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 shops, buildings and people on Ayr Street in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland. Troon is famous for its Royal Troon golf course, one of the hosts to the Open Golf Championship. Troon Harbour played a notable part in the development of the town for many years. It was home to the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company. Troon old railway station was one of the first passenger stations in Scotland as part of the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway. The Grey Lady of Troon. The Grey Lady is a tale or fable that has surrounded Troon for years. She was first sighted by Jason Grant, a local farmer, in 1873.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of cottages, houses, and people on Church Street in Mid Calder in West Lothian. This Scottish town is located on a steep hill overlooking the River Almond and Calder Wood, around 15 miles west of Edinburgh. The town has been on a major crossroads since its origin some time in the eleventh century. John Spottiswoode, was born in 1565 in Mid Calder, he was an Archbishop of St Andrews, Fife, Primate of All Scotland and historian of Scotland. He was the eldest son of John Spottiswood, minister of Calder and " superintendent " of Lothian. He was educated at the University of Glasgow, and succeeded his father in the parish of Calder in 1583. In 1601 he attended Ludowick, Duke of Lennox, as his chaplain, in an embassy to the court of France, returning in 1603. He followed James to England on his accession, but was the same year nominated to the see of Glasgow, his consecration in London, England, however, not taking place until October 1610. In 1633 he crowned Charles I at Holyrood. In 1635 he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Scotland, an office which he retained till 1638. He was opposed to the new liturgy as inexpedient, but when he could not prevent its introduction he took part in enforcing it. He was a spectator of the riot of St Giles, Edinburgh, on 23 July 1637, endeavoured in vain to avoid disaster by concessions, and on the taking of the Covenant perceived that " now all that we have been doing these thirty years past is thrown down at once. " He escaped to Newcastle, was deposed by the assembly on 4 December on a variety of ridiculous charges, and died in London on 26 November 1639, receiving burial in Westminster Abbey on 2 December 1639.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of people at the opening of the Bandstand in Govanhill, Glasgow, Scotland. Glasgow Corporation acquired land for a recreation ground at Govanhill in 1894. The original layout split the area in two, with one laid out with ashes to create an area for playing football and similar games and the other part covered with grass and with a small gymnasium. A shelter with toilets was built in the centre of the park, trees, shrubs and flowerbeds were planted round the edges and there were park benches set at regular intervals along the gravel paths. The bandstand was added in 1903. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Boy Scouts near Wick, Caithness. Scotland. Robert Baden Powell founded the Boy Scouts as an organization in 1908, a few months after the first scout encampment at Brownsea Island Scout camp in 1907. Baden-Powell got the idea from his experiences with the British Army in South Africa. To advance his ideas, Baden-Powell wrote Scouting for Boys for boy readership, which describes the Scout method of outdoor activities aiming at developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness qualities among youth. Many boys joined Scouting activities, resulting in the movement growing rapidly to become the world's largest youth organization.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of Glencairn Parish Church in Kirkland, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The Gothic style church was built in 1836 to a design by architect William MacCandlish of Dalry. James Renwick, born 15 February 1662, died 17 February 1688, was born in Moniaive, son of a weaver. He became a Scottish minister, and was the last of the Covenanter martyrs. After the covenanter John Blackadder had been expelled from his parish at Troqueer, near Dumfries, in 1662 he moved to Caitloch in Glencairn parish, where he sometimes preached to large assemblies. When the authorities heard about his activities, he was forced to move again, and began a wandering life.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
