Old Photograph Morton Castle Scotland

Old photograph of Morton Castle near Thornhill which is located north of Dumfries, Scotland. This Scottish castle once formed part of a chain of castles along the strategically important Nith Valley, which runs from the Solway Firth north to the Clyde Valley. During the reign of King Robert the Bruce the lands of Morton were held by Thomas Randolph, later the first Earl of Moray. In the mid 15th century the lands were given by King James II of Scotland to James Douglas of Dalkeith, later Earl of Morton. The fourth earl of Morton was executed in 1580 for his alleged part in the murder of Lord Darnley, and Morton Castle, together with the earldom, briefly passed to John Maxwell, 7th Lord Maxwell, and grandson of the third earl. However, in 1588, James VI led an expedition against the Catholic Maxwells. Morton Castle was taken and burned, and returned to the Earls of Morton. In 1608 the castle was sold to William Douglas of Coshogle, who sold it in turn to William Douglas of Drumlanrig, later the first Earl of Queensberry. Following its abandonment in the 18th century, much stone was carried off until the 1890s when some repairs were carried out. It is now the property of the Duke of Buccleuch. History Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.



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

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Tour Scotland Video Thistle Chapel St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh

Tour Scotland video of The Thistle Chapel in St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to Edinburgh. The Thistle Chapel is the chapel of The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Scotland's foremost Order of Chivalry. The chapel was built in 1911 to designs by Sir Robert Lorimer, at the south east corner of the church. It is small, but exquisite, with carved and painted fittings of extraordinary detail. One figure depicts an angel playing bagpipes. The Order, which was founded by King James VII in 1687, consists of the Scottish monarch and 16 knights. The knights are the personal appointment of the monarch, and are normally Scots who have made a significant contribution to national or international affairs. Knights have included Sir Alec Douglas-Home, Lord Mackay of Clashfern and Sir Fitzroy Maclean.

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

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Old Photograph King Street Stanley Perthshire Scotland

Old photograph of shops, houses and cottages on King Street in Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland. Stanley is a village on the right bank of the River Tay in an area popular for salmon fishing. The village gained its name from Lady Amelia Stanley, the daughter of James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby. John Murray, the 4th Duke of Atholl, decided, in the 18th century to harness of the nearby River Tay to power a cotton mill., Richard Arkwright, an inventor of cotton spinning machinery set up a cotton mill in Stanley as well as one at New Lanark. Stanley Mills opened in 1787, and by its 10th year employed 350 people. The village was built to house the workers of the mill. Work on the village began in 1784. It was designed by the Duke of Atholl’s factor James Stobie. By 1799 the village’s population was around 400, and by 1831 it had reached around 2000 residents.



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

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Old Photograph Fairlie Scotland

Old photograph of houses and people in Fairlie on the eastern shore of the Firth of Clyde, in North Ayrshire, Scotland. One of the first records of the name was William de Fairlie who was granted a pardon by Edward III at Berwick in 1335 " for all the crimes committed by him in the war with England." King David I of Scotland appointed Sir Richard de Morville, a Norman, to hold land in Scotland. Thus he became High Constable of Scotland and Lord of Cunninghame, Largs and Lauderdale. This piece of land was later sub divided among Richard's relatives and friends, and, in the 13th century, the land of Fairlie was held by the Ross) family of Tarbert, the land to the North was held by the Boyle family and to the South by the Sempill family. According to ancient records it would appear that Fairlie developed as a fishing village, as it had a good, sheltered anchorage that was fully used in the 16th century. Weaving also began to help the prosperity of the village as the demand for Paisley shawls increased. It was in the late 18th century that John Fife came from Kilbirnie to set up business as a cartwright in Fairlie. His son William (born in 1785) founded Fife Yachts brought to international fame by William's grandson, also called William. Fife Yachts were built in Fairlie until well into the 20th century.



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

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Old Photograph High Street Carmunnock Scotland

Old photograph of a shop, people, houses, town hall and cottage on the High Street in Carmunnock within the boundary of Glasgow, Scotland. This ancient settlement which is associated with the early Christian missionary Saint Cadoc, has a medieval street plan set within the lands of an estate held by variously the Morays of Bothwell, the Earls of Douglas and eventually to the Lords, Marquesses and Dukes of Hamilton until 1700 when it passed to the Stuarts of Castlemilk. History Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to travel and visit one day.



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

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.