A report by Paul Macdonald, Swordmaker Further to presenting a talk at Culloden House in April of this year on the topic of Scottish Swords of Legend, I was advised that the Clan Donnachaidh Museum housed a sword with Culloden provenance. As this was on the return route to Edinburgh, stopping in to study the […]
The Scott Monument, sometimes referred to as the ‘gothic rocket’, is a Victorian Gothic monument to the author Sir Walter Scott. It stands towards the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh, and happens to be the largest monument to a writer in the world, and was completed on August 1st 1846. Scott was a […]
Intrinsically linked like bread and butter, whisky and the Clans are about as all things Scot as you’re going to get. Here are our top five links between the water of life and Scotland’s oldest families. 1. Dalmore In 1263, an ancestor of Clan Mackenzie saved King Alexander III of Scotland from being gored by […]
Despite our campaign to have the Rowan crowned as Scotland’s national tree, we’re rather blue to report that the Scots Pine has officially taken out the title. Last year thousands of Scots voted for their favourite tree in a nationwide consultation, after a Glasgow tree-campaigner bought forward a petition to Scottish Parliament. The most widely […]
Just a quick update on a story we reported on earlier in the week – the MacGregor/Campbell feud document has sold at auction to an unnamed MacGregor bidder. The persecution of the Clan Gregor manuscript commission (above) was estimated to sell for between £2-3000. It sold at auction yesterday in Edinburgh for £2,750 (premium inclusive). […]
Two manuscripts dealing with one of the most infamous feuds in clan history are set to go under the hammer this week in Edinburgh. The Persecution of the Clan Gregor manuscripts, dated between 1611 and 1619, highlight the extent to which the MacGregors were punished by the Campbells after loosing a bitter and long power […]
On a Wednesday evening in Edinburgh, direct your ears upwards while wandering up Victoria Street from the Grassmarket and you might just hear a bit of Gaelic tune floating out onto the street below. Còisir Dhùn Èideann (Edinburgh Gaelic Choir) meet once a week in the Quaker Meeting House, just a few streets away from […]
On Monday Amanda and I were privileged to be able to attend the service in commemoration for the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden held at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Over 40 Clan Chiefs were in attendance and you will be able to read the list of names below. The service included lessons […]
If you still haven’t seen Episode 9 ‘The Rains of Castamere‘ in the latest season of Game of Thrones, you should probably stop reading this post right about now. It’s a well-known and begrudgingly accepted fact that Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin loves to kill off central characters. In episode nine of the […]
Why is the image of a lion so prevalent in Scottish Clan heraldry? Why would a beast that was never native to Scotland feature so heavily? The image of the lion in art and culture dates back to pre history and cave paintings. Our ancient ancestors who’s story began in Africa would have admired these […]
