Old Travel Blog Photograph West End Biggar Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of vintage cars and shops at the West End of Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In the 14th century, the Fleming family were given lands in this area by Robert the Bruce, whose cause they had supported. This Scottish town is situated in the Southern Uplands, near the River Clyde, around thirty miles from Edinburgh along the A702. The closest towns are Lanark and Peebles. Biggar was the birthplace of Thomas Gladstones, the grandfather of William Ewart Gladstone. Hugh MacDiarmid spent his later years at Brownsbank, near the town. Ian Hamilton Finlay's home and garden at Little Sparta is nearby in the Pentland Hills. The fictional Midculter, which features in Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles novels, is set here. The town hosts an annual arts festival, the Biggar Little Festival. The town has traditionally held a huge bonfire at Hogmanay.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Clothes Worn By Sir Walter Scott Abbotsford House Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of clothes worn by Sir Walter Scott in Abbotsford House by Galashiels near Melrose on ancestry visit to Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders, Scotland. Abbotsford is the house built and lived in by Sir Walter Scott, the 19th century novelist, and author of timeless classics such as Waverley, Rob Roy, Ivanhoe and The Lady of the Lake. The garden is compact, fragrant, colourful and detailed. It is contained within high walls, with the facades of the house setting a scene which could be straight out of one of Scott’s historical romance.



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Old Travel Photograph Coutts Bakers Shop Tower Street Selkirk Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of Coutts Bakers Shop on Tower Street in Selkirk, Borders, Scotland. The people of the town are known as Souters, which means cobblers, shoe makers and menders. Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Marquess of Montrose and the Outlaw Murray all had connections with the town. Selkirk men fought with William Wallace at Stirling Brig and Falkirk, and also with Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn.

Coutts and Couts are English language surnames derived from the Gaelic language. The names are derived from the Gaelic cuilt, meaning " nook" . It also was a habitational name from Cults, Aberdeen, Scotland. William Coutts, a Coutts of Auchintoul, was a vassal of the Clan Macdonald, settled in Montrose, in the 16th century and became a provost of the town. The Coutts are associated with the Clan Farquharson.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Brahan Castle Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of Brahan Castle, situated 3.5 miles south west of Dingwall, Scotland. Brahan Castle was built by Colin Mackenzie, 1st Earl of Seaforth in 1611. Kenneth Mackenzie, a labourer on the estate, was a reputed seer who made a number of prophecies in the later 17th century. He is remembered as the Brahan Seer. The Mackenzies were prominent Jacobites, and took part in the Jacobite risings of 1715, 1719 and 1745. The Siege of Brahan took place in November 1715. William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth, was attainted, forfeiting the estate, which in 1725 became the headquarters of General Wade during his " pacification " of the Highlands. After the later Jacobite rising of 1745, the Mackenzies were the first clan to surrender, being forced to swear allegiance to the British Crown on the steps of the castle.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Colquhonnie Scotland

Old photograph of Colquhonnie in Strathdon, Scotland. In 1647, after evading pursuit for several months by constantly changing his hiding place, George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly was captured by Lieutenant-colonel Menzies at midnight, as he was retiring to bed, at Delnabo House in Strathdon. The capture was effected after a severe struggle with the ten gentlemen and servants who were in attendance on him, six of whom were slain in their efforts to defend him. On the news of his capture becoming known, about five hundred men under Grant of Carron assembled to effect his rescue, but Menzies, for greater security, carried him to the castle of Blairfindie in Glenlivet. Huntly, on learning their intentions, also sent them a message, dissuading them from the enterprise. When news of his capture reached the committee of estates, it was debated whether he should be immediately executed or reprieved till the meeting of parliament, and the latter motion was carried by one vote. After remaining two days at Leith, he was delivered up to the magistrates of Edinburgh, and sent to the Tolbooth. There he remained until 22nd of March 1649, when by order of the Scots parliament he was beheaded at the cross of Edinburgh. On being asked by one of the presbyterian ministers who attended him whether he wished to be absolved from the sentence of excommunication that had been passed against him, he answered " that as he was not accustomed to give ear to false prophets, he did not wish to be troubled by him." Although he refused to admit that he had acted contrary to the laws, or had done anything to deserve death, he declared that he freely forgave those who had voted for his death. His body was brought to Seton, and was interred in the burial place of that family.



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