Old Photograph Battle Of Largs Memorial Scotland

Old photograph of the Battle Of Largs memorial located one mile South of Largs in Ayrshire, Scotland. The Battle of Largs on 2nd of October 1263, was an indecisive engagement between the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland near Largs. The conflict formed part of the Norwegian expedition against Scotland in 1263, in which Hakon Hakonarson, King of Norway attempted to reassert Norwegian sovereignty over the western seaboard of Scotland. Since the beginning of the 12th century this region had lain within the Norwegian realm, ruled by magnates who recognised the overlordship of the Kings of Norway. However, in the mid 13th century, two Scottish kings, Alexander II and his son Alexander III, attempted to incorporate the region into their own realm. Following failed attempts to purchase the islands from the Norwegian king, the Scots launched military operations. Hakon responded to the Scottish aggression by leading a massive fleet from Norway, which reached the Hebrides in the summer of 1263. By the end of September, Hakon's fleet occupied the Firth of Clyde, and when negotiations between the kingdoms broke down, he brought the bulk of his fleet to anchor off The Cumbraes.

On the night of 30 September, during a bout of particularly stormy weather, several Norwegian vessels were driven aground on the Ayrshire coast, near the present-day town of Largs. On 2 October, while the Norwegians were salvaging their vessels, the main Scottish army arrived on the scene. Composed of infantry and cavalry, the Scottish force was commanded by Alexander of Dundonald, Steward of Scotland. The Norwegians were gathered in two groups: the larger main force on the beach and a small contingent atop a nearby mound. The advance of the Scots threatened to divide the Norwegian forces, so the contingent upon the mound ran to rejoin their comrades on the beach below. Seeing them running from the mound, the Norwegians on the beach believed they were retreating, and fled back towards the ships. Fierce fighting took place on the beach, and the Scots took up a position on the mound formerly held by the Norwegians. Late in the day, after several hours of skirmishing, the Norwegians were able to recapture the mound. The Scots withdrew from the scene and the Norwegians were able to reboard their ships. They returned the next morning to collect their dead.

The weather was deteriorating, and Hakon's demoralised forces turned for home. Hakon's campaign had failed to maintain Norwegian overlordship of the seaboard, and his native magnates, left to fend for themselves, were soon forced to submit to the Scots. Three years after the battle, with the conclusion of the Treaty of Perth, Magnus Hakonarson, King of Norway ceded Scotland's western seaboard to Alexander III, and thus the centuries-old territorial dispute between the consolidating kingdoms was at last settled.


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Old Photograph Scoonie Burn Leven Fife Scotland

Old photograph of children in Scoonie Burn in Leven, Fife, Scotland. Burn is a Scots word for a small river. Dr Douglas Haig McIntosh was born in Leven, Fife on 9 September 1917, and, in what was perhaps a patriotic fever during the First World War, named after Douglas Haig, Lord Haig, the commanding officer of the British Army. He studied Science at St Andrews University graduating MA BSc in 1938 and joining the staff of the Meteorology Department at Edinburgh University. Interrupted by the Second World War he became a meteorological forecaster for RAF Coastal Command in Scotland before being posted to Calcutta in India as Senior Meteorological Officer. In 1944 he became Deputy Chief Meteorological Officer for all of SE Asia, with the notional rank of Squadron Leader. After the war he was based in Germany from 1947 to 1950. He returned to the Edinburgh Meteorological Office in 1950. In 1953 he joined the Eskdalemuir Observatory for two years, returning to Edinburgh in 1955 as Head of the Meteorological Department of Edinburgh University. In 1955 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were C. T. R. Wilson, James Paton, Mervyn A. Ellison, and Sir Ernest Wedderburn. Edinburgh University awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1960. He retired in 1982 and died in Edinburgh on 3 March 1993.



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Old Photograph Drawing Room Cawdor Castle Scotland

Old photograph of a drawing room in Cawdor Castle located ten miles East of Inverness, Scotland. The name of Cawdor still connects the castle to Shakespeare's play Macbeth. However, the story portrayed by Shakespeare takes extensive liberties with history. In the play, Shakespeare has three witches foretell that Macbeth, then Thane of Glamis, would become Thane of Cawdor and King thereafter. Duncan almost immediately makes Macbeth Thane of Cawdor, after which Macbeth and his Lady plot the murder of Duncan in order to fulfil the prophecy. Duncan is killed in his sleep, at Macbeth's castle in Inverness, an act that leads to Macbeth's ultimate downfall. The historical King Macbeth ruled Scotland from 1040 to 1057, after his forces killed King Duncan I in battle near Elgin. Macbeth was never Thane of Cawdor, this being an invention of the 15th century writer Hector Boece. Moreover, Cawdor Castle did not exist during the lifetimes of Macbeth or Duncan, and it is never explicitly mentioned in the play.



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Old Photograph Dining Room Cawdor Castle Scotland

Old photograph of a dining room in Cawdor Castle located ten miles East of Inverness, Scotland. A stone fireplace was installed in the dining room on the 13th of April 1671. The mantelpiece commemorates the marriage between Sir John Campbell of Argyll and Muriel Calder of Cawdor in 1510. Sir John Campbell died in the spring of 1546. Muriel, survived him by almost 30 years. Her eldest son was dead. So upon her death in 1575, the Thanedom passed to her grandson, John Campbell. He later sold part of his estate to Lord Lovat to purchase Islay, an island off the west coast of Scotland just below the Firth of Lorn. On February 4, 1591, he was murdered by a neighbour. During 1660 through 1670 the castle was owned by Sir Hugh Campbell. The land remained in possession of his descendants until 1726, when it was purchased by Duncan Campbell of Shawfield.


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Old Photograph Woman Bicycle Perth Perthshire Scotland

Old photograph of a woman with a bicycle outside a house in Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.



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