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 W P Bryden Shop on the High Street in Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Locational names were originally given as a means of identification to those who left their village or place of origin to settle elsewhere and the surname Bryden is mainly found in Scotland and Northern England. Phelippe de Briden of Roxburghshire rendered homage in 1296. William Brydonne, is noted in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1371.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of cottages and houses in Camphill, Beattock in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Beattock was historically served by the A74 road and the West Coast Main Line, however the road has since been upgraded to the A74 motorway and no longer passes through the village. Beattock railway station was closed in 1972. The Southern Upland Walking Way and the Annandale Way run close to the village.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of the church and cemetery in Kirkpatrick Fleming, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The name of this Scottish village is derived from the parish church, dedicated to St Patrick, and the Fleming family, the local landowners who resided at Redhall. The medieval parish kirk was given to Gisborough Priory in Cleveland by Robert de Brus, Lord of Annandale, around 1170, though this connection lapsed after 1330. The present church dates to the 18th century.
The surname Fleming is derived from the French, le Fleming, which indicates that the family originated in Flanders. The once powerful medieval principality of Flanders is now split between Belgium, the Netherlands and France. During the latter part of the twelfth century the Flemish were enterprising merchants who traded with England, Scotland and Wales. A distinguished Flemish leader named Baldwin settled with his followers in Biggar, South Lanarkshire under a grant of King David I of Scotland. Baldwin became Sheriff of Lanark under King Malcolm IV of Scotland and William the Lion and this office appears to have been hereditary for some time.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Old photograph of houses and cottages in Carrutherstown, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The Carrruthers family first came to prominence in Dumfriessshire as dependents of the Bruces of Lochmaben. Their influence steadily spread through the parishes of Dalton and Mouswald. The surname of Carruthers appears to allude to the ancient British fort called Caer Rydderch or Rythyr. In the thirteenth century the chiefly family of Carruthers rose to become stewards of Annandale under the Clan Bruce. Nigel de Karruthers was a cleric who was also Rector of Ruthwell in 1380, who rose to become Canon of Glasgow Cathedral in 1351. He was also named as chancellor to Robert, High Steward of Scotland in 1344. At around the same time the chiefly family of Carruthers acquired the lands of Musfald, now called Mouswald. The Carruthers of Mouswald line came to an end with Simon Carruthers who was killed in 1548 during a border raid, and his daughters were placed under the guardianship of the Clan Douglas. A notable member of the clan was Colonel Francis Carruthers who served in Egypt and in the Boer War. From 1915 to 1919 he was assistant director at the War Office. He was also a brigadier in the Royal Company of Archers, the monarch's body guard in Scotland, as well as being Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
Tour Scotland video of photographs of Drummond Castle and Gardens on visit South of Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland. This Scottish castle is best known for its gardens, often described as the best example of formal terraced gardens in Scotland. The castle comprises a tower house built in the late 15th century, and a 17th century mansion, both of which were rebuilt in Victorian times. The gardens date to the 1630s, although they too were restructured in the 19th century. The lands of Drummond were the property of the Drummond family from the 14th century, and the original tower house was built over several years by John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond of Cargill, from about 1490. In 1605 the 4th Lord Drummond was created Earl of Perth, and added to the castle. John Drummond, 2nd Earl of Perth, laid out the first terraced garden around the castle in the 1630s. The gardens were redesigned and terraced in the 19th Century. The formal gardens that you see today were replanted in the 1950s but preserve many of the original features, the ancient yew hedges and the remaining beech tree planted by Queen Victoria, commemorating her visit in 1842. The Gardens have featured in many films, TV programmes and adverts, most notably in the United Artist feature film Rob Roy and standing in for the Palace of Versailles in the Outlander series.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
