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.
Tour Scotland Video Autumn Leaves And Burn Highland Perthshire
Tour Scotland video of Autumn leaves and rocks in a burn on ancestry visit to Highland Perthshire, Scotland. A burn is a watercourse, in size from a large stream to a small river. The term burn is used in Scotland and England, especially North East England, and in parts of Ulster, Australia and New Zealand. Scots Gaelic has the word bùrn, which means " fresh water "; the actual Gaelic for a " burn " is allt, often anglicised as "ault" or "auld" in placenames.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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Old Photograph Barr Castle Scotland
Old photograph of Barr Castle, a late medieval tower house on a low ridge to the south of the village of Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire near Glasgow, Scotland. Barr Castle was constructed in the 15th or early 16th century. It passed into the hands of the Hamiltons of Ferguslie at the end of the 16th century. They retained the castle until the late 18th century, when they sold and abandoned it for a new mansion. Various inscriptions are carved into the fabric of Barr Castle. These include IW and MH on the pediment above the main entrance, IH and IC 1680 above the lintel at the head of the stair, and WO 1699 on the battlements. The carvings are the initials of various Hamilton Lairds of Barr, John Wallace and his wife Margaret Hamilton, John Hamilton and Jean Cochrane. Margaret Hamilton, eldest daughter of Allan Hamilton of Ferguslie, married John Wallace, second son of William Wallace of Elderslie. It was a term of the contract that the husband was to assume the name and arms of Hamilton. Accordingly on 9 July 1647 a grant under the Great Seal was made to John Wallace of the right to do so, hence the Hamiltons of Barr. Alexander Hamilton of Barr, great grandson of Margaret and John, was born in 1670. Listed as " of Barr, " his name appeared on the 1695 Poll Tax roll for Lochwinnoch. He was appointed a Commissioner of Supply for Renfrewshire the following year. Alexander died in 1747 and was buried in the graveyard of St John’s Kirk in Lochwinnoch. Alexander's grandson John Hamilton sold the estate to the MacDowall family. He died in 1825 and was buried in the family tomb at Lochwinnoch.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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Old Photograph Bridge Of Alford Scotland
Old photograph of the James Curr shop in Bridge of Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The Battle of Alford, near Bridge Of Alford, was an engagement of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, which took place on 2 July 1645. Having defeated Colonel Hurry at Auldearn, the Marquis of Montrose continued his raiding campaign in the Highlands. Fearing that Montrose intended to attack Aberdeen again, Major General William Baillie led the Covenanter army to cut him off. The two armies were roughly equal in size at about 2,000 foot, although Baillie had 600 horse compared with Montrose's 250, giving him a slight advantage. However, this advantage was negated by the effect of the presence of representatives of the Committee of Estates on his chain of command. This committee was the ruling body of the Covenanters, comprising the Earl of Argyll, the Earls of Crawford and Tullibardine, the Lords of Elcho and Burleigh from Perthshire, and Balcarres from Fife, who had all been involved in recent defeats by Montrose, together with a number of Calvinist clergy. It had the power to overrule Bailie's orders. Montrose took up a position on a low hill overlooking the ford across the Don at Alford. Baillie did not want to risk crossing the ford, seeing that his troops would be vulnerable to attack before they could form up for battle, but the Committee, urged on by Baillie's cavalry commander, Balcarres, insisted on battle. Montrose waited until the Covenanting horse was across the river, and the infantry was crossing, before ordering a general attack. A fierce fight ensued around the ford between the Covenant cavalry under Balcarras and the Royalist Cavalry under Lord Gordon. Montrose committed his reserves, a force of Gordon infantry, and the Covenant forces broke. The difficulties presented by escaping across a ford meant that the rout was particularly vicious. Covenant losses were about 1,500 of their 2,000 infantry, although much of their cavalry, along with Baillie, Balcarres and the Committee escaped. The Royalists lost several hundred men, including Lord Gordon. Nevertheless, the battle of Alford was one of the few bright moments for the Royalist cause in the aftermath of Naseby, only two weeks earlier.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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Old Photograph Skeldon Scotland
Old photograph of cottages and women in Skeldon by the River Doon in East Ayrshire, Scotland. The river flows 23 miles from Loch Doon, joining the Firth of Clyde just south of Ayr. Its course is generally north westerly, passing near to the town of Dalmellington, and through the villages of Patna, Dalrymple, and Alloway, birthplace of Robert Burns. The source of the Doon is Loch Enoch, high in the Galloway Hills. In the 1930s the Loch Doon was dammed to provide water to the Galloway Hydro Electric Scheme, today operated by Scottish Power. The Doon is mentioned in Robert Burns classic narrative poem " Tam o' Shanter ", along with the Brig o' Doon, which spans 72 feetacross the river, just outside Alloway. The river is also the major setting for his lesser known poem " The Banks O' Doon ".
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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Old Photograph Road To Bigholm Scotland
Old photograph of the road to Bigholm by Beith in North Ayrshire, Scotland. This name and surname, with variant spellings Biggam, Beigham, Begem, Bigholm is of Scottish locational origin from the old forty shilling lands of Bigholm in Ayshire and Dumfriesshire. The component elements of the name are the Old Norse " big " from " bygg " meaning " barley " or the Old Danish personal byname Bekki, large or stout, plus the Old Danish " holm ", a small island or piece of land surrounded by streams. John Bygholme was dean of guild in Edinburgh in 1428, and a Thomas of Bigholme was elected Magistrate of Edinburgh in 1456. On October 18th 1723, Mary, daughter of Robert Bigham, was christened in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, |England, and on May 5th 1803, Jean, daughter of James Bigham and Mary McCredy, was christened in Ballantrae, Ayshire. The birth of one, Margaret Biggam was recorded in Ochiltree, Ayshire, on November 12th 1856. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John de Bigholme, witness, which was dated 1426, Records of Edinburgh, during the reign of King James 1 of Scotland.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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