Tour Scotland Photograph Massachusetts Infantry Gravestone Dunblane

Tour Scotland photograph of the William M. Cowan, of the Massachusetts Infantry, gravestone in the cemetery by the cathedral in Dunblane, Scotland. One of the interesting aspects of the Cathedral is the cemetery surrounding it. Of particular interest to Americans may be one memorial marked for " William M Cowan, Massachusetts Infantry who died in Camp Readville US American in defence of the Union against the rebellion, April 1864 Aged 47 Years, " The memorial poses several interesting "mysteries". The inscription is interesting in that there is no Camp Readville. Readville is a town in Massachusetts where Camp Meigs was located. None of the records available show a William M Cowan, or William McCowan, which may be the name on the memorial. There is seems to be no information available either on who built the memorial or why it was built where it stands.



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Tour Scotland Photograph Doune Castle

Tour Scotland photograph of Doune Castle, Scotland. Doune Castle was originally built in the thirteenth century, then probably damaged in the Scottish Wars of Independence, before being rebuilt in its present form in the late 14th century by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, the son of King Robert II of Scotland, and Regent of Scotland from 1388 until his death. Duke Robert's stronghold has survived relatively unchanged and complete, and the whole castle was traditionally thought of as the result of a single period of construction at this time. The castle passed to the crown in 1425, when Albany's son was executed, and was used as a royal hunting lodge and dower house. In the later 16th century, Doune became the property of the Earls of Moray. The castle saw military action during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and Glencairn's rising in the mid 17th century, and during the Jacobite Risings of the late 17th century and 18th century. By 1800 the castle was ruined, but restoration works were carried out in the 1880s, prior to its passing into state care in the 20th century. It is now maintained by Historic Scotland.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Photograph Duncan MacDiarmid Gravestone Kippen

Tour Scotland photograph of the Duncan MacDiarmid Celtic Cross gravestone in the cemetery in Kippen, Scotland. Kippen is a village in west Stirlingshire. It lies between the Gargunnock Hills and the Fintry Hills and overlooks the Carse of Forth to the north. The village is 9 miles west of Stirling and 20 miles north of Glasgow. It is 4.5 miles south east of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Scotland's first National Park.

The Scottish clan MacDairmid, the surname also being spelt MacDarmid, MacDearmid, MacDearmaid, MacDiarmid, MacDearmont, MacDairmond, MacDermand, and all the short forms commencing " M c", derives from the ancient pre 7th century Gaelic Mac Dhiarmaid, meaning " the son of Dermid ". Church register recordings include the marriage of Neil McDermid and Isabella Brown on July 23rd 1857, at Glenmuick, Aberdeen, whilst Daniel McDiarmed married Jane Doherty at Londonderry, Ireland, on December 16th 1865. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of Nemeas Mactarmayt, vicar of Kilchoman in Islay, in 1427, during the reign of King James 1st of Scotland.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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Tour Scotland Photograph John Cairns Gravestone Fintry

Tour Scotland photograph of the John Cairns gravestone in the churchyard cemetery in Fintry, Strathendrick, Scotland. Fintry is a small village in central Scotland, nestled in the strath of the Endrick Water between the Campsie Fells and the Fintry Hills, some 19 miles north of Glasgow.

The surname Cairns is derived from the Scottish Gaelic carn, meaning " cairn ", which is a human made pile, or stack, of stones.. It is a topographic name for someone who lived near a cairn. The lands of Cairns are located in the parish of Mid Calder, near Edinburgh. The lands of Cairns are located in the parish of Mid Calder, near Edinburgh. The first Cairn to be recorded is William de Carnys, who was recorded as witnessing a charter in 1349. William de Carnys and his son Duncan held the baronies of Easter and Wester Whitburn. Many Cairns are also recorded in the counties of Midlothian and West Lothian. Today many Cairns are still located around Edinburgh and Glasgow.



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Tour Scotland Photograph Sir Walter Menzies Gravestone Fintry

Tour Scotland photograph of the Sir Walter Menzies, Celtic Cross, gravestone in the churchyard cemetery in Fintry, Scotland. Sir Walter Menzies born 24th July 1856, died 26th October 1913, was a Liberal Party politician in Scotland who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Southern Lanarkshire from 1900 to 1913. He unsuccessfully contested the Glasgow Central constituency at the 1892 general election. He switched to the Southern Division of Lanarkshire for the 1900 election, a Conservative Liberal marginal seat. He lost by 452 votes, but in the Liberal landslide at the 1906 election he won the seat with a majority of 1,275. He was re elected at both the January 1910 and December 1910 elections, and held his seat in the House of Commons until his death in 1913, aged 57.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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