Winter Road Trip Drive With Bagpipes Music On History Visit To Crossford West Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland 4K Winter travel video, with Scottish bagpipes music, of a road trip drive to Crossford, on ancestry, genealogy, history visit to West Fife, Britain, United Kingdom. Crossford is said to take its name from the ford crossed by monks on their way between the abbeys of Dunfermline and Culross, and together with the early agricultural activity this seems to form the main part of the activity in the village. In the 16th century the village found a new life as coal and ironstone were mined from the lands of Pitfirrane under a charter granted to the Lairds of Pitfirrane by Queen Mary. The introduction of the Turnpike Act in 1796 brought about the installation of a tollbar on the Waggon Road in Crossford. The building housing this still exists on the crossroads in the centre of the village. At the beginning of the 19th century, it is recorded that some 50 handlooms were in use in the village with a population of 380 persons. Sir Peter Halkett, 2nd Baronet was a Scottish baronet who served in the British army and was Member of Parliament for Stirling Burghs from 1734 to 1741. He was born 21 June 1695, eldest son of Sir Peter Wedderburn, who changed his surname to Halkett in 1705 when he inherited Pitfirrane Castle, near Dunfermline from his wife's brother. In 1728, he married Lady Amelia Stuart, daughter of Francis, Earl of Moray; they had 3 sons, Peter, Francis and James (died 1755). Francis served as Brigade-major during the 1758 Forbes Expedition, when he retrieved the bodies of his father and younger brother. During the 1745 Rising, he was in temporary command when the 44th was overrun at the Battle of Prestonpans, and captured. The Jacobites were unable to house their prisoners and he was released with other officers, after agreeing he would not serve against them for 18 months. Pressed by his commander, Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, to break his oath, he resisted and was dismissed from the Army. He succeeded his father as second baronet in 1746. He was re-instated after appealing to King George II and in 1751 made Colonel of the regiment, which in 1754 was transferred to the British colonies in North America. The following year, the 44th was assigned to the Braddock Expedition to capture Fort Duquesne, located in present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, from the French. The column ran into a combined force of French, Canadian and native Indian troops in the woods and were severely routed. Halkett was amongst the officers killed on 9 July 1755. By the meteorological calendar, the first day of Winter is always 1st December in Scotland; ending on 28th of February. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome. When driving on Scottish roads in Scotland slow down and enjoy the trip All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs

No comments: