Historic Scotland, Spring 2015

Photo competition winners unveiled

29

EXCITING EVENTS

INSIDE

THE MAGAZINE FOR HISTORIC SCOTLAND MEMBERS SPRING 2015

THE TASTE OF A

Go!

NATION

Spot toads at Dunsapie Loch

Feasting Toasting Foraging

Discover history on your street Jest at Stirling Castle

We visit Stirling Castle, Dallas Dhu Distillery and Holyrood Park

5

GREAT SCOTTISH CANALS

Animal magic

The perfect day out at Duff House

WATERLOO

Scotland’s crucial role in the defeat of Napoleon

IVERSARY 200th ANN

Mozolowski & Murray Conservatories Orangeries

Sun Lounges Garden Rooms

We combine traditional values with modern technology to create the perfect addition to your home.

To find out more call us on

0345 050 5440 Visit our design centre or request a brochure.

Mozolowski & Murray Conservatory Design Centre 57 Comiston Road Edinburgh EH10 6AG Open 7 days 10am to 5pm

www.mozmurray.co.uk

Welcome to

A FRIEND

With this being the Year of Food and Drink, there seems no better time than now to satisfy your appetite for history.

Indulging in this year’s culinary theme, we meet the head chef at Historic Scotland’s award-winning caterers benugo who is passionate about using quality Scottish ingredients. We join a medical herbalist foraging in Holyrood Park for ingredients including hairy bittercress – believe us, it’s tasty. And on page 24, we salute the former soldier once based at Fort George who now manages the Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery.

Two centuries after Waterloo sealed the fate of Napoleon and paved the way for modern Europe, the military historian Allan Carswell explores the role of Scotland in this momentous battle. Alongside the accounts of valour among Allied troops, two personal stories stand out – the lone Gaelic piper whose rousing notes lifted the spirits of his fellow soldiers, and the woman who nursed her injured husband near the battlefield. Turn to page 30 to discover their links to Scottish locations.

The most evocative images from the Historic Scotland photography competition are showcased on page 32.

Following a tough but enjoyable judging session, we unveil the winning and commended entries in this hard-fought event.

Add to the mix a slice of Scotland’s canals and a large slab of Victoria sponge at the stunning Duff House in Aberdeenshire, and we’re sure you’ll be back for seconds.

INTRODUCE

HISTORIC SCOTLAND

Contributors ALLAN CARSWELL Waterloo (p26) Allan is a freelance curator and museum consultant specialising in British military history.

SEE PAGE 49

CLAIRE BOWIE Membership and CRM Manager

SIMON MURPHY

5 big things to see and do this issue 1

Uncover the secrets of Dallas Dhu P24

2

Discover Scotland’s role at Waterloo P26

3

Spot the animals at Duff House P36

4

Visit Scotland’s five grand canals P42

5

Feast like Mary of Guise at Stirling Castle P51

Stirling Castle

NICK HAYNES Scotland’s canals (p42) An architectural historian and historic buildings consultant, Nick is the author of Scotland’s Sporting Buildings.

KATHLEEN MORGAN Best in show (p36) The editor of Historic Scotland, Kathleen has worked on titles including The Herald, The Sunday Herald and The List.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 1

HISTORIC SCOTLAND

Photo competition winners unveiled

29

EXCITING EVENTS

INSIDE

SPRING 2015

THE MAGAZINE FOR HISTORIC SCOTLAND MEMBERS SPRING 2015

THE TASTE OF

LOOK INSIDE HISTORIC SCOTLAND SPRING 2015

Go!

A NATION

Spot toads at Dunsapie Loch

Feasting Toasting Foraging

Discover history on your street Jest at Stirling Castle

We visit Stirling Castle, Dallas Dhu Distillery and Holyrood Park

5

GREAT SCOTTISH CANALS

WWW.HISTORIC%SCOTLAND.GOV.UK/MEMBER

Animal magic

The perfect day out at Duff House

WATERLOO

Scotland’s crucial role in the defeat of Napoleon

IVERSARY 200th ANN

00_HS_cover_spring final.indd 1

13/02/2015 17:15

Headquarters Historic Scotland Longmore House, Salisbury Place Edinburgh EH9 1SH www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Membership enquiries 0131 668 8999 hs.members@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Editorial enquiries hs.magazine@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Membership and CRM Manager Claire Bowie Assistant Membership Manager Morag Paterson Membership Co-ordinator Pauline Brews Editor Kathleen Morgan kathleen.morgan@thinkpublishing.co.uk Deputy Editor Fiona McKinlay fiona.mckinlay@thinkpublishing.co.uk Design Matthew Ball Sub-editors Sam Bartlett, Sian Campbell Contributors Alec Mackenzie, Emma Wilson, Leia Forster Advertising Sales Simon Bryson simon.bryson@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7200 Publisher John Innes john.innes@thinkpublishing.co.uk Think Suite 2.3, Red Tree Business Suites, 33 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow G40 4LA 0141 375 0504 Photography All images provided by Historic Scotland unless otherwise stated. For access to images of Scotland and our properties, call 0131 668 8647/8785, email hs.images@scotland.gsi.gov.uk, or visit www.historicscotlandimages.gov.uk

32 | Reflect on the results of the Historic Scotland photography competition

Historic Scotland is an Agency within the Scottish Government and is directly responsible to Scottish Ministers for safeguarding the nation’s historic environment and promoting its understanding and enjoyment.

Historic Scotland is published four times a year, and is printed on paper made from pulp sourced from sustainable materials.

© Historic Scotland. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without prior agreement of the Membership and CRM Manager and Historic Scotland.

Cover: John McWhirter, head chef Scotland, benugo. Photograph by Simon Murphy

20 | Foraging for the natural ingredients at the end of the rainbow 2 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

42 | Nick Haynes charts the life and times of five of Scotland’s canals

GRANT GLENDINNING; ANGELA CATLIN

The views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of Historic Scotland. All information is correct at the time of going to press.

50

EVENTS

Discover a host of exciting things to see and do in your area, and further afield

31 | A Gaelic air over Waterloo

36 | In search of Georgian style at Duff House 7 | Restoring Glasgow Art School REGULARS

PLACES TO VISIT

THIS SPRING

Duff House P36 Dallas Dhu P24

51 | Feast like royalty at Stirling Castle

Forth and Clyde Canal P42 Holyrood Park P20

4 THE SCRIPT News and updates from Historic Scotland sites around the country 49 MEMBERSHIP 50 EVENTS 56 GUESS THE YEAR FEATURES

20 A MATTER OF TASTE Historic Scotland serves up a menu of delights – from foraged produce and a Stirling Castle banquet to fine whisky – as the nation celebrates the Year of Food and Drink 26 DAYS OF DESTINY The crucial role played by Scots in the Allied victory over Napoleon at Waterloo 32 SNAP HAPPY We showcase the

prize-winning entries in our photography competition 36 A DOG’S LIFE An animal-spotting visit to spectacular Duff House proves the perfect day out for a family – and their canine friends 42 WATERWAY TO GO Architectural historian Nick Haynes leads us on a journey of discovery along five of Scotland’s canals WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 3

SCRIPT THE

PEOPLE, PLACES, RESEARCH, COMPETITIONS, AND MORE…

INCLUDING

The last showing of a Scottish regiment’s Waterloo Colours How to spot heritage features on Scotland’s streets Bob Tevendale traces the chequered history of the black rat Why Mary Queen of Scots is returning to Linlithgow Palace

LIFTING THE LID ON A VIKING TREASURE EXCAVATION Lidded pot to give up its secrets

4 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

The Carolingian pot is expected to contain prize items such as bronze brooches, and silver and gold ingots

WHAT TO DO WITH A FIND

Derek McLennan discovered the Dumfriesshire hoard

IDENTIFYING OBJECTS From prehistoric tools to Jacobite political medals, any ancient objects found in Scotland belong to the Crown. If you think a find could have archaeological importance, contact the Treasure Trove Unit, www. treasuretrovescotland.co.uk

MAKING A REPORT If you discover an object or a group of objects, record the find-spot as accurately as possible before informing the Treasure Trove Unit.

Accompanying images of the object and the find-spot will help with initial identification.

LOOKING AFTER FINDS Do not try to clean any finds as this could damage the artefacts.

If objects are wet and made of wood or textile, keep them damp by placing in a plastic bag with some of the soil they were found in.

SWNS MEDIA GROUP

THE rich spoils of Viking raiders are to be rediscovered after lying undisturbed in a pot for more than 1,000 years.

Experts are poised to excavate the contents of a lidded vessel, which is the centrepiece of the Dumfriesshire hoard, arguably the most significant archaeological find in Scotland in the last century.

The treasure trove of over 100 items, including armbands, and a cross and brooches, was unearthed in a field in Dumfries by metal detectorist Derek McLennan last October.

The most intriguing find was the largest Carolingian silveralloy pot ever found, which, until recently, offered only a glimpse of the artefacts inside. After a CT scan on the pot at Borders General Hospital last year, archaeologists expected to find bronze brooches, silver and gold ingots, coins, and bone or ivory objects. The next excavation will involve a laser scan of the pot and recording its contents.

Richard Welander, head of collections at Historic Scotland, said: “One of the reasons it’s important we work in a systematic way is because we’re interested in determining whether the pot was filled up in a single event and buried, or someone put in objects over multiple raids. I suspect it will give us a very good insight into their travels.”

HISTORY

LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS

Historic Scotland battles climate change

The fragile remains of Colours taken by The Royal Scots into battle at Waterloo

THE LAST POST

ANNIVERSARY Colours to be shown for last time PRECIOUS regimental Colours are to be displayed for the last time this summer – 200 years after five Scottish soldiers died to protect them at the Battle of Waterloo.

The fragile Colours of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Scots will be taken out of storage and shown at Edinburgh Castle before being archived forever to ensure their preservation.

The silk Colours, each 6ft by 6ft, accompanied the Regiment into battle at Waterloo on 18 June 1815, where Napoleon was finally defeated.

Four officers and a regimental sergeant major were killed trying to save the Colours from being captured by the French.

Lieutenant Colonel Jim Blythe of The Royal Scots

Regimental Museum, where the Colours are stored, said: “It has always been regarded as a disgrace for Colours to be captured by an enemy.

Usually if this occurs the Regiment has been over-run and is no longer effective.”

Among those killed was James Grant Kennedy, 16. The sergeant who went to retrieve the Kings Colour was unable to loosen the Colour pike from the boy’s grasp and carried them both from the battlefield. The French commander opposite, impressed by this bravery, ordered his troops to cease fire temporarily. The Colour was then carried by Sergeant Major Quick, who was shot through the heart.

ARCHAEOLOGY MAVERICK AGENCY/WWF SCOTLAND

named Public Body Champion by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for its support of the Earth Hour campaign.

Lang Banks, director of WWF Scotland, said: “This award demonstrates the commitment of the organisation to tackling climate change and protecting our brilliant planet.”

Eleanor Mitchell, Historic Scotland sustainability officer, said: “We are committed to reducing our carbon emissions.

In 2013-2014, we reduced our energy consumption by 16% and associated carbon emissions by 19%, based on 2008-09 levels.”

To sign up for Earth Hour visit www.wwfscotland.org.uk/ earthhour

The Colours will be on display at the Great Hall, Edinburgh Castle, this summer

DIGGING IT

The Neolithic Links of Noltland

THE lights will go out this spring at some of the nation’s most iconic buildings – as Historic Scotland is awarded for tackling climate change.

Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart Castles will be among 11 Historic Scotland properties flicking the switch in support of WWF’s Earth Hour. The global annual event for action on climate change involves hundreds of millions of people switching off their lights for an hour to show concern for the planet.

Landmarks including the Eiffel Tour, the Pyramids and the Sydney Opera House will join with ordinary households in darkness at 8.30pm on 28 March.

Historic Scotland was

AN AWARD!WINNING archaeological dig will reveal more secrets of the past in its final phase this summer.

Conservation work began at

the Neolithic settlement at Links of Noltland, on the coast of Westray, Orkney, after erosion had threatened to destroy the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The resulting work won rescue dig of the year at the Current Archaeology Awards 2014.

Richard Strachan, senior archaeologist, Historic Scotland,

said: “The final season of the dig will involve completing the excavation of a large Neolithic complex of buildings, and an investigation of the surrounding field systems.

“The settlement is revealing a series of buildings interlinked by passageways, similar to those at Ness of Brodgar in Orkney.”

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 5

THE MIDDLE AGES GO MOBILE THE rich medieval past of St Andrews is now available at your fingertips using a new mobile app developed by academics at the town’s university.

The Medieval St Andrews app allows users to interact with multimedia that combines medieval text with interactive 3D-digital reconstructions of the medieval buildings at 22 sites around the town, alongside

ST ANDREWS

FIND OUT FOR FREE The Medieval St Andrews app is free to download for android and iOS devices. Visit www.medsta. wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/app

THE SCOR

ES

ST ANDREWS CASTLE NOR T

H STR

EE T

SOUTH STRE

ET

THE PENDS

ST ANDREWS CATHEDRAL

ST MARY’S COLLEGE

St Andrews Cathedral Occupying a site used for worship since the 8th century, the ruined remains of what was Scotland’s largest church still show how magnificent it must have been in its prime.

6 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

St Andrews Castle

The power and wealth of the bishops is demonstrably on show at their official residence, the setting for many important events that determined the course of Scottish history.

audio commentary by historians explaining their significance.

The project was led

by Dr Katie Stevenson, a senior lecturer in late medieval history and director of the Institute of Scottish Historical Research at the university.

Describing the app’s development, she said: “A group of historians were already teamteaching a module about medieval St Andrews, but it wasn’t until we got together with archaeologists, architectural historians and computer scientists that we realised we could pool our expertise, resources and skills to create something significant to help others benefit from our knowledge and research.”

She added: “The feedback so far is really positive.

Somebody just wrote to me that they started to build

their classroom teaching around the app, which I thought was great.”

Over the course of 2015 students taking the medieval St Andrews honours course will contribute their own themed trails, enhancing the app and audience understanding of Scotland’s oldest university town.

The Pends

St Mary’s College

This pair of 14th-century arches was part of a gateway to the walled enclosure surrounding St Andrews Cathedral, helping control access to and from the religious community.

Opened in the 1550s, the college was one of the first properties acquired by the University of St Andrews. The role of the college was originally to combat heresy and defend Catholicism.

SHUTTERSTOCK; ALAMY

TECHNOLOGY History of town is on tap with this interactive guide

THE SCRIPT

The Mackintosh Library before the fire (main) and afterwards (below)

STORY BEHIND THE STRANDS

VISITORS to Stirling Castle will be given an insight into the work of weavers who created the replica Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries.

Before the final tapestry in the series of seven is hung in June, an exhibition opens with information on the craft of weaving, along with video footage, cartoons and sample materials.

Visitors have been able to follow the progression of the tapestries project, which began in 2000, at the on-site weaving studio in the Nether Bailey where much of the work has been carried out. The Palace Project, completed in June 2011, involved Stirling Castle’s royal palace being refurbished to resemble how it may have looked in the 1540s.

The tapestry exhibition will open at Stirling Castle in April

OPENING TIMES From 1 April our properties are open seven days a week, 9.30am-5.30pm. Visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk to see summer opening hours.

ART SCHOOL RISES FROM THE ASHES

CONSERVATION Steps taken to restore Mackintosh’s masterpiece THE world will be watching as the architects who will lead the restoration of Glasgow School of Art are chosen – 10 months after a fire ripped through the iconic building.

Among five architectural practices vying to restore the Mackintosh Building are the Scottish firms Page\Park Architects, John McAslan + Partners, and LDN Architects LLP. Also shortlisted are Avanti Architects and Purcell. Each practice will submit detailed proposals on how they would restore the A-listed art nouveau building before the successful bid is announced at the end of March.

Ranald MacInnes, head of heritage management (West) at Historic Scotland, said: “We have a huge amount of detailed information on this wonderful building in the form of original drawings, historic surveys, digital recording and photographs.

Part of the architect’s job

will be to carefully piece all this information together and then make recommendations on the precise form of restoration.”

The fire at the School last May evoked a strong public reaction. Ranald explained: “We saw from people’s attitude to the fire how they felt about Mackintosh’s building and the wonderful institution that is Glasgow School of Art. It’s close to people’s hearts in the city and way beyond.

“I have seen people react with delight to the building

The Glasgow School of Art was badly damaged in 2014

and even more to the library.

It’s a wonderful thing to see architecture affect people so positively. Its beautifully designed internal arrangements remind the visitor it is all about design, past and present.”

Explaining Historic Scotland’s role in the School, Ranald said: “We have been closely involved with Mackintosh’s building over many years. Most recently, along with Heritage Lottery Fund, we grant-aided a multi-million pound scheme to conserve the building and to create a research centre with its own fire-protected archive. This investment saved all the School’s precious records and most of its collection, including Mackintosh’s original drawings for the School of Art.” The building, completed in 1909, is widely considered to be Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s greatest work.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 7

Where will your next SYHAdventure take you?

For Historic adventures from city to glen SYHA Hostelling Scotland offers a range of great value accomodation across Scotland. Just perfect for getting away from it all or getting close to the centre of it all.

Book online at syha.org.uk, contact the reservations team on 0845 293 73 73 or email reservations@syha.org.uk.

SYHA Hostelling Scotland

@syhahostelling

SYHA NATIONAL OFFICE: 7 Glebe Crescent, Stirling, FK8 2JA T: 01786 891400 Scottish Youth Hostels Association (also known as SYHA or Hostelling Scotland) is a registered Scottish charity No.SC013138 and a company limited by guarantee, registered in Scotland, No. SC310841. Registered Office 7 Glebe Crescent, Stirling, FK8 2JA.

syha.org.uk

THE THESCRIPT SCRIPT

WIN

As well as spreading disease, rats consumed vital supplies

BE A GOOD SPORT

The rat’s tale

MALCOLM COCHRANE

The black rat has come a long way since invading Scotland’s shores, says Bob Tevendale, the natural history adviser for Historic Scotland Although the black rat was once common in Britain, as I mentioned last issue, it is not native. Believed to have been brought from Asia by the Romans, it is also called the ship rat, explaining how it got to Britain.

In the Middle Ages, rats were blamed for spreading bubonic plague – it is traditionally thought the initial infection came from fleas living in the rats’ fur. Scientists now believe, though, that the spread of the Black Death was too rapid to be attributed solely to rats: human-tohuman contact was the main danger.

Ship rats were abundant on islands - especially those where ships had been wrecked - and near ports. This had implications for the many early monastic sites on islands.

It is believed the beautifully illustrated Book of Kells was produced on Iona, and interestingly there are many images of cats within the text. Keeping pets was largely discouraged at monasteries – they were seen as a distraction from the holy life. Cats might have been kept, though, to catch the rats. Aside from spreading disease, rats would consume vital supplies, including the valuable animal skins, known as

VIEW FROM OUTDOORS

vellum, on which these important manuscripts were written.

The black rat population declined with the arrival of the brown rat in the 18th century, but a few colonies still exist. One is on the Shiant Isles, near Harris in the Outer Hebrides, where they predate the birdlife. Even so, their days are numbered. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is working to eradicate them and allow the birds, particularly the Manx shearwater and European storm petrel, to flourish.

Another colony of black rats is believed to have survived on Inchcolm in the Firth of Forth, site of a famous medieval abbey. Inchcolm’s rats made it through the Second World War, unlike the rabbits, a popular food supplement for soldiers manning the gun batteries on the island.

Rats didn’t always get off so lightly.

During the Napoleonic Wars, rats on naval ships were preyed upon by hungry midshipmen. A naval officer could add to his ship’s rations from his own private store. Midshipmen couldn’t always afford this luxury and supplemented their victuals with roasted rats called “millers”. This was presumably because the rats ate large quantities of stored grain, making them unpopular stowaways, and quite a delicacy besides.

The first architectural guide to the nation’s sporting buildings, published by Historic Scotland, could be yours.

Scotland’s Sporting Buildings, published in the year Glasgow played host to the Commonwealth Games, is written by the architectural historian Nick Haynes.

We have three copies to give away. For your chance to win, answer the following: PRIZE QUESTION Which Scottish tennis player reached the final of the Australian Open in February 2015?

Post your answer and details to Sporting Buildings Competition, Think Scotland, Suite 2.3, Red Tree Business Suites, 33 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow G40 4LA, or email hs.comps@thinkpublishing. co.uk (including “Sporting Buildings Competition” in the subject line). The closing date for entries is 2 April.

SPECIAL OFFER Scotland’s Sporting Buildings

by Nick Haynes is available priced £11.99 from Booksource. Call 0845 370 0067 or email orders@booksource.net Historic Scotland members should quote MEMBERS 20 to receive a 20% discount.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 9

SPOTLIGHT ON

DOUNE CASTLE

Discover an architectural vision that has taken a starring role on Scotland’s political stage – and the big screen

HIGH on a promontory between the River Teith and Ardoch Burn, Doune Castle was a suitably impressive seat for Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, who was known as Scotland’s uncrowned king.

The present castle owes much of its form to Albany and reflects his power and status. But it incorporates portions of an earlier 13th

century castle. Doune is remarkably complete and is one of the best-preserved 14th century castles in Scotland.

Only after the execution of the 2nd duke did Doune officially become a kingly residence and crown property, serving as a royal retreat from burdens of state.

Contemporary visitors to the castle may recognise the

formidable battlements from their appearance in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail and, most recently, the US drama series Outlander. Let the dulcet tones of Terry Jones from Monty Python lead you on an audio tour of the castle.

Open daily, 9.30am–4.30pm, until 31 March; then 9.30am–5.30pm The Monty Python team beat a retreat

EXPLORE

DOUNE CASTLE

Doune Castle is nine miles north west of Stirling off the A84

c.AD 79

1314

1371

1386

The armies of the Gallo-Roman general Agricola push into Caledonia and establish a fort at Doune

Robert the Bruce, the greatgrandfather of Robert Stewart, wins the Battle of Bannockburn

Robert II, the father of Albany, ascends to the throne

Robert Stewart becomes governor of Scotland

10 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

1390

Robert III, Albany’s elder brother, succeeds to the throne of Scotland

1425

1434

Doune becomes crown property as the 2nd Duke of Albany is executed with his son and father in law by James I

William Moray, the first royal keeper of Doune Castle, is appointed. The castle is used by the royal family as a base for hunting

SHUTTERSTOCK/ALAMY

TIMELINE

THE SCRIPT

GREAT HALL The castle’s main eating area for the duke and his guests.

Some minor servants would also have slept here

UPPER HALL Most probably the duke’s main bedchamber and a place where he could conduct business

DUKE’S HALL This private setting for the duke to entertain his guests was extensively restored in the 1880s. Look out for the double fireplace

KITCHEN Meals for the castle’s inhabitants were cooked over a large fireplace, with meat roasted on a metal spit WALL WALK The top of the formidable curtain walls provides a strong defensive platform from which to view the surrounding area

POSTERN GATE A secondary entrance to the castle. The main one is within the tower containing the duke’s hall

1567

1745

1975

1984

2009

The castle undergoes its first siege as James Stewart refuses to surrender Doune Castle to Regent Lennox

Prince Charles Edward Stuart makes MacGregor of Glengyle governor of Doune during the last Jacobite rising

Doune is brought to the big screen when Monty Python and the Holy Grail is filmed here

The castle is handed to the nation on a 999-year lease

The pilot episode of the hit US drama Game of Thrones is shot at Doune Castle.

The rest is history

Easier, Safer, Drier

Nikwax Tech Wash

R B O N (PFC

)

SED BA

CA

WATE R

cleans effectively in a washing machine without damaging water repellency

ZE

O RO F LU O R

A clean, waterproofed jacket can breathe , so you don’t get damp!

Nikwax TX. Direct

adds safe, high performance water repellency in a washing machine without affecting breathability

Nikwax aftercare is 100% WaterBased, non-flammable and fluorocarbon free. Nikwax is the only established aftercare supplier never to have used fluorocarbons. We believe fluorocarbon chemicals are a threat to consumer health and the environment.

he N n y IK ww ou W w pla AX /h .nik y ou S sc w r A ot ax W M lan .co eb P d m Qu LE iz S

Dirt and soaked in water stops sweat escaping so it stays inside your jacket!

DRY!

FR E w E

WET?

THE SCRIPT

A visualisation of how the building’s interior will look

DO THE LOCOMOTION

CONSERVATION Plans are full steam ahead at the Engine Shed centre WORK is soon to begin to transform a disused railway shed into Scotland’s Building Conservation Centre.

Affectionately known as the Engine Shed, the building in Forthside, Stirling, has been virtually realised in 3D to show how it will look, inside and out.

The Engine Shed is in Forthside, Stirling

Pilot workshops, projects and activities are being tested with audiences, ready for the centre’s launch in summer 2016.

The activity plan is designed to have something for everyone. The centre’s core programme will be a postgraduate qualification

in technical building conservation. Modules will also be available as individual units for continuing professional development.

Informal interactive learning opportunities will be available for the general public, homeowners and children, covering everything from surveying and measuring to bridge building and engineering.

A virtual learning environment is planned, enabling the centre to reach national and international audiences through courses and webinars.

Funding has come from the Scottish Government, the European Regional Development Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

After extensive consultation, it was decided late last year to retain the Engine Shed name for the centre, in recognition of the building’s history.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Keep an eye on www.historicscotland.gov.uk for the latest developments

CALLING ALL ANGELS

AWARDS Heritage volunteers in the spotlight

Volunteers involved in recording and protecting Scotland’s unique built heritage

NOMINATIONS are invited for the inaugural Scottish Heritage Angel Awards, to be presented in November this year.

The awards, supported by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, are the first to recognise volunteers who protect and celebrate Scotland’s historic environment.

John Pelan, director, Scottish Civic Trust, said: “The awards are a fantastic way to recognise the invaluable role volunteers play in celebrating, recording and protecting Scotland’s unique built

heritage. Across the country thousands of unpaid, passionate and knowledgeable volunteers are helping ensure our heritage is cared for and understood for future generations.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber added: “I hope, by raising awareness of sites at risk, these Scottish landmarks will be maintained for posterity.”

To nominate an individual or group that has helped protect Scotland’s heritage, visit www. scottishheritageangelawards. org.uk

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 13

DRAMA AT THE KING’S AND FESTIVAL THEATRES, EDINBURGH

ETT

BY ALAN BENN

17 – 21 March KING’S THEATRE

14 – 18 April KING’S THEATRE

21 – 25 April FESTIVAL THEATRE

21 – 25 April KING’S THEATRE

The acclaimed NationalTheatre production of

ADAPTED BY SIMON STEVENS BASED ON THE BEST-SELLING NOVEL BY MARK HADDON

WINNER! 7 OLIVIER AWARDS INCLUDING

BEST NEW PLAY

A VIEW FROM THE

BRIDGE ARTHUR MILLER BY

28 April – 9 May FESTIVAL THEATRE

28 April – 2 May KING’S THEATRE

BOX OFFICE 0131 529 6000 | edtheatres.com

THE SCRIPT

STREET NOTICE

HERITAGE

Look closely and you will discover some of the most intriguing scheduled monuments and listed buildings in Scotland

Doocot

Gilmerton Road, Edinburgh Doocots were once a feature of many high-status residences throughout Scotland, supplying their owners with an additional source of food – especially over the long winter months.

The doocot on Gilmerton Road is the largest in the Edinburgh

area, with a staggering 2,072 nest holes inside and is thought to have been the manorial dovecot of Inch House, dating to the 17th century.

On the outside there is a horizontal band, or string course, to deter rats from climbing and entering through the flight holes at the top.

War Memorial

Cupar Many of Scotland’s finest war memorials are listed, including this one in Cupar. Its classical Greek detail and contrasting bronze and granite add to the grandness given by its size.

Designed by John Kinross and Henry Snell Gamley, the WWI memorial was unveiled by Field Marshal Earl Haig in 1922.

A lot of bottle: these kilns are now scheduled monuments

Leith Artillery Mounts

RCAHMS

Leith Links, Edinburgh The two large mounds on Leith Links are thought to be the remains of artillery mounts, or gun positions, dating to the Siege of Leith in 1560. This was when, during the Wars of the Congregation, English and Scottish Protestant troops besieged the fortifications of Leith that were then held by the Catholic French supporters of Mary of Guise, the Queen-Regent.

The mounds are thought to be the gun positions of Somerset and Pelham of the English army. However, Somerset Mound, also known as Giant’s Brae, may date back to prehistoric times as a burial mound.

Map showing Leith Links mounds

Village Water Pump

Dunmore The pump (built 1879) is inscribed: ‘Here quench your thirst and mark in me an emblem of true charity; who while my bounty I bestow, am neither heard nor seen to flow, repaid by fresh supplies from heaven for every cup of water given’.

Wishart Arch

Dundee This restored medieval arch once pierced the town walls. Traditionally known as the Cowgait, it gave cowherds and their cattle access to the town meadows.

The arch was later named after George Wishart, the mid-16th century Protestant reformer who preached here to plague victims forced to stay outside the walls. It was the only part of the town’s defences to survive the sacking of Dundee in 1651 on the orders of General Monck.

Sedan Chair House

High Street, Edinburgh This 18th-century storage space, attached to a section thought to be from the original

city walls of around 1450, was used for a sedan chair.

A popular way to travel, there were around 230 in use in Edinburgh by 1779.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 15

EXPERIENCE FRED.OLSEN with northumbria travel FRED.OLSEN presentations Join us for our free presentations and find out more about Fred.Olsen’s fantastic cruises with EXCLUSIVE OFFERS available on the day!

*

Thursday 26th March 2015,

11am at the Port of Tyne Terminal, North Shields Refreshments will be served

Please call Northumbria Travel on 01670 829922 or email us at info@northumbriatravel.com for your complimentary tickets (spaces are limited)

If you haven’t cruised with Fred.Olsen before, try us and if you don’t enjoy it, we’ll give you your money back! *Available for the first 48 hours of sailing for first time Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines guests who have booked at least 12 weeks prior to departure. Terms and conditions apply.

Enjoy 2015 sailings from the Tyne on board Boudicca Cruise and duration:

Glaciers, Fjords & Waterfalls | 7 nights Exploring the Arctic | 27 nights Your Pick of the Baltic | 13 nights The Greatest Fjords of Norway | 9 nights Islands of Portugal & the Canaries | 16 nights Myths & Legends of Ireland & the UK | 11 nights Landscape of Portugal & the Canaries | 15 nights Mysterious Morocco & Seductive Spain | 16 nights

ons 10 reas your

k to boo sen .O Fred l h it cruise w ria u mb North !

Trav el

Departure date: 26th July 2nd August 29th August 11th September 20th September 6th October 17th October 1st November

1

Established in 1984 Northumbria Travel has been trading for over 30 years

6

Easy-pay scheme to spread the cost of paying for your cruise

2

We have been selling Fred.Olsen cruises for over 25 years!

7

Single traveller benefits including ESCORTED CRUISES

3

As a Premier agent for Fred.Olsen we receive special offers IN ADVANCE of general release!

8

The Northumbria Travel team have over 100 years experience selling cruises

4

First-time cruiser with Fred.Olsen?

Receive either FREE Port Parking, M&S vouchers or a Case of Wine†

9

We are a totally independent company offering unbiased and impartial advice

10

5

Enjoy FREE membership to our Cruise Club

Fully ABTA bonded and members of CLIA, Cruise Lines International Association

Call us today

01670 829922 Visit www.northumbriatravel.com or email us at info@northumbriatravel.com 82 Front Street East, Bedlington, Northumberland, NE22 5AB Fred.Olsen's terms and conditions apply. All information contained correct at the time of going to press †Call for more information.

THE SCRIPT

EVENT

FOOD WITH A VIEW

The statue of Mary Queen of Scots is cast in bronze

Holyrood Park is the perfect ingredient for an unforgettable dining experience EDINBURGH’S Holyrood Park is the setting for a unique pop-up restaurant event this summer to celebrate the Year of Food and Drink.

The inspiring landscape of the park with Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags as a backdrop will be a perfect setting for dishes prepared by the nation’s best up-andcoming trainee chefs.

In partnership with Historic Scotland, the Edinburgh School of Food and Wine is setting up kitchen in the education centre of the former royal hunting ground for a weekend in May. Diners at the Holyrood

Kitchen will be able to taste dishes inspired by the best of Scotland’s locally sourced seasonal produce.

Elizabeth Strain, the catering contracts manager at Historic Scotland, said: “This is a great opportunity for us to work with new talent and promote the quality produce available.

Edinburgh School of Food and Wine loved the idea of using the centre at Holyrood Park as the venue for its pop-up restaurants.”

The Holyrood Kitchen event is on Friday 8–Saturday 9 May with lunch and dinner reservations available. For prices and booking information, see page 53

Holyrood heights to whet your appetite

GUIDES TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT DO YOU know your sash from your case? Could your ashlar do with being repointed? Just how energy efficient can a traditional home be?

Find the answers in the latest edition of Maintaining Your Home, part of the Short Guide series. Also newly published is the 50th Short Guide

SHUTTERSTOCK

MAINTAINING YOUR HOME

General

guide in the Historic Scotland INFORM series, Flood Damage to Traditional Buildings.

The INFORM and Short Guide series are free and available at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ conservation. For information on technical 9 publications, call 0131 668 8638 or email hs.cgoutreach@scotland. gsi.gov.uk

SCULPTOR TELLS OF BOND WITH MARY

SCULPTURE Queen of Scots’ dignity inspires statue THE sculptor who created a he said: “It’s an emotional statue of Mary Queen of setting, within sight of where Scots has spoken of how an Mary was born.” audio book about her life The sculptor said he inspired him as he worked. respected the queen, who David Annand listened to a was executed for treason recording of the Mary Queen in 1587 on the orders of her of Scots biography by Lady cousin Elizabeth I. Antonia Fraser while creating “Right to the end, Mary was the bronze statue. dignified,” explained David.

David said: “Lady “Even at her Fraser’s book is execution, she was regarded as the most calmer and cooler thorough history of than everyone else Mary’s life. It’s a great around her.” way to work.”

David based the Lady Fraser is to statue of Mary on a xxx unveil the 7ft artwork David Annand listens maquette by the late while he works on 25 April at a Aberdonian sculptor Historic Scotland site in the Anne Davidson. He was also shadow of Mary’s birthplace, inspired by the marble effigy Linlithgow Palace. of Mary on her tomb in David said he felt a bond Westminster Abbey. with Mary when visiting The statue, cast in bronze Linlithgow Palace, even at Powderhall Bronze though the room where she Foundry in Leith, was was born in December 1542 realised after a fund-raising no longer exists. Describing appeal by the Marie Stuart the statue’s proposed location Society in association with just outside the Palace, Historic Scotland.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 17

INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND INDEPENDENTLY MINDED.

AWARD WINNING SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY FROM THE ISLE OF ARRAN. www.arranwhisky.com

THE SCRIPT Silver darling: the herring

RECIPE

SAVOUR THE PAST

To celebrate the Year of Food and Drink, we begin a series delving into vintage dishes HABBERBRIE OF HERRING, a variation on herring in oatmeal, is among the oldest recipes in a remarkable twovolume manuscript cookery book now in the Dunimarle Library at Duff House, Banff.

The recipes were almost certainly collected by Magdalene Erskine, the youngest daughter of a wealthy family from Torrie, Fife, in the early 1800s. The first 30 were cut from another manuscript of 1746 and dedicated to ‘My Lady Christian Moray’, possibly Magdalene’s grandmother.

Duff House and, right, its herring recipe

The term habberbrie is mysterious, perhaps derived from haferbrei, a kind of porridge with Scandinavian or German roots. It was possibly created by the Erskines’ cook, inspired by the crew of a Baltic ship visiting Fife.

HABBERBRIE OF HERRING ½ lb butter 2 handfuls of oatmeal Beef, veal or mutton broth 6-8 herrings Breadcrumbs Pastry Take about ½lb butter, melt it in a saucepan, put in two handfuls of oatmeal, put the pan over a clear fire, keep it continually stirring till you see it of a yellowish colour, then put in two or three ladle full of strong broth made of beef, veal or mutton.

Skim off all the fat and let it boil till it becomes pretty thick, then take six or eight herrings, score them on each side, turn them over in [the] melted

butter, then strew them all over with crumbs of bread.

Put them in the oven and bake. When they are crisp and of yellowish colour, dish your habberbrie with a rim of paste [pastry] round the dish and put your baked herrings out of sight and garnish with three or four round the dish.

See The Taste of History, page 20 and Best in Show, page 36

A FORTIFYING BREW

DRINK Edinburgh Castle beer launched

TASTING NOTES

Russet brown.

Creamy head.

Malty caramel and fruity aroma.

Full-bodied malt flavours.

Dry, spicy finish.

Brewed with at least five malts.

Bitter roast, coffee, chocolate and caramel flavours.

IF YOU fancy a pint-sized taste of history this spring, keep an eye open for a beer with a difference.

Caledonian Brewery has unveiled Edinburgh Castle 80/-, in partnership with Historic Scotland, coinciding with the nation’s Year of Food and Drink.

Based on the original 80/produced by the Edinburgh brewery, the beer is made with five types of malted barley for a full bodied, bittersweet taste. It will be available in Edinburgh Castle shops after Easter.

Craig Steven, the

operations manager at Caledonian Brewery, said: “The Scottish style is still regarded globally as the best exponent of malt brewing, and many craft brewers in the US and elsewhere now produce this style.”

Gillian Macdonald, head of sales and marketing at Historic Scotland, said: “We are pleased to have partnered with the Caledonian Brewery on this exciting enterprise, which will see the launch of the first official

Three cheers to the new 80/-

Edinburgh Castle beer – an entirely new venture for us.”

Andy Maddock, the managing director of Caledonian Brewery, added: “We are proud custodians of a brewery blessed with Victorian ingenuity. We consider ourselves the perfect partner for Historic Scotland to deliver a beer rich in history and depth of flavour, brewed by hand in Edinburgh.”

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 19

The

TASTEof HISTORY

From hairy bittercress to beef Wellington, discover a world of flavour during the Year of Food and Drink WORDS BY KATHLEEN MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIMON MURPHY

A pinch of the plant shepherd’s purse

T

ake a handful of gorse petals, a slice of fine Scottish beef and a glass of malt whisky.

What do you get? A fusion of flavours on offer at Historic Scotland sites during the Year of Food and Drink. As the nation’s wealth of produce is celebrated in events across the country, we meet three people putting the taste back into 20 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

history. We join a medical herbalist on a foraging tour at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh; talk to the former soldier keeping Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery in order; and hear why a head chef at benugo, Historic Scotland’s awardwinning caterers, is committed to Scottish ingredients. So whether you fancy a medieval banquet at Stirling Castle, a wee dram or a handful of hogweed, prepare for a taste of Scotland.

Anna Canning uses a mortar and pestle to prepare foraged ingredients

FOOD AND DRINK

Green fingers THE MEDICAL HERBALIST AND FORAGER Anna Canning

O

n a day as biting as it is bright, Edinburgh spreads out below us, framed by a rainbow. The scene is set for a foraging tour in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat, the dormant volcano that gives the city its backbone.

We are in Holyrood Park, a 640-acre site managed by Historic Scotland, discovering some of the nation’s most common – and tasty – wild plants.

Anna Canning, our guide, spots chickweed here and gorse bushes there, all fair game for a couple of novices who are literally being given a fresh taste of Scotland. As we make our way up to St Anthony’s Chapel – a pre-15th century ruin on a rocky outcrop overlooking St Margaret’s loch – we seek sanctuary from the wind and sip cups of hot elderflower tea poured from Anna’s flask.

A qualified medical herbalist and educator, Anna is to host a Historic Scotland foraging tour at Holyrood Park this September. She will share her knowledge of edible wild plants with small groups, asking them to look at, feel, smell and taste plants, then prepare and eat them.

“Preparing and sharing food works a special magic,” says Anna. “It seems to bond people in a group and bring the experience alive, as well as giving folk confidence to do it themselves.”

As we descend from the chapel, Anna picks the bizarrely named hairy bittercress, whose Latin name is Cardamine hirsuta. “It doesn’t sound appetising, but it’s on a par with rocket as a salad leaf, and very nutritious,” she explains. It tastes peppery and, indeed, a little like rocket. Also on the menu are the intensely coloured yellow petals from the thorny gorse bush, with their distinctly coconut smell; and chickweed, whose juice can be used to soothe nettle stings. Anna points out some common hogweed, or Heracleum sphondylium, whose seeds taste of orange peel and can be used with couscous, savoury rice dishes, or desserts and biscuits.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 21

Medical herbalist Anna Canning goes in search of gold — and finds the yellow petals of a thorny gorse bush at Holyrood Park in Edinburgh

Anna became interested in herbal medicine when working abroad as a translator and researcher – she speaks German, Hungarian, Spanish and French.

“I realised people in other European countries still had a living knowledge of the uses of wild local plants as food and medicine – and what a fantastic and empowering resource that was.”

She explains British people lost this knowledge after the Second World War: “It’s hard to say why exactly, but associations with poverty, hardship and war may have been partly to blame.”

Even further back, agricultural changes and the early industrialisation of the UK relative to other European countries led to the movement of people from rural to urban areas, or between rural areas.

Communities lost their connection with sources of plants, she says.

After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a first-class degree in herbal medicine, Anna practised as a medical herbalist for five years before focusing on community work. Besides her foraging tours, she runs workshops for groups including young people who are unemployed or have mental health issues.

“Learning basic traditional skills for using common plants to make simple foods and remedies can help to build confidence and self-esteem,” she says.

Serving a nip of something heartening from another flask, she stresses foraging comes with responsibilities – and risks.

Our hunting ground, Holyrood Park, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. “It

Communities lost their connection with sources of plants 22 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

is against the law to forage in SSSIs, but it is possible to obtain permission to collect plant material for study or educational purposes, so it is worth approaching the Historic Scotland rangers to discuss your plans,” she says.

“In Scotland it is possible to access most land, and to forage for leaves, flowers, seeds or berries of common – not rare or endangered – plants without permission, but not for commercial purposes. Harvesting roots, even of weeds, requires landowner permission.”

Locations for urban foraging include the hedgerows and woodlands lining cycle paths and walkways on the routes of former railways, and beside canals and rivers. Local authority parks, nature reserves, or sites owned by bodies such as Historic Scotland, are also options. “If you forage regularly, it is well worth establishing a good relationship with the landowner,” says Anna.

Crucially, she advises foragers to refer to recommended botanical books with clear illustrations and photographs – or take an expert with them – to help identify plants safely.

We end our foraging tour having discovered new horizons and tastes. We might not be baking hairy bittercress bread just yet, but we know where to find the secret ingredient.

See the summer issue of Historic Scotland magazine for details of Nature’s Harvest, a foraging tour at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

John McWhirter has Scotland’s larder on a plate at Stirling Castle

Banquets and bagels HEAD CHEF IN SCOTLAND, BENUGO John McWhirter

T

hey say if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

But what if you’re in charge of preparing a medieval banquet for 300 and the kitchen is in one of Scotland’s most stunning castles?

Based at Stirling Castle, John McWhirter sounds undaunted by the prospect of cooking for guests with expectations to match the stunning backdrop of venues such as Stirling, Edinburgh or Urquhart castles.

“A kitchen’s a kitchen,” he says.

“The most you notice is when you

are walking in to the venues, but when you’ve been there many times, it becomes routine. Only when you start to look around do you realise just how spectacular they are.”

As a head chef at benugo, Historic Scotland’s catering company, John takes a hands-on role in the kitchen, besides checking the quality of everything from sandwiches to locally sourced ingredients for a banquet in Stirling Castle’s 16th-century Great Hall.

The chef who began working in kitchens during school holidays has an impressive portfolio including catering at the opening ceremony for Hampden Stadium in 2000, as well as the Champions League cup final and the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Asked how he keeps the lid on stress levels during such high-profile events, he says: “You are always fighting the clock. The timings are always the main

You are always fighting the clock. It’s a logistics game having it all ready thing. It’s a logistics game when you start dealing with large numbers – having it all ready and in sequence.”

In an era where Jamie Oliver and Mary Berry rub shoulders with Hollywood’s finest on the chat show sofa, how does John feel about the rise of the celebrity chef? “It’s very good – it certainly helps the profile of the food industry,” he says. “I feel these people would be successful at what they did because their presentation is very good.

They are stars, and no matter how good you were at the food, you would need the personality to go with that.

“Normally they are fairly free with their knowledge and if you meet them

they’re happy to pass it on. In that respect the industry has moved on.”

Already committed to using locally sourced ingredients and reflecting seasonal changes in Historic Scotland menus, John welcomes the Year of Food and Drink as an opportunity to shout about it. “Most of our suppliers are local,” he says. “We use ingredients like rapeseed oil from Perthshire and Scottish berries from Fife, because the quality is so good.”

His love of Scottish cuisine, infused with French and Italian, is reflected in his menus. So what does benugo’s head chef in Scotland like to impress with, whether cooking for friends or preparing canapes for 1,500?

“A beef Wellington,” he says. “When it’s spot on, it’s hard to beat.”

Wittingly or not, it is a timely choice 200 years after Wellington defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 23

FOOD AND DRINK

Secrets of the fiery spirit

W

alk in to the picturesque Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery near Forres and you enter a time capsule. The maltman, stillman and cooper are long gone, and the Victorian distillery produced its last whisky in 1983, but its walls still echo with the secrets of the amber nectar.

Ask Richard Green to divulge those secrets and you may be disappointed.

The monument manager of the Historic Scotland site will happily tell you about the kiln, where the barley was dried over a peat fire, or the still house, where magic was worked to create a fiery spirit from a weak alcohol “wash”. He’ll even direct you to the bar for a sample of Roderick Dhu, the blended whisky associated with the distillery. But ask him to divulge the Roderick Dhu recipe, or how many malts the blend contains, and he laughs.

“Naebody knows,” he says. “Blends are always secrets of the blender and it’s impossible to find out. The only thing most blenders would tell you is what the base malt is – and if you get someone who knows their whisky they’ll be able to tell you that anyway.”

The distillery, whose name comes from the Gaelic for black or dark water valley, was built by Alexander Edward in 1898. It was taken over shortly afterwards by Wright and Greig, who wanted to produce a high-quality malt whisky for their Roderick Dhu blend. These days, Roderick Dhu is blended by Diageo and bottled in Elgin.

Like many other distilleries, Dallas Dhu was buffeted by economic factors – it was closed during the First World War, and again in the early 1930s following the Great Depression. It went into liquidation in 1921 and was badly damaged by fire in 1939.

“When the distilleries reopened after the Second World War, demand was so high for the Scotch whisky the distilleries were expanded and modernised,” says Richard. “Dallas Dhu wasn’t modernised to the same extent so it’s retained its 24 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

Victorian character and a lot of the equipment here is original.”

Following the oil crisis in the mid1970s, Dallas Dhu faced its final challenge as a working distillery.

“The recession brought on by the oil crisis made the export of whisky virtually impossible,” says Richard.

“The distillers woke up one day and discovered they had a lake – or a loch – of whisky sitting in bonded warehouses not going anywhere.

“A lot of distilleries closed down between 1983 and 1985. You can’t keep making something if it’s not going anywhere. Distilleries were closed, they were mothballed, knocked down to make way for car parks, houses and shopping centres, but Dallas Dhu was gifted to the government in 1985 as a monument of national importance, to industry and the historic environment.”

Once run by a team of around 15, the distillery now has a staff of five

Blends are always the secrets of the blender — impossible to find out including Richard, who previously managed the Historic Scotland site Elgin Cathedral. “The locals used to call me the bishop, then I moved to Dallas Dhu and they called me the drunken bishop,” he says, laughing.

A former sergeant, musician and military paramedic with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Richard was once based at Fort George. After leaving the army and joining Historic Scotland visitor services, he was surprised to find himself returning to Fort George. The fortress, created by George II following the 1746 defeat at Culloden of Bonnie Prince Charlie, remains a working barracks.

Having worked at Dallas Dhu for 18 years, Richard is in no doubt about the strategic importance of whisky: “The whisky industry supports 3,600 jobs.

The visitor centres support 500 of them.

The whisky industry produces around £4.3bn in exports alone. It’s important to the drinks industry, and to the country.”

One of the last bottles of whisky distilled at Dallas Dhu

BRIAN SMITH

THE MONUMENT MANAGER, DALLAS DHU HISTORIC DISTILLERY Richard Green

Richard Green dusts off the history of whisky making at Dallas Dhu Distillery

AWAKENING A SLEEPING GIANT From a distance it looks like just another ruin claimed by nature. Peel back the layers of history, though, and Kennetpans distillery tells a story of success, innovation and bankruptcy.

Now, Historic Scotland is joining with the Kennetpans Trust to breathe new life into the site. The resulting project, ‘A Wee Dram at Kennetpans’ – part of the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative – will involve clearing

vegetation before conservation work begins on this nationally important but little known gem.

Kennetpans, on the banks of the Firth of Forth, was developed by James and John Stein, and by 1733 was Scotland’s largest distillery. Industrial innovators and entrepreneurial distillers, the Steins furnished Kennetpans with maltings and granaries, introducing a waggon-way and

Kennetpans was once Scotland’s largest distillery

canal to connect with its sister distillery, Kilbagie, and the harbour nearby.

Kennetpans also boasted Scotland’s first Boulton and Watt steam engine, used to grind barley.

The two distilleries became vital for the lowlands’ prosperity, employing more

than 300 people, providing draff and pot ale for animal feed, and using 100,000 bolls of grain annually.

They were also producing 5,000 tonnes of whisky.

The introduction of the 1786 Scottish Distillery Act and the 1788 Lowland

License Act was disastrous for Kennetpans and other lowland distilleries. Export duties were increased and, with Scottish distilleries now required to give 12 months’ notice of intent to export, whisky production effectively stopped for a year.

Despite the best efforts of the Steins, including attempts to bribe and sue the excise, Kennetpans was bankrupted. It began service again in 1795, but closed for good in 1825.

Unlike many large

scale distilleries, Kennetpans was never modernised for grain whisky production, nor converted to a new use. Although ruinous, it is now the most complete survivor of its type.

In recognition of its significance, Kennetpans was placed on the schedule of monuments of national importance in 1991. The current project will help preserve this hugely significant landmark in Scotland’s industrial past for future generations.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 25

26 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

CORBIS

The groundbreaking Waterloo medal, which underlined the political importance placed on the victory over Napoleon

Heroes were made.

59,000 men died.

A new Europe was born.

200 YEARS ON, WE REMEMBER THE SCOTS AT WATERLOO

I

magine a Scottish win in the World Cup. Now you might begin to understand the sense of public euphoria following news of an Allied victory at the Battle of Waterloo 200 years ago. The events of that day in Belgium on 18 June 1815, and the brief campaign which preceded it, will seem remote to most. Yet you don’t have to look far to find traces of its impact, particularly among several of Historic Scotland’s principal monuments.

An overwhelming sense of national

WORDS: ALLAN CARSWELL

pride followed the final defeat of the Emperor Napoleon by the forces commanded by the Duke of Wellington from Britain and General Blücher from Prussia. This celebratory mood was particularly strong in Scotland, partly due to the critical role played by Scottish regiments in the campaign.

Monuments were soon erected, heroes crowned, myths created and relics collected.

The 42nd Royal Highlanders, The Black Watch, had fought

valiantly at Waterloo and at Quatre Bras two days before. When the regiment returned to the capital in March 1816, they could barely make it through the crowds thronging the streets leading to Edinburgh Castle. Sergeant James Anton describes one of the many celebrations taking place in the town: “The drink was of the best, and fame tells a lie, if the beer was not mixed with strong ale or spirits; and so plentifully was it supplied by the waiters, during the dinner, that before the WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 27

The Battle of Waterloo as depicted by the notable Irish landscape painter William Sadler

cloth was withdrawn, we were very hearty. We enjoyed the glass till near sunset, by which time there was scarcely a man at the table but thought himself qualified to sing a song, make a speech, or give a toast, and not a few attempted to do the whole; and if we had been allowed an hour’s longer enjoyment, the heroes of Waterloo would have been prostrated under that table, at which they had so lately sat in glorious glee, and all their laurels scattered in the dust!”

The reasons for this response are many and complex, especially in Scotland, where loyalty to the Union and the British state still had shallow roots. Firstly, it marked the end of more than 20 years of bloody, expensive war against an enemy whose revolutionary ideas threatened to rip apart much of the fabric of British

THE ROAD TO WATERLOO

KEY DATES IN 1815

Napoleon Bonaparte 28 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

The drink was of the best and we enjoyed the glass till near sunset … society. In addition, the previous performance of Scottish regiments, particularly Highlanders, during the war with France had provided tangible proof of Scotland’s commitment to the idea of Britain, and demonstrated the effectiveness of a valuable military asset.

The regiments’ contribution to Waterloo, in the shape of the Royal Scots Greys, the Royal Scots, the Black Watch, the Cameron Highlanders and the Gordon Highlanders, was significant and widely recognised. It was also part of a much larger affirmation of Britain’s rising dominance as a world power.

The wars with France, which began in 1793, had already left their mark on Scotland and its monuments. Thousands of recruits had been enlisted and trained in military camps throughout Scotland.

Fort George, the 18th-century fortress outside Inverness, played a key role, while the military role of Edinburgh Castle was also expanded with the completion in 1799 of the ‘new barracks’ block that accommodated 600 men.

Besides the soldiers who found themselves in Scotland’s ancient fortress, hundreds of French prisoners of war, many of them sailors, had to be housed in the Castle. A new barrack block at Dumbarton Castle was built for the same purpose. In addition, the threat of naval attack had led to the fortification of key coastal points. An example, now in Historic Scotland's care, is the

17 MARCH

15 JUNE

16 JUNE

Britain joins forces with Russia, Austria and Prussia after Napoleon is declared an outlaw.

Each promises to raise 150,000 men to defeat Napoleon

With 200,000 in his forces, Napoleon plans to defeat the advancing British and Prussian armies separately

Wellington’s British troops face the French at the Battle of Quatre Bras, with no clear winner.

Napoleon defeats the Prussian commander Field Marshall Blücher at the Battle of Ligny.

Blücher and his surviving troops agree to support

The Duke of Wellington

Wellington at the approaching Battle of Waterloo.

A BOND ACROSS 200 YEARS

Scotland Yet, On to Victory

CORBIS; EMILY DAVIS

Fort George played a key role in training Highland troops for Waterloo

artillery battery and distinctive circular Martello tower at Hackness in Orkney, built between 1813 and 1815.

However, it is not in the architecture of these sites that you will find the most vivid reminders of Waterloo. The collections of the various military museums housed in several of Historic Scotland’s properties are a rich source for Waterloo relics.

Pride of place in the Regimental Museum of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards – descendants of the Royal Scots Greys – in Edinburgh Castle is the standard and eagle emblem of the French 45th Regiment of Infantry, taken at Waterloo by Sergeant Charles Ewart.

The capture of this trophy, one of several eagles taken at the battle, was deemed of such significance that the regiment adopted the image of the eagle as its cap

18 JUNE The decisive day of the conflict. Napoleon waits until midday to attack Wellington, to allow the ground to dry, giving Blücher time to join the British. The absence of General Grouchy’s

troops – sent to fight on another front – and the appearance of Blücher’s army destroy French morale and ensure an Allied victory. The Allies lose 22,000 men at Waterloo, the French 37,000

badge. In a time before gallantry medals, Ewart was rewarded with an officer’s commission and the status of national celebrity. He ended his days near Manchester in 1846, aged 77, and was buried in Salford.

In the late 1930s, Ewart’s grave was rediscovered. His remains were exhumed and brought to Edinburgh following an appeal by his former regiment. With elaborate ceremony, they were placed within a granite tomb on the Castle Esplanade.

The Scots Greys had been prevented from making much of the first centenary of the battle in 1915 – the nation’s attention was elsewhere and was now allied to the French in fighting the Prussians. The regiment could be forgiven, then, for making the most of their greatest hero subsequently. Ewart’s

I first discovered my family’s connection to Sergeant Charles Ewart of The Scots Greys at the age of seven. Browsing through a history book, I saw a painting showing Ewart capturing the Eagle of the French 45th Line Regiment at the Battle of Waterloo.

I was astounded when my father told me of my family connection to Ewart, resplendent among the frozen melee in the painting Scotland Yet, On to Victory

by Richard Caton Woodville II. I learned then than my paternal great-great grandfather had been invited to the reinterment of the Kilmarnock-born soldier’s remains at the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in 1938. This tale fired my imagination, igniting a passion to discover more about the great man and inspiring me to take up fencing.

Highlighting stories such as Ewart's will allow a whole new generation to learn about the impact of Waterloo 200 years ago - and the legacy of this crucial battle.

OWEN DAVIS

Visit www.waterloo200.org

22 JUNE

8 JULY

15 JULY

20 NOVEMBER

Napoleon abdicates in favour of his son

Louis XVIII is restored to the throne

The Royal Navy stops Napoleon from sailing to America and he is exiled to St Helena in the South Atlantic, where he dies in 1821 aged 51

France, Britain, Prussia, Russia and Austria sign The Treaty of Paris, overturning the revolutionary system

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 29

WA T E R L O O B I C E N T E N A R Y

Wellington stated their success turned on closing the Hougoumont gates

LOVE IN A TIME OF WAR Alongside the accounts of courage and carnage at Waterloo is a poignant tale of a lost love. Magdalene Hall had been married less than three months before events at Waterloo carried away her husband. The simple memorial to the couple in Dunglass Collegiate Church only hints at the drama that overwhelmed them.

Magdalene and Sir William De Lancey were married on 4 April, 1815.

“I cannot recollect a day of my short marriage that was not perfect,” she later wrote. But the newlyweds’ honeymoon on the Halls’ estate at Dunglass was abbreviated. Sir William left to join the Duke of Wellington’s army on the Continent, his 22-year-old bride by his side.

Sir William was appointed acting quartermastergeneral and marched to war, while Magdalene moved to Antwerp to await her husband’s return. On the second day of the Battle of Waterloo, as he talked to Wellington, Sir William was Dunglass Collegiate Church in East Lothian

30 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

Magdalene Hall, above, and Sir William De Lancey were married on 4 April 1815

hit by a ricocheting cannon ball. The soldier was carried to a nearby cottage while his wife struggled with conflicting reports and crowded roads to reach his side.

She wrote of their reunion: “He held out his

hand and said, ‘Come, Magdalene, this is a sad business, is it not?’ I could not speak but sat down by him and took his hand.”

Magdalene nursed Sir William but eight days after the battle he succumbed to his wounds.

She recalled the moment: “The doctor said, ‘Ah, poor De Lancey! He is gone.’ I pressed my lips to his and left the room.”

STEVE FARRAR

action is commemorated in Richard Ansdell’s 1847 oil painting The Fight for the Standard, which hangs in the Great Hall of the castle. His sword and pocket watch are in the collection of the National War Museum within the castle grounds.

If Sergeant Ewart scored Scotland’s winning goal at Waterloo, the team captain was Lieutenant Colonel James MacDonell of Glengarry. As commanding officer of a battalion of the Coldstream Guards MacDonell led the defence of the chateau of Martello tower Hougoumont – a at Hackness strategic point on the battlefield of Waterloo.

Commander of the Allied army, the Duke of Wellington, stated that their success turned on the closing of the gates of Hougoumont. The British had fought back to secure the gates after the French had breached the walls of the chateau.

MacDonell’s central role in this episode is dramatically captured in Robert Gibb’s painting of the battle, also displayed in the National War Museum alongside his decorations and medals.

When later asked to name the bravest man in the British army at Waterloo, Wellington chose MacDonell.

Exceptional bravery was on display elsewhere on the battlefield. Four officers and the sergeant major of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Scots fell in turn as they carried the Battalion’s King’s Colour. When Ensign Kennedy was killed in front of the battalion line, an unknown sergeant rushed forward to retrieve the Colour. However, Kennedy’s grip on it was so tight the sergeant had to pick him up as well and carry both back. According to eye witnesses, the French were so impressed by what they saw they held their fire until the sergeant had reached the relative safety of his own lines. The precious remains of this Colour, normally deemed too

Edinburgh Castle's importance and military capability were enhanced by the opening of the ‘new barracks’ in 1799

fragile to display, can be seen on special exhibition this summer in the Great Hall of Edinburgh Castle.

Another set of Waterloo Colours can be seen in the Highlanders’ Museum at Fort George. The 79th Cameron Highlanders had fought through the Peninsular War and were one of Wellington’s most experienced regiments at Waterloo.

They suffered heavily at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, where they occupied a position near the centre of the British line. Alongside the Colours is the uniform worn by Lieutenant William

Riach when he was badly wounded by French artillery fire at Quatre Bras. Also on display is the letter awarding him an extra year’s pension to help pay his medical bills. Other souvenirs include a set of pipes believed to have been played at Waterloo and a French officer’s walking stick captured by Private Walker of the regiment.

There is another, more curious, connection between Scotland’s castles and Waterloo. The eventual surrender of Napoleon presented the Allied leaders with something of a problem: what to do with him. A more secure place had to

be found than the Mediterranean island of Elba from where he had escaped with apparent ease prior to the Waterloo campaign. Among the places considered were Fort George and Dumbarton Castle: Scotland being thought sufficiently remote from the turmoil of mainland Europe. The risk of Napoleon becoming too much a source of public curiosity, and even sympathy, caused the government to rule out a UK location, and he was sent off to the Atlantic island of St Helena, where he died in 1821.

These, then, are a few examples of how the epic events of Waterloo left their mark on Scotland. However, there is one class of object that has not been mentioned amid all the splendour of captured trophies and revered battle Colours. This is a simple silver medal, the first awarded by the British government to all soldiers, regardless of rank, who fought in a particular campaign. Dozens of these Waterloo medals exist in the museum collections referred to above.

The unprecedented decision to award this medal, and to grant each recipient two years’ extra service towards a pension, underlines the momentous character of the victory at Waterloo.

See Waterloo! event, page 53

‘THE CAMERON HIGHLANDERS APPEARED PARTICULARLY IN TROUBLE …’

A lone piper’s Gaelic tune roused the troops, reveals Dòmhnall Uilleam Stiùbhart

Piper Kenneth Mackay at Waterloo in a JB Anderson painting. Visit www.thehighlandersmuseum.com

Paris, August 1815. Highland soldiers are being presented to Tsar Alexander of Russia.

Sergeant Thomas Campbell of the 79th is inspected by the tsar who, intrigued, “had the curiosity of lifting my kilt up to my navel, so that he might not be deceived”.

Finally, pipers play him “the Highland tune called Cogue na Shii, war or peace”.

Cogadh na Sìth, as it was known in Gaelic, was a tune in the news, having inspired an act of bravery at Waterloo.

The advancing British 5th

Infantry Division were isolated, outnumbered, their commander shot dead.

Regiments formed squares to fend off imminent attack.

The 79th Cameron Highlanders, mauled at Quatre Bras two days before, appeared in trouble.

Regimental piper Kenneth Mackay, of Sutherland, marched round the square playing a pibroch, an exploit requiring a cool head and great skill. His act rallied the regiment, later earning him a set of silver-mounted pipes from King George himself.

Had the pibroch a special meaning for Camerons? As a general alarm, Cogadh na

Sìth had marked the dispersal of their Jacobite clan regiment a month after Culloden. But Gaelic tradition, and a couplet linked with the pibroch, suggest it belonged to no single kindred. ’S coma leam, ’s coma leam cogadh na sìth, Marbhar ’sa chogadh, no crochar ’san t-sìth mi – it makes no difference to me, war or peace, I’ll be killed in the war or hanged in the peace.

The words evoke gallows humour from an era when convicted cattle thieves were pressed into the army: “If we weren’t risking our lives for the King, we’d be swinging on the gibbet.”

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 31

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

WINNER

PROPERTIES & OVERALL

STANLEY MILLS Geoff Williams This brilliantly captured image of a crisp winter’s day at Stanley Mills nets Geoff an iPad mini and – as with all category winners – a year’s renewal membership

Through the looking glass Our photography competition has shed new light on Historic Scotland properties you know and love 32 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

W

e challenged you last summer to send us your most striking photographs captured at Historic Scotland sites. The response has been impressive, with shots capturing the ethos of properties in surprising and refreshing ways, including those featuring captivating sunsets, animal antics, intense colours and moody moments. At times the submissions had the judging panel on their feet, debating a wealth of engaging images. Here are the winning entries.

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

PROPERTIE S TOP SHOTS OF SOME TOP SPOTS IN HISTORIC SCOTLAND’S CARE

COMMENDED

STANLEY MILLS Geoff Williams A clever use of the Windows on the Past display gives an intriguing take on the site.

Geoff is also the overall winner

DUNDRENNAN ABBEY Sylvia Watson An inviting shot from inside the grounds of Dundrennan Abbey

KILCHURN CASTLE Grant Glendinning A reflective look at a popular photo subject, Kilchurn Castle TANTALLON CASTLE Rod HanchardGoodwin The judging panel found this image of the clifftop stronghold bewitching WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 33

NAT UR E

SOME GREAT WILDLIFE MOMENTS CAPTURED ON CAMERA

COMMENDED

THREAVE CASTLE David L Young This striking shot of a roebuck is a rare catch ST ANDREWS CASTLE Bernhard Merget A bird chows down on some seafood near St Andrews in this eye-catching photograph CASTLE SWEEN Annie Kilpatrick A flock of sheep stands guard at Castle Sween 34 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

WINNER NATURE

TANTALLON CASTLE Brian Moyes An expertly timed and composed picture of a gannet and her chick

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

JU NIOR

OUR UNDER!16s PRODUCED A STUNNING STANDARD WELL BEYOND THEIR YEARS

COMMENDED

CRICHTON CASTLE Jennifer Veitch (11) The lighting of the detail on Crichton Castle has been strikingly caught

RING OF BRODGAR Ian Aldous (14) A popular site for photos, but few can capture such colours in a sunset

WINNER JUNIOR

FORT GEORGE Malcolm Braun (12) The interesting low angle gives a strong sense of Fort George’s might

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 35

OUT AND ABOUT

Cousins Grace, Lauren and Emily go on a journey of discovery inside and outside the William Adam mansion Duff House

BEST IN SHOW

Three cousins are off the leash as they discover a menagerie in the art and interiors of the Georgian mansion Duff House WORDS BY KATHLEEN MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANGELA CATLIN

IT IS with relief that one eight-year-old and two dogs bound from the car to meet their cousins, plus hound, after a four-hour journey to the north-easterly point of Scotland.

Hugs, squeals and yaps follow as Grace McColgan is reunited with Lauren and Emily Cook, aged 18 and 16, while the dogs greet their canine companion joyously. Soon, though, all eyes turn to the impressive early Georgian mansion dominating the scene.

Duff House draws your gaze, even as you are greeting family and chiding overexcited dogs. Close to Banff on the shores of the Moray Firth, the 18th-century mansion designed by 36 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

the Scottish architect William Adam makes an elegant meeting place, with its sweeping external staircases and classical grandeur.

Inside, the cousins will discover cavernous rooms with impressive artworks from the National Galleries of Scotland collection.

Meanwhile, their fathers take in the grounds with the three dogs, finding woodland walks, a family mausoleum and an icehouse once used to preserve locally landed fish.

Graeme Curran, the monument manager at Duff House, offers to show us around, challenging the girls to find the scores of animals and birds dotted around the 50-room building. Together

Lauren Cook and her dog Jet spot the animals in the Duff House guide

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 37

S

AT

ON

C

PLETE OM

I S FA C T

I

HS15MAR

Fischer_HS_Spring_15.indd 1

20/02/2015 10:51

OUT AND ABOUT

Graeme Curran points out the copy of Transfiguration

they begin a visual journey, spotting primates, rams, rabbits, a boar’s head, a frog and countless dogs.

The backdrop to their game is at times breathtaking. Begun in 1735, the house was never completed as planned by Adam after its owner William Duff, also known as Lord Braco and later the 1st Earl Fife, fell out with its architect. Lord Braco, who lost a legal battle with Adam, later refused to live in the house, and was said to have the curtains on his carriage drawn whenever he passed it.

Descendants of Lord Braco gave the house to the towns of Banff and Macduff four generations later in 1906.

Beginning with the imposing vestibule, an impossibly large boot room where guests would be welcomed, the girls spot a succession of beasts and birds.

A portrait of the Erskines, a wealthy 18th-century Scottish family from Fife, sparks a debate about how many hounds the painting features. The painting Mischievous Monkeys, by the 17th-century Flemish artist Frans Snyders, provokes a few smiles, while the gilded dolphins supporting the table in the great drawing doom could surely be mistaken for oversized cod.

On a shelf in the corner of a closet twice the size of an average modern bedroom sits a vividly coloured potpourri holder shaped as a frog. Nearby hangs a portrait of Sir Walter Scott with his two deerhounds, in the study at his Borders home of Abbotsford. The painting by Sir Francis Grant portrays the Scottish novelist, impeccably dressed and weary looking, months before his death.

An Anne Redpath painting, The Mantelpiece, shows a Chinese rug decorated with foliage and animals. The

Testing the distinctive William Adam staircase at Duff House

FIVE DUFF FACTS

1

William Duff, who had the house built, also had property and estates in Mar, Echt, Balvenie, Rothiemay, Glenbuchat, Edinburgh and Elgin.

2

A prisoner of war camp in World War II, Duff House was bombed in 1940 by a stray Heinkel 111, killing six prisoners.

3

Visitors can still see Polish signs and a Norwegian flag on the walls of the mansion – a reminder of the war years at Duff House.

4

The house has 50 rooms, 31 fireplaces, 149 windows and 1,906 panes of glass.

5

After the family left Duff House in 1906 the mansion became an exclusive hotel, then a sanatorium – the scene of pioneering work on the treatment of diabetes.

1940s work by the Scottish artist quickly captures the attention of the girls and is refreshingly incongruous among others paintings from the 16th-19th centuries.

Climbing the great staircase, we are captivated by a huge copy of Raphael’s Transfiguration, painted between 1825 and 1827 by the Scottish artist Grigor Urquhart. Graeme tells the girls they will need to visit the Sistine Chapel in Rome to see the original. “Who is the guy at the top?” asks Grace, of an illuminated figure.

Graeme answers gently and diplomatically: “That’s Jesus.” On the opposite wall is a portrait of Alexander Duff, the first Duke of Fife, who married Princess Louise, the grand-daughter of Queen Victoria, after the monarch gave the union her royal blessing. Beside it is a painting by Sir Henry Raeburn, showing Field Marshal George, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, on horseback.

A centrepiece of the National Galleries collection at Duff House, St Jerome in Penitence, by El Greco, hangs in Countess Agnes’s boudoir. The devotional image painted around 1595 shows Jerome beating himself with a stone while meditating on a crucifix. The girls saunter past while the adults stand transfixed by the muted colours and sobering message of the old master.

Soon, we are back on the trail of ho ho birds embedded in ceiling plasterwork; yet another dog, in another painting by Raeburn; and a gaudy cobra-design candleholder. The soup terrine in the shape of a boar’s head sitting on the dining room table turns our thoughts to lunch, and we agree to explore the WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 39

OUT AND ABOUT A Duff House shooting party, including the future Edward VII

Grace finds links between the house and Queen Victoria

tearoom on the ground floor. There, the girls’ fathers are already tucking into homemade Cullen skink followed by outsized slices of Victoria sponge.

Before we join them, we find a model of Duff House as it was intended to look by its architect. The building was to have included flamboyant east and west wings, continuing its neoclassical pattern of symmetry and uniformity. The dispute over money between Lord Braco and Adam had demolished any chance of the house being completed. Lord Braco chose to live with his family at Rothiemay Castle, where he died in 1763.

Gazing down from the tearoom wall is a portrait of Lord Braco and his fourth son, George, painted in 1741 by William Mosman (pictured left).

The magpie is symbolic of Lord Braco’s passion for collecting artworks – and homes. It is the last in the list of birds and animals spotted during our visit.

Last, that is, apart from the two cocker spaniels and Dalmatian-Labrabor cross outside, as delighted as they are muddy after exploring the grounds of this grand, unforgettable house.

EXPLORE

DUFF HOUSE

40 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

DIRECTIONS Travel from the south via Aberdeen (A947 to Banff) or from the north via Inverness (A96 to Fochabers, then A98 to Banff).

HOURS Thu-Sun, 11am4pm, until 31 March; then daily, 11am-5pm.

VISIT www.duffhouse.org. uk/whats-on

A royal blessing

Duff House waited decades to win monarchical approval, writes Andrew Burnet

T

he man who inherited Duff House in 1879 was born into great wealth and privilege. Still, no-one could have foreseen the extent of his royal recognition.

It was not that Alexander Duff, 6th Earl Fife, lacked credentials. The only son of the 5th earl, he held several titles, numerous properties and vast estates. He was also a great-grandson of King William IV, though by illegitimate descent.

The earldom, though, was a minor title. It belonged to the peerage of Ireland, and had no connection with Fife or Scotland. The new earl sat in the House of Lords as Baron Skene – his modest title in the British peerage.

He made his mark in politics as Liberal MP for Elgin and Nairn in 1874.

When the Liberals under Gladstone returned to power in 1880, the 6th earl became the government’s chief whip in the Lords.

One episode that illustrates his social standing took place The wedding of Princess Louise

at Duff House in 1883. It was then that he played host to the Prince of Wales – later Edward VII. News of this visit provoked tremendous local excitement. The people of Banff and Macduff, the two neighbouring towns, laid on an enthusiastic reception.

The royal route was festooned with finery and equipped with grandstands for spectators.

Edward arrived by train on 13 November 1883. The streets were mobbed with well-wishers. The earl provided refreshments at the local hostelries.

At Duff House, the prince stayed in the bedroom just off the vestibule, still named in his honour. He took part in several shooting trips.

"Excellent sport was obtained," the Aberdeen Journal reported, "and the bag for the party was an

exceedingly heavy one."

The main event was a grand ball at Duff House. The guests included local society figures, as well as the prince’s entourage. One member of the royal party was rather less welcome: Count Herbert von Bismarck, son of the notorious Iron Chancellor.

One guest described him as “a horrid, wild-looking fellow who would think nothing of calling you out”.

However, the visit was declared a triumph, and further royal endorsement was to follow. This reached its peak in 1889, when the earl married Princess Louise, daughter of his former houseguest Edward.

The lowly earl was elevated to a dukedom.

The press reported that the couple had pursued a discreet, five-year courtship, largely in Aberdeenshire. It is tempting to wonder whether the earl’s hospitality at Duff House had perhaps prepared the ground.

A new official souvenir guide for Duff House will be available soon

H E R I TA G E R E B O R N

5 GREAT SCOTTISH CANALS

As these waterways continue their renaissance, author Nick Haynes traces the rise, decline and reinvention of Scotland’s impressive arteries

4

1

2

3

5

1

Forth and Clyde Canal Features Scotland’s first land lock 2

Crinan Canal Links the Forth and Clyde Canal, and the Caledonian Canal 3

Monkland Canal Still the main water supply to the Forth and Clyde Canal 4

Caledonian Canal The most expensive of Scotland’s canals to build 5

Union Canal Features the spectacular Falkirk Wheel

42 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

canals, linking tidal rivers or sea lochs via routes that rise to plateaux between valleys and return to sea level. The primary purpose of these canals was through-trade, reducing otherwise circuitous and dangerous sea routes.

The other two, the Union and the Monkland, are ‘level line’ or ‘contour’ inland canals, which have no changes in level and do not connect directly to rivers or the sea. Both canals were established primarily for transporting coal to the big cities, breaking existing !NEXT PAGE"

FORTH AND CLYDE CANAL Completed: 1790 Length 35 miles

1

Stretching from Grangemouth in the east to Bowling in the west, and then costing some £330,000, the 35-mile Great Canal represented Scotland’s largest private capital project when it opened in July 1790. Designed by John Smeaton, Robert Mackell and Robert Whitworth, the project involved the construction of Scotland’s first land lock, first large-scale aqueduct and the largest man-made reservoir of the time. It took some 22 years to construct the main canal, and a further year to complete the two and three quarter mile subsidiary canal to Port Dundas in Glasgow and the one-mile link to the Monkland Canal. On completion there were 39 locks, six reservoirs supplying 12,679 lockfuls of water, 33 drawbridges, 10 large aqueducts and 33 smaller ones, a dry dock and a number of basins for the loading of goods. The journey from firth to firth by horse-drawn barge could be made in less than 18 hours.

›

ALAMY

S

cotland’s canals have undergone a spectacular resurgence in usage and investment since the turn of the century. The Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies are among the striking features attracting visitors back to the waterways that were once arteries for the nation’s industrial and cultural life.

Of the five surviving Scottish canals, the Forth and Clyde, Crinan and Caledonian are summit-level ship

The Kelpies, near Falkirk

WWW.HISTORIC#SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 43

H E R I TA G E R E B O R N

!PREVIOUS PAGE" monopolies on fuel supply and consequently reducing the price.

The different purposes of the canals determined their characteristics. The summit-level canals are deeper, with locks and swing or lifting bridges to accommodate oceangoing sailing vessels of the period. The contour canals are more circuitous to avoid as far as possible the expensive construction of locks, and they are shallow, with fixed masonry bridges suitable only for barges pulled by horses.

Scottish canal mania was relatively

short-lived from the beginnings of the Forth and Clyde Canal in 1768 until the completion of the Edinburgh and Glasgow railway in 1842, as competition grew from locomotives, then the roads.

With the regeneration initiatives in the 1980s and 1990s, the substantial support of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Millennium Link Project from 19982002, and more recent developments

by Scottish Canals and other partners, these feats of engineering have been rejuvenated and the nation is embracing them again.

Replica of the iron-hulled Vulcan

MONKLAND CANAL Completed: 1794 Length 12¼ miles The eminent inventor and engineer James Watt was responsible for designing and overseeing the construction of this coal canal from 1770. When Watt’s original scheme was extended in 1793, the canal stretched 12 and a quarter miles from the Townhead basin in Glasgow to Woodhall, east of Coatbridge. The transport of coal proved lucrative, but it was the phenomenal success of the iron industry in Coatbridge from 1825 onwards that made the canal the busiest and most profitable in Scotland. Although the Monkland Canal is still the principal water supply to the Forth and Clyde Canal, much of the western end is now channelled through pipes beneath the M8 motorway, and only two waterfilled sections at the eastern end survive as linear parks. A short section of the Gartsherrie Branch has also been revived as part of the Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, which houses a replica of the Vulcan, the world’s first iron-hulled passenger vessel, designed by Henry Creighton in 1819.

3

›

One of the world’s most beautiful shortcuts

CRINAN CANAL Completed: 1809 Length Nine miles The Crinan Canal is a nine-mile ship canal, connecting the Firth of Clyde with the Sound of Jura, Inner Hebrides and west Highlands, without the need to navigate the exposed and treacherous Mull of Kintyre.

Often described as one of the world’s most beautiful shortcuts, the route also forms part of the link between the western ends of the Forth and Clyde Canal, and the Caledonian Canal. The canal was designed by John Rennie and built between 1794 and 1809.

Construction and finance proved

2

RCAHMS !AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION"; PETER SANDGROUND

›

problematic throughout the project. Difficult ground conditions contributed to the varying dimensions of the canal in its three reaches or sections – east, summit and

west. Trade was initially volatile in the transport of fish, slates and kelp, but new steamboats were successful, carrying 44,000 passengers each year by 1857.

Holidaymakers navigate lock No.9 at Dunardy, on the nine-mile Crinan Canal

WWW.HISTORIC#SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 45

A DIFFERENT KIND OF MEMBERS CLUB The Royal Over-Seas League is a unique, not-for-profit, private membership organisation. For over 100 years we have encouraged international friendship and understanding through arts, social, music and humanitarian programmes. With membership benefits including accommodation and dining at our historic clubhouses in Edinburgh and London, and reciprocal arrangements with over 80 clubs around the world, we offer our members a home away from home.

HOW TO JOIN Call +44 (0)20 7408 0214 (ext. 214 & 216) and quote ‘HISTORIC SCOTLAND’ for special joining discounts, visit www.rosl.org.uk or email info@rosl.org.uk

Edinburgh Clubhouse Over-Seas House 100 Princes Street Edinburgh EH2 3AB London Clubhouse Over-Seas House Park Place St James’s Street London SW1A 1LR

H E R I TA G E R E B O R N

CALEDONIAN CANAL Completed: 1822 Length 60 miles At more than 17ft deep and 110ft wide at the surface, and some 60 miles long in total, the Caledonian is the grandest, most expensive product of Scotland’s canal era.

Two-thirds of the route along the

4

the project gained strategic importance as a safe route connecting the east and west coasts. Opened in 1822, at double the initial cost estimate, it was closed for three years from 1844 so repairs could bring it to a safe standard. Even then, there were frequent accidents, such as the collision of the schooners Regent and Progress at Clachnaharry in 1881.

A collision between schooners in 1881

ALAMY

›

Great Glen from Clachnaharry to Corpach is comprised of natural lochs – Dochfour, Ness, Oich and Lochy – linked by four sections of canal totalling 22 miles. Designed

by William Jessop and Thomas Telford in 1803-1804, the canal was a government-funded project intended to create employment, reduce emigration, and boost trade. In light of increasing hostilities with France,

WWW.HISTORIC#SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 47

H E R I TA G E R E B O R N

CASTLES, CARVINGS AND CONFLICT

Neolithic Cairnbaan rock art

Defensive pits at the Antonine Wall

Crinan Canal

stone bridge over the River Oich, it was five years before another crossing was erected.

The result was this 46m suspension bridge, built in three parts to withstand floods. The Highland scenery will take your breath away.

Wonder at these intriguing, 5,000-yearold Neolithic designs on four of the exposed rock faces at Cairnbaan, Kilmartin Glen.

CAIRNBAAN ROCK ART

Caledonian Canal

UNION CANAL Completed: 1822 Length 31 miles The name of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal is misleading, as the 31-mile waterway runs from the capital only as far as Falkirk, from which point the Forth and Clyde Canal forms the connection to Glasgow. Of all the surviving canals, the Union Canal has some of the most dramatic engineering structures, represented in the series of aqueducts that keep its path level over roads and rivers, the 690-yard tunnel skirting the Callendar Estate at Falkirk, and the many road bridges that cross it.

Like the Monkland, the Union was built to break a monopoly on the supply of coal. It was designed by

5

›

48 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

The Lochrin Basin’s wooden drawbridge

Hugh Baird and built between 1818 and 1822. The canal underwent a substantial restoration programme in the late 1990s, culminating in the re-establishment of a link to the Forth and Clyde Canal via the spectacular Falkirk Wheel in 2002.

Scotland’s Canals by Nick Haynes, published by Historic Scotland and Scottish Canals, is available from Booksource at £11.99 this spring.

Call 0845 370 0067 or email orders@booksource.net Historic Scotland members should quote MEMBERS 20 to receive a 20% discount

INVERLOCHY CASTLE This forbidding stronghold, where the River Lochy flows into Loch Linnhe, is one of the few 13th-century Scottish castles to survive almost complete. It was built by the Red Comyns, lords of Badenoch and Lochaber, as a display of might.

The castle was taken by Robert the Bruce in 1308 after he crushed the Comyns in battle.

URQUHART CASTLE With stunning views over Loch Ness and the Great Glen, this medieval fortress on a rocky promontory has a bloody history – with key players including Edward I of England, Robert the Bruce and the MacDonald lords of the Isles. Enjoy a great audiovisual journey through time in the visitor centre before heading for the cafe.

BRIDGE OF OICH After the floods of 1849, which swept through the Great Glen and claimed the

Urquhart Castle overlooks Loch Ness

Forth and Clyde Canal

CASTLECARY At some 37 miles long, the Antonine Wall was built in AD 142 as a barrier – and a bid to take the north. This scheduled monument is one of only two forts along the wall to have featured stone ramparts.

It is east of Castlecary village on the B816 Cumbernauld to Bonnybridge road.

ROUGH CASTLE This Roman fort would have been home to some 200 soldiers defending a length of the Antonine Wall. Explore the paths of ramparts and ditches, and imagine the pits filled with wooden stakes, camouflaged to surprise intruders.

Union Canal

ROUGH CASTLE After a visit to the Falkirk Wheel, why not discover this nearby Roman fort, built as part of a failed attempt to take the north?

AMBAILE; RCAHMS

The Falkirk Wheel links the Forth and Clyde and the Union Canals

SPECIAL OFFER

FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERSHIP OFFER I

f you enjoy your Historic Scotland membership, now’s the time to tell your friends and family. They can enjoy great days out all year round, and our Member Get Member scheme means they’ll save 20% on their membership fee when they join.

Paying by direct debit is great value

too, and with 20% off the annual cost a concession membership is only £2.50 a month.

MEMBER GET MEMBER SCHEME There are two ways to take advantage of the Member Get Member scheme: l Ask your friend or family

member to call 0131 668 8999.

Tell them to quote your membership number and mention the Member Get Member offer. We can then process their discounted-rate membership over the phone. l Go to any staffed Historic Scotland attraction with your

friend or family member and show your membership card.

Your friend can sign up at the discounted rate.

Terms and conditions apply. For new annual membership only. Not available for renewals or life membership.

See www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ member for details

FIVE REASONS TO BECOME A MEMBER

2

A personal copy of Historic Scotland magazine posted out four times a year direct to your door.

5

3

Discounts on Historic Scotland products and dining events.

Half-price entry into 500 heritage attractions in England, Wales and on the Isle of Man.

ers unveiled Photo competition winn HISTORIC SCOTLAND

EXCITING EVENTS INSIDE

SPRING 2015

1

Free entry to more than 70 of Scotland’s top heritage attractions.

29

THE MAGAZINE FOR HISTORIC

2015 SCOTLAND MEMBERS SPRING

THE TASTE OF A NATION

Feasting Toasting Foraging We visit Stirling Castle, Dallas Dhu Distillery and Holyrood Park

5

GREAT SCOTTISH CANALS

WWW.HISTORIC%SC

Animal magic

OTL

The perfect day out at

Go!

Spot toads at Dunsapie Loch Discover history on your street Jest at Stirling Castle

4

A chance to take part in member activities – including tours, lectures and lunches.

EVENTS

FOR FULL DETAILS Pick up your events guide at any of our properties or visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/events DAYTIME EVENTS ARE FREE TO MEMBERS, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

A RANGE OF EXCITING ACTIVITIES ACROSS SCOTLAND

AN APPETITE FOR ADVENTURE Indulge in an entertaining line-up, from jousting to jesting, at top historic locations. Savour the nation’s natural larder at a range of events during the Year of Food and Drink

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL OUR ACTIVITIES AT WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK/EVENTS 50 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

MARCH!JUNE

Toilets

Restaurant/café

Gift shop

Reasonable wheelchair access

Dogs not permitted

Parking

Dumbarton Castle was a formidable garrison fortress

HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD

THE QUEEN’S FEAST

LINLITHGOW PALACE

Sat 23-Sun 24 May, 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/events

Sat 4-Sun 5 Jul, 12.30-4.30pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ jousting

Step into the busy world of the royal court and join Mary of Guise as she dines with a great company of lords and ladies.

Visit the cooks as they prepare a feast. Discover the etiquette of dining with the queen and eavesdrop on intrigues, uncover friendships and rivalries, all the while being entertained by musicians, dancers and jesters.

THE ROCK OF AGES DUMBARTON CASTLE

Sat 13-Sun 14 Jun, 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ rock

Celebrate like royalty at Stirling Castle to mark the Year of Food and Drink

SPECTACULAR JOUSTING

STIRLING CASTLE

New for 2015, come along to explore 1,000 years of history from the Vikings to the Second World War. Witness the castle’s colourful past being brought to life.

Hear the crack of muskets and the clash of weapons as you learn about the tumultuous sieges that took place at Dumbarton Castle.

Experience a thrilling afternoon at Linlithgow Palace and Peel’s annual jousting tournament.

A full programme of activities features shows and presentations.

Drop in to the Palace, wander through the bustling camps on the Peel, and see the fascinating foot combat and living history displays

CELEBRATION OF THE CENTURIES FORT GEORGE

Sat 8-Sun 9 Aug, 11am-5pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ celebration Immerse yourself in more than 2,000 years of Scottish history, with lively presentations, bustling encampments and a vibrant 1940s zone. More than 250 performers depict life in the times of the Picts and Romans, through the Viking, Medieval, Renaissance, Reformation and Jacobite eras, to the First and Second World Wars.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 51

NEW LANARK World Heritage Site One of Scotland’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, New Lanark is a beautiful 18th century cotton mill village set in the picturesque Clyde Valley. Perfect for history lovers or a fun family day out, New Lanark has something for everyone to enjoy...

Falls of Clyde

New Lanark Mill Hotel

Visitor Centre

Throughout the year New Lanark also hosts a jam-packed programme of Events, Exhibitions, Talks and Tours. Full details are available at www.newlanark.org

“Amazing place for a day out” “A trip down memory lane” “Wonderful” “Beautiful historical location” www.newlanark.org • 01555 661345 • visit@newlanark.org New Lanark Mills, Lanark, South Lanarkshire, ML11 9BY

Toilets

Restaurant/café

Gift shop

Reasonable wheelchair access

Dogs not permitted

Parking

MARCH

STANDING STONES OF STENNESS WALK STANDING STONES OF STENNESS

Every Wed, Mar-May. Every Mon, Wed, Fri in June; 10am 01856 841732 orkneyrangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Join us for an easy guided tour of our oldest stone circle and explore the fascinating links with the nearby Neolithic village of Barnhouse.

RING OF BRODGAR WALK RING OF BRODGAR

Every Thu, Mar-May. Daily in June 1pm 01856 841732 orkneyrangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Jest the job: Stirling Castle is hosting a great weekend of Easter events

YOU’D BE A FOOL TO MISS OUT

APRIL FOOLERY STIRLING CASTLE

Explore the area around the Ring of Brodgar on an easy weekly guided walk with one of our rangers.

DARK OF THE NIGHT EDINBURGH CASTLE

Sat 14-Sun 15 Mar 11.15am, 12.15pm, 2pm, 3pm 0131 668 8885 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events Meet Sir Thomas Randolph and hear tell of his audacious early-morning attack to take the castle for Robert the Bruce.

MASTER DRAUGHTSMAN DUFF HOUSE

Fri 27 Mar-Sun 5 Jul 11am-5pm 01261 818181 www.duffhouse.org.uk/ whats-on Explore the work of Allan Ramsay, an 18th-century Scottish artist who was born in Edinburgh. This exhibition, from the National Galleries of Scotland, is a showcase of outstanding drawings and a masterpiece painting.

Sat 4-Sun 5 Apr;12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/ events

the court jesters, enjoy the noble pursuits of dancing and merrymaking, and see if you can win in our Games in the Gardens.

MEET THE CAST EDINBURGH CASTLE

For a great family day out this Easter enjoy mirth and tomfoolery at one of Scotland’s most magnificent castles. Join

TOADS ABOUT HOLYROOD PARK

Sat 28 Mar, 8.30-10.30am 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential Join our rangers for a walk up the high road to Dunsapie, collecting the toads that are stranded.

APRIL

ARTHUR’S SECRETS HOLYROOD PARK

Every Tue, Apr-Jul; 1pm-3pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential Join us on a moderate guided walk to learn more about the turbulent past of Arthur’s Seat, created by fire and ice.

Sat 4-Sun 5 Apr; 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events

MAY

WATERLOO! EDINBURGH CASTLE

Sat 2-Sun 3 May; 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk/ events To mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, visit Edinburgh Castle to learn about the mobilisation of the British army and the soldiers’ preparations to take on a resurgent Napoleon. Meet the officers and men as they ready their muskets, rifles, packs and uniforms. Discover how the soldiers would have lived and trained to repel the greatest threat that the empire had ever seen.

Join us over the Easter weekend for a fascinating insight into one of Scotland’s iconic castles. Meet a range of historical figures from Mary, Queen of Scots to soldiers billeted here during the First World War and uncover colourful tales and events of the castle’s past.

WHISKY GALORE DALLAS DHU

Sat 2-Sun 3 May; 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ events Find out about the cat-andmouse game between the owners of illegal stills and the government soldiers sent to destroy them.

Savour a free dram.

HOLYROOD KITCHEN HOLYROOD CENTRE

Fri 8-Sat 9 May; 12.30pm, 7pm £45 members, £50 non-members 0131 333 5001 Go to www.historic-scotland.gov. uk/member and log in to book Booking essential Join the Edinburgh School of Food and Wine and Historic Scotland WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 53

Whether you’re partial to a Scottish whisky by the fire, or craving a spontaneous trip to the coast.

You bring the sense of adventure, we’ll provide the perfect retreat.

your home from home ! 01237 426 261

Toilets

Restaurant/café

Gift shop

Reasonable wheelchair access

to enjoy the best Scottish cuisine at our pop-up restaurant at the Holyrood Centre, with beautiful views across Holyrood Park.

Choose from a lunch or dinner sitting on the Saturday.

THE KING’S TOURNAMENT DUNDONALD CASTLE

Sun 7 Jun; 12-4pm 01563 851489 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ events

EDZELL CASTLE

Sat 9–Sun 10 May; 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ events

RSPB: GIVING NATURE A HOME HOLYROOD PARK

Sat 16-Sun 17 May; 11am-3pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland. gsi.gov.uk Join the RSPB and Historic Scotland rangers to make recycled bird feeders, dissect owl pellets and go on a ranger-led walk to hear about the wildlife which makes the royal park so fascinating.

The year is 1298, the Wars of Independence are raging and Dirleton Castle is under siege

DIRLETON 1298 DIRLETON CASTLE

Sun 24 May; 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ events The year is 1298, the Wars of Independence are raging and Dirleton Castle is under siege.

The peaceful retreat built

by Anglo-Norman knight John de Vaux is a key target in the conflict. Immerse yourself in siege life as De Vaux and his men consider whether they should surrender the castle or fight to the death.

RAISING FIFE FOR THE COVENANT ABERDOUR CASTLE

THE OTHER MARY STIRLING CASTLE

Sat 23 May-Sun 27 Sep 9.30am-6pm 01786 450 000 www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/ events An exhibition marking 500 years since the birth of French noblewoman Mary of Guise. Come along to learn how this oftenforgotten figure came to rule the kingdom of Scotland, guarding the throne for her daughter, Mary Queen of Scots.

Parking

sure to sparkle with energy, enthusiasm and summer warmth.

SOLDIERS AND GARDENS

Visit the 17th-century covenanting soldiers camped at the castle. See them put through their drills and hear of their cause as they march off to war to fight for king and covenant. The soldiers will lead tours of the famous formal gardens.

Dogs not permitted

Sat 30-Sun 31 May; 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ events In the mid-17th century Scotland was afflicted by civil wars and invasions, with men fighting for their king or for the covenant. Visit Aberdour Castle and hear about the covenanting movement during the reign of Charles I. Discover its importance in Scottish history and how it led to wars across the British Isles.

WILDFLOWER WANDER AT BRODGAR RING OF BRODGAR

Sun 31 May, Sun 14, Sun 28 Jun; 2.30pm 01856 841732 orkneyrangers@scotland.gsi. gov.uk This easy guided walk around Brodgar’s beautiful wildflower meadow will look at how they are being cared for and managed.

JUNE

ARTHUR’S AMBLE HOLYROOD PARK

Mon 1, Mon 15, Mon 29 Jun; 1-2.30pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential Come on a gentle guided walk around Hunter’s Bog and St Margaret’s Loch to learn more about the past of Arthur’s Seat.

SCOTTISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Experience the excitement as King David I of Scotland arrives with his entourage to meet Walter Fitzallan, founder of the Stewart dynasty, and appoint him High Steward of Scotland. Watch a foot tournament staged to commemorate his new title.

ARTHUR’S ADVENTURE HOLYROOD PARK

Mon 8, Mon 22 Jun; 1-4pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential Join a challenging guided walk to learn about the turbulent past of Arthur’s Seat, created by fire and ice.

BOTHWELL BESIEGED BOTHWELL CASTLE

Sun 21 Jun; 12-4pm 0131 668 8885 www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ events Summer 1301, and Bothwell Castle endures a momentous siege at the hands of the English army led by Edward I. Learn about brutal siege techniques and the mighty engine ‘le berefrey’, while getting close to period objects and artefacts.

WITHIN THESE WALLS

STIRLING CASTLE

HOLYROOD PARK

Thu 4 Jun; 8pm Tickets from Albert Halls ticket office on 01786 473544.

Members’ discount available

Sun 21 Jun; 12-3pm 0131 652 8150 hs.rangers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Booking essential

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra presents an evening of joyous classical and romantic music, led

by French conductor Alexandre Bloch. This evening programme is

The first in a series of three walks is an easy guided stroll around the boundary wall of Holyrood Park, built in the 1540s by James V of Scotland.

WWW.HISTORIC!SCOTLAND.GOV.UK 55

GUESS THE YEAR

WIN

WORK OUT THE MYSTERY YEAR AND WIN

HOW TO ENTER If you can identify the correct year from the options below, visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/ guesstheyear or post your answer, with your name, membership number and address, to Guess the Year, Historic Scotland magazine, Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH by Friday 8 May. See www.historic-scotland. gov.uk/member for terms and conditions.

WINNING PRIZE The winning entrant will receive a cheese and wine hamper from Scottish Hampers (www. scottishhampers.co.uk) containing a bottle of Bordeaux, Scottish cheese, crackers and flameroasted coffee, among other treats. The competition is only open to members aged over 18.

ANSWER THIS QUESTION In which year was Walter Scott’s first novel Waverley published?

A: 1807 B: 1811 C: 1814 THE NOVELIST AND POET SIR WALTER SCOTT, PAINTED BY SIR FRANCIS GRANT. PORTRAYED HERE WITH HIS BELOVED DEERHOUNDS AT HIS HOME, ABBOTSFORD, SCOTT FOUNDED THE HISTORICAL NOVEL GENRE

LAST ISSUE’S GUESS THE YEAR Fort George was built after the 1745 Jacobite uprising. Congratulations to Adam Schofield of Strathaven 56 HISTORIC SCOTLAND

NATIONAL GALLERIES SCOTLAND

THE PAINTING Sir Francis Grant portrays a markedly older Sir Walter Scott than in previous portraits of the writer. Scott had experienced strokes by the time and died a year later. He is seen here writing at Abbotsford, his beloved Borders home. As an infant he was sent to Smailholm, where his grandmother and aunt regaled him with tales of the local countryside. Smailholm Tower featured in his writings, including the epic poem Marmion.

ESCUE

SCOTT

MO

R

H IS

MO

TA IN UN

R

H IS

TA IN UN

SCOTT

ESCUE

15p from every bottle sold of Isle of Skye whisky goes to help Scottish Mountain Rescue. So try the true mountain spirit, an 8 year old blend of the finest malt and grain whiskies. Visit isleofskyewhisky.com

Image: Colin Henderson/Scottish Mountain Rescue.

GIVE THEM A SMALLER MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB.