FREE admission*to all (over 70) National Trust for Scotland properties** *including a reciprocal membership to the National Trust for Scotland USA and FREE admission to National Trust sites in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. **AND FREE admission to sites owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation USA P.O. Box 457, Pinehurst, NC 28370 0457  shusa457@gmail.com ♦ www.scottishheritageusa.org ♦ 910.295.4448 Official Sponsor of the Scottish Cultural Village at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Scottish Heritage USA, Inc. Founded 1965 We are a non profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enrichment of Scottish traditions, history, and culture and fostering strong ties with the people and places of Scotland. Membership Benefits ➢ You enable support for scholarships in piping, drumming and Highland dance ➢ You provide grants for historical treasures owned by the National Trust for Scotland ➢ You receive a subscription to “Scotland” magazine (6 issues) ➢ You receive a subscription to the National Trust for Scotland magazine (3 issues) ➢ You receive 10 Scottish Heritage USA e newsletters ➢ You gain FREE admission* to all (over 70) National Trust for Scotland properties** *including a reciprocal membership to the National Trust for Scotland USA and FREE admission to National Trust sites in Engla nd, Wales and Northern Ireland. **AND FREE admission to sites owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation USA P.O. Box 457, Pinehurst, NC 28370 0457  shusa457@gmail.com ♦ www.scottishheritageusa.org ♦ 910.295.4448 Official Sponsor of the Scottish Cultural Village at Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Membership Benefits ➢ You enable support for scholarships in piping, drumming and Highland dance ➢ You provide grants for historical treasures owned by the National Trust for Scotland ➢ You receive a subscription to “Scotland” magazine (6 issues) ➢ You receive a subscription to the National Trust for Scotland magazine (3 issues) ➢ You receive 10 Scottish Heritage USA e newsletters ➢ You gain FREE admission* to all (over 70) National Trust for Scotland properties** *including a reciprocal membership to the National Trust for Scotland USA and FREE admission to National Trust sites in Engla nd, Wales and Northern Ireland. **AND FREE admission to sites owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation USA P.O. 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56 Scotland Tailor Made Private Tours in Scotland Sit back, relax and enjoy a private tour with the highly rated Glascotours in a luxury Mercedes Van. The owner driver and guide, Ian Smith, will design a unique tour around your requirements. Whether it’s a one day tour or your full vacation you will beneﬁt from an unforgettable experience in Scotland conducted by Ian. All interests are catered for from Castles, Lochs, Food and Drink, Golf, Whisky and much more. The choice is yours. Find more at www.glascotours.com | info@glascotours.com 138 South Street, KY16 9EQ 01334 info@sprosongallery.com474331 Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am-1pm / 1:30pm-5pm www.sprosongallery.com ‘Walking the West Sands’ by Mark Holden Edinfobssilurgh’sshopfamous 5Cowgatehead,Grassmarket,Edinburgh,EH11JYg 01312201344 www.mrwoodsfossils.co.uk Edinfobssilurgh’sshopfamous 5Cowgatehead,Grassmarket,Edinburgh,EH11JYg 01312201344 www.mrwoodsfossils.co.uk

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Meet Seumas Campbell, a farmer who is carrying on the crofting traditions of his ancestors on the Isle of Skye

THIS IMAGE: Seumas Campbell’s family have worked the land on the Isle of Skye since the 17th century

Words and photos JEREMY FLINT A CROFTER’SLIFE

Crofting | SCOTLANDTODAY

The smallholding has been in Seumas’s family for generations.

The Campbell family has worked the land ever since, including Seumas’s grandfather (born in 1899), who was a shepherd at the croft, and Seumas’s father. Seumas lives in the croft house, built in 1923, and manages the smallholding like his father. Seumas has tenure of three of four crofts in the valley. “I rent the land from Sheila Sturgeon (our government),” he says, “and my animals are free to graze on the hills.” Seumas specialises in black faced Cheviot Hill breed sheep besides traditional Aberdeen Angus short hair cows and a few Highland crosses. Seumas explains crofting activities are connected to the seasons. “We fatten the sheep up in the winter by feeding them cereals and sending them to graze on the grass. In spring, lambing occurs towards the end of April and early May where ewe lambs (young unweaned female sheep) can take 12 months to mature. We do well to come in with 80% of live lambs from our stock of sheep.”

This practice was most mercilessly demonstrated during the Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries, when landlords evicted tenants in favour of sheep, which were more valuable than people’s rent. In response, the Act allowed crofters to look after an area of land and animals in exchange for fair rent. Now, crofters are required to be resident on or within 32 kilometres of their croft and look after, cultivate, and maintain their smallholding, to ensure security of their tenure. They can even purchase their land under Scottish law. According to the Scottish Crofting Commission, today “more than 750,000 hectares of land in Scotland is in crofting tenure, with approximately 33,000 people living in crofting households in the crofting communities of the north and west and around 20,000 crofts in the Highlands & Islands.” An average croft is around 5 hectares.

This rural system of landholding is unique to Scotland, where crofting has a rich heritage that can be traced back to the Crofters Holdings Act of 1886. Up until 1886, crofters had no legal rights to their land and could be evicted at the landlord’s convenience.

In the summer, the herd are kept on the common grazings, their backs are marked, and they are dipped and treated for ticks. They are usually “I have been working with sheepdogs since I was 11 and I run my dogs at sheepdog trials in the north of Scotland”

The Isle of Skye has a rich mosaic of landscapes that support many crofting communities and common grazings, where crofters have been stewarding the land for generations. I met Seumas Campbell a crofter in the picturesque Fairy Glen valley, in the north of the island (near Uig) to learn more about this centuries-old tradition and hear about what crofting is like on the island. “I was born into crofting, from helping my father at an early age, and have been a full-time crofter for 14 years,” says Seumas. “I have inherited a huge body of knowledge from my father and know how to look after the land and livestock.”

“The Campbells have always been in Uig, by the shore since the 17th century,” he says. “When rents became too expensive, my grandfather’s grandfather, Ewan, relocated to the Fairy Glen and established the croft in the 1850s.”

Crofting is an integral part of life in the Highlands & Islands, which has been preserved for centuries. A croft refers to a self-suf cient smallholding of land with pasture for livestock and sometimes arable land for growing food. It provides access to community grazing land shared with other crofts and may have buildings or a house associated with it.

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Seumas was born into crofting and used to help his father out from a young age; in order to keep the ancient tradition alive Seumas o ers visitors the chance to meet his sheepdogs and see them in action THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Seumas has a herd of 50 cows; he specialises in black face Cheviot Hill breed sheep

Scotland 61 Crofting | SCOTLANDTODAY ready to sell in August and September. Like the sheep, the cows spend the winter and summer outside grazing. “We have about 50 cows, and they usually produce one calf every year, which are sold at a year old at a local craft sale,” Seumas tells me. He adds that values have gone up due to Covid-related scarcity, where sheep and cows can fetch £60-70 and £900-1000 each, respectively. Seumas loves the crofting way of life and the community spirit: “We share the land among the crofting communities and help each other out if anyone needs assistance with anything, such as lambing.”

Recognising his role in the upkeep of this tradition, Seumas teaches the art of crofting to his two boys. “Hopefully they will follow in my footsteps one day. At the moment, their education comes rst,” he says. Besides using his crofts as a valuable resource, Seumas supplements his income by renting out accommodation to visitors, and doing dry stone walling, sheepdog breeding, and sheep dog demonstrations. “I have been working with sheepdogs since I was 11 and I run my dogs at sheepdog trials in the north of Scotland,” he says. Seumas trains his sheepdogs using a long line and round pen, “some of the dogs have good discipline and a natural instinct to run the sheep,” he says. Keen to share this ancient cultural practice with a wider audience, Seumas runs immersive experiences where guests have the chance to meet his dogs, see how they work and even try it for themselves. S If you would like to enjoy the Collie dogs’ experience on Seumas’s family croft in a beautiful part of the Isle of Skye, email seumasc@icloud.com information

for more

Author Helen Fields takes us on a tour of Scotland through some of its most enduring and intriguing myths and legends Shall we begin at Arthur’s Seat, gazing out across Edinburgh’s towers and tenements to its castle? Perhaps the most famous and enduring of any myth, the story of King Arthur has been linked to this magni cent hill fort. It’s easy to understand why the legend feels so close right here, as you look down upon the people scurrying around in the city and see the clouds hanging not so very high over your head. It almost feels as if you could touch them. This is undoubtedly what Scotland does best. It stops you in your tracks, makes your heart beat a little slower, leaves you contemplating your place in history.

Scotland’s links to the Arthurian legend are not limited to that one

MYTHS, from Mull to Braemar

Folklore | TRADITIONS Scotland 63

64 place.ScotlandTovisit

THIS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: 14th-centuryA Scots Knight on the Isle of Iona; the Lochbuie standing stones on the Isle of Mull

Avalon, the mythical resting place of King Arthur, you need travel no further than Iona off the coast of Mull. Artur MacAeden, the son of a 6th century Scottish king, was laid to rest here. You can visit his grave. Historians have long argued whether or not he might have been the inspiration for the stories and poems that followed. Iona has a stillness that does indeed feel supernatural. A magical place, however you choose to de ne such a quality. The air makes you feel more alive, the sea is hypnotic, and there is a little of the rabbit-hole about it. As if, at any moment, you might lose yourself entirely. This is the place, after all, where countless tales have been told of the island folk offering up gifts to the sea gods, pouring ale, porridge, or crushed shell sh into the waves. Some say those gifts were to prevent drownings. Other legends note that the gifts were in return for precious seaweed to be washed up on the shore, or else to keep the shing plentiful. Those sea gods seem ever present on the west coast. It’s hard not to believe in them, even today, when you walk Iona’s majestic shores. On returning to the mainland via Mull, you’ll pass through the heartland of myth. Drink in the greenery, walk the edges of the many lochs, let the birds of prey swoop above your head, and take your time here. Begin at the standing stones of Lochbuie in the south, believed to date back to 3000 BC, and of which there were originally nine. When you take a minute to consider the history those granite slabs have seen, at the base of Ben Buie, amidst the sheep and deer in the boggy grass, the concept of Mull’s past residents believing in fairies, giants and witches seems rather less ridiculous. The standing stones are like a clock, ticking away a decade with every second. Travel further northwest and you’ll uncover the secrets of MacKinnon’s Cave, the deepest sea cave in the Hebrides. But have a care. The seas can be rough at the cave mouth, and the rocky climb down to it is slippery. It’s worth the walk, though. Far inside you’ll nd Fingal’s Table, a huge at rock brought here by the Irish giant Finn MacCumhaill, and used by early Christians and the island’s hermits as an altar. Linger too long and the fairies will come for you, as they did for a piper and his dog. He struck a bargain with them, that he would be allowed to live if he played music they enjoyed until he left the PREVIOUS PAGE: Legend has it that Eilean Donan castle is home to seal maidens, who are able to shapeshift into humans

The air makes you feel more alive, the sea is hypnotic, and there is a little of the rabbit-hole about it

Scotland 65 Folklore | TRADITIONS

Helen Fields is a criminal barrister and award-winning crime writer who has written 11 books set in Scotland. Her latest book, The Last Girl to Die, set on the Isle of Mull, is published in September, and it was through researching this book that she discovered many myths related to Mull, some of which appear in the novel and which she has woven together here with other legends she has come across on her travels. The Last Girl to Die is out in September 2022 and is published by Avon, £7.99, avonbooks.co.uk

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FROMCLOCKWISE,RIGHT: A woodcut of a seal maiden or atcolourfulvolcano;actuallyArthur’sonMackinnon’s‘selkie’;CavetheIsleofMull;SeatisanancienttheharbourTobermory cave. Unfortunately, the fated piper never emerged, but his dog managed to make it out alive, though hairless and terri ed. Head northeast, and you’ll nd yourself in Tobermory. Famed for its colourful arc of harbour homes and shops, loved for its pottery and its whisky, Tobermory has long been at the centre of tales of the Mull witches. Not just the odd one or two witches, but a whole race of them who made the isle their home. The most famous of them, the Doideag, was said to have sunk the Spanish Galleon that in 1588 made its grave in Tobermory Bay. Aboard that ship was a Spanish princess who set her sights on a married man from Clan Maclean. The man’s wife was having none of it and asked the Doideag to set the boat ablaze. The princess’s father sent an army to take his revenge on every woman on Mull, but the witches won out in the end. As you’re heading south again, along the east coast, look around when you pass Loch Ba near Salen. It was there that Mull’s blue-faced winter witch would bathe in the loch’s pure waters to maintain her beauty and keep from aging. Alas, the spell was broken when she failed to reach the waters early enough one morning and was spotted by a dog near the lake. Its gaze meant that she crumbled to dust on the loch’s shores, never to be seen again. Mull might boast the greatest concentration of myths and legends in Scotland, but other places have stranger tales to tell. The iconic Eilean Donan castle, made famous in lms and photographs across the world, is home to the seal maidens. Look down into the deep waters from the small island castle, peer over the side as you walk the bridge to the entrance, and perhaps you’ll see them itting just below the surface. To appear human, the selkie would have to shed its seal skin, reclaiming it to return to the waters. Legend said that if a human took the skin and hid it, they could keep the seal maiden as their captive. In one such story, three shermen became entranced by the seal maidens who were dancing on the moonlit shores. They stole their furs to keep them in their human form. The rst sherman was too kind

66 Scotland TRADITIONS | Folklore

In one such story, three ﬁshermen became entranced by the seal maidens who were dancing on the moonlit shores

68 Scotland TRADITIONS | Folklore to keep the woman from her true form and returned her skin to release her. The second failed to keep the skin hidden and his seal maiden escaped. The third tried to burn the seal skin and in doing so burned the selkie too. Eilean Donan is home, also, to the Otter Kings, and you might nd yourself granted a wish if you can trap one and make a bargain to set it free if it’ll use its magic for you. Visit out of season when you can spend time alone in quiet contemplation as the sun burns red sinking down over the horizon, and you’ll nd that the wind whistles across the water and bounces off the rocks. It will be easy to see why shermen believed those sounds were bewitching songs and saw beautiful faces in the water’s re ections. Scotland’s coasts and lochs are not the only source of witchery in the country. Lose yourself in the Highlands, take the roads that have no signposts, brave the smallest lanes. It’s here that you’ll nd Scotland’s ghosts. Braemar’s 17th-century fairytale castle, in the Cairngorm mountains, has more than its fair share of ghost stories. If you’re visiting while on honeymoon, you might get a less-than-romantic surprise. The ghost of a long-dead young woman who believed her husband had rejected her is said to appear, distraught, to newlyweds there. Or you might hear the crying baby belonging to a badly treated serving girl from a century past. Scotland’s myths are part of its history. They form its landscape and keep the memory of past generations alive and well for later generations. But the magic you feel in these places is tangible. If you’re lucky, you’ll take a little of it home with you. And if you learn nothing else while you’re here, go home knowing you should never make a deal with fairies, and you can never outsmart a witch. It doesn’t end well for humans.

S TOP TO BOTTOM: Braemar Castle was built in 1628 and is one of Scotland’s most haunted youngcastleguestscastles;ofthemaymeettheghostofabride,whodiedintragiccircumstances

Please send me the itineraries for your most popular trips to Britain and your free European Travel newsletter. C��:A��:N��: S��: Z�� C��: P��: E��: � C�� B� A�� T� D�� E��’� �� . (Non US/Canadian residents can only receive the email newsletter) Scotland Magazine programmes are designed and operated in conjunction with Discover Europe, Ltd., of Keene, New Hampshire and London, England. Promotion for North American readers SCOTLAND MAGAZINE PRESENTS AN EXCLUSIVE READER TRAVEL OFFER DISCOVER THE BEST OF SCOTLAND Passionately focused on small group travel for 20 years REQUEST MORE INFORMATION BY MAIL: Scotland Magazine Travel Oﬀers, c/o Discover Europe, Ltd., 122 Island Street, Keene, NH 03431, USA To learn more about Discover Europe, call their toll-free number or visit their website: (866) 563-7077 | www.discovereuropeltd.com B��’ C�� A�� S�� L�� J�� 17�� - 26�� 2023 Join us for an exploration away from the crowds to this little corner of the Scottish lowlands that is Rabbie Burns’ Country Threave Castle

70 Scotland

HISTORY | John KnoxWe

Knox sympathised with Wishart, so may have rejoiced when Cardinal David Beaton (c.1494-1546), the last pre-Reformation Scottish cardinal, who’d arranged for Wishart’s execution, was murdered in the May of the same year. The murderers possessed the castle of St Andrews, and Knox joined them there with his pupils in 1547. Here, called to the ministry, he preached to the converted. It was the rst time a Scottish ‘congregation’ had asserted its right to choose its spiritualTroubleleader.was brewing though. The castle surrendered to the French a few months later and Knox became a prisoner on French galleys for around 18 months and subjected to forced labour. With the accession to the English throne of look back at the life of religious reformer John Knox, one of Scotland’s most divisive gures, 450 years after his death

A Scottish reformer whose pervasive in uence is still felt, there is no doubting John Knox was the dominant gure in the Church of Scotland’s establishment, but little is known of his early life. Born at or near Haddington in c.1513/14, he was most likely educated there before attending the University of Glasgow. Between 1540-43 he was acting as notary in Haddington and must, until at least 1543, have been in Catholic orders. Come 1544, he was tutor to the boys of two families, and it was through this role that he befriended George Wishart (c.1513-46), a Scottish Protestant reformer, who was burned for heresy in March 1546.

THUNDERINGTHESCOT

Words by STEPHEN ROBERTS OPPOSITE: The Preaching of Knox Before the Lords of 10thCongregation,theJune,1559 by Sir PetworthWilkie,DavidisatHouse

John Knox | HISTORY

HISTORY | John Knox

Mary, Queen of Scots had been monarch north of the border since 1542 and she’d been joined by Mary I in England since 1553. Come November 1558 the latter was dead, replaced by her younger sister, Elizabeth I, who was unimpressed by Knox’s polemic. Whether it was deriding women rulers or fuelling the religious debate, Knox was uncompromising. He was the archetypal religious reformer, a man with ideas and hostility towards anyone who disagreed. From 1557 the reformers in Scotland were planning revolution and the following year summoned Knox. From May 1559 he was back, preaching in Perth, St Andrews, and Edinburgh as the leading reformed minister. Knox breathed re and his coming set the country alight. His Perth preaching inspired the hotheads: stones were thrown, and a bishop was abused amid wrecking and burning. The reformers were hard-pressed by the regent, Mary of Guise (1515-60), a French noblewoman and mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, for whom she acted between 1554-60. Knox though was good at He was the archetypal religious reformer, a man with ideas and hostility towards anyone who disagreed

Edward’s premature death, aged just 15, in July 1553, brought another volte-face with the accession of Edward’s sister, the uber-Catholic Mary I. Knox acted prudently and by early-1554 was with the Calvinists in Geneva.

uber-ProtestantScotland

Knox was decidedly non-PC with his First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women (1558) proclaiming female monarchs against the Bible’s teachings.

Knox had no problem with women per se, just those in authority.

King Edward VI, there was a regal intercession leading to Knox’s liberation in February 1549. The next four years saw Knox in England, where he was a radical Protestant preacher and chaplain to the young king. The following year saw him reject the bishop’s job at Rochester, but he was also among those consulted by Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), the Archbishop of Canterbury, regarding his Forty-Two Articles, a Protestant creed published in 1553, which summarised the Church of England’s position on religious ‘controversies’.

Knox had already shown willing by manipulating the 38th Article, such that the English church was committed to the Genevan eucharist doctrine, so he was among friends, but he returned to Scotland in September 1555, embarking on a preaching tour around Kyle, Castle Campbell et al. By July 1556, he was back in Geneva where he remained for the next couple of years, heavily in uenced by John Calvin (1509-64). Knox became a thorn in Mary’s side with his bombastic pamphleteering and determination to eliminate Roman Catholicism, or the ‘Whore of Babylon’ as he termed it, from his homeland.

palm-greasing and secured England’s aid against the French, leading to the reformers becoming Scotland’s masters with Protestantism established. Knox became minister of St Giles’, Edinburgh, in 1560.

Knox’s relationship with Mary, Queen of Scots is fascinating. The 18-year-old queen returned to Scotland in August 1561, her rst husband, Francis II of France, having died the previous December. Her return threw a new ingredient into the pot, her six-year tenure in Scotland, until her July 1567 abdication, drawing hostility from Knox.

He wanted Mary gone.The spark that ignited his antagonism was her celebrating mass in Holyrood Chapel

John Knox ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: St Giles’ Moray;Edinburgh;Cathedral,JamesStuart1stEarlofKingEdwardVI; John Knox Admonishing Mary Queen of Scots by John Burnet

Scotland 73

“To promote a woman to bear rule, superiority, dominion or empire, above any realm, nation, or city, is repugnant to nature; contumely to God, a thing most contrarious to his revealed will and approved ordinance, and ﬁnally it is the subversion of good order, of all equity and justice” (opening sentence of John Knox’s polemic, First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women, 1558)

Legitimate monarch or not, he wanted her gone. The spark that ignited his antagonism was her celebrating mass in Holyrood Chapel. Knox’s forthrightness alienated the most powerful noble on his side, Lord James Stewart (1531-70), an illegitimate son of Mary’s father, James V, who was later regent for Mary’s son, the infant king, James VI. Mary had her nger on the self-destruct button, however, and her second marriage to Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley (1546-67), in July 1565, concentrated the opposition, including Knox and Stewart. After Mary’s private secretary, David Rizzio (c.1533-66) was murdered, Knox disappeared to Ayrshire where he scribed some of his History of the Reformation in Scotland, talking up his own contribution. Mary followed Darnley’s inevitable murder with a third marriage of indecent haste to James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell (c.1534-78) in May 1567, which swiftly resulted in the queen being overthrown, forced to abdicate, and ee to England in May 1568. Knox was beside himself. With the reforming party in charge, Knox saw Stewart (by now regent) ratify the 1560 acts in favour of the reformed religion. There was another twist when James Stewart was assassinated in January 1570 with a strong party established in Mary’s favour, which once again threatened the reformers. Knox disappeared to St OnAndrews.9November 1572, Knox made his nal public appearance at St Giles’ Cathedral when his successor, James Lawson (1538-84), was inducted as minister. Knox was dead within a fortnight, and was buried in the churchyard then attached to the cathedral.

Knox was married twice, to Marjory Bowes, mother of his two sons, and Margaret Stewart, mother of his three daughters. The History of the Reformation in Scotland is his story: one biographer called him ‘The Thundering Scot’. He was a self-appointed emissary of God, egotistical and self-righteous. He was rstly a Protestant reformer, secondly a Scot, and yet he is still able to divide opinion 450 years on from his death. S

| HISTORY

JOHN KNOX ON WOMEN

ST ABBS

With its craggy coastline, steep cliffs, and generous scattering of sea stacks, the Berwickshire coastline in Scotland’s southeast has historically provided perfect cover for illicit goings on. You can still just about make out the steps carved into land that ascended from the shore right up to the headland in some places, where smugglers would haul their cargo up and out of the line of sight of customs of cers under the cloak of Contrabanddarkness.inthese parts in the 18th century was most often tea, but also sometimes brandy and tobacco, and one of the most notorious smugglers in the area was John Nisbet, owner of Gunsgreen House in the shing village of Eyemouth.

Words by SALLY COFFEY

Forming part of Berwickshire’s smugglers’ trail, St Abbs is the kind of unassuming village that you’ll want to hide away in

Today a heritage centre/self-catering property, Gunsgreen House is rather creaky round the edges but shows good promise, with secret passages used by Nisbet and his contacts, and even a hidden tea chute. All it needs is a little investment, something that the charity that runs it is working hard to secure, and it will be a great attraction along this underrated coastline. From Eyemouth it’s a very picturesque walk north along the coastal path to St Abbs, a pretty village hemmed in by rugged cliffs, with old shermen cottages that look as though they are being beckoned down to the sea. Younger visitors tend to recognise St Abbs for its role as New Asgard in Avengers: Endgame. It’s an association made a bit of a fuss about in the fantastic visitor centre that stands proud high up above the harbour, though not all locals are keen to be reminded of the link. The visitor centre also explores other parts of St Abbs’

74 Scotland SECRETSCOTLAND | Berwickshire

Scotland 75 Berwickshire | SECRETSCOTLAND THIS IMAGE: The Smugglers’ Way walking trail takes you Eyemouthfromto St Abbs and its historicalongpassingharbour,manyhiddencovestheway MEDIABAXTERJASON©

It’s good to see that both these industries continue today, and St Abbs itself, far from being a twee picture-postcard village, is still home to a busy shing community. You can buy lobster and crab straight from the boat, or pop into the ever-popular and very friendly Ebbcarrs Cafe, right by the harbour, where you can tuck into a fresh-as-it-comes homemade crab sandwich.

Today this headland is brimming with birdlife, butter ies, and lots of native ora and fauna. It’s hard to believe that nature ever takes a break here, but from spring to early summer – breeding season for many – its cliffsides and stacks are particularly packed with loud, busy birds. Find a safe spot on the headland and sit down and you’ll see (and hear), thousands and thousands of seabirds, from guillemots to razor bills, kittiwakes, and shags – even a thriving relatively new population of gannets.

But while most people venturing to this part of Scotland come for the wildlife or to enjoy the great outdoors, for those living here, before tourism became a viable alternative, there were two main industries: sheep farming and shing.

There is also a growing artisan food scene in Berwickshire, and if your legs will carry you up the steep hill that leads from the harbour past the visitor centre, you can try some of it in the Old School Cafe. If you have any sense, you’ll order one of the Jarvis Pickle pies.

The nearby National Trust nature centre is a good source of information on the birds you see and the rangers are passionate and knowledgeable, or you can book a private tour with In Our Nature (inournature.rocks), run by an ex ranger Liza Cole, who can explain everything, from the behaviour of the birds and how to recognise them, to where to see some of the coastline’s bountiful seal population.

For the life of me I haven’t been able to work out why locals refer to them as poo sandwiches – perhaps it’s to make them sound so unappetising that us outsiders will leave them alone (if this is the reason, it’s not working).

If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in St Abbs, then

FROMCLOCKWISEBELOW,TOPLEFT: Ebbcarrs Cafe is the perfect place for a fresh crab sandwich; if you look closely, you can still make out the steps smugglersthatused to climb up from the shore along the Smugglers’ Way; St Abb’s Head is renowned for its seabird colonies; St Abb’s fromLighthouseHeaddatesthe1860s

Berwickshire story, from its fabled origins as a village that grew up around a nearby 7th-century nunnery founded by a shipwrecked Norwegian princess named Æbbe, who gave the village its name, to its abundance of wildlife. The promontory where that rst nunnery is believed to have stood is just to the north of the village and is part of what is known today as St Abb’s Head.

76 Scotland SECRETSCOTLAND

Scotland 77 you can’t go wrong with the well-placed Seaview B&B (seaviewstabbs.co.uk), which offers cosy rooms and good company, plus both a sunroom and a sun-trap garden for taking in those sea views its name boasts of. From St Abbs it is a beautiful walk along the coast path to Eyemouth. The highlight of which is Coldingham Bay, a wide arc of golden sands with beach huts that are so popular I’ve heard of people who have been on the waiting list for 30 years, and a cool beach café. It will take you a couple of hours to walk to Eyemouth, but it’s a great way to soak up the maritime atmosphere and look down upon hard-to-reach little coves and wonder at the nefarious activities that would once have taken place there.

If you don’t fancy walking back, you can either book onto one of Tim Grimshaw’s shuttle services through Eyemouth RIB Rides (eyemouthribtrips.co.uk), or book into Nisbet’s Tower, named after that most notorious of local smugglers. Nisbet’s Tower (gunsgreenhouse.org/stay-with-us/nisbetstower) is a cute, castellated, converted 18th-century doo’cot, which looks out over Nisbet’s former home and would have been a great spot for any customs of cers to peer down from. If only they knew.

Smugglers would haul their cargo up and out of the line of sight of customs o cers under the cloak of darkness

S PLAN YOUR VISIT St Abbs is about an hour’s drive from Edinburgh, or if you would rather take the train, then you can alight at Berwick on Tweed, from where it’s a short taxi ride with Kiwi Cabs (kiwi-cabs.co.uk). There are regular trains from Edinburgh with ScotRail (scotrail.co.uk), and London with LNER (lner.co.uk). Once here, your two feet will do you in good stead for much of it, and the new Pingo app (bordersbuses. co.uk/pingo-berwickshire), which allows you to order a bus on demand, is a genius idea. For more information on visiting the area, go to visitberwickshirecoast.co.uk

Contact: Jackelyn A Daugherty, Secretary PO Box 666 Topock, AZ 86436 (928) jdaugherty@1791.com788-9434 HOUSE OF BURNETT, INC. Sanctioned by James C.A. Burnett of Leys, Chief of the Name, and Head of the House of Burnett The Scottish Home 2800 Des Plains Avenue N. Riverside, IL 60546 Celebrating 175 years of Home, Family and Love. 708-447-5092 | ChicagoScots.org

SALTOUN 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 THE CLAN FRASER SOCIETY NORTHOFAMERICA

78 Scotland SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies ClanArmstrongSociety 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 FloweryPArmstrongChriswww.armstrong.orgmembership.Armstrong,PresidentClanSocietyOBox346Branch,GA30542 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 Lochwood, President, Stonehaven, Scotland Dr. Debra Baird, Convenor www.clanbairdsociety.com Member of the Scottish Clans and Associations, Inc. Clan Blair Society Membership cordially invited from Blair descendants, and other interested parties. clanblair.org Russell McCrary Email: clanmembership@clanblair.org Clan Cumming Society USA Established 1997 Contact Information: G. Allen Cummings, Secretary 330 S Middleton Drive Unit 203 Calabash, NC 28467 Website: www.clancumming.us Carol Morton-Bianchini, Secretary Clan Douglas Society of North America PO Box 6974, Portland, OR 97228 Phone: 971.300.8593 DouglasSecretary@comcast.net @ClanForbesSociety president@clan-forbes.org Sign up for a free e-newsletter! CLAN GRAHAM SOCIETY Ne Oublie • “Do Not Forget” to join us! www.facebook.com/ClanGrahamSocietywww.clangrahamsociety.orgOrganizedJuly1975TheﬁrstworldwideClanGrahamOrganization Clan Hamilton Society Hamiltons and those of Hamilton descent are cordially invited to join the Society. Visit our http://www.clanhamilton.orgwebsite: Inquiries should be sent to: Sherri Lambert, Treasurer PO Box 5399 Vernon Hills, IL 60061 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: Polly A. (Bruce) Tilford, Secretary 5561 Earl Young Road Bloomington, IN 47408 Donald E. Bruce, FSA Scot President 1051 Eagle Ridge Trail Stillwater, MN bruce1051@comcast.net55082 www.familyofbruceinternational.org

THE CLAN FRASER SOCIETY NORTHOFAMERICA

Peter Lawrie, Secretary 6 The Esplanade, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2EL Scotland For membership contact Keith MacGregor P.O Box 56, Redding Ridge, CT 06876 kmac1@optonline.net.

Clan Dunbar DUNBARS OF THE WORLD, UNITE! Join your clan, wherever you are, and learn more

www.clangregor.com

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 ** CONTACT:GenealogistsKathryn Dunbar, Secretary, PO Box 1493, Tomball, TX 77377-1493;www.ClanDunbar.comChieftain@ClanDunbar.org Clan Society-USAGrant (And spelling variations) RAND ALLAN, Membership Secretary 6102 Calle Vera Cruz La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) secretary@clangrant-us.org454-3846president@clangrant-us.orgwww.clangrant-us.orgAllanBissetBissettBowieBuieCairnsGilroyMacAllanMacGilroyMacIlroyMacKerronMacKiaranPrattSuttieMoreofDrumcork To book your society in Scotland email: sophie.easton@chelseamagazines.com

Scotland 79 Scottish Societies | SCOTLAND The ClanSocietyHannay For those with family names of Hannay, Hannah, Hanna and Hanney. Membership Sec: Mrs. Jacquie Hannay Picket Cross, Bankend Road, Dumfries DG1 4AH SCOTLAND www.clanhannay.org MacDougall Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc. Valerie McDougall VP Greeley,POMembershipBox338047CO.80633 MacDowall Email:membership@macdougall.org Home Page:ww.macdougall.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall Names Associated with Clan MacDougall of Argyll and Clan MacDowall of Galloway Coul MacCoul Macoual Conacher MacConacher MacConcher Coyle MacCoyle MacDill Dole MacDole McDoll Dowdle Dulothe MacDulothe Doual MacDoual McDougal Dougal MacDougall MacDougald Dougle Mcdougle McDougald Dugal MacDugal MacDugle Dowall MacDowal MacDowall MacDowell Macdowell McDowell Lullich McLullich MacCullich MacCulloch McCulloch MacCullagh MacClintock MacLintock McLintock MacCowan Macowen McCown MacHale McHoul Mactheul MacHowell MacCowan McCown MacKichan M’Gowall MacNamell MacLinden MacLintock MacClintock MacLucas MacLugash MacLuke Spelling Variations May Vary or Omit the Mac, Mc Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc. Valerie McDougall, VP Membership PO Box 338047, Greeley, CO. 80633 Email: membership@macdougall.org • www.facebook.com/clanmacdougallwww.macdougall.orgwww.facebook.com/clanmacdougall Names Associated with Clan MacDougall of Argyll and Clan MacDowall of Galloway Spelling Variations May Vary or Omit the Mac, Mc MacDougall Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc. Valerie McDougall VP Greeley,POMembershipBox338047CO.80633 MacDowall Email:membership@macdougall.org Home Page:ww.macdougall.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/clanmacdougall Names Associated with Clan MacDougall of Argyll and Clan MacDowall of Galloway Coul MacCoul Macoual Conacher MacConacher MacConcher Coyle MacCoyle MacDill Dole MacDole McDoll Dowdle Dulothe MacDulothe Doual MacDoual McDougal Dougal MacDougall MacDougald Dougle Mcdougle McDougald Dugal MacDugal MacDugle Dowall MacDowal MacDowall MacDowell Macdowell McDowell Lullich McLullich MacCullich MacCulloch McCulloch MacCullagh MacClintock MacLintock McLintock MacCowan Macowen McCown MacHale McHoul Mactheul MacHowell MacCowan McCown MacKichan M’Gowall MacNamell MacLinden MacLintock MacClintock MacLucas MacLugash MacLuke Spelling Variations May Vary or Omit the Mac, Mc LullichMacDowelDowallDugalDougleDougalDoualDowdleDoleCoyleConacherCoul MacDoleMacCoyleMacConacherMacCoulMacLucasMacLindenMacKichanMacHowellMacHaleMacCowanMacClintockMacCulloch McHoulMacowenMacLintockMcCullochMcLullichMacdowellMacDowalMacDugalMcdougleMacDougallMacDoualDulothe McDougaldMacDougaldMcDougalMacDulotheMcDollMacDillMacConcherMacoualMacLugashMacLintockM’GowallMacCowan MacLukeMacClintockMacNamellMcCownMactheulMcCownMcLintockMacCullaghMacCullichMcDowellMacDowallMacDugle 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. texscott2020@gmail.com78634 Visit the Clan Website: http://www.clanmacgillivray.net Clan MacKinnon Society Family|History|Philanthropy|Fun www.TheMacKinnon.com Since1891 Septs:Love,MacKinney,MacKinning,MacKinven,MacMorran,Morren,Sherry @TheMacKinnon @The_MacKinnon ClanMacKinnonSociety@gmail.com / Recognized by the Chief of Clan MacLaren Mark McLaren, FSA Scot greatscot@earthlink.netPresident Clan MacLaren Society of North America MACLAREN MACLAURIN LAWRENCE LAWSON LOW[E] LOW[E]RY LAW[E] PATTERSON MACPATRICK MACRORY Clan Macnachtan Association Worldwide Descendants 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 MacNicol of North America 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. 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 Canadian Membership Secretary Jacques McNicoll Website www.clanmacnicol.org E-mail mcnicollclan@videotron.qc.ca Postal Address 202 rue BerliozApt. Verdun,203,Québec H3E 1B8, Canada Clan Irwin Association Chief and Patron Alexander H. R. Irvine of Drum, 27th Baron of Drum Chief of the Name. Contact: Susan Irvine McRae 5607 Bryar Rose Drive Ooltewah TN susan.mcrae@clanirwin.org37363-6540 www.clanirwin.org www.facebook.com/groups/clanirwin IRWIN, IRVINE, IRVIN, IRVING, ERWIN And the many other spellings of the name CLAN MacLELLAN John B. McClellan, Jr. Sunnyvale,383ClanTreasurerMacLellanAshBrookLaneTX75182-3250 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) Scholarships available for Scottish studies. Visit our website: www.clanmaclellan.net KENNEDY SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA cordially invites membership inquiries from all descendants of Kennedy and the Clan Septs: Cannaday Kanaday Cassels Cassillis Carrick MacUlrick MacWalrick Ulric (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 April clanhaymembership@hotmail.comWillimantic,MembershipRichChair218OxbowDriveCT06226www.ClanHay.comTheAmericanBranchofthe First Family of Scotland welcomes inquiries from descendants of Hay / Hayes / Haynes, Constable, Delgatie, Erroll, Gifford, Leith, MacGarra, Peebles and Turriff Clan MacInnes Int’l Assn. of Clan MacInnes (Aonghais) Worldwide, we welcome descendants of all spelling variations, including (Mc)Angus, (Mc)Canse, (Mc)Ginnis, (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 The Honorable Alexander Leslie Chief of Clan Leslie Laura Messing, Chieftain Septs: Abernethy, Bartholomew, Carnie, Lang & More (Moore) Send inquiries to: Linda Flowers, CLSI Treasurer, 302 SW 3rd, Tuttle, OK 73089 Email: lflowers1954@yahoo.com www.clanlesliesociety.org Clan Leslie Society International Muirhead Clan Society www.clanmuirhead.com Chev. Raymond L. Morehead, GOTJ, FSA Scot. President/Chief Elect 194th Avenue E. Bonney Lake, WA 98391 1-253-219-8736 E-mail: raymond@clanmuirhead.com

ClanBadgeCrestOfMember www.macrae.org Need more info? Contact: Bruce McRae, President brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com303-670-9611

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

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.

Clan MacRae Society of North America Granted Arms in 2008 We invite MacRaes of all spelling variations and their descendants to join our Clan MacRae Society. Learn your Scottish MacRae history and family lineage! www.macrae.org Need more info? Contact: 1 Bruce McRae, President 303 670 brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com9611

Gregor Grier MacAdams McNish Gregory King Magruder Peter Gregg Lecky McGehee many others

MACGREGOR

80 Scotland SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies “WeRide!” Clan Young A charitable social organization formed to promote fellowship among those surnamed Young, descendants of any Scotsman and anyone interested in all things Scottish. clanyoungmembership@yahoo.com www.clanyoungsociety.com For membership information, contact Linda (616)MembershipYoung-SheikoSecretary581-2229 NC Scottish Heritage Society 506 Shinnecock Court New Bern, NC Join us to learn more about your highland heritage and an opportunity to publish your own research www.theargyllcolonyplus.org Like Us On Facebook Founded 1756 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 www.standrewsny.org212/223–0748 St. Andrew’s Society of Albany FOUNDED 1803 150 Washington Avenue Albany, New York 12210 www.standrewssocietyalbany.org “Relieve the Distressed” “Faire Sans Dire” TomPresidentH.Robinson TomHRobinson@aol.com Membership Contact Keith A. Sinclair ClanSincMembership@gmail.com For a list of spelling variations and septs Website: www.clansinclairusa.org Clan Sinclair Association, Inc. (U.S.A.) Come join (and enjoy) your Sinclair family Do you know who came to North America almost 100 years before Columbus’voyage?famous Prince Henry Sinclair in 1398 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 www.scottishheritageusa.orgshusa457@gmail.comculture. Clan Uisdean, USA Defenders of Freedom, Mindful of Knowledge & Labor 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 Contact:Scotland.BJ McCuiston, Secretary, PO Box 2193 Gilroy, CA 95021-2193 or billiejo@garlic.com

ClanSOCIETYMaxwell PO Box 3225, Staunton, VA www.clanmaxwellsociety.com24401MaxtonMescallMonreithMossNithsdalePaulkPeacockPolkPollo(c)kSturgeonWardlawAdairBlackstockDinwiddieDinwoodieEdgarHerriesKirkKirklandLatimerLatimoreMacKittrick Clan Ross America Representing the great Highland Clan of Ross since 1976 Paul D Ross, President Virg Bumann, VP Membership 1015 Archer St. San Diego, CA membership@clanross.org92109info@clanross.org www.clanross.org St Andrews Society of the City of Milwaukee www.standrewssocietymilwaukee.orgContact:TomWestgaard,FSAScotPhone414-421-1598P.O.Box210288Milwaukee,WI53221-8005 ST ANDREWS SOCIETY OF THECITY OF MILWAUKEE RELIEVETHE DISTRESSED S T ANDREWTHE FIRSTCALLED ST ANDREWS SOCIETY OF THECITY OF MILWAUKEE RELIEVETHE DISTRESSED S T ANDREWTHE FIRSTCALLED e Clan Mac omas SEPT NAMES McComishMcComieMcCombieMcComb(e)McComasMcColmCombie MacOmishMacOmieTamomomasomsomson www.clanmacthomas.org Andrew Mac omas of Finegand, 19th Chief, welcomes members. Please direct inquiries to: Cathy McComb Ludemann North American membership-na@clanmacthomas.comBranch 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.comAmandaAUSTRALIAwww.clanmaitlandna.orgMaitland 6/1 Hinemoa Avenue, Normanhurst NSW 2076 clanmaitland@yahoo.com.auNEWZEALANDJudetteMaitland 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 MACTAVISH Inc. The only organization authorized and under the patronage of the 27th Hereditary Chief of Clan MacTavish, Steven MacTavish of Dunardry. Anyone bearing the name MacTavish or any of the recognized connected names and their descendants and all variant spellingsare 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 orwww.facebook.com/ClanMacTavishwww.clanmactavish.orgcontact:ClanMacTavishTreasurer Clan MacTavish membershipsecretary.mactavish@gmail.com 23 Garland Rd. Lancaster, NH 03584 CLAN RAMSAYInternational Ramsay Ramsey Rumsey Dalhousie Maule Brechin Brecheen Clan Ramsay International, 434 Skinner Blvd., Dunedin, FL 34698 david@ramseyengineering.com www.clanramsay.org

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. Nesbitt Nisbet Society of North America

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

EDGINGTONNICK©

beltane.org/about-samhuinn 12

THE GREAT WESTERN FESTIVAL, GLASGOW A festival of musical exploration and art with 50 bands performing across 10 di erent venues.

SCOTLAND

The Oban Winter Festival concludes with a ﬁreworksspectaculardisplayfromthetown’sMcCaig’sTower

22 January 2023 BURNS NIGHT 2023: THE BARD AND HIS BALLADS, BC Join songsmith Bruce Coughlan for a musical celebration of Rabbie Burns, accompanied by ﬁddles, pianos, pipes and whistles. songsmith.ca AUSTRALIA 30 October 2022

17 December HOOLIE IN THE HYDRO, GLASGOW Set to be the biggest ever night of traditional Scottish music, including the world’s biggest cèilidh – this will be party to remember. hoolie-in-the-hydrosec.co.uk/events/detail/ 30 December 2022 –1 January 2023 EDINBURGHHOGMANAY,EDINBURGH’S Torchlight parades, street parties, ﬁreworks, and a river swim. Experience the world-famous New Year’s party. edinburghs-hogmanaycom/festivals/edinburghfestivalcity.

mas-marketsevent/003279-glasgow-christwhatsonglasgow.co.uk/-

THE 28TH ANNUAL ASF BURNS NIGHT GALA CELEBRATION, NY The ASF returns for the 28th year to celebrate Scotland’s bard, complete with the essential ‘Address to a Haggis.’ americanscottishfoundation.com

Calendar

OBAN WINTER FESTIVAL, OBAN A 10-day celebration of the town of Oban’s unique culture, featuring parades, cèilidhs, music, art and ﬁre performances. November 2022 – 3 January 2023

18 – 27 November 2022

obanwinterfestival.com 19

BURNS ABOARDSUPPERTHEROYAL YACHT BRITANNIA Celebrate the birth of Scotland’s national bard with a ﬁve-course menu, Scottish music, and a whisky tasting. royalyachtbritannia.co.uk USA & CANADA 12 – 13 November 2022 HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS HIGHLAND GAMES AND CELTIC MUSIC FESTIVAL, MS Sheep-herding, pipe bands and Highland events – expect all the traditional elements, and more. mshighlandsandislands.com 26 November 2022 ST ANDREW’S SOCIETY TORONTO CHARITY BALL, ON Join the society for an evening of Scottish food, music, and dancing. standrewstoronto.ca 13 December 2022

27 – 28 January 2023

31 October 2022

EDINBURGH’S CHRISTMAS, EDINBURGH Watch as the city is transformed into a real-life winter wonderland, with traditional Christmas markets, pop-up ice rinks and magical Christmas light trails. Edinburghchristmas-winter-festivals/visitscotland.com/see-do/events/ November – 23 December 2022

GLASGOW’S CHRISTMAS MARKETS, GLASGOW Visitors can explore a perfect Christmas village in the heart of the city with a warming cup of mulled wine, and shop for unique Christmas gifts.

GLENBARR GATHERING,HIGHLANDSA Taking place in what was originally a home for Scottish pioneers, this celebration of Scotland has all the traditional trimmings. glenbarr.com.au 3 December 2022 DAYLESFORD HIGHLAND GATHERING A spectacularly Scottish day of piping, drumming and dancing concludes with the spine-tingling Massed Bands parade – not one to be missed. daylesfordhighland.com Scotland 81 | FOR YOUR DIARY

SAMHUINN FIRE PARADE, EDINBURGH On Halloween night, Calton Hill is set alight as this Gaelic festival celebrates the transition of the seasons with a stand-o between the Summer and Winter Kings. November 2022

thegreatwestern.seetickets.com

CHRISTMASNIGHTFOUNDATIONAMERICAN-SCOTTISHANDBURNSSOCIETYOFNEWYORKPARTY,NY A Christmas celebration complete with traditional Scottish Christmas carols to kick-start the festive season in style. americanscottishfoundation.com 20 January 2023

EVENTS DATES

The best Scottish-themed events and clan celebrations taking place across the world – start planning now

Charismatic and quixotic, intelligent and impetuous, Mary remains as enigmatic today as when she ruled. Writing about her opened my eyes to her personality, and her magnetic charm. She can be criticised on many fronts, but she can never be forgotten. S

THE STORY BEHIND…

CULTURE | Real-life tales

The rst chapter of my book about Mary, Queen of Scots was scarcely begun when lockdown descended. I remember that rst morning, when the silence beyond the windows was unnerving. No passing cars or tradesmen’s vans disturbed the peace. No horses plodded by, no cyclists. Even the sheep in the elds – I live in the Borders – seemed subdued. You’d think that tranquillity is ideal for writing, but not for me. I’m a journalist, used to background noise as I work. Since Mary’s story is packed with intrigue and drama, it requires a bit of a buzz to get into the mood.

Chapter by chapter, Mary emerged as fascinating, awed and unfathomable. She was exceptionally generous and loyal to those she liked, lavishing presents on her servants and friends. In her very last letter, written hours before she was executed, her attendants’ welfare seemed to concern her more than her impending death. As a young queen, Mary would escape the palace by dressing as a man and gallivanting around Edinburgh incognito. Being almost six feet tall, she could carry this off. She was also an avid gambler, haunting the card tables, as her mother had done. Whether it was an archery contest, hawking, or hunting with hounds, she was athletic and full of energy. A day spent indoors was a day wasted; where possible she would hold meetings while strolling in her gardens. But after the murder of her secretary David Rizzio, she grew depressed, and prone to panic. Ahead of the baptism of her son (later James VI,) she decreed that nobody could enter Stirling Castle if they were carrying weapons. She was also catastrophically headstrong. When she fell for the vain and vicious Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, she would not listen to advice. Even her four Marys (Maries), whom she had known since childhood, could not make her see sense. If anything, her subsequent marriage to Lord Bothwell was even more ill-judged. But of all the things I learned, what startled me most was that, when her sickly rst husband Francis II, King of France died, Mary did not immediately head for home. She seems to have hesitated, considering her options. Did she know how hard it would be to rule the country of her birth, and secretly dread how badly things might go? We will never know. All that’s clear is that, as tensions at the Scottish court mounted, Mary was unable to control events. Tragedy was almost inevitable.

Eventually, I managed to get on with it and, as the story began to take shape, so did Mary. Focusing on her years in Scotland, I wanted to explore what she was like, and whether her downfall was all her own doing, or if Scotland should take some, or most, of the blame.

Homecoming: The Scottish Years of Mary, Queen of Scots, by Rosemary Goring is published by Birlinn, hardback, £22 When Rosemary Goring began researching her book on Mary, Queen of Scots, she was startled by what she discovered…

82 Scotland LEFT TO RIGHT: Rosemary Goring is an author and journalist; Mary, Queen of Scots reigned from 1542 until her inandabdicationforcedin1567,wasexecuted1587

Ho y Blue Delicate silver butter ies beautifully hand-enamelled in Holly BlueBUTTERFLYcolourway. NEW DESIGNED & MADE IN ORKNEY, SCOTLAND 01856 861 203 | sheilafleet.com ORKNEY | EDINBURGH | GLASGOW | ST ANDREWS

Own your own fresh air and freedom Luxury 2 & 3 bedroom holiday homes available to buy at Moffat Manor from £27,995 Looking for something more permanent? Residential park homes now available at Glendevon. awayresorts.co.uk/holiday-homes Pop and see us today, or find out more in the idyllic Scottish countryside