Old Photograph Winning Post Racecourse Ayr Scotland

Old photograph of the Winning Post at the racecourse in Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland. Horse racing in Ayr dates back to 1576, but the first official meeting did not take place until 1771 at a racecourse situated in the Seafield area of the town. This first racecourse was a mile oval with sharp bends. In the early days, racing was supported by the local landed gentry and members of the Caledonian Hunt. Important figures in the course's history have included the Earl of Eglinton, Sir James Boswell and the Duke of Portland. In 1824, Ayr's most important race meeting, the Western Meeting, was established and by 1838 it offered £2000 in prize money and the most valuable two year old race of the season in Britain. The meeting's feature race, the Ayr Gold Cup, became a handicap race in 1855 and is now the richest sprint handicap in Europe. Due to the small size of the track and limitations on the size of the paddock, a new site for the racecourse was eventually sought and in 1907, the course was moved to its current location in the Craigie area of town.



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Old Photograph Drawbridge Cawdor Castle Scotland

Old photograph of the drawbridge to Cawdor Castle located ten miles East of Inverness, Scotland. According to Shakespeare's 'Macbeth, Cawdor Castle was the scene of King Duncan's death, but Macbeth died in 1052, several centuries before the present castle was built. There is evidence to suggest that a building was begun on the present site in the late 14th century, but it was not until 1454 that Thane William of Calder received a royal licence to build a castle at Cawdor. He built a simple four storey tower house, which was later restyled with roof turrets. The iron gate was brought from Lochindorb Castle when it was dismantled in 1457. Tradition has it that the castle was erected around a thorn tree after Thane William was told in a dream to load his treasure chest onto a donkey and to build his keep wherever the beast stopped to rest. The donkey lay down beside a thorn tree and the area was cleared for the foundations of the tower. The remains of a tree are still preserved in a vaulted apartment at the bottom of the tower and carbon dating has shown it to be approximately 600 years old. The original family name was Calder but in 1510 Muriel Calder, aged 13, was forced to marry Sir John Campbell, son of the Earl of Argyll, and the lands and title passed to the Campbell clan. In the late 17th century Sir Hugh Campbell of Cawdor made some major alterations and additions to the castle, not long before he and his family were forced to leave Cawdor because of their Jacobite sympathies. They lived in Wales for much of the next century before returning as the Earls of Cawdor to work on the restoration and conservation of the castle. Cawdor Castle is still home to the Cawdor family as well as being a significant visitor attraction.



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Old Photograph Tram And Hay Cart Prestonpans Scotland

Old photograph of a Tram and Hay cart in Prestonpans to the East of Edinburgh, Scotland. When the monks of Newbattle and Holyrood arrived in the district in 1184 there was already a settlement named Aldhammer on the site of what is now Prestonpans. The monks gave the settlement their own name, Prieststown or Prieston. Because of the salt manufacturing carried out by the monks using pans on the sea shore, the town's name would later develop into Salt Prieststown and Salt Preston, and finally Prestonpans.



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Tour Scotland Video 7 Scots Royal Regiment Stirling

Tour Scotland video of 7 Scots Royal Regiment of Scotland in Stirling, Scotland. The 7 Scots Royal Regiment of Scotland marching on part of their Freedom of the City Parade Stirling. The parade began at Stirling castle at 11 am led by combined military and pipe band. The parade then marched down Broad Street before turning right and heading along Corn Exchange Road to the Albert Halls. The Parade the marched along Dumbarton Road to Port Street and finally up to Old Viewforth. The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of five regular and two territorial battalions. The regiment was awarded the Freedom of the city.

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

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Old Photograph Keeper of The Keys Castle St Andrews Scotland

Old photograph of the Keeper of The Keys at the Castle in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. On a headland by the coast stand the ruins of the city's castle, which was the main residence of the bishops and archbishops of St Andrews.



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