Rampant Scotland Newsletter - Issue 175, 19 August 00.
Glenallan
Your weekly insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from
the Scottish media - plus some elements of Scottish culture.
A Web version of this Newsletter, with some graphics and newspaper-style
layout is available at http://www.RampantScotland.com/letter.htm
If you have been passed a copy of this Newsletter by someone else, but
would like to receive your own copy direct from Scotland, just send an
email to sco...@cqm.co.uk with "Subscribe" in the subject line.
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CURRENT AFFAIRS
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Prince William for St Andrews
As the results of the "A-level" exams were announced in England this week,
it was revealed that Prince William has applied and been accepted for a
degree course in Art History at St Andrews University. He achieved above
the minimum level required and will start in 2001, after taking a year out
from studies. He is currently in Belize in Central America and is heading
for Australia. St Andrews is Scotland's oldest university, founded in 1412,
and it already attracts a large number of students from England. The town
of St Andrews has a population of only around 11,000 so during term time
the 5,000 students - and their boisterous merry-making - make a major
impact. His maternal grandmother, Frances Shand Kydd, has a home in
Falkland, 14 miles away. The Princes' housemaster at Eton College, who
comforted him after the death of his mother, Princess Diana, is a graduate
of St Andrews and may have been an influence on his choice. There was a
sudden increase in the numbers applying for the Arts History course after
the announcement.
147,00 Exam Results Rechecked
The shambles of this year's examinations for school leavers continued this
week as the Scottish Qualifications Authority tried to recheck the results
of 147,000 Higher grade papers. Candidates had missing and wrong results
and, with university entrance dependant on the results, there were delays
while the academic institutions awaited confirmation of results before
offering places in courses starting later this year. And in normal years,
when results are published, a number of candidates appeal the results based
on their earlier performances in school exams. That process is also being
held up until the validation checks on all the papers are finalised. About
10,000 students have incomplete certificates. A sign of the times is that
the SQA received over 5,000 e-mails from anxious students compared with
1,500 phone calls on the day the results were announced.
Scots Rescue Team Called to Russian Sub
The 15-strong underwater rescue team based at Prestwick in Scotland were
flown to Russia this week with their equipment and mini-submarine to help
in the rescue of the sailors trapped in the Russian submarine Kursk. They
were airlifted by a giant Russian Antonov transport plane on Wednesday but
would not reach the stricken vessel on the sea-bed until Saturday.
Lowest Unemployment Level for 24 Years
Figures published this week show that unemployment levels have not been so
low since March 1976. And in 1976 inflation was running at around 18%
instead of the present figure of under 2.5%. The number of people in
employment has also risen to 2,353,000 which is 35,000 more than a year
ago.
Scotland to Join Nordic Council?
The Nordic Council, an organisation covering Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is about to invite
Scotland to send a representative to their next major meeting in the Faroes
next year. The Nordic Council oversees co-operation between its members on
aspects such as energy, environment, fishing, education and
telecommunications
Greenock Attracts Luxury Liners
Efforts to sell Greenock on the Firth of Clyde as a port of call for luxury
cruise liners produced results in duplicate this week when the Crown
Princess and the Royal Princess docked within an hour of one another with
3,000 passengers. Two years ago the Clyde Port Authority appointed a New
York sales manager to promote the port in the US market. This year there
will be ten cruise liners calling in and next year 19 are already
scheduled. Excursions to Loch Lomond, Glasgow and Edinburgh and the Burns
Country are being organised so that the visitors can see something of
Scotland while the ship is in port. Greenock is the only west of Scotland
location capable of handling large cruise liners.
Setback for City Development
A mult-million pound development in the centre of Glasgow suffered a
serious setback when a decision of the City's planning committee was
overturned by the Court of Session in Edinburgh. It was argued that the
Council had not been given all the material facts involved and this view
was upheld by Lord Nimmo Smith. While it will delay still further the
prestigious development (opposite the new Buchanan Galleries shopping
centre) it is likely that the planning committee will still approve the
plans. Atlas Investments own 80% of the run-down property involved but
remaining owners had been holding out for sky-high prices for their
property.
Cinema and Leisure Complex Collapses
A 70 million pound project, by the entertainment giant Warner, to create a
multi-screen cinema and leisure complex in the centre of Glasgow, has been
abandoned. The local Scottish Enterprise company in Glasgow was blamed for
the failure as they were unwilling to agree to changes in the developers'
plans brought about by another multiplex cinema receiving approval and
pushing ahead with a 20 screen project in a better location in the city.
Ghostly Tours Cause Sleepless Nights
Residents in the oldest parts of Edinburgh are complaining about ghostly
noises and screaming ghouls keeping them awake at night. But there is
nothing supernatural about the clanking of chains in the streets. They are
part of popular tours of the narrow closes of Edinburgh which take tourists
to places such as Mary King's Close (where victims of the plague were once
sealed in as part of a vain attempt to stop the spread of the disease). Up
to a 100 people every night go on the tours - and the companies running
them try to give the customers a "realistic" experience of Edinburgh's
murky past with re-enactments of murders and crimes of passion.
Four More Castaways Quit
A family of four are the latest casualties in the TV docu-soap "Castaway
2000" programme. A husband and wife and their two children are preparing to
leave the island of Taransay on the Outer Hebrides where they have been
living with 30 others. The couple are Seventh Day Adventists whose
religious beliefs prohibit them from working on a Sunday. But they claim it
is the rows and arguments which take place constantly which has made them
decide to leave. The castaways have been on the island since January and
two other participants left at earlier stages. The next programme in the
series is scheduled to be shown next month on BBC TV.
Edinburgh Business Park to Expand
A further 220,000 sq ft of office space is the latest phase of the
development of Edinburgh Business Park on the edge of Edinburgh. Named
"Lochside View" it will bring the total amount of office space to 1.25
million sq ft, more than half of the projected 2.25 million sq ft announced
when the development started in 1992. Despite its success, the business
park still has access problems. A projected railway station is not yet
under way and there have been delays to a guided busway service to the
airport which would pass through the business park. Consequently, most
workers in the area commute by car, creating congestion at peak times.
End of Black Cabs?
The traditional black taxi is fast disappearing from the streets of Glasgow
and Edinburgh. No, the drivers are not giving up in the face of increasing
traffic congestion. It's just that they are becoming colourful advertising
bill-boards. Until recently, there were strict Local Council rules
governing the display of adverts on the body panels of taxis. But after
legal action by the taxi owners, taxis can now be totally covered in an
explosion of colourful displays for products such as Irn-Bru, Capone's
Wallpaper, the airline Easyjet and many others. It is predicted that in
Glasgow more than half of the city's 1432 taxis will become mobile
bill-boards - providing a lucrative additional source of income for the
taxi owners.
Convoy of Buses
A fleet of six buses left Glasgow this week bound for Kosovo where they
will help to provide vital transport links and medical services. The
drivers are more used to Sauchiehall Street than the motorway but they are
driving the buses all the way to war-torn former Yugoslavia. A Glasgow
based charity has provided the finance and some of the buses have been
equipped with medical equipment to provide care in remote villages.
Largs Blasts Off
The largest meeting of British rocket enthusiasts is being held at Kelburn
Country Park, near Largs in Ayrshire this weekend. 120 rocket builders will
participate in the workshops and events. Thy will learn how to build and
design rockets and will build a number of them for launching. The rockets
can reach a height of 2,000 feet although the real enthusiasts create
solid-fuelled rockets which reach over 6,000 feet - the record is above
14,000 feet. It is claimed that a club called the Paisley Rocketeers which
began in the 1930s is the oldest rocket group in the world.
A White Monarch of the Glen?
Breeders at a Deer and Farm Park in the Scottish Borders are hoping to
produce Scotland's first herd of rare red deer with white coats instead of
the normal russet colour. They already have 14 of the unusual creatures,
which are also known as "white harts". They occasionally occur in the wild
and were first noted in Scotland in 1621 by the Earl of Mar. Their ghostly
appearance led to stories and superstitions. In the wild, their white
colour makes them easier to spot as targets for predators.
Investigation of North Sea Coral
An international team of scientists is in the middle of a four-week study
to solve the riddle of the "Darwin Mounds" in 3,000 ft deep waters off the
west coast of Scotland. Hundreds of the mounds, measuring 100 yards across
and 15 feet high and are covered by a little-known cold water coral. There
is a theory that they have been caused by seepage from large reserves of
oil and gas beneath the Atlantic sea-bed.
Wristwatch to Save Lives
An Aberdeen electronics company has developed a watch which could save
lives at sea. It contains a locator beacon which is activated automatically
when the wearer hits sea water. Safe Marine created the device for offshore
oil workers but it could be used by anyone who goes to sea.
Knoydart Wilderness at Risk?
Plans to build a new slipway at Inverie on the remote Knoydart peninsula
are being resisted by some of the villagers there who fear that it would
allow larger boats to dock more easily and increase the number of visitors
to the area. Knoydart is one of the remotest areas in mainland Scotland and
the only way to reach Inverie is by boat as there are no roads there. But
other residents are backing the project. They point to the lack of
accommodation restricting the numbers who can visit there and cars are not
allowed on the peninsula.
Hedges Cut Down to Size
Fast growing hedges such as Leylandii conifers have become popular among
many house owners as a way to quickly create a screen between neighbouring
properties. Growing at more than a foot a year they can produce secluded
back gardens in a relatively short space of time. But if they are not
controlled they can create towering barriers which cut off the sunlight
from neighbouring gardens. As a result, they are a frequent cause of
dispute. Now the government is considering legislation which will allow
Local Councils to arbitrate and, if necessary, force house owners to cut
their hedges back to acceptable levels.
First Canal Tunnel for a Century
The Millennium project to renew the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union
Canal moved a step further forward last week when engineers created a new
tunnel which will connect the two canals. It is the first canal tunnel to
be built in the UK for over 100 years and runs beneath a stretch of the
2000 year-old Roman Antonine Wall near Falkirk. The new section will
replace a series of locks which linked the two canals. Instead, there will
be a 115ft high Falkirk Wheel which will raise and lower the canal boats.
Boy Survives 300ft Fall
A 12-year-old schoolboy from Edinburgh had a lucky escape when he fell more
than 300 feet down a steep hillside while visiting Dryburgh Abbey. He
landed on a ledge and managed to hold on to a tree above a sheer drop to
the rocks in the river Tweed below. A farmer on the opposite bank saw the
incident and emergency services were called via a mobile phone. When the
young lad was pulled to safety he was found to be only suffering from a
badly bruised leg and shock.
Dry Month for Scotland
The weather statistics for July, published this week, show that the month
was exceptionally dry. Many areas had only 25% of normal rainfall -
Aberdeen recorded only 15mm of rain over the entire month, the driest since
modern records began in 1951. The west of the country had above average
temperatures and sunshine while the east were below the norm on both
counts. The island of Tiree in the west had its sunniest July since records
began in 1927. For the three months May to July, Tiree equaled the record
total of 747 hours established in 1935.
Weather in Scotland This Week
Yet another very changeable week of weather in Scotland, with sunshine and
torrential rain following one another in quick succession. Temperatures
were in the range 17/21C (63/70F) at the start of the week but fresher
westerly winds lowered the temperatures a few degrees later in the week
with Edinburgh only reaching 13C/55F on Wednesday.
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HISTORICAL AFFAIRS - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
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1500th Anniversary of Scotland?
Although the records from 1500 years ago are a bit hazy, the Mid Argyll
Gaelic Partnership are celebrating the establishment of the ancient kingdom
of Dalriada in Argyll. The Scotti who settled there eventually overcame the
Picts who had previously ruled over much of the Highlands and parts of the
Lowlands in Angus and Fife. The capital of Dalriada was at Dunadd where a
fort was established and the kings were proclaimed. In the 9th century,
Kenneth mac Alpin became king of the combined Scots and Picts and moved his
centre of government eastwards to Perthshire and also incorporated the
kingdom of Strathclyde, creating modern Scotland.
Cromwell's Scots Slaves Remembered
In the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, thousands of Scots fought in support of
King Charles II against Oliver Cromwell. More than 3,000 died and 10,000
were captured. While many were later released, 150 of the Scots captured at
the battle were sold into slavery in the American colonies at 30 pounds
each. Nearly half of them were taken to a newly established iron foundry at
Saugus near Boston. Now, on September 3, on the 350th anniversary of the
battle, hundreds of descendants of these white slaves are gathering to mark
the occasion. Historical records show that the Scots were well treated - to
such an extent that investors in the foundry company back in London
complained that too much money was being spent feeding them! They were
freed after seven years and assimilated into the community.
This Week in History
August 22 1138 - Battle of the Standard at Northallerton in which King
David I was defeated by the English.
August 23 1305 - William Wallace executed
August 24 1305 - King Alexander II born.
August 24 1482 - Berwick on Tweed finally ceded to England (Edward IV)
after changing hands 12 times.
August 25 1776 - Philosopher David Hume died.
August 25 1819 - James Watt , developer of steam power, died.
August 25 1930 - Actor Sean Connery born.
August 25 1931 - Ramsay MacDonald formed a National Government.
For the other 51 weeks in history and a chronology of Scottish events see
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/bltimeline.htm
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ENTERTAINMENT
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World Pipe Band Championships 2000
The winner of this year's World Pipe Band Championships was Shotts and
Dykehead Caledonia who beat Field Marshall Montgomery into second place,
with last year's winners, Simon Fraser University from Canada, coming
third. The Best Drum Corps title was won by the Royal Ulster Constabulary,
who were 7th overall. There were 242 entries in the various categories from
Novice Juvenile to Grade One. At the end of the competition on Glasgow
Green, there was a grand march by the pipe bands in front of the Lord
Provost of the city.
Glasgow Green Festival
Two weeks after the final strains of the World Bagpipe Championships,
Glasgow Green will reverberate to music once again next Saturday. But it's
music of a very different kind as Oasis, Primal Scream and the
Stereophonics and another 60 bands blast out their rock and pop. If the
event is as successful as the organisers hope, the "Gig on the Green" could
become an annual attraction.
Premier Ends in Farce
The opening night of the Edinburgh Film Festival descended into farce when
the premier of "Dancer in the Dark" had to be abandoned as an electrical
fault stopped the projector. The start-studded audience included Robert
Carlyle and TV presenter Jayne Middlemiss, but not the star of the film,
Icelandic singer Bjork.
"Follow Glasgow's Lead" Urges Scottish Executive
A national cultural strategy published this week by the Scottish Executive
urged art galleries and museums throughout Scotland to follow Glasgow's
lead and allow free entry. The document also proposes moves to set up a
national theatre for Scotland, a centre for Scots languages and a boost for
the film industry in Scotland. It also sees sport as a part of the culture
of the country.
Youngest-Ever Conductor
Gary Walker, a former pupil of St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh, has
become the youngest-ever associate conductor of the Royal Scottish National
Orchestra at the age of 26. He will conduct about 20 concerts a year.
Launch from Museum of Scotland
A master boat-builder from the Fair Isle in Orkney has built a boat which
is typical of the area, called a Ness Yoal, in the Museum of Scotland. It
has been on display there but has now left the building - launched via a
ground floor window! It is being taken to a new home at the Scottish
Fisheries Museum in Anstruther.
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SPORT
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Sunday and Mid-week Results
Aberdeen 1 Hearts1
Celtic 2 Kilmarnock 1
St Mirren 1 Rangers 3
Kilmarnock 0 Hibernian 1
Motherwell 0 Dunfermline 1
Scottish Premier League Results - 19 August
Aberdeen 0 Hibernian 2
Dundee United 1 St Johnstone 2
Hearts 2 Celtic 4
Kilmarnock 3 Motherwell 2
Rangers 4 Dundee 1
St Mirren 2 Dundee 1
Scottish League Division One Results - 19 August
Ayr United 3 Airdrie 1
Clyde 1 Livingston 1
Inverness 2 Falkirk 3
Greenock 2 Alloa 0
League Tables
Hibernian are currently the leaders of the Premier League with 13 points
but they have played one game more than Rangers on Celtic who are both only
a point behind. At the foot of the Premier, Motherwell have one point from
five games and Dundee United one point from four games In the First
Division, Clyde, Livingston and Ayr all have seven points from three games.
Rangers and Celtic to Leave Scottish Premier?
Talks are under way with football clubs in other European countries such as
Holland, Portugal, Belgium and Scandinavia, about setting up an "Atlantic
League" which would attract lucrative sponsorship and TV deals. Rangers and
Celtic and at least one other top Scottish club would participate but it is
being emphasised that other clubs would be able to be promoted to the new
set-up. Discussions on a European League came to nothing a few years ago
but there appears to be more support for the current ideas. Even if
agreement is reached, it would be 2002, at least, before it came into
being.
Celtic Announce a Loss
The chief executive of Celtic Football Club announced this week that the
club had made a record loss of 5.9 million pounds in the last financial
year. He claimed that most clubs in the Scottish Premier League were losing
money and that one answer was the creation of a European League (see
previous item).
Albertz "Fed Up" Denying Rumours
Rangers player Jorg Albertz says he is fed up denying rumours that he wants
to leave the club. The midfielder is frequently in the press as the subject
of speculation about moves to other teams. But he is emphatic about wanting
to complete the remaining three years of his contract with Rangers.
Golf and Leisure Complex to Rival Gleneagles
A 1,000 acre site in East Lothian could be developed into a five star hotel
and three golf courses and health spa to rival Gleneagles. Sir Rocco Forte
is said to be close to concluding a deal to buy the Archerfield estate near
North Berwick. It is claimed that there is a lack of luxury hotels in the
area which is near to the championship golf course at Muirfield. Sir Rocco
owns a chain of seven five-star hotels, including the Balmoral in
Edinburgh.
Great Scottish Run
12,000 competitors will be running through the streets of Glasgow on Sunday
in the Great Scottish Run, which features both a marathon and half
marathon. It is 12 years since the event was last staged due to a lack of
sponsorship. Many of the participants will be running to raise money for
charities.
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SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS
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"O grant me, Heaven, a middle state,
Neither too humble nor too great;
More than enough for nature's ends,
With something left to treat my friends."
Poet David Mallet (1705-1765) in "Imitation of Horace".
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CLAN/FAMILY NAMES
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The clans and family histories which have appeared in this section over the
last few months have been assembled onto a separate Web site which now
covers over 70 different names. The URL is
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/weekly/aa070199.htm
MacGregor
The clan claims descent from Griogar, a son of Alpin, king of Dalriada but
some genealogists question this. The first chief was probably "Gregor of
the golden bridles" and his son, Iain Camm, succeeded as 2nd chief before
1390. Robert the Bruce granted the barony of Loch Awe to the Campbells and
this covered much of the land occupied by the MacGregors. As a result, the
clan were confined to Glenstrae.
In 1519 Iain of Glenstrae died without direct heirs and the Campbells
supported the succession of Eian MacGregor (who was married to the daughter
of Colin Campbell of Glenorchy). Eian's son, Alistair, fought at the Battle
of Pinkie but following his death Colin Campbell refused to acknowledge the
claim to the land by Gregor Roy MacGregor. Gregor was forced to wage a
guerilla war for ten years but was captured and killed by the Campbells in
1570.
MacGregors were involved in the killing of John Drummond, the king's
forester (after Drummond had hung some MacGregors for poaching) in 1589
and MacGregors took part in the Conflict of Glenfruin in 1603. With
encouragement from the Campbells, King James VI and the Privy Council
issued an edict banning the use of the name MacGregor. The clan chief was
hanged at Edinburgh's Mercat Cross in 1604. Many adopted the name Murray,
Graham, Stewart, Grant and even Campbell. The surname was not fully
restored until 1774.
In the 18th century there were disputes over the chieftainship but
eventually John Murray (later MacGregor) of Lanrick was recognised. The
MacGregors of Glengyle disputed this but eventually, following a petition
signed by 800 MacGregors, the Lord Lyon recognised him as chief in 1775.
Rob Roy MacGregor (he was forced to use his mother's maiden name Campbell
due to the proscription of the MacGregor name) was a younger son of
MacGregor of Glengyle. He took part in the first Jacobite Uprising in 1715.
Afterwards, his raids on Lowland farms and his prowess with the sword
earned him a reputation which was considerably enhanced by Sir Walter
Scott's romantic tales.
The MacGregor chief, Sir Evan MacGregor, played a prominent part in the
visit of King George IV to Scotland in 1822 and he and his clansmen guarded
the honours of Scotland (changed days from their former role as outlaws).
And it was Sir Evan who had the honour of proposing the toast to the "chief
of chiefs" King George, at the royal banquet in Edinburgh.
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FAMOUS SCOTS
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The notes on the famous Scots who have featured in this section of the
Newsletter over the last year have been gathered together on a Web page at
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/weekly/aa111599.htm
Alexander III (1241-1286)
Son of Alexander II, and a direct descendant of the first king of the
Scots, Kenneth mac Alpin, Alexander was born at Roxburgh in 1241.
On the death of his father, Alexander II (who died during an expedition to
recover the Hebrides from King Haakon IV of Norway) Alexander III was
crowned king at Scone in 1249 when he was eight years old. Two years later,
he married Margaret, daughter of King Henry III of England. He had been
engaged to her from infancy.
He became a strong ruler and as a result of his marriage there was little
conflict with England. He successfully defeated an invasion by King Haakon
of Norway at the Battle of Largs in 1263. Following this, the Treaty of
Perth transferred the Hebrides and the Isle of Man to Scotland from Norway.
As part of the peace-making, his daughter married Haakon's grandson, Eric
II - their daughter Margaret later became Queen of Scotland.
His wife died in 1275 and the death of his sons, David in 1281 and
Alexander in 1284 left him without a male heir.
Alexander married a second time in order to produce a direct heir. His
bride was Yolande of Dreux, but on 19 March 1286, within six months of his
marriage, his horse stumbled in the dark in Fife as he was returning to his
wife and he died at the foot of the cliff.
His grand-daughter Margaret, the "Maid of Norway" became Queen of Scotland
at the age of three. She was the last of the direct line of the House of
Canmore. She left Norway to come to Orkney in 1290 but died on the voyage,
before reaching Scotland, plunging Scotland into a long period of conflict
for survival as an independent country in the "Wars of Independence".
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SCOTTISH HUMOUR
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Many of the jokes which have appeared in this section have been assembled
onto a separate Scottish Humour Web Page at
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/blhumourindex.htm
Here are a few more comments on Scottish thrift. Despite this reputation,
the Scots donate more to charity per head of the population than any other
part of the United Kingdom...
Did you know that copper wire was invented by two Scotsmen fighting over a
penny?
It is said that Scotsmen go to a wedding with elastic on their confetti.
When a Scot takes a coin out of his sporran the Queen blinks in the
unaccustomed sunlight.
They heat knives in Scottish restaurants so that the customers can't use
too much butter.
An Aberdonian farmer and his family were trapped by a blizzard for a week.
A Red Cross helicopter arrived to save them and landed beside the house.
They knocked on the door and shouted "It's the Red Cross". There was
silence for a few moments and then came the classic reply: "I gave money to
you last year".
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SCOTTISH POETRY and SONG
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Traditional Scottish Songs
The words and music for this song are by the music hall singer Robert
Wilson. The Gordon Highlanders were a famous regiment in the British army,
but then, so were the H.L.I. and the Black Watch and the Seaforths!
A Gordon for Me
I'm Geordie MacKay of the H. L. I.
I'm fond of the lassies and a drappie forbye,
One day when out walking I chanced to see,
A bonnie wee lass wi' a glint in her ee'
Says I to the lassie "Will you walk foe a while?
I'll buy you a bonnet and we'll do it in style,
My kilt is Mackenzie o' the H. L.I."
She look'd at me shyly and said wi' a sigh.
Chorus
A Gordon for me, a Gordon for me,
If ye're no a Gordon ye're no use to me.
The Black Watch are braw, the Seaforths and a'
But the cocky wee Gordon's the pride o' them a'.
I courted that girl on the banks of the Dee,
I made up my mind she was fashioned for me,
Soon I was a' thinking how nice it would be
If she would consent to get married to me.
The day we were wed, the grass was so green,
The sun was as bright as the light in her 'een,
Now we've two bonnie lassies who sit on her knee,
While she sings the song she once sang to me.
Chorus
Meaning of unusual words:
H.L.I.=Highland Light Infantry
drappie=drop (of alcohol)
forbye=also
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BEST OF THE RECENT ADDITIONS TO RAMPANT SCOTLAND DIRECTORY
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Parliamo Scots?
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/blparliamo_index.htm
For nearly two years this Newsletter had a section called "Parliamo
Glesca?" in which defined in a light-hearted way many of the Scots words in
use today or found in poems and stories in the Scots vernacular. This new
collection brings them all together, divided into 18 categories from crime
and punishment to insults and "Windaes 98".
European Parliament UK http://www.europarl.eu.int/uk/links/mainframe.html
Lots of information on Europe and the European Union with links to the
Brussels Parliament and the European Commission's own Web sites. There are
fact sheets, news and press releases and information on the UK/Scottish
Members of the European Parliament.
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PLACES TO VISIT in SCOTLAND
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Note that the places to visit which have been highlighted here each week
have been gathered together into a "Places to Visit" Web Page at
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/weekly/aa081599.htm
Crossraguel Abbey, Ayrshire
Although the abbeys in the Scottish Borders attract a lot of attention and
visitors, the ruins of this Ayrshire abbey have a lot to offer visitors as
it is extensive and many parts are well preserved. It is also handy for
Culzean Castle and Country Park which is only a few miles away.
The name of this abbey may be from "Cross of Riaghail" (from St Regulus)
and there may have been an early Christian prayer cross on the site. The
lands were granted to the priory of Paisley very early in the 13th century,
on condition that a monastery was built there. The abbey's endowments
increased over the next 200 years and in 1404 it received confirmation of
its possessions in a charter from King Robert III.
The Abbey was established under Cluniac principles which emphasised
offering to God the very best - and that included places of worship. The
building became larger and more ornately carved and a large abbot's house
and houses for the monks were added.
By the end of the 15th century the king had taken the right to appoint the
abbots in the monasteries and in many cases the appointees saw it as an
opportunity to obtain a good source of income. The local Kennedy family
thus became involved as abbots in the 16th century, although their
abilities as statesmen and scholars also enhanced the abbey's reputation. A
tower house and gatehouse were built at this time.
The Reformation and the rejection of mass and the pope's authority in 1560
led to the destruction of many abbeys but Crossraguel was relatively
untouched. But the local Earl of Cassilis tried to take over the abbey - by
roasting the abbot over a fire until he agreed to sign over the lands and
revenue. The monastic life of the abbey ceased before the end of the 16th
century.
Visitors can wander around the 15th century choir building, with its ornate
carvings, the tower house and gatehouse (with its distinctive appendage).
There are stairs to the top of the gatehouse which offers a splendid bird's
eye view of the abbey and the countryside around.
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SCOTTISH RECIPES
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The Scottish recipes which appear here each week are all available at
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/blrecipe_index.htm
Scots Crumpets
These are soft pancake-like fare but made larger and more thinly than
pancakes. They can be spread with butter and/or jam and they are
traditionally rolled up before eating. The quantities below will make about
16 crumpets
Ingredients:
8 oz plain flour (2 cups all purpose flour)
2 tablespoons caster sugar/fine granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs, separated into whites and yolks
2 tablespoons melted butter
15 oz milk- a pint in the US is 16 fluid oz; a UK pint is 20 fluid oz.
Note: American tablespoons hold 14.2ml compared to UK 17.7ml
Method:
Beat the egg yolks and blend in the sifted flour, sugar, salt. Then add in
the melted butter and milk to make a thin batter about the consistency of
thin cream. Beat the egg whites to the soft peak stage and quickly add to
the batter, folding with a knife or metal spoon.
Heat a lightly greased gridle or a frying pan and pour in large spoonfuls
of the batter. Each crumpet should spread thinly to about 4/5" in diameter
and you may have to roll the pan to achieve this. When the batter is brown
underneath and slightly bubbly on top, turn and cook on the other side.
Keep them warm by stacking on a clean tea towel and eat soon after.
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DID YOU KNOW?
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Picts
The earliest known inhabitants of the Highlands of Scotland were called the
"Picti" or "painted people" by a Roman writer round about 300AD. They are
thought to have originated as Celts in central Europe and, as Bronze and
Iron Age settlers, moved into the area after the ice age. The Romans
identified individual tribes as the Caledonii and the Maetae. But apart
from late lists of kings written in Latin, they left no written record so
we do not even know the name by which they called themselves. They built
forts and left many carved standing stones with symbols as well as
narrative stories and representations of mounted warriors. A few items of
gold and silver jewelry have survived and some antler combs. None of their
weapons have survived - only representations carved in stone. Later carved
stones had Christian symbols on one side and narrative scenes and symbols
on the other.
In AD 83/84, the Romans under the governor Agricola, had marched up the
east coast of Scotland, establishing temporary forts. The Picts, under the
leadership of Calgacus, harassed the Romans but in the north-west the
Romans advanced inland. A pitched battle was fought at Mons Graupius
between 30,000 Pictish warriors and the Roman Legions. The Roman cavalry
outclassed the Picts and 10,000 were slaughtered (by Roman estimates).
In addition to the Highlands, including the Hebrides, the Picts spread into
Angus and Fife as far as the river Forth. The Picts were eventually
overcome by the Scots from Dalriada (largely Argyle in the west) who
themselves were under pressure from the Vikings. Kenneth mac Alpin may have
defeated the Picts in battle but around the 9th century they disappear from
the historical records.
Scottie
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