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.
Old photograph of the River Tweed, Scottish Borders, Scotland. In the background is Abbotsford House, which was at one time the residence of historical novelist and poet, Sir Walter Scott. The River Tweed, or Tweed Water, is a river 97 miles long that flows east across the Border region in Scotland and northern England. The Tweed is one of the great salmon fishing rivers of Britain.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Princes Pier, Greenock, Scotland. This pier was the terminus on the River Clyde of the Glasgow and South Western Railway. Passengers used to flock down from St Enoch station in Glasgow and board steamers to places like Dunoon, and Rothesay.
Old photograph of Princes Pier, Greenock, Scotland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old Greenock features a stunning collection of 170 photographs showcasing the town's historic past. There are fascinating glimpses of areas where overcrowding in the early twentieth century gave rise to living conditions unimaginable today. These neighbourhoods were swept away by a series of redevelopments; just one example of how this historic town has changed during its relatively short existence. Well-remembered local businesses such as Shannons and Mackays are also pictured, along with sobering images of the aftermath of the Blitz and pictures of Greenock's legendary docks highlighting its shipbuilding heritage. Joy Monteith has written an engrossing narrative to accompany the pictures, making this book a must for anyone who has any connection with Greenock past or present. Old Greenock.
Old photograph of the High Street, Hawick, Scottish Borders, Scotland. Old Hawick. Dating from the thirteenth century, Hawick has a proud history as a market town and the centre of the Borders' textile industry.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Kilmarnock Cross, Ayrshire, Scotland. In Rambles Around Kilmarnock in 1875, Archibald R Adamson wrote " Kilmarnock Cross is most spacious, although of a most peculiar form, having no less than seven streets branching off it. In the centre stands a marble statue of Sir James Shaw, who rose from a humble position to that of Lord Mayor of London". The seven streets, in clockwise order starting from the north, were Portland Street, Fore Street, Regent Street, Duke Street, Waterloo Street, King Street and Bank Street, and just north of Bank Street, but opening more on to Portland Street than the Cross itself, Croft Street. The Cross looks completely different now. The heavy traffic in the town led to the redevelopments which saw all traffic through this area of the town being stopped completely. A complete redevelopment of the town in the 1970s saw some of the streets demolished, including Duke Street, Fore Street, Regent Street and Waterloo Street. The statue of Jimmy Shaw was at the Cross from 1848 until 1929, when it was removed and placed at London Road. Shops were built along the line of Fore Street's northern end becoming the Foregate, the Burns Shopping Mall covering the old Duke Street area, and the Bus Station and Multi storey Car Park replaced the Regent Street area. Some of these shops are built over the top of the Kilmarnock Water, along the line of Waterloo Street. In the town today there are statues placed on King Street to signify where the water runs under the streets. Another statue has been placed at the Cross now that it is free of traffic. The statue is of Robert Burns and John Wilson, the printer of Burns First Edition. King Street opened in 1804. King Street runs from the Cross over the Kilmarnock Water and on to the junction with Titchfield Street. Many of the fine buildings which were in King Street were demolished during the redevelopments in the 70's. These fine buildings were replaced by the characterless flat roofed shops which stand in their place today. Another two casualties of the redevelopments were the Town House and the King Street Church. These were also demolished at this time.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the Mercat Cross and Castle Street in Aberdeen, Scotland. Aberdeen's Mercat Cross was built in 1686 by John Montgomery, a native architect. This open arched structure, 21 feet in diameter and 18 feet high, is a large hexagonal base from the centre of which rises a shaft with a Corinthian capital, on which is the royal unicorn. The base is highly decorated, including medallions illustrating Scottish monarchs from King James I to James VII. Originally erected opposite the Mercat Cross, a statue of George Gordon, 5th Duke of Gordon, erected in 1844, was relocated to Golden Square.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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