Tour Scotland photographs and videos from my tours of Scotland. Photography and videography, both old and new, from beautiful Scotland, Scottish castles, seascapes, rivers, islands, landscapes, standing stones, lochs and glens.
Showing posts with label Tour Scotland Culross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tour Scotland Culross. Show all posts
Old photograph of Low Causewayside, Culross, Fife, Scotland. A legend states that when the British princess, and future saint, Teneu, daughter of the king of Lothian, became pregnant before marriage, her family threw her from a cliff. She survived the fall unharmed, and was soon met by an unmanned boat. She knew she had no home to go to, so she got into the boat; it sailed her across the Firth of Forth to land at Culross where she was cared for by Saint Serf; he became foster father of her son, Saint Kentigern or Mungo.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland Photograph of the ruins of Culross Abbey in Culross, Fife, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1217 by Malcolm I, Mormaer or Earl of Fife, and was first colonised by monks from Kinloss Abbey. Culross may have been chosen to establish an abbey because this was the birth place of Saint Mungo. It is evident that the abbey was built over the earlier Pictish church supposedly founded by Saint Serf in the 6th century, as witnessed by the presence in the ruined Cistercian church of early medieval carved stones and from a ninth-century reference to a church of St Serf at Culross. The original 13th century abbey was cruciform in plan, without aisles. By the late 15th century the lay brothers had left, and the abbey community consisted of only choir monks. The western half of the abbey was therefore abandoned, and the nave was demolished around 1500. In 1633 the east choir of the abbey was taken over for use as a parish church, while the adjoining buildings show above fell into decay.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Stewart McPherson Gravestone in Culross, Fife, Scotland. Stewart McPherson VC, born in Culross in 1819, died 7th December 1892, he was a Scottish soldier in India and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth military forces. His citation reads: For daring gallantry in the Lucknow Residency on the 26th September, 1857, in having rescued, at great personal risk, a wounded Private of his Company, who was lying in a most exposed situation, under a very heavy fire. Colour-Sergjeant McPherson was also distinguished on many occasions by his coolness and gallantry in action.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of houses with pantile roofs in Culross, Fife, Scotland. Pantiles initially appeared in eastern coastal areas of Scotland during the 17th century, being brought at first from Holland as ballast in trading ships. A legend states that when the British princess, and future Saint, Teneu, daughter of the king of Lothian, became pregnant before marriage, her family threw her from a cliff. She survived the fall unharmed, and was soon met by an unmanned boat. She knew she had no home to go to, so she got into the boat; it sailed her across the Firth of Forth to land at Culross where she was cared for by Saint Serf; he became foster-father of her son, Saint Kentigern or Mungo.
Tour Scotland photograph of Culross Palace, Fife, Scotland. This Palace is a late 16th, to early 17th century merchant's house. The palace, or "Great Lodging", was constructed by Sir George Bruce, the Laird of Carnock. Bruce was a successful merchant who had a flourishing trade with other Forth ports, the Low Countries and the Baltic countries. He had interests in coal mining and salt production, and is credited with sinking the world's first coal mine to extend under the sea. Although never a royal residence, James VI visited the Palace in 1617.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of a stained glass window in the Abbey Church in Culross, Fife, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1217 by Malcolm I, Mormaer or Earl of Fife, and was first colonised by monks from Kinloss Abbey. Culross may have been chosen to establish an abbey because this was the birthplace of Saint Mungo.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Thomas Cochrane Memorial in Culross, Fife, Scotland. Thomas Cochrane was born December 14, 1775 at Annsfield, Scotland. The son of Archibald Cochrane, 9th Earl of Dundonald and Anna Gilchrist, he spent the majority of his early years at the family's estate in Culross. Under the practice of the day his uncle, Alexander Cochrane, an officer in the Royal Navy, had his name entered on the books of naval vessels at age five. Though technically illegal, this practice reduced the amount of time Cochrane would need to serve before becoming an officer if he elected to pursue a naval career. In 1793, with the beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars, Cochrane joined the Royal Navy. Initially assigned to his uncle's ship HMS Hind, he soon followed the elder Cochrane to HMS Thetis. Learning his trade on the North American station, he was appointed an acting lieutenant in 1795, before passing his lieutenant's exams the following year. Following several assignments in America, he was made eighth lieutenant on Lord Keith's flagship HMS Barfleur in 1798. Serving in the Mediterranean.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Town House in Culross, Fife, Scotland. The Town House was built in 1626 and was the administrative centre of Culross with a tollbooth and witches' prison. The front of the building was altered, and the forestair and clock and bell tower were added in 1783.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Mercat Cross in Culross, Fife, Scotland. The Mercat Cross has a unicorn on top. The cross was the symbol of a burgh's right to trade and was located in the market place of Culross. A mercat cross is a market cross found in Scottish cities and towns where trade and commerce was a part of economic life. It was originally a place where merchants would gather, and later became the focal point of many town events such as executions, announcements and proclamations.
Tour Scotland photograph of the 16th century building called The Study in Culross, Fife, Scotland. The study at the top of the stair tower, from which the house takes its name, was possibly also a look out. It is also said to have been used by Bishop Leighton of Dunblane in the late 17th century who reputedly stayed in Mid Causeway.
Tour Scotland photograph of a cobblestoned Street in Culross, Fife, Scotland. In 1490 Culross was made a Burgh of Barony by King James IV. In 1575 the local abbey sold the lease of its disused colliery to George Bruce, who exploited the coal and developed the salt panning industry to create a large and profitable business. He was influential in getting James VI to grant Culross the royal burgh status in the late 16th century, so that he could trade abroad and enjoyed 50 years of prosperous trading in coal and salt. Iron baking girdles were a famous Culross product and Culross had the monopoly on their manufacture from the late 16th century until 1727. Much rebuilt in the 17th century, Culross retains many typical burgh features including the church, tolbooth and mercat cross.
Tour Scotland photograph of a stained glass window inside the Abbey in Culross, Fife, Scotland. In memory of Christina Wilson Rennie, wife of James Arnot.
Recorded in many forms including Rainy, Rainey, Rany, Rennie, Renny, Rennison, and Renison, this is an Anglo Scottish surname. It was an endearment form of the original personal name " Reynold ", a compound of the Germanic elements " ragin " meaning " counsel ", and " wald ", rule. This name was first introduced into England by the Viking Scandinavians of the 8th century, and later reinforced at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066 by the French equivalent " Reinald ". Early examples of the surname recordings include Thomas Renie in the 1279 Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, England, whilst in 1362, Symon Renny who was recorded as being the baillie of Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland, is believed to be the first known recording in that country.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of some of the ruins at Culross Abbey, Culross, Fife, Scotland. This Scottish abbey was founded in 1217 by Malcolm I, Earl of Fife, and was first colonised by monks from Kinloss Abbey. The original 13th century abbey was cruciform in plan, without aisles. By the late 15th century the lay brothers had left, and the abbey community consisted of only choir-monks. The western half of the abbey was therefore abandoned, and the nave was demolished around 1500. In 1633 the east choir of the abbey was taken over for use as a parish church, while the adjoining buildings fell into decay.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of Culross, Fife, Scotland. A former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland. Originally a port city on the Firth of Forth, the town is said to have been founded by Saint Serf, and to have been the birthplace of Saint Mungo. Historic Culross was the perfect setting for Outlander’s fictional village of Cranesmuir. Its Mercat area is transformed on screen into the homes of Geillis Duncan and her husband Arthur. You can wander through the old alleys and discover the herb garden that Claire works at in the grounds of the fictional Castle Leoch behind the impressive Culross Palace. A legend states that when the British princess, and future saint, Theneu or Enoch, daughter of the King of Lothian, became pregnant before marriage, her family threw her from a cliff. She survived the fall unharmed, and was soon met by an unmanned boat. She knew she had no home to go to, so she got into the boat; it sailed her across the Firth of Forth to land at Culross where she was cared for by Saint Serf; he became foster father of her son, Saint Kentigern or Mungo. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the town was a centre of the coal mining industry. Sir George Bruce of Carnock, who built the splendid Palace of Culross and whose elaborate family monument stands in the north transept of the Abbey church, established the first coal mine in the world to extend under the sea at Culross, with ingenious contrivances to drain the constant leakage from above. This mine was considered one of the marvels of the British Isles in the early 17th century, until it was destroyed in a storm. Culross' secondary industry was salt panning. There was a considerable export trade by sea in the produce of these industries and the prevalence of red roof tiles in Culross and other villages in Fife is thought to be a direct result of collier ships returning to Culross with Dutch roof tiles as ballast. It was also known for its monopoly on the manufacture of 'girdles', ie. flat iron plates for baking over an open fire. The town's role as a port declined from the 18th century, and by Victorian times it had become something of a ghost town. The harbour was filled in and the sea cut off by the coastal railway line in the second half of the 19th century. During the 20th century, it became recognised that Culross contained many unique historical buildings and notable buildings in the burgh include Culross Town House, formerly used as a courthouse and prison, the 16th century Culross Palace, 17th century Study, and the remains of the Cistercian house of Culross Abbey, founded 1217. The tower, transepts and choir of the Abbey Church remain in use as the parish church, while the ruined claustral buildings are open for viewing.
Tour Scotland photograph of the Thomas Cochrane Memorial, Culross, Fife, Scotland. Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM born 14th December 1775, died, 31st October 1860 was a Scottish naval flag officer and radical politician. He was a daring and successful captain of the Napoleonic Wars, leading the French to nickname him Le Loup des Mers , in other words, The Sea Wolf.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of whitewashed houses with pantile roofs in Culross, Fife, Scotland. Pantiles were first adopted in Scotland in the early 17th century. the earliest use resulted from imports from the continent, most notably Holland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of a narrow street on ancestry visit to Culross, Fife, Scotland. The major USA TV series Outlander was partly shot in Culross, Fife. A legend states that when the British princess, and future saint, Teneu, daughter of the king of Lothian, became pregnant before marriage, her family threw her from a cliff. She survived the fall unharmed, and was soon met by an unmanned boat. She knew she had no home to go to, so she got into the boat; it sailed her across the Firth of Forth to land at Culross where she was cared for by Saint Serf; he became foster father of her son, Saint Kentigern or Mungo, who was an apostle of the British Kingdom of Strathclyde in the late 6th century, and the founder and patron saint of the city of Glasgow.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland photograph of a cobbled street in Culross, Fife, Scotland. Many 16th and 17th century Scottish houses, and cobbled stoned streets can be seen when walking through the town. The narrow cobbled streets were designed functionally to make walking through the town a clean affair. The raised area in the centre of the cobbles was for the wealthy townsfolk to walk on, to ensure they did not get their shoes or feet dirty.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
