A style of chair that goes back centuries. The iconic Orkney Hooded Chair was traditionally made from driftwood washed up from the sea. Timber in Orkney is scarce so islanders would use other materials to make furniture. The earliest version of the chair was more like a low round stool covered with straw. From this it […]
Scotland has some quite bizarre traditions and this one is truly odd. It is a tradition specific to St Cyrus in Aberdeenshire. It was the sight of a couple in the snow on their wedding day that led a civil servant to establish one of Scotland’s quirkiest wedding day traditions. John Orr, the Accountant General of Madras, is […]
People may think … ‘not another facial reconstruction’ and just give this a fleeting glance, comment on the ‘funny’ hairstyle and not look any further. But this is so much more. Not only is this a scientifically based reconstruction based on facts rather than presumptions it gives us a new insight into the life of Robert the […]
The Royal burgh of Forfar, a small faming and market town nestled in the Strathmore valley in Angus in the east of Scotland, is a respectable and quiet community. The burgh lies only five miles from Glamis Castle, family seat of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorn, childhood home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, […]
On a rocky prominence 60 feet above the sea, stand the isolated, gaunt ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, the ancient home of the Earls of Caithness. From this grim fortress a few miles north of Wick, a succession of pragmatic, ruthless and self-seeking lairds ruled their domains with feudal authority and harsh justice. Hardly a […]
Gow’s Folly was once cursed by generations of wagoners and hauliers, an odd looking little building with the stone spire in the middle of a busy goods yard. Nobody knew or cared about its origins and it was threatened with demolition on several occasions. Thanks to the Kirkwell Community Council this odd looking building has […]
John Gow was a pirate thought to have been born around 1698 in the Caithness town of Wick on the northern coast of Scotland. Gow grew up in Stromness, an important and bustling international port at the time. Young lads would all grow up with a strong calling to the sea and Gow was no […]
Ballencleroch was originally a modest laird’s house of the 17th century but was destroyed in a fire in 1982 but has been re-built as the ‘Schoenstatt’ (beautiful place), a retreat and conference centre. The house stands just to the west of the Clachan, East Dunbartonshire. The lands of Ballencleroch belonged to the Brisbane family from […]
Yesterday myself, my two kids and mad dog Floyd went for an explore around Hailes Castle. I’m embarrassed to say that I have never been before, Hailes Castle is just 30 mins away from where I live. Finding Hailes Castle is quite difficult. Brown signs lead you off the A1 announcing it is only […]
Glenfalloch, which bounds the barony of Arrochar to the north was always the pass for the people of Athole into Arrochar on their way to the lower grounds of Monteith and Stirling. There are many stories that are still told to this day among the people living in Arrochar of the raids of the Athole […]
