Tour Scotland Photograph Pluscarden Abbey

Tour Scotland photograph of the interior of Pluscarden Abbey located South West of Elgin, Moray, Scotland. In 1454, following a merger with the priory of Urquhart, a cell of Dunfermline Abbey in Fife, Pluscarden Priory became a Benedictine House. The years immediately preceding the Scottish Reformation, and those after, saw the decline of the priory. By 1680 it was in a ruinous condition. Some work to arrest the decay took place in the late 19th century but it wasn't until 1948 when restoration of the priory was begun by monks from the Benedictine Prinknash Abbey in Gloucestershire, England. In 1966 the priory received its independence from the mother-house and was elevated to abbatial status in 1974.



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Tour Scotland Video Kilchurn Castle

Tour Scotland video of Kilchurn Castle on a rocky peninsula at the north eastern end of Loch Awe, Argyll, Scotland. This Scottish castle was the ancestral home of the Campbells of Glen Orchy, who later became the Earls of Breadalbane also known as the Breadalbane family branch, of the Clan Campbell. It was built in about 1450 by Sir Colin Campbell, first Lord of Glenorchy, as a five storey tower house with a courtyard defended by an outer wall. By about 1500 an additional range and a hall had been added to the south side of the castle. Further buildings went up during the 16th and 17th centuries. Kilchurn was on a small island in Loch Awe scarcely larger than the castle itself, although it is now connected to the mainland as the water level was altered in 1817.

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

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Tour Scotland Video Scottish Country Dancers Village Fair In Scone By Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of Scottish Country Dancers at the village Fair on ancestry visit to Scone by Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. Scottish country dancing, a social form of dance with normally two or more couples of dancers, should not be confused with Scottish highland dance, the solo form of dance also seen in this video. There is a certain amount of cross over, in that there are Scottish country dances that include highland elements as well as highland style performance dances which use formations otherwise seen in country dances, but these are relatively few when the two dance forms are considered each as a whole.

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

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Tour Scotland Video Bagpipes And Highland Dancing Village Fair In Scone By Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of a piper playing the bagpipes for traditional Scottish Highland dancing at the village Fair on ancestry visit to Scone by Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. Highland dance or Highland dancing is a style of competitive solo dancing developed in the Scottish Highlands in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in the context of competitions at public events such as the Highland games. Highland dancing is often performed to the accompaniment of Highland bagpipe music. It is now seen at nearly every modern-day Highland games event.

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

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Tour Scotland Video Bagpipes And Sword Dancing Village Fair In Scone By Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of the bagpipes and Sword Dancing at the village Fair on ancestry visit to Scone by Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. In Gillie Callum or Scottish sword dance the dancer crosses two swords on the ground in an X shape, dances around and within the 4 quarters of it. In 1573 Scottish mercenaries are said to have performed a Scottish Sword dance before the Swedish King, John III, at a banquet held in Stockholm Castle.

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

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