Scotland July/August 2022 by The Chelsea Magazine Company

ANCESTRY • HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL

The world’s leading Scottish-interest magazine

GEORGE IV’S VISIT

Essential Edinburgh The ultimate guide to Scotland’s capital

Roll out the tartan carpet

Isle of Iona

The small island with a lot of soul

Turrets & Towers Fyvie is the fairytale castle you’ve been dreaming of

EXCLUSIVE

THE ROAD DANCE

Meet the star of the new Hebridean film

THE KILTED CHEF

On cooking for Sean Connery and his return home

ISSUE 123 Jul/Aug 2022 £4.95

M U L T R E E S , M A K I N G YO U SHINE THIS SUMMER

THE VERY ESSENCE OF LUXURY SHOPPING AND HOME TO E XC LU S I V E FA S H I O N A N D L I FES T Y L E B R A N DS . HARVE Y NICHOLS, MA X MAR A , CANADA GOOSE, M U L B E R R Y, LO U I S V U I T TO N , B U R B E R R Y, S T R AT H B E R R Y, JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN AND MORE. MULTREESWALK • ST. ANDREW SQUARE, EDINBURGH EH1 3DQ

A Pipe Major soldier in full Highland uniform at Edinburgh Castle

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© 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 effort 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.

Editor’s letter This issue I got to wax lyrical about one of my favourite places in the world: Edinburgh. I could have written three times as much (and I almost did) but whether you’re able to make it to the capital for festival month in August, or you are planning to visit a little further down the line, hopefully A Tale of Two Cities (p14) will convince you that you have to factor time in both the Old Town and the New Town into your trip. One person who seemed to have a good time when he visited Edinburgh was King George IV and in Carle, Now the King’s Come (p44), David McVey looks at some of the more absurd moments from the monarch’s stage-managed visit, 200 years on. Of course, Scotland is so much more than its capital, and in Heaven in the Hebrides (p58), writer Kenneth Steven offers his expert view on another of my favourite places: Iona. If the wilds of Scotland’s isles appeal, then make sure you read The Road Dance (p64), in which Henrietta Easton talks to both the author of the book and one of the stars of the film adaptation, which was shot on location on the Isle of Lewis and comes with my personal recommendation. Another recommendation from me is Tighnabruaich (p74), a tiny little village on Argyll’s Secret Coast, which is a great base for exploring some of the lesser-known parts of Scotland. If you’d like travel tips from others, then The Kilted Chef (p54) is pretty convincing about the allure of Aberdeenshire, and while there you may want to visit one of the region’s most beautiful castles, Fyvie, which you can read all about in In the Pink (p26). Enjoy the issue.

ANCESTRY • HISTORY • HERITAGE • TRAVEL

COVER IMAGE:

The world’s leading Scottish-interest magazine

GEORGE IV

Essential Edinburgh The ultimate guide to Scotland’s capital

Roll out the tartan carpet

Isle of Iona

The small island with a lot of soul

Turrets & Towers Fyvie is the fairytale castle you’ve been dreaming of

EXCLUSIVE

THE ROAD DANCE

Meet the star of the new Hebridean film

THE KILTED CHEF

ISSUE 123 Jul/Aug 2022 £4.95

On cooking for Sean Connery and his return home 001_UK_COVER_SM123 v5.indd 2

30/05/2022 15:56

The Dugald Stewart Monument on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill © Susanne Kremer/4 Corners Images. Inset: King George IV © The Royal Collection/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

SALLY COFFEY

Editor

editor@scotlandmag.com

@Scotland_Mag

facebook.com/ScotlandMagazine

@scotlandmagazine

Scotland 3

Lewis p64

Fyvie Castle p26

Ruigh Aiteachain bothy p50

Iona p58

The Grassmarket p24

Tighnabruaich p74

CONTENTS ISSUE 123

14 A tale of two cities Read our editor’s essential guide to Scotland’s historic and enigmatic capital, Edinburgh

24 The Grassmarket We take a closer look at this bustling market place, and look back on its murky history

03 Editor’s letter 06 The clan courier Scottish news and the latest travel tips

10 Notes from the isles Our friend spends time with her grandchildren

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

26 In the pink Fyvie Castle’s fairytale appearance masks a less than angelic past thanks to some unsavoury former residents

34 Travels with Tom Our new columnist visits the Isle of Iona and reflects on the role it played in Scotland’s rocky history

36 Ringing the changes We mark the centenary of the death of Scottish-born Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone

26 Once a royal stronghold, Fyvie has links to Robert the Bruce and Charles I

64 © PICTORIAL PRESS LTD/ALAMY/ROBERT BIRKBY/AWL IMAGES LTD/VISITSCOTLAND/DAMIAN SHIELDS/ WOBURN ABBEY COLLECTION/HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF BEDFORD/BEDFORD ESTATE/PARKLAND ENTERTAINMENT. © ILLUSTRATION MICHAEL A HILL

40 In the right hands Paul Macdonald brings past lives back from the dead by restoring swords used in historic Scottish battles

44 Carle, now the king’s come Pomp abounded when George IV became the first monarch to visit Scotland in centuries in 1822

50 Summer in the shielings A new book reveals how the Duchess of Bedford was just as at home in a basic Highland dwelling as a palace

54 The Kilted Chef Craig Wilson has cooked for celebrities, but always dreamed of opening a restaurant at home in Scotland

58 Heaven in the Hebrides The Isle of Iona is known as a pilgrimage destination, but this beautiful island has so much more to offer

64 The Road Dance We interview actor Will Fletcher and author John MacKay about this new film, set on the Isle of Lewis

70 Presenting the past Born out of the Scottish enlightenment, the Society of Antiquaries continues to enlighten today

74 Tighnabruaich We explore this little-known and charming village, on the shores of Argyll’s aptly named ‘Secret Coast’

81 Dates for your diary This season’s best events celebrating Scottish culture and history, on both sides of the Atlantic

82 The story behind... New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley tells us what inspired her latest novel

Scotland 5

News & events

CLAN COURIER Scotland celebrates a new city, a treasure is acquired for the nation, and a castle is for sale

[PROPERTY]

CASTLE ON THE MARKET AGAIN second wife of the 3rd Duke of Sutherland, between 1905 and 1917. When the Duke died, his son contested the will, which favoured the Duchess, and the fallout became so messy that Mary Caroline was sentenced to six weeks in jail for destroying the inheritance documents. Eventually, an agreement over the estate was reached and Mary Caroline was granted the right to build a castle, as long as it stood outside the boundaries of the

Sutherland Estate. When Mary Caroline had Carbisdale built on a prominent hill overlooking the estate, it was widely believed she did so out of spite. Today, the Scottish baronial castle, which has been partially renovated and comes with Listed building consent for development into an incredibly beautiful home, is being marketed for sale by Strutt and Parker. struttandparker.com

[SHOPPING]

AN EDITOR WRITES What could be a better travel companion to your adventures around Scotland (apart from Scotland magazine, of course), than this travel guidebook by none other than our very own editor? Moon Scotland, published in July 2022, is a 560-page guide to Scotland, including inspiring itineraries, first-person accounts of road trips, a pick of the best castles, distilleries, and community tourism projects, and lots of insider tips. If you’ve ever wondered where to find the best Edinburgh pubs, how to have the most authentic travel experiences in Scotland, and the places you absolutely must visit in the Highlands, it’s all in here. Moon Scotland, moon.com, £15.99

Scotland 7

A Scottish castle nicknamed the ‘Castle of Spite’ after it was built by a widow following a family row over her late husband’s will, is back on the market. Despite an offer for Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland being accepted last year, the sale has since fallen through, and the owners have put it on the market again with an asking price of £1.2m. Carbisdale Castle was built for Mary Caroline, Duchess of Sutherland, the

[JUBILEE]

DUNFERMLINE CROWNED CITY One of Scotland’s ancient capitals, Dunfermline in Fife, has been named Scotland’s eighth city. The news comes as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in which Her Majesty announced the creation of eight new cities across the UK and its Overseas Territories, after more than 40 civic areas applied to be considered. Dunfermline, the birthplace of both King Charles I and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, was chosen due to its rich cultural and historical links, not least its abbey, where several kings and queens are buried. Scottish Secretary for State, Alister Jack, said: “For a place with such rich royal history, it is fitting that Dunfermline is becoming a city as we celebrate our longest-serving monarch’s Platinum Jubilee. Its lovely green spaces and fantastic cultural attractions will ensure that this new city thrives well into the future.”

[ T R AV E L ]

RESTON STATION REOPENS A train station has reopened in the Scottish Borders after remaining closed for more than 50 years, making it easier to visit this quiet corner of Scotland. On 23 May, Reston, a village that lies five miles inland of Eyemouth on the Berwickshire coast, welcomed its first rail passengers in half a century. Train operator TransPennine Express, which will run seven of the eight new services through the station, including seven trains a day between Berwick-on-Tweed and Edinburgh and five trains a day between Edinburgh and Newcastle, called it a “landmark moment for the local surrounding community”. It’s hoped the train service will bring increased tourism to the area as well as present new opportunities for residents who will benefit from improved connections with the rest of the country.

8 Scotland

[ P L AC E S T O S TAY ]

HIGH PRAISE IN THE HIGHLANDS A restaurant with rooms in Ullapool in the northwest Highlands is celebrating after being awarded a Five Gold Star standard awarded by AA Hospitality – the highest accolade for such establishments, which denotes “luxurious accommodation and public areas with a high-quality menu and wine list’. Dating from 1789 and overlooking the shores of Loch Broom, The Dipping Lugger, once the parish manse, was partially rebuilt by Thomas Telford in 1829 and was then lovingly restored by owners Robert Hicks and Helen Chalmers before reopening in September 2021. The AA report commended the “stunning dining experience” and was equally complimentary about the accommodation. “Thoughtfully equipped luxurious bedrooms cater well for the modern guest whilst the open log fires and drawing room reflects the charm and character of the property and its heritage,” it said. The Dipping Lugger has also gained entry into this year’s coveted Michelin Guide. thedippinglugger.com

[MUSEUMS]

A QUEEN’S CASKET A silver casket, believed to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots, has been bought by the National Museums Scotland. The silver casket, made in Paris between 1493 and 1510, is a rare work of French silver, and has been beautifully preserved for more than 450 years. It was acquired by Anne, Duchess of Hamilton around 1674, who bought it on the understanding it had once belonged to Mary, and it has remained in her family for three centuries. Now, it has been bought for £1.8m thanks to funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund, the Scottish Government and several other trusts and donors. The casket will go on display with a 17th-century note, which records the belief that a casket similar to this was used to hide ‘casket letters’ – love letters and poems, from Mary to her third husband, the Earl of Bothwell, which implicated the pair in the death of her second husband, Lord Darnley. Dr Chris Breward, director of National Museums Scotland, said the casket represents ‘‘a momentous and disastrous moment in her turbulent life. Beyond this, the magnificence of the piece speaks to a queen at the height of her powers, wealth, and position.” smo.uhi.ac.uk

Scotland 9

JOURNAL

| Window into Scotland

Notes from the Isles

This issue our friend spends quality time with her grandchildren, and marvels at a geological wonder she never knew existed Words by KATE FRANCIS

ABOVE: Kate and Cronie, her faithful Border Terrier TOP RIGHT: Kate and Cronie enjoyed a visit to the beautiful, and dramatic, Corrieshalloch Gorge, near Ullapool

10 Scotland

n my last column, I mentioned my grandchildren’s ‘Doug Run’, in memory of their grandfather. It has now taken place, with great success. One granddaughter, Nelly, was unfortunately unable to join us, so there were only seven contestants on the day. The sun shone down as they lined up on the farm track below our house and set off on a circular route of about fiveand-a-half miles, up the track, down through the village and back along the shore of the firth. The winner, 29-year-old Alex, took 36 minutes. His older sister, Suzanna, who had organised the race, came in last with her husband, Sam, but I suspect they had been holding back. Honor, the youngest contestant at 15 years old, achieved a final sprint, overtaking several cousins, to come third in 42 minutes. We then had a ceremony on the terrace and Granny presented Alex with a mock gold figure of an athlete, which he received with a gracious bow – and subsequently left behind in the hall. It was a very happy gathering. My daughter Mary and I provided beds in our two houses and shared the catering. I had forgotten what robust appetites they all have: fortunately, I’d laid on a vast bag of porridge oats, which solved the breakfast problem, and dozens of baps and hot cross buns, which filled the gaps between the main meals. I’ve had lots of enthusiastic feedback from neighbours who “just happened”

to be outside during the run, having heard rumours that it was to take place. The next day, four of the grandchildren and I crammed our luggage and Cronie’s into the boot of my small car and I drove us over to our island home for Easter, catching the ferry from Uig on Skye by the skin of our teeth due to many slow caravans on the road. The crossing takes less than two hours and was somewhat bumpy, but it’s always fun because of the anticipation of what lies ahead. We got home by tea-time to a wonderful welcome from the parents of my passengers. From then on, island life kicked in and we were quickly absorbed back into the community. The weather wasn’t perfect but it didn’t spoil the joy of being there. I’m an early riser and every morning, when Cronie and I had returned from our brief stroll through the glen, I’d be sitting at the kitchen table drinking my coffee and, at irregular intervals, down would come another member of the family clad in a towelling robe. Out through the back door they would go, to run down across the meadow to the pier where they dived into the icy water and swam across the bay for about 10 minutes before turning back. It was high tide in the mornings, which was fortunate because at low tide it’s just mud in our channel. I felt extremely feeble being a mere spectator, but despite my hubristic temperament, sanity prevailed, and I knew that it would be crazy to give my aging body such a shock. The Easter Sunday mass was in Gaelic, so we murmured the responses and hummed the hymns and then caught up

Window into Scotland |

It was an experience I shall never forget, and not because I suffer from vertigo and never lean out over a windowsill

JOURNAL

with many dear friends outside the church after it was over. In the afternoon we walked quite a long way, including through a swampy glen, to visit more friends for drinks and a catch-up of news. The time went all too quickly, culminating in a delicious barbecue picnic on the machair. It is always with great sadness that I drive back onto the ferry in Lochmaddy but my heart lifts as I arrive in Uig and set off home to my other magical nest on the Black Isle. The sun shone down on Cronie and me as we took our routine walk up into the hills in Skye, in the lee of the Cuillin, still dotted with patches of snow. The scent from the rampant whinns (gorse) always fills me with pleasure, though some people find it rather invasive. All the sadness of leaving the outer isles had left me by the time I drove back up our pit-holed track and saw my dear, dilapidated old farmhouse at the top. My jungle-garden was coming into bloom, the grass was in dire need of a mow, the birds were singing, and the house seemed to open its arms and say: “welcome home”. Cronie and I settled back to our normal lives with great joy and thanked our lucky stars that we have our feet planted in two of the most magical places in the world. Spring, despite its unpredictable weather, is always a pleasure. I have just returned from taking Mary across to Ullapool to catch a ferry back to the outer isles. An acclaimed architectural writer and journalist, her knowledge of Scotland is unbeatable, and she told me the history of every remarkable building we passed. It would need one of her many books to repeat here all the fascinating information she gave me, some of it way over my head, but I did make a mental note when she advised me to visit the Corrieshalloch Gorge on my way home. It was an experience I shall never forget, and not because I suffer from vertigo and never lean out over a windowsill. A path twists down to a bridge over the gorge, dotted with notices showing pictures of people falling over cliffs, with strict warnings to “Keep Away from the Edge”. The gorge is literally hundreds of feet deep with sheer, rocky walls, narrow enough that one could easily throw a stone across to the opposite side. With Cronie firmly on her lead, I managed to look over the high railing safely on the bridge and peer down to the gushing stream at the bottom. It was truly amazing, and I forgot my vertigo as I marvelled at such a geological treasure. We walked some way down the far side and everyone we passed called out: “Isn’t it fantastic!”, which it indeed is: one of Scotland’s un-acclaimed treasures. S

Scotland 11

MAILBAG

| Your letters

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

MAKING FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES

TAKING COMFORT IN THE FAMILIAR

My oldest, dearest friend, more like family, visited Scotland many years ago, promptly fell in love with the rugged beauty of it all, decided immediately she’d come home, and stayed. She is my daughter’s godmother, so when my mother, who was a volunteer on the C&O Canal, had the opportunity to go to a canal convention, she took my daughter to spend time with her godmother. My mother fell in Can’t see love with the place, much like our friend. yours or want She said it was one of the best trips to read more she’d ever had, and she’s been to some letters? Go to scotlandmag.com/ pretty spectacular destinations. yourviews Recently my mother has been diagnosed with dementia. She’s always been an avid reader, but sadly, it seems she just doesn’t have the focus to read a full book. She’d always wanted to return to Scotland, but I don’t see that happening. I subscribed to your magazine, and it’s such a source of comfort. Every edition that shows up in our mailbox is a great day. She’ll look through it constantly, carrying it around with her, reading out excerpts to me – the same ones, over and over. While that may sound irritating, it fills me with peace, as I know it’s giving her such contentment. This is a horrible diagnosis, thank you for providing such a wonderful ray of light with your beautiful magazine. Monica Henkel, by email

We were at Ballindalloch Castle [our cover star in issue 121, May 2022 – Ed] on our fourth of five visits to Scotland, when the lady of the manor drove up and we had a delightful conversation. She was most friendly. I would add that we went to Scotland the first time in 1995, as my Sangster ancestor was from the Aberdeen area, and I thought that I was going to do some genealogy research. However, we were enamoured so much with Scotland – the views, the people, you name it – that we just tossed the genealogy idea out the window and enjoyed Scotland. Paul Sangster, by email

I thoroughly enjoy Kate Francis’s columns. I have done for years, but I’m finally getting around to telling you. I live in Southern California, but in another life, I would live in the Northern Islands. I love the picture of Kate and Cronie. We own a Norfolk Terrier – Cronie is a lot bigger than ours, but they share the same background. Again, thank you to Kate Francis. Jan Winning, California

Ballindalloch Castle, Speyside, is known as ‘The Pearl of the North’

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

12 Scotland

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Scotland 13

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TRAVEL

| Edinburgh

Taleof Two Cities

Planning your next visit to Scotland’s enigmatic capital? Read our editor Sally Coffey’s guide to Edinburgh before you book

14 Scotland

Edinburgh |

TRAVEL

LEFT TO RIGHT: Lady Stair’s Close in Edinburgh’s atmospheric Old Town; in contrast, elegant Georgian townhouses in the city’s New Town

Scotland 15

TRAVEL

| Edinburgh BELOW: Colourful shops and cafes in the Old Town’s West Bow curve round to join Victoria Street

or a compact city, Edinburgh packs a big punch. There’s no doubt it’s Scotland’s most handsome city – with the medieval street plan and Reformation-era buildings of the Old Town on one side of Princes Street Gardens, and the neoclassical squares and terraces of the New Town on the other, it was rightly declared a World Heritage Site in 1995. It’s this dual personality that gives Edinburgh its eternal appeal, and to really understand the city, you simply must experience both sides. With Waverley train station conveniently placed between the two sides, Edinburgh is relatively easy to explore on foot – though climbing the steep steps that mark the entry to the Old Town to reach the Royal Mile, certainly takes some stamina (taxis are readily available if you’d rather). The Royal Mile is the name given to the bustling thoroughfare that connects Edinburgh Castle at the top with the Palace of Holyroodhouse at the bottom. It didn’t get its ‘Royal Mile’ moniker until 1901, when author W M Gilbert described it thus in his book, Edinburgh in the

Nineteenth Century, and it’s a Scots mile, which is about 200 yards longer than the English equivalent. Of course, it wasn’t always a thoroughfare either. Until the 18th century, the Old Town, including the castle, was enclosed by the city walls, which hemmed it in around halfway down the Royal Mile. Conditions within had grown increasingly cramped, leading to the nickname Auld Reekie (meaning ‘Old Smokey’), first coined in the 17th century, referring to the heavy smog that hung over the city from the open fires in the high tenement buildings. By the 18th century, living conditions had become so bad in the Old Town that plans were drawn up to create a New Town on the other side of Nor Loch (today Princes Street Gardens). A relatively unknown architect called James Craig won the bid to design the New Town, and though work began in the 1760s and the area soon became a hotbed of ideas during the Scottish Enlightenment, as Edinburgh’s greatest thinkers and the highest members of society moved in, the project wasn’t completed until the 1820s.

Living conditions had become so bad in the Old Town that plans were drawn up to create a New Town on the other side of Nor Loch

16 Scotland

OPPOSITE: The magnificent Ross Fountain in Princes Street Gardens, with the castle behind

Edinburgh | TRAVEL

Scotland 17

TRAVEL

| Edinburgh

As work progressed, the plan grew more and more ambitious, with new architects employed to extend The New Town. Robert Adam was the creative mind behind stunning Charlotte Square, while William Playfair created both The National Gallery and The Royal Scottish Academy – buildings that incorporate many Greek revival features, such as columns and statues of goddesses, as was the fashion of the time. It’s the Parthenon-style National Monument, stood atop Calton Hill, that borrows the most from Ancient Greece, though – a lasting reminder of Edinburgh’s attempt to shake off its not-very-flattering Auld Reekie label, and be assigned the title of ‘Athens of the North’ instead. And so, Edinburgh’s tale is very much one of two cities, and to see one without the other would be doing it (and yourself) a disservice, so I recommend staying a couple of nights in one side of the city and a couple of nights in the other. S Read on for tips on how to enjoy the best of Edinburgh, Old and New

It’s the Parthenon-style National Monument, stood atop Calton Hill, that borrows the most from Ancient Greece 18 Scotland

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The neoclassical National Gallery; the National Portrait Gallery’s Great Hall; Cheval Old Town Chambers offers modern comfort in the Old Town

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The Old Town

ueen of the Old Town, indeed Queen of Edinburgh, is the castle, which sits upon its throne of Castle Rock, surveying its subjects, in full view virtually everywhere you go. For some visitors to Edinburgh, seeing it from the outside is enough, but if you’d like to see the Honours of Scotland (the Scottish Crown Jewels) which were miraculously rediscovered just before King George IV’s historic visit (see page 44) then it’s worth paying the ticket price. The guided tours are also excellent (edinburghcastle.scot). A Gothic atmosphere pervades throughout much of the Old Town, where wynds (narrow lanes) and closes snake off the Royal Mile – historic settings of murder and other nefarious activities – and brooding buildings loom above. If walls could talk, St Giles’ Cathedral (stgilescathedral.org.uk), with its striking crown spire, would have many a tale to tell. It has stood for over 1,000 years and in its time has been a place of worship of such prominent Scots as King David I and John Knox – the latter turned it

The Witchery by the Castle Book a room at Edinburgh’s most theatrical hotel – think red velvet drapes, four-poster beds, and bathrooms hidden behind bookcases – and you’ll be about as close to the castle as it is possible to get. Book direct with the hotel and you will receive a free bottle of champagne, which can be enjoyed before or after dinner in the oakpanelled 16th-century restaurant downstairs. Set in an old tenement building, some rooms are only accessible up a steep staircase, so check when booking. thewitchery.com The Bow Bar Halfway down Victoria Street – inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley – on West Bow is this personal favourite. With a good choice of cask beers and single-malt whiskies, and friendly staff, it’s a good place to rest between sightseeing and pick up some insider travel tips. thebowbar.co.uk

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Cheval Old Town Chambers Opposite St Giles’ Cathedral, in terms of centrality, this beautifully converted hotel couldn’t be better placed. Guests have the best of both worlds here, with the 24hour concierge service, excellent restaurant, and swish public areas that you would expect of a luxury hotel, and the flexibility of an apartment-style room – complete with its own kitchen. Look for special deals when you book, such as the Jubilee-themed Fortnum & Mason hampers currently being offered for stays of three nights or more (until 18 September 2022). It also has a sister property, The Cheval Edinburgh Grand on St Andrew Square in the New Town. chevalcollection.com/cheval-oldtown-chambers

| Edinburgh

ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: St Giles’ Cathedral’s beautifully intricate Thistle Chapel ceiling; 18th-century Observatory House on Calton Hill, with the Dugald Stewart Monument in the background

20 Scotland

Presbyterian. The Thistle Chapel, with its intricate carvings, stalls for each of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle – Scotland’s highest order of chivalry has its home here – and vaulted stone ceiling, is a highlight. The National Museum of Scotland (nms.ac.uk/ national-museum-of-scotland), set on a road just south of the Royal Mile, is a perennial favourite with visitors. Set across seven floors – make sure you take the lift to the 7th-floor roof terrace for great city views – it houses some of Scotland’s most prized items, from artefacts associated with Mary, Queen of Scots, to some of the medieval Lewis Chessmen pieces. And, of course, you can’t visit Edinburgh and not set foot inside Her Majesty’s official residence in Scotland, The Palace of Holyroodhouse (rct.uk/ visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse), particularly this year, when the Platinum Jubilee Display, featuring previous Jubilee outfits worn by Her Majesty, is running until 25 September.

The New Town

nce the preserve of only the most affluent, The New Town still has something of a sophisticated air about it. At one end sits Charlotte Square – considered by many to be Robert Adam’s masterpiece – and its palace-like frontages make it one of the most prestigious addresses in Edinburgh. The First Minister of Scotland’s official residence, Bute House, is even here. At the opposing end of the New Town is St Andrew Square, once the city’s business and banking district, and today home to some very good hotels and restaurants. Between the two lies George Street, a smart, handsome street with lots of luxurious restaurants, shops, and hotels. The New Town is home to many galleries, but my favourite is the National Portrait Gallery

TRAVEL

DUNCAN SHANKS THE RIVERBANK - A LANDSCAPE OF SORROW AND HOPE 29 JULY - 27 AUGUST 2022

scottish-gallery.co.uk

| Edinburgh LEFT: The Spence restaurant at the brand-new Gleneagles Townhouse hotel BELOW LEFT: The dramatically Gothic Sir Walter Scott Monument reigns supreme in Princes Street Gardens

PLAN YOUR VISIT Gleneagles Townhouse New for this year, that most glorious of Scottish playgrounds, Gleneagles, has opened its first-ever townhouse hotel in St Andrew Square. The hotel comes with a glass-domed restaurant, The Spence. There’s also a rooftop bar and, I fully expect the rooms to be divine. gleneagles.com/townhouse Observatory House This house, designed by James Craig, is the only place to stay on top of Calton Hill, and offers self-catering accommodation with unbeatable views for up to six people. The renovation is the brainchild of The Collective, Edinburgh’s contemporary art gallery, and creative touches incorporated into its design bring the 18th-century building bang into the 21st century. observatory-house.art

(npg.org.uk), where some of Scotland’s most treasured paintings hang in a purpose-built neo-Gothic red sandstone building. One of the most exciting attractions to open in the New Town in recent years is the Johnny Walker Experience (johnniewalker.com/en-gb/visitus-princes-street), a fully immersive tour, which includes tastings and will challenge any preconceptions you may have about blended whiskies. There’s also a beautiful rooftop bar with excellent views of the castle. Gothic beauty has made its way this side of Princes Street Gardens in the form of the Sir Walter Scott Monument (edinburghmuseums.org.uk/venue/scottmonument) – a spectacular tower carved with some of Scott’s most memorable characters, with spiral staircases that can be climbed for incredible views, all set around a marble statue of the writer. Not strictly in the New Town, but further north in the port suburb of Leith, is the Royal Yacht Britannia (royalyachtbritannia.co.uk), the yacht once used by the Royal Family on their annual Western Isles cruises, and as a venue to host world leaders. Today, you can take a tour of the ship, which is berthed in one of Edinburgh’s revived neighbourhoods, and see the very room Her Majesty slept in. S

InterContinental Edinburgh The George A collection of fine Georgian townhouses right in the hub of George Street, The George offers a chic retreat in a historic setting. Its impressively grand welcoming interiors are well-balanced by the contemporary, comfortable bedrooms, and, paired with helpful staff and a modern take on Scottish food, you’ll want for nothing. The espresso martinis are excellent, too. edinburgh.intercontinental.com Multrees Walk Head to this luxury shopping street to browse the rails at Burberry and buy Scottish knitwear from Johnstons of Elgin, before a stop at Harvey Nichols, which, as well as designer labels, serves afternoon tea and has its own rooftop bar. multreeswalk.co.uk

TRAVEL

Edinb burgh’s famous fo ossil shop

55 Cowgatehead, Cowgatehead, Grassmarket, Grassmarket, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH1 EH1 1JYg 1JYg 0131 0131 220 220 1344 1344 www.mrwoodsfossils.co.uk www.mrwoodsfossils.co.uk

Scotland 23

CITIES

| Historic Streets

THE GRASSMARKET Lying beneath the castle, this bustling marketplace has a very murky past indeed Words by JOSEPHINE JAY

Edinburgh’s Grassmarket takes its name from time served as a storage area for the grass and pens of animals brought to be traded at the market. It was one of the most significant marketplaces of its day, not only for the livestock trade it brought but also for its role as a site for public executions, which drew in spectators and shoppers alike. During the 1800s, Irish immigrants congregated in the Grassmarket, including the infamous duo, William Burke and William Hare, who operated in the area. The pair lived in Tanner’s Close and took advantage of the many inns and pubs of the area to pick up wine-sodden victims to suffocate and sell as cadavers. For a long time, the Grassmarket had a reputation for poverty, homelessness, and drunkenness – quite unrecognisable from the popular tourist trap it is today. Living conditions in the Grassmarket during the 1800s were far from enviable: one record of 1888 documents 414 people found living across seven lodging houses, with meagre, if any, access to toilets. In 1736, The Porteous Riots, named for the lynching of John Porteous, then Captain of the City Guard, broke out in the Grassmarket after the execution of a convicted smuggler. Two men were originally intended to be hung, but George Robertson, aided by his partner in crime, Andrew Wilson, managed to escape from St Giles’ Cathedral prior to execution. In the week before their execution date, the two had made another break for freedom, sawing through the bars of their cell. However, it is said Andrew Wilson’s portly frame hindered their getaway and so when guards arrived in their cell mid-escape, they found the unfortunate Wilson stuck between bars. George Robertson was waiting impatiently behind him. Wilson was publicly executed on 14 April 1736. However, rumours of his mistreatment ran abound and such was the protest that a riot ensued. Tensions escalated CLOCKWISE, and Captain Porteous was dispatched to FROM TOP: A 19th-century mediate. His solution, for his men to fire above sketch of the the heads of the assembled crowd, backfired as White Hart Inn; the several bystanders in the tenement buildings Edinburgh mob were hit. carrying Captain Porteous to his In the resulting kerfuffle, Porteous ordered execution; today his men to shoot into the crowd, mortally the Grassmarket wounding several. buzzes with bars and pubs Porteous was arrested the same day, charged

Historic Streets

24 Scotland

Historic Streets |

CITIES

The pair lived in Tanner’s Close and took advantage of the many inns and pubs of the area to pick up wine-sodden victims Scotland 25

with murder, and sentenced to death, though Sir Robert Walpole intervened on his behalf, securing an appeal and deferring the sentence. Public outrage hatched a plot to murder him, and an irate 4,000strong crowd converged upon Porteous, taking him back to Grassmarket where he was lynched on a dyer’s pole and beaten. A couple of centuries later in 1916, a Zeppelin was dropped on the Grassmarket, killing 11 – an event marked by a flagstone in front of the White Hart Inn. The White Hart Inn in turn boasts notoriety having played host to Robert Burns on his last ever trip to Edinburgh, and later Dorothy and William Wordsworth. Burns was reportedly in town to see off his mistress, Clarinda, who inspired the poem, Ae Fond Kiss. During the 18th century, the inn offered ‘half-merk’ marriages for eloping couples looking for swift nuptials, however this amenity was not taken up by Burns and his mistress. Like much of Edinburgh, The White Hart Inn is said to be haunted, unsurprising since it has been here since 1516, making it one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh. Today, the Grassmarket plays host to a variety of pubs, weekly markets, restaurants, and tourist shops that spill into the centre. Saturday mornings see the Grassmarket filled with pop-up stalls, a far cry from its days as a livestock arena, but still enjoyable to peruse. S

STATELY HOMES

| Fyvie Castle

Words by SALLY COFFEY

IN THE

Pink

Kings, ghosts and unsavoury characters, Fyvie Castle’s history will reel you in

26 Scotland

STATELY HOMES

THIS IMAGE: Fyvie Castle’s fairytale appearance masks a turbulent history steeped in legend

Scotland 27

Fyvie Castle |

STATELY HOMES

| Fyvie Castle

n exemplary example of a Scottish baronial building, with five towers, dozens of turrets and a flushed-pink façade, Fyvie is the epitome of a fairytale castle. Located in the heart of Aberdeenshire’s ‘Castle Trail’ you might think that this 800-year-old fortress would be one of Scotland’s most visited, but often it is overlooked in favour of the more famous castles of Dunnottar and Balmoral. However, while Dunnottar stands in ruin, and much of Balmoral is out of bounds (at least inside), at Fyvie not only has the outside been remarkably preserved, but inside, virtually all the rooms can be visited as it has been managed by the National Trust for Scotland since 1984. Dating from the 13th century, Fyvie was once a royal stronghold, and its early history can be linked to William the Lion, who is thought to have been here around 1214, and Robert the Bruce, who held an open-air court in its grounds. The name Fyvie means ‘deer hill’, alluding to the 100 acres of land that surrounds the castle, which would once have been a royal hunting forest. Though there are no longer many deer here, the grounds themselves are magnificent and include a picturesque lake, a walled garden, an American garden, and a glass-roofed racquets

Fyvie was once a royal stronghold, and its early history can be linked to William the Lion 28 Scotland

Scotland 29

THIS IMAGE: Fyvie’s ornate gallery is considered one of the finest Edwardian rooms in Britain

STATELY HOMES

ABOVE: The castle is managed by the National Trust for Scotland

| Fyvie Castle

court, all of which tell the stories of the succession of families who called Fyvie home after it was granted to its first aristocratic owner, Sir Henry Preston by King Robert III in the 14th century. Preston, who had been given the castle as a ransom payment, was the first owner to develop Fyvie from what would have been a functional stone keep into the imposing palace you see today. Preston added the chateau-style Preston Tower, which now houses self-catering accommodation, while when Alexander Seton, who went on to become Chancellor of Scotland, owned the castle in the late 16th century, he extended it greatly. Seton created a castle of such high status that when James VI of Scotland travelled to London to take the throne as King James I of England and Ireland, he left his son, the future King Charles I, in the care of Seton at Fyvie. Later the castle was acquired by the Gordon family and in 1889 it was purchased by a steel

In the library the death mask of a hanged murderer, John Pollok, makes for macabre viewing 30 Scotland

Fyvie Castle |

ABOVE: Visitors can see an impressive collection of arms and armour OPPOSITE: Unlike some castles, most rooms at Fyvie are open to visitors

magnate called Alexander Leith, who was born in Scotland but had made his fortune in Chicago. Still in his early 40s, Leith used his enormous wealth to return to his homeland, buying up Fyvie for £175,000 (roughly £22m in today’s money). Fyvie was just 20 miles away from his family seat of Leith Hall, but his cousin, Col. Alexander Sebastian Leith-Hay lived there, which must have grated on him, and so he did what any self-respecting mogul would do – he transformed Fyvie into his very own ‘ancestral seat’. To this end, Leith added his own tower to the castle and oversaw an incredible interior redecoration, with the gallery and drawing room particularly impressive – they are considered some of the finest Edwardian interiors in the whole of Britain. Leith also began styling himself as Alexander Forbes-Leith, citing the fact that he was descended from Sir Henry Preston through his maternal grandmother Mary Forbes. This rebrand certainly seemed to have the desired effect and in 1905 Alexander Forbes-Leith was made the first Baron Leith of Fyvie (though tellingly, he was also the last). Forbes-Leith also used his huge fortune to buy an incredible collection of portraits, many of which remain in the castle, including works by

STATELY HOMES

Scotland 31

STATELY HOMES

| Fyvie Castle

CLOCKWISE, FROM RIGHT: Like all good castles, Fyvie is reportedly haunted; the drawing room; Fyvie is filled with paintings and other antiques

Gainsborough, Lawrence and Hoppner, and no fewer than 13 Raeburn paintings. In its exquisite public rooms, you can also view vast collections of arms and armour, delicate porcelains, and huge tapestries. Not all the antiquities are pleasing to the eye though – in the library the death mask of a hanged murderer, John Pollok, makes for macabre viewing. As it’s looked after by the National Trust, curators at Fyvie Castle have begun looking into how the history of the castle has been represented over the years and whether it needs reframing. One uncomfortable truth is that the kind of vast wealth accrued by the Forbes-Leiths of the world in the 19th century often came at a cost. In the case of Fyvie, we don’t have to look too hard to see what that cost was. Forbes-Leith had married the boss’s daughter, Marie Louise January, at the steel firm where he worked, before going on to become a magnate himself. Together with her siblings, Marie had always lived a life of privilege, and when the home of one brother burned to the ground, four pairs of iron circles were found attached to walls, which “were probably used for the disciplining of slaves”. This might not show a direct link between Forbes-Leith and the slave trade, but it’s not a huge jump to assume that if his wife’s brother kept slaves, so too did her father and perhaps also she. Clearer are the links to the slave trade of the

Seton apparently punished his wife for not bearing him a male heir by locking her in the Charter Room 32 Scotland

Leith family themselves. Generations of the Leiths had directed the control of enslaved people and Alexander’s father, Rear Admiral John Leith, oversaw the gradual ending of slavery in the Caribbean, so there can be no doubt that ForbesLeith and his wife profited from the slave trade. Fyvie is also linked to two curses and is said to be haunted. There is a sealed medieval dungeon at the castle, which, if the legend is to be believed, if an intruder enters, they would be killed, and their wife would be blinded. More disturbingly, the premature death of the eldest son in each family over the course of 600 years, is blamed on The Curse of the Weeping Stones, which – it is said – will not loosen its grip until three stones are discovered and removed. However, it doesn’t seem to have disturbed residents too much, since one of the stones is proudly on display in the Charter Room. And like any good historic castle, Fyvie supposedly has its own ghost, and the Charter Room plays a large role in her story. The Green Lady is believed to be the restless spirit of Lilias Drummond, the wife of Alexander Seton. Seton apparently punished his wife for not bearing him a male heir by locking her in the Charter Room where she starved to death. Shortly afterwards Seton remarried and on his wedding night with his new wife, screams and scratching were heard outside their window. When the newly married couple woke in the morning, the name Lilias Drummond had been scratched into the stone windowsill, and can still be seen today. After everything he put her through, you could say that a little haunting was the least she could do to pay him back. Not so much a fairytale ending though, as a nightmare. S

Fyvie Castle |

STATELY HOMES

There can be no doubt that Forbes-Leith and his wife profited from the slave trade

TICKETS The grounds are open all year round, and the castle from April to December. Tickets from £14.50/£11 concessions.

STAY IN THE CASTLE For a unique self-catering holiday experience, Fyvie’s Preston Tower is available to hire. nts.org.uk/visit/places/fyvie-castle

Scotland 33

PLAN YOUR VISIT

COLUMN

| Touring Scotland

TRAVELS WITH TOM S

ABOVE: Tom runs a cultural tour company in Scotland BELOW: A preserved stone grave slab from Iona Abbey

t Columba’s 1,500th birthday was another celebration dampened by Covid last year, however, you can still visit his island monastery on the magical Isle of Iona. As Samuel Johnson put it in 1773: “That man is little to be envied, whose patriotism would not gain force upon the plain of Marathon, or whose piety would not grow warmer among the ruins of Iona”. I could have stayed for days exploring the beaches and hills [see page 58 for tips on doing just that – Ed.] but a few hours are just about enough to visit the ruins and church that so moved Johnson. These date from much later than Columba and there is almost nothing to be seen of his original foundation. Instead, we must thank the family of Somerled, first Lord of the Isles, for refounding Iona around 1200. His son

These stones are indelibly linked to the Lordship in both time and space 34 Scotland

Ranald gave the monastery to the Benedictine order and his daughter Bethoc’s priory was Augustinian. The familiar medieval buildings that grace the site today date from this reinvention some 600 years after the great saint died. Somerled was the heroic progenitor of the MacDonald clan and founder of the Lordship of the Isles. The cloisters and museum are full of the sculptured grave slabs and effigies that characterise the Western seaboard. Once paving graveyards with their swirling motifs to prevent further wear and tear, they are now propped upright against the crumbling walls of chapels along the west coast. These stones are indelibly linked to the Lordship in both time and space. Few lie outside its old borders and they were seldom commissioned after it collapsed around 1500. They are the legacy of the warriors and religious elite that governed the Hebrides for three centuries after Iona’s reinvention. Oddly, hardly any of these marvellous stones record the resting place of well-known historical figures. There are no Somerleds, Ranalds or any other of the Lords. An exception is the stone marking the burial place of ‘Angus, son of Lord Angus MacDonald of Islay’. For years it was assumed to belong to Angus Og, Robert the Bruce’s mighty champion, but historians now think it belongs to another of the great warriors of the age. This Angus was the illegitimate son of John II, the last Lord of the Isles, and father of Donald Dubh, the final claimant to the Lordship. Returning from Iona on a choppy morning, I passed Bloody Bay, the site of Scotland’s greatest naval battle – a great curve of cliffs off the north coast of Mull, on the strategic waterway that linked the islands and peninsular provinces of the Lordship. Its castles still line the coast here today: Mingarry, Aros, Ardtornish, Duart. I’m often struck by how little we know about this period. The battle of Bloody Bay took place almost in the modern era, and yet we’re not even sure of its exact date and why it was fought. It took place at some point between 1480 and 1484. Angus Og had taken up arms against his father. Most of his backers appear to have been MacDonalds, whereas his father was supported by other vassals, such as the MacLeans and MacLeods. Some think that internal tensions arose within the Lordship of the Isles when it stopped expanding, with no new land to distribute to supporters. But other clans flourished for hundreds of years within fixed borders. Perhaps Bloody Bay was a symptom of weak leadership; John II seems a strangely anaemic figure. Either way, Bloody Bay marked the beginning of the end, as the Lordship was forfeited by the King of Scots just a decade later. S Tom Miers, Finlaggan Pursuivant, acts as Herald to the Chiefs of Clan Donald, and runs tour company Clans & Castles (clansandcastles.scot)

Meet our new columnist, Tom Miers, Finlaggan Pursuivant and tour guide, who will share his knowledge of the places he visits each issue…

THE TWO BYRES THE TWO BYRES

contemporary design and comfort contemporary design and comfort with timeless views with timeless views

Photo: ©Alistair Nicholls Photo: ©Alistair Nicholls

THE ROBERT BURNS SOCIETY OF CHARLESTON Present the Following Events 4 November 2022 The Charleston Tartan Ball

Photo: ©Alistair Nicholls Photo: ©Alistair Nicholls

BagPipes and Drums * Cocktails and Clarsach * Dance * Haggis Ceremony * Plated Dinner Daniel Island Club Charleston, SC Black-Tie, Mess Dress, Highland Evening Dress: Miniatures

Photo: ©Margaret Soraya Photo: ©Margaret Soraya

Mark your calendars for 2023 Events 14 April 2023

The National Tartan Day Dinner Information and tickets: www.burnscharleston.org

15 April 2023

The Charleston Scottish Performing Arts Classic

Photo: ©Curtis Budden Photo: ©Curtis Budden

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“To achieve such levels of luxury whilst also adhering to “To achieve such levels of luxury whilst also adhering to the strictest sustainable practices is truly admirable… the strictest sustainable practices is truly admirable… amongst the region’s leading lights.” Visit Scotland amongst the region’s leading lights.” Visit Scotland info@thetwobyres.co.uk https://thetwobyres.co.uk info@thetwobyres.co.uk https://thetwobyres.co.uk

H OUSE | G ARD EN S | M A Z E | S H O P & E AT | S TAY

Escape

to Scotland

Escape the hustle and bustle to a world of sanctuary when you visit Scone Palace. If you really feel like getting away from it all, why not stay in our Balvaird Wing, the luxury self-catering apartment set within the Palace.

◆ The Crowning Place of Scottish Kings and the site of the Stone of Scone.

◆ Roam around the glorious and extensive grounds and gardens which feature the Murray star maze, Pinetum, playground and kitchen garden.

◆ Browse around our Food and Gift Shops, enjoy fresh, home-made refreshments in our Coffee Shop.

◆ Stay in our 5-star, luxury self-catering

apartment situated within the Palace.

Scone Palace, Perth, Scotland 01738 552300 | help@scone-palace.co.uk

www.scone-palace.co.uk

Scotland 35

Words by STEPHEN ROBERTS

Ringing the changes A

‘

hoy Ahoy’ or ‘Ahoy-hoy’ were reputedly the words Alexander Graham Bell preferred to use to answer the telephone. Bell was, of course, the Scottish-born inventor credited with the patent for the first commercial version and yet it was another inventor, Thomas Edison, who suggested answering ‘hello’. Whether you answer ‘ahoy’ or ‘hello’, it’s important you articulate clearly, so it was handy that Bell was the son of Alexander Melville Bell (1819-1905), the Edinburgh-born teacher, researcher and elocutionist. Alexander Bell (the younger) was also born in Edinburgh, 175 years ago on 3 March 1847, in South Charlotte Street – the middle name ‘Graham’ was added as an afterthought when he was 11. Educated at Edinburgh’s Royal High, Bell apparently

36 Scotland

loathed the curriculum, leaving at 15 without ‘graduating’. He joined his father’s business, researched speech mechanics, and reputedly tried to build a talking robot (as you do). Bell’s Scottish education was not over though, as he enrolled aged 16 as a ‘pupil-teacher’ at Weston House Academy, Elgin, before returning to Edinburgh to attend the university, matriculating in 1868. As well as talking bots, Bell experimented on a live subject, a Skye Terrier, which responded with basic sounds. I’m impressed as I once tried to teach a Labrador quantum physics and was met with a blank expression followed by an angry growl. A fascination with the natural world and how things worked began when Bell was growing up in Edinburgh, where he collected botanical specimens and ‘experimented’. In 1870 father and son headed to Canada where the younger

We mark the centenary of the death of the Scottish-born inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, who gave the world the telephone

Alexander Graham Bell |

GREAT SCOTS

LEFT TO RIGHT: Bell demonstrates a phone call to fascinated onlookers in 1892; Bell sits amongst the teachers and students of the Boston School for the Deaf; the birthplace of Alexander Graham Bell on South Charlotte Street in Edinburgh

Bell established a workshop to study the human voice, then the US, where Bell Junior became Professor of Vocal Physiology at Boston. He dedicated himself to teaching ‘deafmutes’ and disseminating his father’s system of ‘visible speech’. Bell had a vested interest as his mother was almost deaf, yet she was also an accomplished pianist. In 1872 he established a school to train teachers of the deaf which became part of Boston’s university. It is Bell’s inventions though for which he is renowned, and which brought fame and fortune: the articulating telephone (1872-76); the Photophone (1880); the Graphophone (1886). While in Boston, Bell began work on his first device, a harmonic telegraph, enabling transmission of messages at different frequencies. He also looked at transmitting the human voice over wires, and by 1875 had invented a simple receiver turning electricity into sound. American electrician Thomas Watson was hired by Bell’s backers to re-focus ‘AGB’ on the original scheme but was converted to Bell’s ‘telephone’. From 1874-75 the men toiled over both inventions, and Bell’s investors, initially frustrated by his failure to concentrate

He also looked at transmitting the human voice over wires, and by 1875 had invented a simple receiver turning electricity into sound on one idea, became convinced of the potential of voice transmission and the patent was filed. However, the concept still needed proving. On 10 March 1876 the two men succeeded, Watson hearing Bell’s voice over the wire, the first telephone call to be received. “I was sitting by the phone. I was waiting all alone” are the opening lyrics to ABBA’s Ring Ring. It might have been written for Bell. Within a year the first ‘exchange’ was established in Connecticut. Public demonstrations followed, each one adding distance and ambition. The Bell Telephone Company followed in 1877. Over the next year Bell toured Europe demonstrating ‘the telephone’. On returning to America, he contested accusations others invented it first, fighting off

Scotland 37

GREAT SCOTS

| Alexander Graham Bell

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: Portrait of Alexander Graham Bell and his family; a photograph of Bell taken in 1904; The Royal Mint’s special edition £2 coins were designed by Henry Gray and pay homage to Bell‘s most famous invention

over 550 court challenges in 18 years. Meanwhile ‘Bell’s baby’ grew. By 1886 over 150,000 Americans had a ‘phone’. Improvements made one more alluring, for example, the development of a microphone by Edison, so the user no longer had to bellow; something still not grasped by many today, who persist in shouting. Bell was no businessman, eschewing these matters to focus on inventions. In 1880 he opened a laboratory devoted to scientific discovery and five years later acquired 50-acres in Nova Scotia, establishing a summer home where his experiments continued. Bell explored the possibility of flight, commencing with a ‘tetrahedral-kite’ in the 1890s. He co-formed an aerial experimental association in 1907, which developed several flying ‘machines’, including the Silver Dart, Canada’s first powered aircraft. The previous year, 1906, Bell returned to Edinburgh to receive an honorary degree from the university. It is the first practical telephone, however, for which Bell is remembered. In 1915 he made the first transcontinental phone call from New York, calling his partner Watson who was in San Francisco.

38 Scotland

Bell died 100 years ago on 2 August 1922 in Canada. Aptly, the entire telephone network of North America shut down for 60 seconds. Also, if you’re one of those mobile users who yells in public, please consider that the decibel, that unit of sound intensity, is named after Bell. One good place to have a phone call might be the ‘Alexander Graham Bell’, an Edinburgh Wetherspoon, provided other customers don’t mind. If you’re having a pint, you could proffer the Royal Mint’s 2022 Alexander Graham Bell coin or just keep it as a reminder to phone someone who is important to you. S

He co-formed an aerial experimental association in 1907, which developed several flying ‘machines’, including the Silver Dart

MADE IN SCOTLAND

40 Scotland

| Historic weaponry

Historic weaponry |

MADE IN SCOTLAND

LEFT: Paul Macdonald has been a swordmaker and restorer for over 20 years

In the RIGHT HANDS Words and photos by JEREMY FLINT

Restoring and replicating swords used in pivotal battles helps Paul Macdonald bring history back to life Words by NICK DRAINEY

he sword is surprisingly light – 936g to be precise – with a wafer-thin blade and a delicate and intricate silver basket hilt. “There is a myth that swords were crude, heavy things but it’s not true at all,” explains master sword-maker Paul Macdonald. It’s extraordinary to think this beautiful, lightweight creation – which can be balanced on the tip of a finger – is an exact replica of a weapon relied on to guard a man’s life in one of the fiercest and most desperate battles ever fought on Scottish soil. The sword is Paul’s loving recreation, down to the last gram and millimetre, of the weapon carried by Donald Cameron of Lochiel when he led his troops at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Nicknamed ‘Gentle’ Lochiel due to his insistence on good treatment for enemy prisoners, the clan chief led 800 Cameron men to meet Bonnie Prince Charlie when the Stuart standard had been raised at Glenfinnan. Although he had tried to persuade the prince to go back to France, Lochiel fought loyally for the Jacobite cause at Prestonpans, Edinburgh and Falkirk. “At Culloden, it’s said he got within 10 paces of the Redcoats and could clearly see a cannon being loaded in front of him, so he got behind his ‘targe’, his shield, and was in the act of drawing his sword when he was hit in both ankles by grapeshot,” says Paul. Wounded, he was taken from the field, and after the defeat fled to France where he died two years later, his lands in Scotland confiscated.

The tale may be tragic but for Paul, who runs Macdonald Armouries in the Borders, it was a thrill to be able to bring a piece of Scottish history to life. “It was the first time it had been remade since the 1740s. It was a special project,” he says. “My heart was in my mouth when I was grinding the fullers [the channels running down the blade] because if you see the tiniest bit of daylight, that’s the blade ruined.” The first reproduction took Paul nine months to make. Most of the limited number of reproductions were sold, with prices running into the thousands, but one remains that he uses when he appears at events such as Highland games to tell tales of famous Scottish swords and their fascinating history. The original sword now rests back at its home at Achnacarry Castle, the Lochiel seat near Spean Bridge. Paul has spent more than 20 years as a sword-maker and restorer, as well as a master-at-arms, who set up an academy to teach ancient martial arts. In addition, he hunts for military artefacts at historic sites as part of a group called Conflicts of Interest. None of which is what Paul expected to be doing when he left his native Highland home in remote and wild Moidart

This beautiful lightweight creation – which can be balanced on the tip of a finger – is an exact replica of a weapon relied on to guard a man’s life Scotland 41

MADE IN SCOTLAND

| Historic weaponry

‘‘I had the edge of the blade towards me, and I thought, why is the edge so blunt?’’ Then it clicked. ‘‘It was an incredible find’’ and arrived in Edinburgh to study graphic communication and management. Finding the course less creative than he’d hoped, he began working part-time at a couple of dirk and sgian-dubh [a type of small, single-edged knife] makers. When he was offered a full-time job at one, he jumped at the chance. Parallel with his love of crafting the weapons was his interest in using them. He took up fencing in Edinburgh but wanted to find a group specialising in using the weapons he was now making. “I came to the shocking realisation that the tradition was extinct. And I just felt it was such an important part of our culture, too important to die out,” he says. In 1994, Paul set up the Dawn Duellists Society to try and revive ancient fighting with techniques gleaned from historical treatises, “fleshing it out by listening to the weapons themselves”. Alongside that he set up the Macdonald Academy in 2001 with a focus on the broadsword. Paul is considering reopening it after the pandemic forced its closure, starting with the annual summer Highland challenge, a week’s training camp with the backdrop of some of Scotland’s most spectacular scenery. In the meantime, Macdonald Armoury has moved from Edinburgh to the Scottish Borders, and Paul has a busy year ahead, including making reproductions of a very rare sword. “It’s a sword from the Battle of Stirling Bridge, the battle that features in Braveheart in 1297, where William Wallace himself commanded forces. It was found in the banks of the River Forth in the 19th century and is privately owned. “It’s German-made so it’s impossible to say whether it was a Scottish or English soldier who wielded it. The exciting thing for me is that this is the only proven sword from the Scottish Wars of Independence: it is the only complete sword to survive.”

42 Scotland

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Paul at work at Macdonald Armouries; one of the swords that Paul has restored with Castle Tioram in the background; Paul hopes to revive the Macdonald Academy’s annual summer Highland Challenge

However, that one sword from the Scottish Wars of Independence is one more than from the Pictish period – a fact Paul discovered after finding a Pictish axe in a bog in Glen Clova with Conflicts of Interest. “That led me to study Pictish armies and realise how little we know about them. One of our quests is to identify where Pictish armouries can be found, because, believe it or not, there are no Pictish swords in existence.” Curiously there are more examples of swords from an even earlier period, the Bronze Age. “They were our first metal swords and as bronze doesn’t corrode in the way iron or steel does there are more of these,” Paul says. Bronze continued to be used into the Iron Age as it made better blades than just pure iron but that changed once humans had discovered how to smelt iron and carbon to make steel. Scotland had its own renowned armouries, including one at Glen Lyon run by 14 generations of the MacFarlane family, from the 15th to the 18th centuries, but it is Viking sword-making that Paul has the most respect for. “A Viking sword is a remarkable piece of engineering, it’s like a three-foot knife – that’s a difficult blade to make.” And possibly the most moving sword Paul has dealt with is that of the legendary Jacobite Big Duncan MacKenzie, which he discovered when he was refurbishing the Duke of Argyll’s armoury in 2014. Paul was already aware of the tale of the Jacobite’s sword, which is said to have spilt the head and helmet of a Redcoat soldier at the Battle of Prestonpans in 1745, from the 19th-century Gaelic Dewar manuscripts. The story goes that during the battle Duncan came across a Redcoat trapped by his dead horse yet still holding off eight Highlanders. Furious at the men’s lack of fair play, Duncan untangled the Redcoat’s foot from the stirrup and, when he refused to surrender, faced him one to one. The blow which spilt the unfortunate Redcoat’s helmet and head was so mighty it became the talk of the battlefield within hours of the Jacobite victory, with Duncan being offered a small fortune for the sale of the blade, now with a distinctive blunted section. “I had hoped the sword of Big Duncan would be there but when the arms arrived in Edinburgh, I didn’t spot it at first. Then I was looking at one of the last swords in the collection and I had the edge of the blade towards me, and I thought, why is the edge so blunt?” Then it clicked. “It was an incredible find.” Paul took the sword back to the battlefield, then to MacKenzie’s grave at Eilean Munde in Appin for a private remembrance service before returning it to Inveraray Castle. “Arygll had never heard of it. I told him the whole story and he was keen to display the sword with the story, which is now at Inveraray.” S If you would like to find out more about Paul’s work go to macdonaldarms.com/armoury

Historic weaponry |

MADE IN SCOTLAND

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HISTORY

| George IV’s State Visit

Words by DAVID MCVEY

CARLE, NOW THE KING’S COME! When Sir Walter Scott was tasked with planning the first visit to Scotland by a reigning monarch in almost two centuries, he went all out

icardy Place sits at the head of Leith Walk, the great thoroughfare linking Edinburgh’s port with the city centre. Two hundred years ago, on 15 August 1822, there was a temporary archway here, symbolising entry to the City of Edinburgh. A party of important-looking gentlemen waited to hand over the keys of the city. A lavish procession of marching soldiers, pipers, trumpeters, squadrons of cavalry and a military band approached from Leith Harbour. They accompanied King George IV, who was making the first official visit to Scotland by a reigning monarch since Charles II in 1650. Until 1820 George IV had been Prince Regent, deputising for his ailing father, George III. The ruling order in Britain had been shaken by a series of working-class protests, especially in Scotland. What the authorities needed was an event that would provide good publicity for an unpopular monarch, unite all classes, and promote the 1707 Union. Sending George to Scotland would achieve all this and keep him away from the Congress of Verona, something his politicians were particularly keen to do. George IV loved the writings of Sir Walter Scott. As Prince Regent, in 1815 he had invited Sir Walter to dinner at Carlton House, at the height of the success of Waverley. Scott recommended to George that a ‘commission’ be set up to rediscover the Honours of Scotland, the nation’s crown jewels. An embarrassing reminder of an independence meekly given up; the Honours had been locked away in Edinburgh Castle in 1707. George agreed. In 1818 Scott and

his fellow commissioners found the Honours exactly where they were expected to be. Scott became Sir Walter in the same year, when he was awarded a baronetcy, on the Prince Regent’s recommendation. In 1821, Scott attended George’s lavish coronation and reportedly marvelled at the sumptuous pageantry. George’s Scottish visit was confirmed with little more than two weeks to spare, and Scott was given the job of stage-managing it; now he could create his own pageants. Assisting him was David Stewart of Garth, who had been one of the co-founders two years earlier of The Celtic Society, one of a few rival bodies promoting Highland dress and culture. In 1873, Queen Victoria gave it the title of the ‘Royal’ Celtic Society, and it still exists today. Scott was its first Vice President. Scott and Stewart devised an extensive programme of events but, since Scotland hadn’t welcomed a king for centuries, Scott was concerned that the people might not know how to behave; George IV had visited Ireland in 1821 and the boisterousness of some spectators had prompted comment. Scott published a guide entitled Hints Addressed to the Inhabitants of LEFT TO Edinburgh, and Others, in Prospect of RIGHT: George His Majesty’s Visit. It was attributed to IV by Sir David ‘An Old Citizen’ but everyone knew Wilkie, with the king wearing Scott had written it. his tartan outfit Hints made it clear that none of made for the Ireland’s forwardness would be visit; portrait of Sir Walter Scott tolerated in Edinburgh. The Scots

| George IV’s State Visit

HISTORY

were “comparatively a quiet people”, Scott wrote. “Let our king see us as nature and education have made us.” Hints also included the words of an anonymous, celebratory song, by Scott, of course, but far from his best. Simply the chorus is enough: Carle, now the King’s come! Carle, now the King’s come! Thou shalt dance and I will sing, Carle, now the King’s come! Scott’s pageantry began even before the king had landed. On 12 August, the king’s birthday, the Honours of Scotland were carried in procession along the Royal Mile from Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Three days later, the king disembarked from the Royal George at Leith and began that journey up Leith Walk. After the presentation of the keys, the king continued to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. After 1603, the palace had been largely redundant. King George’s visit revitalised it, and it was refurbished sufficiently to serve as a venue, though it still wasn’t suitable for use as a royal residence. George spent each night outside the city at Dalkeith Palace. This building also still stands. Until recently it served as a

campus of the University of Wisconsin CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: but there are now plans to develop it as The Entrance a visitor facility. No doubt it will be of George IV at pointed out that George IV slept here. Holyroodhouse by Sir David Holyroodhouse hosted a ‘drawingWilkie; the room’, an event where various Edinburgh Honours of ladies were introduced to the king. In the Scotland; elaborate dresses of the time, with trains the Palace of Holyroodhouse up to four yards in length, it was a challenge to “retire from the king’s presence” (i.e. walk backwards). In Hints, Scott advised that “ladies must exert their skill to move their trains quietly and neatly from behind them as they retire”. That’s easy for you to say, every woman presented to the king might have replied. Scott went on to advise that ladies spend time practising the manoeuvre beforehand. A huge banquet was held in Edinburgh’s Parliament House, with 47 toasts proposed, and a ‘Highland Ball’ was held at the Assembly Rooms. Again, both buildings survive today. Some observers questioned the prominence of Highland and Jacobite symbols during the visit and there was squabbling from members of the various Highland

In Hints, Scott advised that “ladies must exert their skill to move their trains quietly and neatly from behind them as they retire” 46 Scotland

George IV’s State Visit |

HISTORY

Scotland 47

HOMELAND

LEFT TO RIGHT: JItatur suntia dit magnienienit lab ipid explacepedi bea volupta conseque quo

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Questions??? Answers Answers here please

| George IV’s State Visit

HISTORY

societies about the authenticity of Scott and Stewart’s designs and recommendations. However, the most famous Highland dress worn during the visit was the king’s. “Mr Hunter is preparing a most magnificent dress of the royal tartan for his majesty,” wrote Scott in Hints, adding, more dubiously, “everyone who has ever seen the King, must be anxious to contemplate his fine person in this noblest of all British costumes…” George only wore the outfit once, at a Holyroodhouse levee on 17 August. There was controversy and amusement over the flesh-coloured tights he wore to hide his disfigured legs and the shortness of his kilt. A lady famously remarked that since George wasn’t in Edinburgh for long, the more of him they saw, the better… George was no longer the rakish young Prince Regent. When painting George in his Highland dress, Sir David Wilkie tried to dignify him by slimming him, leaving out the tights, and giving him normal legs. Wilkie also edited out some of the more fanciful elements of the costume. The newspapers loyally reported that George had cut a noble figure, but the caricaturists didn’t hold back. The ordinary folk of Edinburgh didn’t don Highland dress en masse. In Hints, though, Scott encouraged them to wear a

saltire cockade when cheering the CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: king; “…it is hoped every loyal The Royal Dining person, of whatever station, will sport Room in the the St Andrew upon this happy palace; a satire of the royal visit; occasion”. And so, the king’s visit Hopetoun House echoes down 200 years. If Lowland lairds dressed as Highlanders in 1822, Scots of Lowland, or English, or Pakistani, or Polish heritage wear the kilt to weddings today. If ordinary folk sported saltires in 1822, they still do today at Hampden and Murrayfield. On the 29 August 1822, the king left Holyroodhouse for Hopetoun House. The Earl of Hopetoun welcomed him to a small gathering, but George didn’t stay long and rejoined the Royal George at Port Edgar. George IV’s visit was unique and paved the way for Queen Victoria’s later adoption, and adoration, of the Highlands. With many of the venues of 1822’s merrymaking remaining, perhaps there should be an 1822 Royal Visit Trail? S From 15-20 August 2022, there will be daily talks on The King’s Visit at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse

A lady famously remarked that since George wasn’t in Edinburgh for long, the more of him they saw, the better… Scotland 49

SECRET HISTORY

| The Duchess of Bedford

SUMMER IN THE SHIELINGS Despite her high social status, the Duchess of Bedford was just as at home in a basic Highlands dwelling as a country house, Keir Davidson writes

ver the years many people have taken an interest in the Duchess of Bedford’s huts in Glen Feshie, including Queen Victoria who visited them twice. Many have also asked why the duchess spent so much of her time in Scotland between the 1830s and her death in 1853 in the collection of huts and bothies that formed part of the old township of Ruigh Aiteachain in the glen. Was it so that she and her family could dress in their plaids and ‘play’ at being Highland farmers? Was it simply somewhere for her to host parties of visitors? Or was it, perhaps, a conveniently quiet and isolated place for her to spend time with the artist Edwin Landseer? Answering this question, about which much has been

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ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Glen Feshie by Edwin Landseer; a view of the Cairngorms over Glen Feshie; a portrait of Lady Georgina Gordon by Hoppner

written, is one of the central themes of my new book from which the following extracts are taken: Improbable Pioneers of the Romantic Age: the lives of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, and Georgina Gordon, Duchess of Bedford. And the answer would seem to be both more complex and interesting than the possible reasons mentioned, and illustrates the sensibilities of the Romantic Age. Brought up in Gordon Castle, where she was born in 1781, Lady Georgina Gordon spent most of her summers with her mother, Jane Maxwell, Duchess of Gordon, and her sisters in the remote family lodge in Glenfiddich, and then, during her teenage years, with her mother at the old farmhouse at Kinrara beside the Spey in Badenoch.

The Duchess of Bedford |

These experiences became very much a part of who she was, and once married to the Duke of Bedford in 1803, she lost no time in introducing her husband to this way of life. He too was so taken with the landscapes and life he found in the Highlands, that he spent a significant part of his year in Scotland, every year until his death there in 1839. One of the keys to the self-sufficiency of tenant farmers in the Scottish Highlands of the 18th century, was the guaranteed access to summer grazing for their cattle on the high moors, and the custom of transhumance – the annual occupation of these shieling grounds by women and children during the months of July and August. The loss of such places during the early 19th century, as the moors were rapidly turned over to sports such as shooting and deer stalking, meant not just the breakdown of this traditional farming system, but also the loss of a key part of contemporary Highland women’s identity. It was a sudden and complete loss that was shared by Georgina Gordon, now Duchess of Bedford, and her reaction to this is one of the

SECRET HISTORY

key themes in the story of the Bedfords’ lives. But what exactly had been lost? The following extracts from the book will help to explain: “Meryl Marshall, in her book on Glen Feshie, describes the migration to the shielings: ‘In May or June the cattle and domestic stock would be taken to the fresh green pastures of the hills in order to keep them away from the growing crops in the valleys; a migration, known as transhumance… The womenfolk and children would take up residence in small roughly constructed shelters called shielings and the men would return to the valley.’ Another writer, Katherine Stewart, points out that ‘as well as the dairying, much spinning was done, of wool and of flax. Lichens and roots had to be gathered for dyeing the wool,’ concluding that ‘the sojourn at the shielings, with the women in charge, was a valuable part of the pattern of the year, beneficial in every way’, while, in turn, the poet Kathleen Jamie, having visited a remote,

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SECRET HISTORY

| The Duchess of Bedford

long-abandoned shieling site in the high hills, wrote: ‘…the Shielings...were the high summer pastures, the places where the cattle were driven to graze…for a few weeks at the top of the year...The people would come up from the farmsteads below around the beginning of July...they made milk, butter and cheese, and it was women’s work. What a loss that seems now: a time when women were guaranteed a place in the wider landscape… [today] the presence in this valley of another woman…would have surprised me.’ Jamie concludes that the abandonment of the shielings marked the ‘closure of life lived directly on the land’. An earlier writer and poet, Anne MacVicar Grant, also recognised this unique circumstance of the women’s lives: ‘the care of the cattle was peculiarly theirs. Changing their residence so often as they did in summer, from one bothy or glen to another, gave a romantic peculiarity to their turn of thought and language.’ She concludes that, hard though this life was, ‘the women find a degree of power or consequence in having such an extensive department, which they would not willingly exchange for the inglorious ease.’ In Glen Feshie, the end of transhumance and the

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abandonment of the old shielings was underway by the late 18th century, and as Madeleine Bunting tells us, for those across the Highlands who had seasonally occupied them, ‘Being forced off the land altogether was a catastrophic loss of identity bound up with place.’ Once land in Badenoch, as elsewhere, was no longer the basis of identity, and ‘was no longer expected to provide food or an income, it had instead become an opportunity for personal fantasy’. Further, in her letter to the poet James Beattie in the autumn of 1792, Jane Maxwell, Georgina’s mother, had written of her desire to build a ‘shieling’ at Kinrara in Badenoch. Although the site was, of course, not a shieling, but rather the main farmhouse, Jane nevertheless meant what she said. She wanted to create a location in which she and her daughters could recapture that sense of removal to a summer place, such as Glenfiddich, which she also referred to as a ‘shieling’, and the freedom it brought beyond

the norms of their everyday life; it had been where she had roamed, like Beattie’s Edwin in his poem The Minstrel, ‘wrapp’d in wonder’, rediscovering the world of the rocks, trees and torrents. Now, for Georgina spending time again among the old locations in the glens at Ruigh Aiteachain...those special circumstances survived in her memories, and in those of the older local women she employed and learnt from. She was looking to fulfil the ‘project so long held’, which was certainly partly a ‘personal fantasy’ driven by a sense of romantic nostalgia. Life in a shieling had little to do with who she was in 1829 when she wrote asking ‘about building a wooden house in the Glen’, but it was certainly a large part of a world she had known. She too shared that sense of place and identity, and sought...to create an environment which... revived those feelings for herself and her family. Life...at Ruigh Aiteachain was her attempt to create the possibilities presented by Glenfiddich and Kinrara during her youth, echoing the ‘romantic peculiarity’ of the ‘thought and language’ and lifestyle of the shielings, a wish to reintroduce part of what had been lost to her own life, that of her

She wanted to create a location in which she and her daughters could recapture that sense of removal to a summer place, such as Glenfiddich ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Ruigh Aiteachain, also known as The Feshie Bothy, is open to the public; a sketch of the Duchess of Bedford’s Dining Bothy at Glen Feshie; a portrait of the 6th Duke of Bedford, husband of Georgina Gordon

children, and to the surviving communities of Glen Feshie. To a large extent the project was a product of personal Romantic sensibilities, of which one Scottish 18th-century poet described as ‘everlasting longings for the lost’, but it also provided the location in which Edwin Landseer could share the experience and develop a vision, style and subject matter that ultimately produced some of the country’s best loved works of art.” S These extracts are from Improbable Pioneers of the Romantic Age: The lives of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford, and Georgina Gordon, Duchess of Bedford by Keir Davidson (Pimpernel Press, hardback £40, 2022).

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PEOPLE

| Scottish Food

LEFT TO RIGHT: When Craig Wilson decided to open his own restaurant, it was back to Scotland he came; Eat on the Green in Udny Green, Aberdeenshire, has been an integral part of the village since 2004

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Scottish Food |

The

Kilted

CHEF Having cooked for celebrities and dabbled with TV work, for Craig Wilson the ultimate dream was opening his own restaurant back home in Aberdeenshire Words by SALLY COFFEY

PEOPLE

raig Wilson, AKA The Kilted Chef, has made quite a name for himself throughout his culinary career. Starting out as a trainee chef aged just 16 at the Strathburn Hotel in Inverurie, near where he grew up, Craig soon moved on to work at the Ballathie House Hotel in Perthshire and became head chef at The Cromlix hotel (now owned by tennis star Andy Murray) at the age of just 24. His ‘Kilted’ nickname came later, when a chance TV appearance, in which he wore a kilt, went down so well, that the moniker stuck. He has worked on food research and development for both Grampian Country Foods and “Scottish royalty” Baxters, has cooked at some of Britain’s most prestigious properties, and catered for celebrity parties – including the late Sean Connery’s 80th birthday bash at Edinburgh Castle. Recalling the occasion, Craig revealed to The Press and Journal that the James Bond actor took a wrong turn and ended up walking into the kitchen. “It was the second time I had cooked for him and, when he looked at me, he said: ‘You must be the famous chef. I still remember those seriously good scallops.’ I’m not ashamed to say it made my day, and it’s a moment I’ll never forget,” he said at the time. By 2004, Craig’s career had brought him to London and it was while he was there that he decided to return to Scotland to open his own restaurant, which he did with Eat on The Green, in Udny Green, a little village in rural Aberdeenshire.

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PEOPLE

| Scottish Food

To understand why it was so important for Craig to open his restaurant back home, we must go back to the beginning. When I ask Craig about his earliest food memory, he smiles warmly before telling me about his grandparents. “I was lucky, my grandfather worked as a gardener at what we call up here a ‘big house’ – Westhall House, about five miles from where I was born” he says, “And my grandmother helped.” Although Westhall House is private, Craig remembers his grandfather bringing in produce from the garden and his grandmother cooking it up. “We’d joke, saying, ‘strawberries again!’ or ‘peas with everything!’ but it was idyllic.” It was these beginnings, eating fresh produce straight from the garden, with no processing involved, that helped shape Craig’s love of natural ingredients. Craig also remembers going with his mother to the local butcher to buy bones for soup and how normal it was to buy ingredients that hadn’t travelled far: “There were dirty tatties and carrots, it’s just what it was – we knew the guy’s name, it was part of our routine”. Craig’s introduction to food was also shaped by his late father, who worked for a grocer for 39 years before coming to work in Craig’s restaurant. “He worked in a mobile shop in the countryside” he says. “He was a food hero of his time – a real lifeline to people.” Nowadays, food delivery usually comes via giant supermarkets, or easy-to-prepare food boxes, but it’s not a new concept – it’s just one that has become less localised.

A TASTE OF ABERDEENSHIRE Eat on the Green, Udny Green Open Weds to Sun (though check times depending on the season), at Eat on the Green you can try expertly crafted dishes using seasonal ingredients where you can count the food yards, rather than the food miles. Craig has also just launched his own Scottish Summer Berry Gin, which can

BELOW: Craig likes to be a bit controversial with his Scottish dishes

be enjoyed in the restaurant, or bought online. eatonthegreen.co.uk Explore more From castles to incredible food and drink, Majestic Aberdeenshire has lots more travel inspiration. visitabdn.com

After following his career to Grimsby and then London, racking up TV appearances, and even a newspaper column, Craig says he had an epiphany one night sat at home and thought: “I’m going to live my dream, move home to the lovely people I grew up with and open my own restaurant.” Craig says one of the best things about opening a restaurant in Aberdeenshire, is not just that he gets to live in a beautiful village, but the abundance of fresh, local produce that makes his job so much easier. “My beef is from there,” he points vaguely to the left, “my eggs are from there – I met the man who supplies my langoustines on Saturday afternoon. The food here is embarrassingly good and I like the fact that I know the guy’s field where my tatties are from.” At Eat on The Green, Craig’s smart restaurant, which has gained two AA Rosettes, Craig uses these ingredients to the best of his ability, often adding international flavours to his Scottish dishes – “It’s like collecting souvenirs from holiday” he says, about his tendency to add in a little African spice here, or serve a dish with a bit of an Indian twist there.“It’s nice to be slightly controversial,” he says, with a twinkle in his eye. And Craig is not the only one doing exciting things with food in Aberdeenshire. He tells me that things are changing in the area and people who are finishing jobs in the oil industry are now turning to things like cheese-making and baking. “We’ve got good quality produce on our doorstep and nice people. It’s an exciting food scene – not just haggis and shortbread,” he says. And, having been back in Aberdeenshire for over 18 years, it doesn’t sound like Craig has any plans to move on. “I’m really proud of where I come from” he says. “It’s like giving your mum a hug and saying, ‘I’m home.’” Today Craig continues to act as an ambassador for Scottish food and drink across the world, he works tirelessly to raise money for cancer charities, and through his restaurant he supports other food and drinks businesses. With all that taken into consideration, I think it’s probably fair to say that Aberdeenshire is proud of him, too. S

Promotion

SCOTLAND IN COLOUR John Lowrie Morrison, also known as ‘Jolomo’, is one of Scotland’s greatest contemporary landscape painters, renowned for his passion and expressionist style

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: ‘Autumn Moonrise Isle of Bute’ by John Lowrie Morrison; ‘The Lighthouse Glencallum Bay’ displays Jolomo’s signature expressionist style; Jolomo was awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to art and charity

ohn Lowrie Morrison is one of Scotland’s leading contemporary landscape artists, with a career spanning over 40 years. Born in Glasgow, John studied drawing and painting at Glasgow School of Art, and has won several awards, including the Landscape Travelling Scholarship, from London’s Royal Academy. Since his first solo show in 1976, John has become a towering figure in Scottish contemporary art, and is now best known for his colourful, passionate paintings of the west coast of Scotland. John’s signature expressionist style and distinctive use of high key colour has made him one of the country’s most popular artists, and, in 2021, John was voted among the top 10 of Scotland’s greatest ever artists by The Sunday Times. While his familiar ‘Jolomo’ landscapes and red roof crofts have given him recognition, John’s career has also featured less well-known, figurative and textile design works, as well as striking religious paintings. In the summer of 2013, a major retrospective of John’s work was held in the refurbished Clydebank Museum and Art Gallery, covering work from John’s earliest years at the age of

three, right up to today. The exhibition saw a record number of visitors, with a 20,000 footfall. His spectacular career has even been captured on film in I Know Where I am Going by Mitchell McGlone Productions, and also in the BBC’s The Man With the Golden Brush, as well as in the books of his work The Colour of Life, A Passion for Colour and Jolomo – Retrospective. A painter for the people, John has always passionately expressed his desire to paint pictures for everyone to afford and enjoy. S

ON DISPLAY Experience John’s paintings at these upcoming exhibitions: Castle Gallery, Rothesay, 25 June - 23 July Archway Gallery, Lochgilphead, 20 August - 10 September Walker Galleries, Harrogate, 17 September - 1 October The Glasgow Gallery, Glasgow, 22 October Iona House Gallery, Woodstock, 26 November -

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RURAL SCOTLAND

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| Iona

Iona |

RURAL SCOTLAND

THIS IMAGE: Iona is not an isle that should be rushed

HEAVEN in the Hebrides

Why rush an isle like Iona in a day, when you can stay and soak up the spiritual atmosphere for longer? © CRAIG BROWN/STOCKIMO/ALAMY/ © ILLUSTRATION: © MICHAEL A HILL

Words by KENNETH STEVEN

ll my life it has saddened and frustrated me that pilgrims visit the Isle of Iona and leave again, a matter of hours later, having experienced little more than what I affectionately like to call the ‘Vatican City’ of the island. By that I mean the Abbey and Nunnery, both of which effectively lie on the edge of the village, and are no more than a five or 10-minute walk from the jetty. It’s as though Iona has been ticked off the list of Scottish sites to visit; the long journey west to get there completed successfully, and often evidently not even with much satisfaction. It’s as though those pilgrims are thinking: is this really what I came so far to find? Years ago I shared these thoughts with my Highland photographer friend Iain Sarjeant. He and I had grown up at a similar time, visiting Iona perhaps every second or third

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| Iona

RURAL SCOTLAND

From here, on even a half-good day the views south are priceless: to Colonsay, Jura and Islay, and over to Mull

LEFT TO RIGHT: Iona has around 170 permanent residents; Camus Cuil an t-Saimh beach is also known as The Bay at the Back of the Ocean

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summer. We had been free-range children; able to wander where we wanted and wary of nothing more than dangerous tides and barbed wire fences. Because this Hebridean world was safe for children: no one thought of locking their door at night and children were as free as lambs to explore and play. Iain and I had gone out to explore all the fingers and toes of Iona, so to speak: the edge places few others thought about or sought to find. That’s how we came to create our book Iona: The Other Island, as writer and photographer respectively. The Bay at the Back of the Ocean, the Well of the North Wind, the Gully of Pat’s Cow, the Hermit’s Cell, the White Strand of the Monks, the Hill of the Angels and the Glen of the Temple – all these magical locations and many more, their names deriving straight from Gaelic, we wanted to share with those who came to Iona, and to try to beckon them away from just the island’s Vatican City. It’s not for a minute that Iain and I had a thing against the Abbey or the Nunnery: quite the opposite, both of us had been inspired creatively by them and valued each dearly. It was purely and simply that we wanted to make pilgrims

aware that Iona is much bigger than this; that there’s a great deal more to find beyond the Abbey and Nunnery. First and foremost we wanted to entice those pilgrims to stay for a few days, to spend more than a few brief hours on the island. Because Iona’s weirdly bigger than it looks on the map: three miles long and nothing more than a-mile-and-a-half wide, yet pilgrimages from the village to the far south-west corner and back leave a strong walker feeling they’ve covered five times the number of miles. And that’s because of the wind; like an excited puppy it doesn’t seem to come from the north or west but rather from everywhere at once, buffeting and tugging the whole time. After an hour or more of toil it feels you’re fighting that wind, and consequently you’re left in the end feeling blown out and tired. The one place I urge every pilgrim to Iona to visit is St Columba’s Bay. It’s only the last half hour or so of walking that’s at all demanding as you climb to the island’s only lochan and then descend to the bay. From here, on even a half-good day the views south are priceless: to Colonsay, Jura and Islay, and over to Mull. I always say tongue-in-cheek that Columba must have landed from Ireland on a miserable day, for when the light’s clear and sharp it is most certainly possible to catch a glimpse of Malin Head and the north coast of Ireland. According to legend, Columba was supposed to travel until he could see his native shores no longer. I came here in earliest childhood with my parents and

Iona |

RURAL SCOTLAND

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RURAL SCOTLAND

| Iona

It’s still a fine place to meditate; to sit and be thankful for such incredible beauty and tranquility

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ABOVE: Iona Abbey became a focal point for Christianity in Scotland after Columba arrived there in AD563

PLAN YOUR VISIT STAY A WHILE

GETTING HERE

Though it’s a relatively small isle, there are still a few places to stay on Iona. Both the shorefront Argyll Hotel and the St Columba Hotel next to the Abbey have comfortable rooms and good restaurants. argyllhoteliona.co.uk; stcolumba-hotel.co.uk

Iona is reached by a very short ferry ride across the Sound of Iona from the west coast of Mull in Fionnphort. Local buses take you across the Isle of Mull from the Craignure ferryport, where CalMac ferries arrive into from Oban on the mainland. calmac.co.uk/article/2154/Iona

my mother taught me to hunt for beautiful polished pebbles of serpentine. The eye needs some training because the bay’s mounds of shingle hides many a polished piece of marble too. And marble and serpentine are very different once you get to know them. The surface of serpentine is smooth and any pebble is easily and wonderfully polished; often the green ones found at the bay, or on other beaches of Iona, are completely translucent, and used to adorn necklaces and rings. Marble turns dull and drab when dry, and refuses to be polished. Once you understand the difference you’ll never confuse them again. And St Columba’s Bay is the best place to learn. When you’ve got there and are on the south coast of Iona, it’s well worth exploring further if time and energy permit. Heading east, there’s the Gully of Pat’s Cow and the Port of the Young Lad’s Rock. Further round to the east there’s the Marble Quarry, too, where all the old machinery used for cutting great slabs of rock still lie rusting. If you head west from St Columba’s Bay you’ll come in the end to the Port of the Marten-Cat Cliff, surely one of the shores on Iona with the strangest of names. Beyond here is the wild south-west corner, a part of the island somehow different from any other, with its own character entirely. The other place I would urge newcomers to Iona to find is the Hermit’s Cell. Admittedly, it’s not a walk for the fainthearted, especially after heavy rains when the deep inland heather’s turned to cloying bog. But it’s not all that far as the crow flies from the Abbey: a path of sorts leads out west behind the MacLeod Centre, past ditches and drystone dykes to a strange and truly ancient place where without doubt hermit monks would have lived back in the days of the Celtic Christian period. And the clue for that lies just round the corner from the Cell: the Well of the North Wind. It’s likely the early hermit monks wanted little in the way of food: they were fasting to attain greater closeness to their Creator, but water was a necessity. And lovely water it is to this very day. From here you look out west: to Coll and Tiree on a clear day, and on an even clearer one to the low bumps and shadows of the Outer Hebridean islands. It’s still a fine place to meditate; to sit and be thankful for such incredible beauty and tranquility. Trying to explore the whole of the island in a day would truly take some doing. As well as the constant battle against the wind, it’s about bouncing about in deep heather that quickly tires the walker. My advice would be to give each corner of Iona adequate time to explore. There’s no need to hurry: the slower your pace the more you’ll see and the richer the whole experience. Take time to stop and look about you, for Iona lies among a whole host of other island landfalls. Come back to the village in the evening, windswept and with pockets of stories, ready for nothing more than good talk, local seafood and a fine malt. S

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ON LOCATION

| The Outer Hebrides

hen watching The Road Dance for the first time, you get a strong feeling you know which way the story is going to go. With the theme of war running throughout, in this case The Great War, which ravaged small communities such as the one depicted in the film, a viewer would lean towards thinking this is going to be the focus of the story. But they’d be wrong. The heartbreak and tragedy of sending young boys off to fight an enemy, thousands of miles away, for a seemingly unnecessary cause, makes for an emotional storyline itself. However, the real focus of the story is those left behind, and without giving too much away, how a series of tragedies affects one young girl and her family. Based on the 2002 novel of the same name by Scottish news presenter John MacKay, which itself is loosely based on a true story, The Road Dance is set on the beautiful, wild and rugged Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, which has sometimes been called ‘the edge of the world.’ The drama and harshness of the landscape contributes to the atmosphere of the film, but it also helps to highlight the power of this small community, living an isolated life within a strict religious culture, which must band together in times like these. Kirsty Macleod, perfectly depicted by Hermione Corfield in the film, is the story’s strong female protagonist. She falls in love with Murdo MacAulay, a young boy from the community played by Will Fletcher, and together they dream of leaving the island for the US, escaping the scrape of the land, the repression of the church and the inevitability of their lives if they stayed. However, when Murdo is conscripted, their plans are scuppered, and it is what happens to Kirsty after the villagers hold a grand road dance to send their young men off to battle that becomes the focus of the story. As well as beautiful scenery, inspirational acting and dramatic twists, expect an emotional journey, so keep your tissues at the ready. Even if you have read the book, there may be some surprises along the way.

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The Outer Hebrides |

ON LOCATION

THE ROAD Set in the Outer Hebrides on the outbreak of the First World War, this much anticipated film is the story of how love, bravery and the power of community can overcome life-changing tragedy Words by HENRIETTA EASTON

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Dance

ON LOCATION

| The Outer Hebrides

THE MAKING OF THE ROAD DANCE

In an exclusive interview, we spoke to actor Will Fletcher, who plays Kirsty’s love interest, Murdo, in the film, about the challenges and highlights of filming on the Isle of Lewis, and why this is an important story to tell. Can you tell us a bit about Murdo’s character and his journey in the film? “Murdo has never really fitted in but he finds a connection with Kirsty, and they dream together of a life in America. And then, like war does, when it comes it throws everything off course. An audience might think it’s going one way, and then after the road dance, the whole story changes. What I loved about it as a project is that it is not a stereotypical war film. Instead it deals with the people left behind: a community ravaged by war. This film makes you realise what a life-changing affect the war had on communities like this. It changed everything” What were the biggest challenges of filming on the Isle of Lewis? “The biggest challenge was the weather. I have never experienced anything so dramatic, it changed about four times an hour. We arrived in October, and the weather got increasingly worse each day. Overall, though, the locations were incredible, and the weather certainly adds to the drama of the film. We’d be doing the first take and you’d see these enormous grey clouds racing towards us dramatically from the Atlantic. In some of the shots my face looked incredibly warped after a hailstorm, but then it is blue-sky weather in the shot! Wearing all that period costume on top of a hill was also very challenging – if the wind takes you when you’re wearing a cape, you’re out of there for sure!” How did you go about researching your role? “I had an extensive audition process, all during lockdown. When I was offered the role, I bought the book and found some great descriptions of Murdo. But everything changed when I arrived in the Outer Hebrides, and I realised the enormousness of where we were. I’m from the south of England, so I’m from a very different coastline. This was like a different world; it was so different to where I grew up. “I sat in the accent for the whole time we were filming. A lot of the cast members grouped together and started practising together all the time; we practically lived in it. Initially I wanted to do a Hebridean accent but in the Outer Hebrides their first language is Gaelic, so they have a softer accent when they speak, which is very hard to do. I think I sound more like I’m from Edinburgh.” What did you enjoy most about playing Murdo? “Working on the set, Gearrannan Blackhouse Village, which is a museum, was amazing. It is a restored village, originally built in the 1800s, that has been lost in time. We filled it up, re-thatched the roofs and sprinkled manure all down the side of the road and it became this living village. It was almost like living the film rather than actually acting it.”

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Why do you think this is an important story to tell? “What I love about it as a film is that it is character-driven. It doesn’t rely on the explosions, the pyrotechnics or the special effects. It is rooted in realism, and it is about one story in this world war, which affected so many people in so many different ways across the world. It tells the story of a young girl who was left behind, and how she rises up and shows strength and resilience in a world that is stacked against her.” Did you have a favourite scene to film? “The road dance itself. We had the whole cast together and we tried to keep spirits up and make it look like a party when a hurricane was coming in! There was also a swimming scene that was crazy to film, it was so cold. I had to just scream and run in. “I loved the war scene too. They cleared an old quarry, and it was so atmospheric to act in. That was an amazing day, that all the boys really enjoyed.” What was your favourite memory from making the film? “That’s difficult, there are so many. The cast all went for a day out in Harris, and we saw beautiful waterfalls and scenery. That was the last weekend when the film had been wrapped, so we were sad it was coming to an end, and it was good to have a day out altogether. “I also loved working with Hermione Corfield, she led from the front from the beginning. I watched her work and I felt supported. All the cast really were wonderful to work with. We all had to band together and catch lightening in a bottle, and I think that’s what we did.”

PREVIOUS PAGE: Filming took place on the Isle of Lewis CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The road dance scene; the story’s protagonist Kirsty Macleod; lead actors Hermione Corfield and Will Fletcher

The Outer Hebrides | ON LOCATION

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ON LOCATION

| The Outer Hebrides

‘‘Everything changed when I arrived in the Outer Hebrides, and I realised the enormousness of where we were’’

Want to know where you can see a unicorn in Scotland or come face-to-face with a selkie? Let us lead the way…

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The Outer Hebrides |

MEET THE AUTHOR: JOHN MACKAY

How does it feel having your book adapted for a film? “It’s hugely exciting. It was a long road to get here with a lot of let downs along the way. At times I didn’t think it would happen and a lot of productions do fall by the wayside. But the American producers – Jim Kreutzer and Maryilene Blondell – were tenacious in wanting to make it happen because they believed so strongly in the story. The first time I saw the film on the silver screen was a special moment.”

Your family are from the Outer Hebrides. Do you visit often? “I try to visit every year, often more than once. The Isle of Lewis is a touchstone for me. I still have aunts and cousins there, which adds to the pleasure of going.”

Did you work closely with the director on the film’s adaptation? “I did. I had a few conversations with Richie Adams, and he was very respectful of the book and sought my views on various aspects of the production. Of course, a film is very different from a novel and there is also a need to appeal to a wider – especially American – audience, so there have been some changes, but they always listened to what I had to say.”

We were also lucky enough to catch up with the author of The Road Dance, John MacKay, about writing and researching the book, the draw of the Isle of Lewis, and how it felt to have his novel adapted for film.

What do you think is so special about the Isle of Lewis? “First and foremost, it is the land and seascape. The island beaches are beautiful and quiet and such a contrast to the hectic life of the city. Time slips away when you are sitting on a shoreline as the sea strokes the sand and the wind shifts around you. History is never far away, and I can see the marks of my forebears all around me and that gives me an incredibly strong connection.” The story is loosely based on true events. How did you go about researching the book? “I first heard the story – or what formed the core of my story – from a cousin in the Hebrides, and I was disbelieving at first, but it turned out to be true. I created a fictional story around it, but I couldn’t have written The Road Dance if I didn’t know that it was based on a truth. I researched old newspapers and found references to the original story. It was a very tragic case that happened some decades before my story, which is set around the outbreak of the First World War. What drew you to setting your novel on Lewis? It was the power of the story that drew me first. Everything else followed from there. I found that when I began writing The Road Dance, I had a strong sense of place and community because of my family connections and the time I had spent there. After the positive reaction to The Road Dance, especially people’s appreciation of the setting, it made sense to set my other stories there. My most recent novel, Home (Luath Press 2021), could only have been set in the Western Isles because it charts the lives of different generations who pass through one home. That doesn’t really happen in urban areas.”

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: Author John MacKay (centre) pays a visit to the set; the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village was used for filming; the film focuses on those left behind during the war, including Kirsty’s mother and sister, pictured here

ON LOCATION

Is life still very different there compared to mainland Scotland/the cities? “It has changed significantly since I first remember going and there are supermarkets and broadband and all that you would expect from modern living. It’s a different pace of life, though. But that’s part of the draw, I suppose.” Why did you feel this was such an important story to tell? “I’m a journalist by profession and what always grabs me is the story. I had an ambition to write a novel – as many of us do – and when I heard the story that formed the basis of The Road Dance, I knew that if I didn’t write it, I would never write anything.”

I heard you and your sons make cameos in the film. Can you tell me more about that? “We do, although blink and you’d miss it. One of my sons is a very good piper and I’d asked that he play the very small role of the piper, which the producers graciously agreed to. And because my other son and I were going to be on set anyway, we were roped into being extras in the scene of the actual road dance around which the film is based. It was great fun and lovely to see them on screen.” Are you pleased with the film? “I honestly am. The performances are great – Hermione Corfield in the lead role is outstanding – and the cinematography is glorious. Lewis looks wonderful in it. I am proud to be associated with it.” How did it feel when the book won The Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival? “It is really great to receive accolades – it also won the jury prize at the Manchester Film Festival – and to see the audience appreciation of the film. It gives me real confidence that audiences across the country will really enjoy the film too.” You also have three other books in the ‘Lewis’ series – Heartland, Last of the Line, and Home, can you tell us a bit more about this? “I’d never had any plans for what I would do after the publication of The Road Dance, but it was so well received that I was encouraged to write more. Heartland, Last of the Line, & Home are all set on Lewis and explore the themes of identity and belonging. Heartland is the story of a man who uncovers a family secret when he begins to reconstruct his old family home. Last of the Line is about questioning all you ever knew to be true about yourself, and Home is the story of the generations of one family from one home through a tumultuous century.” Is there a chance of a film-version of these books too? “I hope so. Heartland and Last of the Line would make good films or TV dramas, and Home lends itself to a longer TV series format. Hopefully, the success of The Road Dance might help that to happen.” S

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HERITAGE

| Institutions

Words by RODDY MARTINE

Presenting the past The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, born out of the Scottish Enlightenment, continues to enlighten today

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Fellows at Underhoull, Shetland; the Society launched its own tartan in 2020; the National Museum of Scotland; a Fellow (probably John Alex Smith) examines an inscribed stone INSET: The Society’s Coat of Arms

f there is one core interest that readers of Scotland magazine share, it is a passion for the country they love, and it was this same passion that inspired a group of the Scottish Enlightenment’s greatest names to create a society in 1780 that was incorporated by Royal Charter three years later “to investigate both antiquities and natural and civic history in general with the intention that the talents of humankind should be cultivated and the study of natural and useful sciences should be promoted.” It was only a matter of time before members of the society, such as writer Sir Walter Scott and Victorian archaeologist and antiquarian Alexander Henry Rhind, had amassed a remarkable collection of objects, some of which form key parts of the collections of the National Museum of Scotland today. Over two centuries later, the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has retained an established membership of 2,800 Fellows (membership includes an

Fellows of the Society, and members of the public, have access to an astonishing range of research, educational, and lecture opportunities entitlement to use the initials FSAScot after your name). Today, the Society has its own recognised tartan, designed by long-standing member Ruari Halford-MacLeod, and with its headquarters in the glorious National Museum of Scotland in Chambers Street, Edinburgh, Fellows of the Society, and members of the public, have access to an astonishing range of research, educational, and lecture opportunities.

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The Society is the oldest antiquarian society in Scotland and was founded to provide an independent forum for the study, conservation, and enjoyment of Scotland’s past. “It was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1783 and was officially registered as a charity in 1901”, explains Andrea Kaszewski, fellowship and development manager. “The Society is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees, called ‘Council’, with day-to-day running delegated to a small team of staff based in Edinburgh. “Our Fellows are found in many countries around the world, with over two thirds based in Scotland and neighbouring countries. An interest in Scotland’s past is all you need to have to become a Fellow. And we are actively looking to recruit more members.” Andrea’s enthusiasm is contagious. “We don’t have a front door here in Edinburgh as such but when someone wants to see us, we have the entire Museums of Scotland complex to show them around.” But what exactly does Fellowship get you? An awful lot it seems. Fellows can get involved with archaeological and heritage activities taking place throughout Scotland, have access to a range of high-quality publications written by leading historians and archaeologists, and receive borrowing privileges at the National Museums of Scotland research library, as well as invitations to lectures and conferences of special interest. The Society also funds important Scottish history and archaeological research work through a series of grants and awards each year. As an independent publisher of research in Scottish history and archaeology, many of the Society’s publications can be viewed for free online, even by non-members, and it shares results of the many excavations, digs, archival studies and

Institutions | HERITAGE

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HERITAGE

| Institutions

Dig It!’s website includes overviews of, and access to, many aspects of Scotland’s history, from DNA analysis to myths, legends, and folklore

BELOW: Concept art for King Bridei III from the Carved in Stone tabletop role-playing game, a collaboration between Stout Stoat and Dig It! to enable players to learn more about the Picts

scientific experiments that take place in Scotland every year. It’s all part of the Society’s aim to promote inclusivity, an aim that was further achieved throughout the pandemic when its lecture programme was able to continue online, enabling Fellows from as far as New Zealand to participate. Recent highlights of the annual Rhind Lectures, hosted by the Society since 1874, include ‘Neolithic Scotland: the Big Picture’, delivered by Dr Alison Sheridan, a distillation of her work over many years, and Professor John Hunter’s challenging ‘Untimely Ends’, an exploration of forensic archaeology, including the disposal of murder victims. The Society also runs two sector-leading projects: the Scottish Archaeological Research Framework (ScARF), which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and Dig It! ScARF is the go-to online research resource for Scottish archaeology, providing an overview of the subject and a set of useful research questions for everyone to use. It is primarily grant-funded by Historic Environment Scotland, as a key

part of its commitment to Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy, in particular AIM 2 – to enhance understanding. The small Dig It! team, also primarily funded by Historic Environment Scotland, is intended to make Scottish archaeology available to everyone, and promotes hands-on involvement including free or low-cost opportunities for participants of all ages, proving that archaeology can be great fun. Dig It!’s website includes overviews of, and access to, many aspects of Scotland’s history, from DNA analysis to myths, legends, and folklore – all presented so that it is welcoming to everyone from the ages of 13 to 93. Society staff engaged on Dig It! have been collaborating with Edinburgh-based game designers Stout Stoat, and with Glasgow University archaeologists in the development of a crowd-funded table-top Pictish role-play game ‘Carved in Stone’. This covers the period just after the Battle of Dun Nechtain (Battle of Nechtansmere) in AD685 when the Picts, led by King Bridei III, defeated an army of Northumbrian Angles. Keeping pace with the diversity of the times, the Society has recently embarked upon the Strathclyde University-led Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Scottish Heritage (EDISH) project in which it works with the Roma community through Ando Glaso. Established informally in 2016, Ando Glaso is a collective that seeks to encourage participation in enhancing the cultural heritage of the Roma people in Scotland. It is estimated that there are over 5,000 Roma people, sometimes historically known as gypsies, Egyptians, or travellers, living in Scotland. The Romani, nomads of Indo-Aryan origin, were dispersed throughout Europe. However, there is written and artefactual evidence of their ancestors’ presence in Scotland from the reign of King James VI in the 16th century. As a result of more recent migration the majority of Roma people live in the Govanhill area of Glasgow. The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has also launched a collaboration with Jambo! Radio – the only radio station for the people of African and Caribbean heritage in Scotland. The President of the Society of Antiquaries Scotland is Ian Ralston, Abercromby Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at Edinburgh University, who is positive about the future of the Society. “As it approaches its 250th birthday, the Society is in good form,” Ralston says. “We are keen to continue to play our part in making the heritage of Scotland better known and more accessible, not only for its Fellows, but also for everyone in Scotland and our many visitors from over the Border and overseas.” S To find out more about the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and how you can become a Fellow, go to www.socantscot.org

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SECRET SCOTLAND

| Argyll

Words by SALLY COFFEY

TIGHNABRUAICH Hidden away on Argyll’s aptly named ‘Secret Coast’ this little village is a charming holiday base, but you may want to keep it to yourself

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SECRET SCOTLAND

THIS IMAGE: Sailing boats bob on the water of the Kyles of Bute by Tighnabruaich

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Argyll |

SECRET SCOTLAND

| Argyll

J BELOW, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The PS Waverley arrives into Tighnabruaich each summer; the village of Tighnabruaich looks out across the water to the Isle of Bute; Lochee House boasts unrivalled views across the bay; Tighnabruaich sits on Argyll’s aptly named ‘Secret Coast’

ust an hour’s drive west of Glasgow and sitting on the shores of the Kyles of Bute, in full view of the Isle of Bute, Tighnabruaich, is about as lovely a little village as you could hope to find. It’s so lovely that the PS Waverley, the last sea-going passenger-carrying paddle-steamer in the world, still stops at the Victorian pier each summer, either dropping visitors off or picking them up and whisking them away to the Isle of Bute, or the Kintyre Peninsula. It’s a reminder that this region was once a bustling holiday destination, particularly with Glaswegians, who would make the annual summer trip ‘doon the watter’ before they were tempted overseas by cheap package holidays. Today, it’s much more understated. I’ll hold my hands up: I’d never heard of Tighnabruaich before my visit earlier this year, but by the end of our weeklong stay my five-year-old had perfected his version of its pronunciation – proudly shouting “Tee – na – bru- ick” each time we arrived back in the village after a day’s exploration. Not that we went too far. The beauty of Tighnabruaich is that it is so well placed for reaching many places. A short drive out of town up the eastern shore of the western finger

In full view of the Isle of Bute, Tighnabruaich is about as lovely a little village as you could hope to find

PLAN YOUR VISIT LOCHEE HOUSE This spacious holiday home, which sleeps eight, offers beautiful, elevated views of the Kyles of Bute, four bedrooms, a games room, a well-equipped kitchen,

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and two bathrooms. locheehouse.co.uk

SECRET ARGYLL COAST Discover more about this hidden corner of Argyll. wildaboutargyll.co.uk

of the Cowal Peninsula, which has been rebranded as ‘Argyll’s Secret Coast’ due to the scarcity of visitors, will bring you to an incredible viewpoint over the Kyles of Bute. Before you reach that, you’ll see the 20m-long wooden structure of the Ark of Argyll by artist David Blair, erected just in time for last year’s COP26 conference in Glasgow, which aims to highlight the “strength and urgency” of the climate crisis. Continue, and you can take the rather hairy, but very beautiful, Bealach an Drain road that crosses inland, just before Glendaruel, up into the hills and down to the other side of the peninsula to the reputable Oystercatcher restaurant in Otter Ferry. For a shorter jaunt, Ostel Bay (also called Kilbride Bay) is just a 10-minute drive out of Tighnabruaich to the south, or at least the layby by Kilbride Farm, where you park is. From The Bothy shack (perfect for tea and cake afterwards), it’s a 15-minute countryside amble to reach this huge sandy beach on the south of the peninsula. Another place worth visiting is Portavadie Marina, with its excellent outdoor infinity pool and hot tubs overlooking Loch Fyne, Scotland’s longest sea loch. There’s nothing quite like watching the weather rolling in from the coast and

Despite driving to the little harbour at Colintraive fully prepared for a bit of wind and rain, we were warned by the friendly harbourmaster that the threat of an incoming storm made the five-minute ferry trip over inadvisable. To cheer ourselves up, we took refuge in the Colintraive Hotel near the pier – a cosy bolthole, with a small bar and an excellent restaurant with more great views. All the food is sourced locally, and you can tell – the langoustines supplied by “Neil” were some of the freshest I’ve ever tasted. Back in the village, there are a few good dining options, the Tighnabruaich Hotel offers no-frills dining in its friendly pub, while a little further round the bay at the Royal an Lochan hotel there is a very good seafood menu. If you want to learn a little more about the game of shinty, which is still popular in the village, pop into the hotel’s Shinty Bar, where you can see photos of the local Kyles Athletic team through the years on the walls. If you are looking for a slice of Scottish rural life, within easy reach of some of Scotland’s star attractions, then Tighnabruaich could be just the ticket. S

seabirds flocking overhead as you sit beneath a gentle rain shower immersed in a warm bath. The village of Tighnabruaich itself is small but well formed. On Main Street (whose title seems a little over the top), there is a good art gallery, plus a couple of cafes, which serve food from local producers. On arrival at our holiday home for the week, Lochee House, a beautifully renovated self-catering property, just a five-minute walk from this row of shops and with views out across the Kyles of Bute, we were presented with a welcome hamper, with lots of lovely local goodies, including jam from Wild Kitchen, an artisan maker based in the village, which went down well with both my kids. The pristine kitchen and open-plan dining room and living room at Lochee House was a great place to slowly start each day – the kids playing games and watching cartoons, while my husband and I drank tea and coffee as we let the views revive us. Who needs weather forecasts when you can see the weather from your window? You know the Scottish saying, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes”, well no amount of wet-weather gear would have helped us reach the Isle of Bute.

Scotland 77

SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies

SCOTTISH SOCIETIES

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Established 1997

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

Website:

www.clancumming.us

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

Family of Bruce International, Inc., USA

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

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

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

www.familyofbruceinternational.org

Carol Morton-Bianchini, Secretary Clan Douglas Society of North America PO Box 6974, Portland, OR 97228 Phone: 971.300.8593 DouglasSecretary@comcast.net

Clan Dunbar

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

www.ClanDunbar.com

HOUSE OF BURNETT, INC.

www.cfsna.com www.cfsna.com

Cairns Gilroy MacAllan MacGilroy MacIlroy

MacKerron MacKiaran Pratt Suttie More of Drumcork

(And spelling variations) RAND ALLAN, Membership Secretary 6102 Calle Vera Cruz La Jolla, CA 92037 (858) 454-3846 secretary@clangrant-us.org president@clangrant-us.org www.clangrant-us.org Organized July 1975 The first worldwide Clan Graham Organization

CLAN GRAHAM SOCIETY www.clangrahamsociety.org www.facebook.com/ClanGrahamSociety

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

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

Forbes

78 Scotland

LOVAT

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

Sanctioned by James C.A. Burnett of Leys,

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

NORTH AMERICA AMERICA NORTH

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

Allan Bisset Bissett Bowie Buie

Clan Blair Society Russell McCrary Email: clanmembership@clanblair.org

SALTOUN SALTOUN

Clan Grant Society-USA

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

clanblair.org

THE THE CLAN FRASER SOCIETY CLAN FRASER SOCIETY OF OF

Clan Cumming Society USA

The Scottish Home 2800 Des PlainsClan-Forbes.org Avenue N. Riverside, IL 60546 @ClanForbesSociety president@clan-forbes.org Sign up for a free e-newsletter!

Give your society the exposure it deserves, our 100,000 Scottish interest readers are keen to connect with their clans and associations. To book your society in Scotland email: Sophie.Easton@chelseamagazines.com

Scottish Societies | SCOTLAND Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc.

Clan MacLaren

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

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

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

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

Clan Hamilton Society

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

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

Valerie McDougall VP Membership

Macoual Coul MacCoul Coul MacoualMacCoul Coul MacCulloch Dulothe MacCowan MacConcher MacDugle Conacher MacConcher MacConacher Conacher MacConacher Conacher MacClintock MacDoual M’Gowall MacDowall Coyle MacCoyle Coyle MacDougall MacDill MacCoyle Coyle MacCowan MacLintock MacDill McDowell Dole MacDole Dole Mcdougle McDoll MacDole Dole MacHale MacLugash McDoll MacCullich Dowdle MacHowell MacDugal Macoual MacCullagh Dulothe MacDulothe Dowdle Dulothe Dowdle MacDulothe Doual MacKichan MacConcher McDougal McLintock MacDoual Doual MacDoual Doual MacDowal McDougal Dougal MacLinden MacDill McCown MacDougall MacDougald Dougal MacDougallDougalMacdowell MacDougald Dougle MacLucas McLullich McDoll Mactheul Dougle Mcdougle McDougald Dougle Mcdougle McDougald Dugal MacCoul McCulloch MacDulothe McCown MacDugal MacDugle Dugal MacDugal Dugal MacLintock MacDugle Dowall MacConacher McDougal MacNamell MacDowal Dowall MacDowal DowallMacowen MacDowall MacDowel MacCoyle MacDougald MacDowall MacClintock Lullich MacDole McHoul McDougald MacLuke Macdowell McDowell MacDowell MacdowellMacDowellMcDowell Lullich May MacCullich Lullich McLullich MacCullich Spelling Variations Vary McLullich or Omit the Mac, Mc MacCulloch McCulloch MacCullagh MacCulloch McCulloch MacCullagh MacLintock McLintock MacClintock MacLintockMacClintockMcLintock McCown MacCowan Macowen MacCowanMcCownMacowen Mactheul MacHale McHoul MacHale MactheulMcHoul McCown MacHowell MacCowanMacHowellMcCownMacCowan M’Gowall MacNamell MacKichan M’Gowall MacKichan MacNamell MacLintock MacClintock MacLinden MacLintockMacLinden MacClintock MacLuke MacLucas MacLugashMacLucas MacLukeMacLugash Spelling Spelling Variations May Vary or Omit the Variations Mac, Mc May Vary or Omit the Mac, Mc

Society of North America

Recognized by the Chief of Clan MacLaren Mark McLaren, FSA Scot President greatscot@earthlink.net

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

Welcomes MacLellans and their descendants regardless of surname spelling to join in preserving our heritage.

The Clan Hannay Society

For those with family names of H annay, H annah, H anna and H anney. M embership S ec: M rs. J acqui e H annay 5 P icket Cross, B ankend R oad, D umfries DG 1 4A H S CO T L AND www.clanh annay.org

Family names include: MacClellan(d), McClellan(d), McLellan(d) Scholarships available for Scottish studies.

Visit our website: www.clanmaclellan.net

Clan Macnachtan Association Worldwide

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

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

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

Clan MacInnes

Clan Irwin Association

Int’l Assn. of Clan MacInnes (Aonghais)

Ch ief and Patron

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

Alexa nder H . R . I rvine of Drum, 27t h B aron of Drum & Chief of the Name. Contact: Susan Irvi ne M cR ae 5607 B ryar R ose Drive O oltewah T N 3766540 susan.m crae@ clanirwin.or g

Clan MacKinnon Society

www.clanirwin.org

www.f acebook.c om/ groups/ clanirwin IR WIN , IR V IN E , IR V IN , IR V IN G , E R WIN And the many other spellings of the name

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

Since 1891

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

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

Muirhead Clan Society

Clan Leslie Society International 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

www.c lanmuirhead.c om

Crest B adge O f Clan M ember

Chev. R aymond L . M orehead, G O T J , F S A S cot. P resident/ Chief E lect 652 194t h Avenue E . B onney L ake, W A 9831 1- 253219- 8736 E - mail: raymond@ clanmuirhead.c om

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 Berlioz Apt. 203, Verdun, Québec H3E 1B8, Canada

ClanMacRae MacRaeSociety Society Clan ofofNorth NorthAmerica America Granted GrantedArms Armsinin2008 2008

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

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

303-670-9611 Need more info? Contact: brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com 1

Bruce McRae, President 303-670-9611 Scotland 79 brucewaynemcrae@gmail.com

SCOTLAND | Scottish Societies

www.standrewssocietyalbany.org “Relieve the Distressed” “Faire Sans Dire”

CLAN POLLOCK

For membership information please visit us at www.clanmactavish.org www.facebook.com/ClanMacTavish or contact: Clan MacTavish Treasurer

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:

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

NC Scottish Heritage Society

CLAN RAMSAY

International

506 S hinnecock Court New B ern, N C 2856

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

Ramsay Ramsey Rumsey Dalhousie Maule Brechin Brecheen

Like Us On Facebook

St Andrews Society of the City of Milwaukee

REL I

D LL E

www.s tandrewssocietymilwaukee.or g Contact: T om W estgaard, FS A S cot P hone 414- 421- 1598 P .O . B ox 21028 M ilwaukee, W I 53218005

SOCIETY

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

Clan Uisdean, USA

Defenders of Freedom, Mindful of Knowledge & Labor

www.clanmaxwellsociety.com Clan Sinclair Association, Inc. (U.S.A.) Do you know who came to North America almost 100 years before Columbus’ famous voyage? Prince Henry Sinclair in 1398

Come join (and enjoy) your Sinclair family President Tom H. Robinson TomHRobinson@aol.com

Membership Contact Keith A. Sinclair ClanSincMembership@gmail.com

For a list of spelling variations and septs Website: www.clansinclairusa.org

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

n Young Cla

A ch aritable & social “We organiz ation formed to p romote fellowsh ip among th ose surnamed Y oung, descendants of any Scotsman and anyone interested in all th ings Scottish .

Ride!”

For membership information, contact L inda Y oung- Sh eik o M embersh ip Secretary (616) 581- 29

clanyoungmembership@yahoo.com www.clanyoungsociety.com

H E FI R S

D SSE

ED E TH ISTRE EV

ST AN

A O F M I LW

D SSE

ED E TH ISTRE EV

ST AN

A O F M I LW

EWS SOCIE DR

OF TY

THE

Clan Maxwell

80 Scotland

EWS SOCIE DR

THE

Clan Ramsay International, 434 Skinner Blvd., Dunedin, FL 34698 david@ramseyengineering.com www.clanramsay.org

www.t heargyllcolonyplus.or g

OF TY

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

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

CLAN MAITLAND SOCIETY

SCOTTISH HERITAGE USA, INC.

P.O. Box 457, Pinehurst, NC 28374

LL E

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

150 East 55th Street - 3rd Floor New York, NY 10022 David M. Murphy, 103rd President Tel. 212/223–4248; Fax 212/223–0748 www.standrewsny.org

www.clanmacthomas.org

MacOmie MacOmish Tam Thom Thomas Thoms Thomson

Clan Ross America

Representing the great Highland Clan of Ross since 1976

REL I

Combie McColm McComas McComb(e) McCombie McComie McComish

SEPT NAMES

Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York

The Clan MacThomas

Archie D. Pollock, Jr. P. O. Box 404, Greenville, Ky 42345 (615) 456-1699 apollockis@comcast.net

1756

23 Garland Rd. Lancaster, NH 03584

Founded

ST A N

Clan MacTavish

FOUNDED 1803

150 Washington Avenue Albany, New York 12210

For more information, visit www.ibydeit.org or contact Dave Nesbitt Harvey, President, at dharvey@ibydeit.org.

Cash - MacTavish - Stephenson - Stevens Stevenson - Thompson - Thomson

membershipsecretary.mactavish@gmail.com

St. Andrew’s Society of Albany

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.

ST A N

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

Nesbitt Nisbet Society of North America

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

CLAN MACTAVISH Inc.

H E FI R S

Calendar |

EVENTS

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

this festival has something for everyone. covenanterscottishfestival.com

SCOTLAND

3 September 2022 BRAEMAR HIGHLAND GATHERING, ABERDEENSHIRE The Braemar Gathering is traditionally attended by members of the Royal Family, making it the most famous games in the world. braemargathering.org

16-18 September 2022 SCOTFEST, OK Modelled after Scotland’s renowned Braemar and Lonach Gatherings, this celebration of Scottish and Gaelic culture includes games, music, food, and an authentic whisky tasting. okscotfest.com

4 September 2022 BLAIRGOWRIE AND RATTRAY HIGHLAND GAMES, PERTHSHIRE Enjoy a day of dancing, piping, track and field and heavyweight events, alongside a children’s ‘Mini Highland Games’ and a dog show. blairgowriehighlandgames.co.uk 10 September 2022 PITLOCHRY HIGHLAND GAMES, PERTHSHIRE One of the first to be reestablished in Scotland in 1852, these games serve up all the traditional events you could ask for, including a spectacular grand finale of massed pipe bands. pitlochryhighlandgames.co.uk

23 September-2 October 2022 WIGTOWN BOOK TOWN FESTIVAL, DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY In its Year of Stories, Scotland’s national ‘Book Town’ hosts the annual book festival, this year with over 250,000 books and some of Scotland’s most renowned and best-loved authors in attendance. wigtownbookfestival.com 14-22 October 2022 THE ROYAL NATIONAL MÒD, PERTH Scotland’s premier celebration of Gaelic language and culture. Over the nine-day event, enjoy cèilidhs, concerts, exhibitions, and a showcase of all things Gaelic. ancomunn.co.uk

Samhuinn Fire Parade is a spectacle of torches, drummers and immersive performance

14-30 October 2022 SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL, EDINBURGH A celebration of storytelling, oral traditions, and cultural diversity, bringing together international storytellers and musicians. sisf.org.uk 31 October 2022 SAMHUINN FIRE PARADE, EDINBURGH On Halloween night, Calton Hill is set alight as this incredible Gaelic festival celebrates the transition of seasons with a stand-off between the Summer and Winter Kings. beltane.org/about-samhuinn 12 November 2022 THE GREAT WESTERN FESTIVAL, GLASGOW A festival of musical exploration and art with 50 bands performing across 10 different venues. thegreatwestern.seetickets.com

USA & CANADA

3-4 September 2022 CANMORE HIGHLAND GAMES, AB In the shadows of the Rocky Mountains, these games celebrate all things Scottish, with music, sport, dancing and more. canmorehighlandgames.ca 9-10 September 2022 EDINBORO UNIVERSITY’S HIGHLAND GAMES, PA Beginning with a whisky tasting, these games will be a Scottish weekend to remember, complete with the National Scottish Fiddle Championships. edinboro.edu/events/ highland-games 10 September 2022 COVENANTER SCOTTISH FESTIVAL AND HIGHLAND GAMES, PA Piping competitions, heavyweight events, sheep herding and haggis;

23-25 September 2022 CELTIC CLASSIC FESTIVAL, PA The largest free Celtic festival in North America, this event includes the US National Highland Athletic Competition, and a haggis contest. celticfest.org 7-15 October 2022 CELTIC COLOURS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, CAPE BRETON, NS An award-winning, internationally renowned celebration of Celtic music and culture, this year’s festival boasts 48 concerts in 35 communities around Cape Breton. celtic-colours.com 14-16 October 2022 STONE MOUNTAIN HIGHLAND GAMES AND SCOTTISH FESTIVAL, GA One of the USA’s premier Highland Games, this event is back for its 50th year and visitors can expect to experience the sights and sounds of Scotland in all its glory. smhg.org 26 November 2022 ST ANDREW’S SOCIETY TORONTO CHARITY BALL, ON Back after a two-year break due to the pandemic, join the society for an evening of Scottish food, music, and dancing. standrewstoronto.ca

Scotland 81

CULTURE

| Real-life tales

We talk to New York Times best-selling author, Susanna Kearsley, about her latest novel, The Vanished Days, and what inspires her writing LEFT TO RIGHT: Susanna Kearsley, author of The Vanished Days; the Darien Expedition ships set sail from Leith Harbour on 12 July 1698

82 Scotland

y research tends to start with the ‘huh!’ moment; the moment I think, why didn’t I know about that? It was the Darien Expedition that triggered my research for The Vanished Days. The expedition was an unsuccessful attempt by Scotland to establish a colony in Panama in the 1690s. There were real-life characters that I had become quite attached to during the research of some of my earlier books, one of whom I discovered had a son who died on the expedition. I think history is so much more interesting when it has a face, and I feel a duty to tell the real stories of people who don’t normally have their stories told. The Vanished Days is a dual-time novel, with the present day as 1707, the year of the Union between England and Scotland. Our heroes are a mercenary soldier and a widow whose husband died on the expedition. As the novel goes on, our hero, and the reader, learn the pieces of her story. Before I became an author, I was a museum curator, so I am very aware of history that has been ‘curated’ so that it shows one angle.

Jacobean history has been heavily curated by its writers, and I am drawn to it because I don’t feel that the people involved have been given their due in history. To get to the real stories, I start with the bibliographies of the people who wrote the histories and then I go to the primary sources they used and let those lead me to the individual people, who kept journals and wrote letters. It helps me to be on location as well; a lot of the time my characters don’t even start talking until I’m standing where they stood. Eventually, I’ll get the first sentence, and then I’ll let it go. The most challenging thing is always trusting that the book will take the shape it is meant to. But the most enjoyable thing is also just that. Waking up every day and asking where the book is going to go. I get to know these people and it’s very hard to let them go at the end of the book, but when you’ve got it right the characters will stop talking. And then it’s on to the next one. I enjoy writing about Scotland and its history because I feel so at home here. As a Canadian there is a great sameness between Canadians and Scots, and I don’t know if it is because we have larger countries to the south of us. When I cross over into Scotland, I feel completely different than I do anywhere else: I feel like I belong here. S The Vanished Days is out now, £14.99, simonandschuster.co.uk

THE STORY BEHIND…

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