Tour Scotland Spring travel video of a road trip drive, with Scottish accordion music, from Rosyth on visit to the historic Abbey Church in Dunfermline, Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phàrlain, in Fife. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reformation and permitted to fall into disrepair. Part of the old abbey church continued in use at that time and some parts of the abbey infrastructure still remain to this day. Dunfermline Abbey is one of Scotland's most important cultural sites. The Benedictine Abbey of the Holy Trinity and St Margaret, was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland, but the monastic establishment was based on an earlier foundation dating back to the reign of King Malcolm Canmore. Saint Margaret of Scotland was buried here in 1093; on 19th June 1250. King Robert the Bruce was buried, in 1329, in the choir, now the site of the present parish church. Bruce's heart rests in Melrose, but his bones lie in Dunfermline Abbey, where, after the discovery of the skeleton in 1818, they were reinterred with fitting pomp below the pulpit of the New church. In 1891 the pulpit was moved back and a monumental brass inserted in the floor to indicate the royal vault.
Andrew Carnegie was born on November 25, 1835 to Margaret Morrison Carnegie and William Carnegie in Dunfermline, in a typical weaver's cottage with only one main room, consisting of half the ground floor, which was shared with the neighbouring weaver's family. The main room served as a living room, dining room and bedroom. He was named after his paternal grandfather. Carnegie's maternal uncle, George Lauder, Senior, a Scottish political leader, deeply influenced him as a boy by introducing him to the writings of Robert Burns and historical Scottish heroes such as Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, and Rob Roy MacGregor. Lauder's son, also named George Lauder, grew up with Carnegie and would become his business partner. When Carnegie was thirteen, his father had fallen on very hard times as a handloom weaver; making matters worse, the country was in starvation. His mother helped support the family by assisting her brother, a cobbler, and by selling potted meats at her " sweetie shop ", leaving her as the primary breadwinner. Struggling to make ends meet, the Carnegies then decided to borrow money from George Lauder, Senior, and move to Allegheny, Pennsylvania, in the United States in 1848 for the prospect of a better life. Carnegie's migration to America would be his second journey outside Dunfermline, the first being an outing to Edinburgh to see Queen Victoria. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in history. He became a leading philanthropist in the United States and in the British Empire. During the last 18 years of his life, he gave away $350 million, to charities, foundations, and universities, almost 90 percent of his fortune. His 1889 article proclaiming " The Gospel of Wealth " called on the rich to use their wealth to improve society, and stimulated a wave of philanthropy. He died on August 11, 1919.
The Rosyth area is best known for its large dockyard, formerly the Royal Naval Dockyard Rosyth, construction of which began in 1909. The town was planned as a garden city with accommodation for the construction workers and dockyard workers
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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Spring Road Trip Drive To Visit Cemetery At Kirkgate By Loch Leven Kinross Perthshire Scotland
Tour Scotland Spring travel video of a road trip drive, with Scottish bagpipes and drums music, on visit to the historic cemetery by Loch Leven at Kirkgate by Kinross, Perthshire. A small graveyard on a promontory which extends into Loch Leven a half mile East South East of the centre of Kinross. The Kirkgate Graveyard lies next to Kinross House. The builder of that property, King's Surveyor and Architect and Merchant, Sir William Bruce, born 1630, died 1710, lies here with his family in a small mausoleum. Sir William Bruce was born at Blairhall in West Fife. Bruce came to note when he acted as negotiator between General Monk, born 1608, died 1670, and the exiled King Charles II, born 1630, died 1685, to bring about the Restoration of the Stuart dynasty. This role endeared him to the King resulting in several appointments and sufficient wealth to enable him to purchase Balcaskie Estate in Fife in 1665. Bruce became King's Surveyor and Master of Works in 1671 and one of the richest men in the country. He was a pioneer of the Palladian style and rebuilt and extended the Palace of Holyroodhouse. He was commissioned by land owners to design and build some of Scotland's greatest country houses, including Hopetoun and Thirlestane. An ambitious man, wishing to better his social position, he sold Balcaskie in 1684 and bought the estate of Kinross from the Earl of Morton, including the ancient Loch Leven Castle with its associations with Mary, Queen of Scots, born 1542, died 1587. He built Kinross House as his new home with the old castle forming part of a designed landscape. He had hoped to rise to the peerage but instead, with the death of his King and patron in 1685, he lost favour and money. He tried in vain to ingratiate himself with King James VII, but worse, following the Glorious Revolution of 1688, Bruce was seen as a supporter of the previous regime, arrested and brought to Edinburgh Castle. Although never convicted, he was a broken man and his project at Kinross House was never completed. He is buried in a small mausoleum in the adjacent kirkgate kirkyard.
Kinross is located around 13 miles South of Perth and around 20 miles North West of Edinburgh. It is the traditional county town of the historic county of Kinross-shire. Andrew Barlass was born on September 30, 1822, in Kinross. He emigrated to the United States and settled in the town of Harmony, Rock County, Wisconsin. His post office address was the community of Emerald Grove. Barlass was a farmer and raised livestock. He served on the Harmony Town Board and was chairman of the town board. He also served on the school board and also served on the Rock County Board of Supervisors. Barlass also served as town assessor and justice of the peace. In 1874, 1875, and 1876, Barlass served in the Wisconsin State Assembly and was a Republican. Barlass was involved with the Free Soil Party before he joined the Republican Party. Barlass was involved with the Harmony town insurance company. Barlass died on July 26, 1895 of injuries after being kicked by a horse on his farm in the town of Harmony.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.
Spring Road Trip Drive To Visit Pictish Round Tower In Abernethy Perthshire Scotland
Tour Scotland travel video of a Spring road trip drive East on the A913 road, with Scottish music, to visit the Pictish Round Tower and old graveyard in Abernethy in Perthshire. The Scottish round tower dates from around the 9th or 10th century, with 11th century alterations. It was used by Celtic clergy as a steeple and watchtower, perhaps against Viking invaders. Abernethy Tower was built for defence and later it was used as a belfry and a beacon. The clock dates from 1868. Excavations to the tower in 1821 uncovered a skeleton and fragments of an urn. Below these were flagstones and many more human bones, including seven skulls. These burials pre-date the construction of the tower, but by how long is not certain.
Abernethy village, Scottish Gaelic: Obar Neithich, was once the " capital " or at least a major religious and political centre of the kingdom of the Picts. The Treaty of Abernethy was signed in the village of Abernethy in 1072 where king Malcolm III of Scotland paid homage to William I, King of England, acknowledging William as his feudal overlord. William had started his conquest of England when he and his army landed in Sussex, defeating and killing the English king Harold, at the Battle of Hastings, in 1066. Most of the English nobility were also either killed at Hastings or replaced by Norman lords in the years following the battle. The battle of Hastings was not the end of the fighting, William's army had to suppress many rebellions to secure the kingdom. As a result of the unrest, some English nobles had sought sanctuary, in Scotland, at the court of King Malcolm III. One of these was Edgar Ætheling, a member of the house of Wessex and thus the last English claimant to the throne of England. Faced with a hostile Scotland, in alliance with disaffected English lords including Ætheling, William rode north with his Norman army and forced Malcolm to sign the Treaty of Abernethy. Although the specific details of the treaty are lost in history, it is known that in return for swearing allegiance to William, Malcolm was given estates in Cumbria and Edgar Ætheling was banned from the Scottish court. The peace secured by the treaty was an uneasy one. When negotiations over the disputed Cumbrian territories broke down with the new King of England, William Rufus, Malcolm invaded northern England again and besieged Alnwick Castle. Unexpectedly a relief column arrived, that was led by the Earl of Northumbria. Malcolm and his son were killed at the ensuing Battle of Alnwick in 1093. In 1173 William the Lion of Scotland supported a rebellion against Henry II of England. In 1174, William was captured at the Battle of Alnwick in 1174. He was transferred to Falaise in Normandy. There William signed the Treaty of Falaise effectively surrendering Scotland to Henry. Henry then handed Scotland back to William as a fief, in return for William's homage to Henry. However, after Henry II's death, William petitioned Richard I of England to be released from the terms imposed on Scotland by the treaty. Richard, needing to raise finance for the Third Crusade accepted William's offer of 10,000 marks, and at Canterbury on 5 December 1189 released him from all allegiance and subjection for the kingdom of Scotland, which remained an independent realm until Edward I's successful revival of English claims of overlordship in 1291
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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Spring Daffodils On Visit To Public Parks In Perth Perthshire Scotland
Tour Scotland Spring travel video, with Scottish music, of daffodils on visit to public parks including; Norie Miller and South Inch Park in Perth, Perthshire. Sir Stanley Norie Miller, born 4th August 1888, died 21st December 1973, after whom the riverside park is named, was born in Perth shortly after his father Sir Francis Norie Miller came to Perth. Sir Francis Norie Miller, born 11 March 1859, died 4 July 1947, was born in Hertfordshire, England, but was to live out his adult and professional life in Perth, following a move to join the General Accident Assurance soon after it was incorporated in 1885 ultimately becoming Chairman and Managing Director of the company. He became a hugely influential individual within the civic life of Perth; as a Justice of the Peace for Perthshire, Chairman of the School Board of Perth and as a Director of Perth Royal Infirmary. In 1933 he became a freeman of the city of Perth. He was also a Liberal and later Liberal National politician. In 1936, he was created a Baronet with the title of Norie-Miller of Cleeve in the New Year’s Honours List for political and public service in the County of Perth and for his local philanthropy. Sir Stanley followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Limited after the First World War where he served as a Colonel with the Royal Army Service Corps. Sir Stanley played a vitally important role in developing the company. The riverside walk was created in his honour by General Accident directors and staff opening in 1971, before being refurbished in 1988. Sir Stanley, also became an influential civic leader in Perth as a Justice of the Peace. He became a Freeman of the City in 1961.
South Inch is a low lying area of parkland which forms part of the flood plain of the River Tay immediately to the south of the centre of the Fair City of Perth, the South Inch is divided by the Edinburgh Road. The North and South Inches was granted to the Royal Burgh of Perth in 1374 by King Robert II, born 1316, died 1390. Lying outside the boundary of the medieval burgh, where trade and industry were strictly limited, the South Inch became a busy place, used as a bleachfield, for public cattle grazing, and horse racing was first recorded here in 1613. Cattle markets were moved here in 1785. Oliver Cromwell's army built a Citadel in the northeast corner of the South Inch after they captured Perth in 1651. In 1661, after the restoration of King Charles II, the Citadel was given to the city and parts were demolished. During the Risings of 1715 and 1745 the citadel was incorporated into the Jacobite defences of the town, and thereafter a cavalry barracks was built on the site.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.
Spring Road Trip Drive To Visit Parish Church In Cleish Perthshire Scotland
Tour Scotland travel video of a Spring road trip drive, with Scottish music, on narrow roads on ancestry visit to the Parish Church and cemetery in the village of Cleish, Perthshire. Built on 13th on a century site in 1832, designed by D McIntosh. Handsome hall church with Perpendicular Gothic detail. Square tower by Hardy and Wight added for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897. The hymn Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me was written by former Minister’s wife, Mary Lundie Duncan, in the Manse. Interesting wall chart and graveyard. The village is mentioned in Sir Walter Scott's novel The Abbot. The majority of buildings date from the 18th century and the village retains much charm. Notable Interments here include; Lady Emily Jane Adam of Blair Adam, born 1833 died 1906; Robert Curror of Nivingston, born 1686, died 1768 and his son John Curror born 1717, died 1809; Ebenezer Michie, died 1813, who was a friend of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns; Mary Lundie Duncan, author of the Cleish Hymn, Jesus Tender Shepherd Hear Me.
Cleish is a rural hamlet off the B9097 between Crook of Devon and the M90 motorway, three miles south west of Kinross in central Scotland. It lies in the historic county of Kinross-shire.
The Hebrides islands and the west coast of Scotland are the ancestral home of the Cleish family. Their name comes from a devotion to Christianity. The Gaelic form of the name is M'A'Lios, which is a shortened form of Mac Giolla Iosa, meaning son of the servant of Jesus. The surname Cleish was first found in Perthshire, Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt, former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early rolls taken by the Kings of England and Scotland.
Scottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Cleishs to arrive on North American shores: Anne McLeish settled in Pennsylvania in 1833; George and Catherine McGillis settled in Pennsylvania in 1773.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.
View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.
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