Old Travel Blog Photograph Askomil Campbeltown Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of houses and people in Askomil, Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland. William Mitchell McKersie who lived at Craigard, Askomil, was born in 1844. He was born into a Whisky Distillery family. His father, also William, was a partner in Lochside Distillery, Longrow, Campbeltown before becoming the owner of Albyn Distillery, situated on The Roading, Campbeltown. The Albyn Distillery passed to his sons, William and John. In 1867, William and his brother John bought another distillery, Lochruan located at Princess Street, Campbeltown which they rebuilt. William and his brother, whilst running two distilleries together, seem to have been quite competitive. William had the architect H E Clifford design his villa “ Craigard ” at Askomill. His brother employed the same architect and gave him the order that he build him a house like his brother’s, only better. William’s son, Jack, served with Princess Louise’s Regiment of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Two of his daughters, Marion and Jean operated a motorised field kitchen on the Italian Front. William’s wife, Marion, was awarded the MBE for her services to the British Red Cross. William Mitchell McKersie died in 1916 in Campbeltown.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Courting Tree Hunterston Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the Courting Tree in Hunterston, Ayrshire, Scotland. The Courting Tree was an Ash Tree located at the end of a footpath opposite a walled garden heading towards a Mansion House. It had its trunk carved out and a seat embedded into it. The original Hunter lands were Ardneil, or " Arnele " or " Arnell " or " Arnelle ". Ardneil Bay extends from West Kilbride towards Portencross on the South side of the Hunterston Peninsula. Ardneil is on the road between Portencross and West Kilbride. The old spelling of the family was " Huntar ", and the estate, " Huntarstown. " Hunter of Hunterston owned the estates here as early as the time of Alexander II, King of Scotland.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Road To Stevenston Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of the road to Stevenston in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The town is named after Stephan Loccard or Lockhart, whose father obtained a grant of land from Richard de Morville, Lord of Cunninghame and Constable of Scotland, around 1170. The town is first mentioned in a charter of 1240. The town's main link with Robert Burns is that Mayville House here was the birthplace in 1768 of Miss Lesley Baillie. Robert Burns met her in 1792 and described her to a friend as " the most beautiful, most elegant woman in the world ". She inspired one or two of his love poems, in which she is described as, Bonnie Lesley.



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Tour Scotland Travel Blog Photograph River Balgy Wester Ross

Tour Scotland travel Blog photograph of the River Balgy in Wester Ross, Scotland. The River Balgy flows from Loch Damh to Upper Loch Torridon. The mountain in the background is Beinn Alligin which rises to 3,232 feet. The Torridon group of mountains is one of the highest ranges in Britain and reputed to be among the oldest in Europe. The hills are formed mainly of Torridonian sandstone, with some exhibiting a topping of white quartzite and boulders of Lewisian Gneiss at the base. Other mountains in the range include the nine peaks of Beinn Eighe, and the seven peaks of the Liathach ridge. The Torridon region is one of outstanding scenic beauty and popular with hill walkers, photographers, geologists and naturalists.



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Old Travel Blog Photograph Redford Barracks Scotland

Old travel Blog photograph of Redford Barracks by Colinton located South West of the centre of Edinburgh, Scotland. Redford Barracks was built between 1909 and 1915 by the War Office and designed by Harry Bell Measures. When completed, the barracks was the largest military installation built in Scotland since Fort George in the Highlands. The British Army garrison in Edinburgh Castle formally moved out to the barracks in 1923. The Infantry Barracks was originally built to house an entire infantry regiment and could accommodate 1,000 men. It could provide everything the resident line infantry battalion required to function. The families lived in service quarters close to the barracks and the children attended local schools. The main barrack block itself housed the resident Battalion Headquarters, one Rifle Company, a Fire Support Company and Headquarters Company.



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

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