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Scottish History

Amanda Moffet
Murder on Goatfell, Arran
In 1889 the body of Edwin Robert Rose was discovered on Arran's famous mountain Goatfell. The corpse had been hidden beside a boulder, behind a wall of rocks. His head had been smashed in. Edwin ...
Topics: Arran, Murder
Amanda Moffet
The man who escaped a hanging, a tale from Arran
While camping on the Isle of Arran we visited Brodick Castle which is on the east coast of the island. A castle owned mainly by the Hamiltons, it was used recently as a hunting lodge. In front of th...
Topics: Arran, Hamilton
Amanda Moffet
Lochranza Castle
Lochranza Castle on Arran was built in the 13th century. It passed to the Stewarts of Menteith and became a royal castle when Robert Stewart became King in 1371. In the 1450s the Tower House was...
Donald
The Tragedy of Mary Hamilton
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The well known ballad "Mary Hamilton", or "The Fower Maries" is a sixteenth century song about Mary Hamilton awaiting execution and telling the story of her downfall. Mary was a lady-in-waiting to a Q...
Donald
The Fyrish Monument
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On a hill overlooking the Cromarty Firth is a striking, most un-highland monument. It is a replica of the gates of Negapatam, a port in Madras (now Chennai) in South East India. Negapatam was origin...
Amanda Moffet
The Witches of Logie
This weekend we have been staying at the lovely Witches Craig campsite, just a stones throw (well maybe a few throws) away from The Wallace Monument at Abbey Craig. Next to the campsite are the remain...
Donald
The Gordons at Otterburn
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On the 5th of August, 1388, the Battle of Otterburn took place. This was a skirmish between Scotland's James, 2nd Earl of Douglas, and England's Henry "Hotspur" Percy, the son of the Earl of Northum...
Donald
History of Kilts Worn in Battle
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There is no documentation for the kilts we know today before 1575. There are many kilt like clothing that is worn with armour, like that a Roman soldier would wear. Or The Leine Croich or belted saffr...
Donald
Royal Middleton Roots
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Gordon Casely, a heritage consultant in Aberdeen, has inadvertently discovered that Prince William was a direct descendant of a 17th century Middleton from the small town of Luthermuir in south Aberd...
Donald
World's First Colour Photo of Tartan Ribbon
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This picture of tartan ribbon is pretty unique as it is world's first ever colour photograph. The three colour method, which is the basis of virtually all practical colour processes, was suggested by...
Amanda Moffet
McMummy - Chinese unearth 4000 year old mummy in a kilt...
A 4000 year old female mummy found in China has been identified as a Scot - due to its red hair and the fact it was wearing a kilt-like dress. There has been much debate about the origins of th...
Amanda Moffet
Urquhart Castle and The Magic Well
Way back in the days before Urquhart Castle existed in the days when the Great Glen was just starting to have settlers - perhaps some of our Urquhart ancestors before the name of Urquhart was even...
Amanda Moffet
Massacre Cave - The MacDonalds of Clanranald and The Ma...
The Isle of Eigg is situated in the heart of Clanranald country, this small ...
Amanda Moffet
£460,000 windfall for man who discovered Iron Age torcs...
David Booth an amateur metal-detecting enthusiast came across more than the usual tin cans and coins when he unearthed a collection of 2000 year old Iron Age golden neckbands in a field near Stirli...
Topics: ironage
Amanda Moffet
DNA proves Celtic hero Somerled had Viking roots
A leading DNA expert has shown that the celtic hero Somerled who was credited with driving the Vikings out of western Scotland was himself descended from a Norseman It had always been believed that S...