This Week in Scotland
The 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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Closure of Scotland's Only Heart Transplant Unit
The heart transplant unit in Glasgow's Royal Infirmary closed recently
because the only qualified surgeon had moved to another post in England.
There was a storm of protest that transplant patients would have to travel
to Newcastle for their operation. Now three other surgeons at the hospital
have volunteered to change their specialties and train as heart transplant
specialists. The subject was debated at the Scottish Parliament (once again
being held in Glasgow) at which it was revealed that it could be nearly a
year before the unit is up and running again.
Scottish Councils Failing to Meet Recycling Targets
At a meeting of the Parliament's environment committee, Scotland's only
Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from the Green Party described the
country's recycling strategies as appalling. The government target is 25%
but Scotland's local councils, responsible for refuse collection and
recycling, achieved only 3.8% last year. A fall in the value of recyclable
material was said to be a major factor.
National Park Bill Approved
MSPs approved in principle the bill to create Scotland's first national
parks. Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and Cairngorms will be the first areas to
be given protection when the legislation is finally passed.
First Minister Recovering Well
Sir David Steel, the Scottish Parliament's Presiding Officer (roughly, the
Speaker of the house) reported to MSPs that he had visited Donald Dewar,
the First Minister, who is recovering from his heart operation. Sir David
joked to MSPs that "He is missing you - well, some of you - and conveyed
his best wishes to the Parliament". The First Minister has apparently been
watching video tapes of the "Blackadder" TV comedy series, including one
which takes place in medieval Scotland. The only problem is that they make
him laugh and that can be a bit sore on his operation scars.
King of Scotland - For A Week
Prince Charles (no, not Prince Charles Edward Stewart, the Prince of Wales)
mounted a charm offensive in Scotland this week. During a week-long spell
of engagements he gave a speech to the General Assembly of the Church of
Scotland in which he described his love of Scotland and the impact that it
had on his "spiritual development". He quoted Sir Walter Scott's words:
"What mortal hand
Can e'er untie the filial band
That knits me to thy rugged strand."
The Prince is the first heir to the throne to address the General Assembly.
He was there as the Queen's representative and his speech, covering amongst
other things, his views on environmental matters, received more than polite
applause. His engagements this week included visits to Glasgow where he
visited a church charity providing aid for Kosovo, a Samaritans office and
the Prince of Wales Hospice. The Prince opened the new Scottish Seabird
Centre at North Berwick and sailed to the Bass Rock, a volcanic plug which
is home to a large colony of gannets and other seabirds. He also held a
private dinner at the Palace of Holyroodhouse at which Camilla Parker
Bowles was present. She did not, however, attend any of the public
functions with Prince Charles.
Bad Vibes at Holyrood
Feng shui experts have pronounced that the site of the new Scottish
Parliament building at Holyrood is a disaster - and that the design and
location of the debating chamber is likely to induce sleep; whether it is
the MSPs or those in the spectators' gallery (or both) who will slumber is
not clear. Experts in the ancient Chinese art say that it is a "low energy"
site dwarfed by the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the nearby volcanic
escarpment of Salisbury crags.
Charter to Stub Out Smoking in Bars
Owners of pubs and restaurants were warned this week by the Scottish
Parliament's health minister that if a voluntary charter does not result in
smoke free zones on their premises, legislation will be introduced
compelling them to do so. The charter calls on licensed premises to create
areas where smoking is banned and provide proper ventilation to ensure that
they are genuinely smoke free. The moves come at a time when the giant
tobacco companies are trying to delay the introduction of a ban on
advertising cigarettes. The end of such advertising was originally
scheduled for last December. But the companies have mounted legal
challenges including an appeal to the European Court of Justice.
Luke-Warm Support for "Super Church"
Plans for a merger of the leading Protestant churches in Scotland got a
mixed reception during a four-hour debate at the General Assembly of the
Church of Scotland, being held in Edinburgh this week. The proposals made
by the Scottish Church Initiative for Union (SCIFU) were described by some
as "suicidal" but others said that pulling out of the SCIFU discussions at
this stage would signal that the Church was unwilling to debate ecumenical
union. In the end, by a margin of 54% to 46% it was agreed that the debate
would be allowed to continue by obtaining the views of the ordinary church
members. The proposals to amalgamate the Protestant churches come at a time
of declining church memberships, problems of recruitment of ministers and
church closures.
Shipyard Celebrates
There was delight at the BAe Systems shipyard at Govan this week when it
became clear that two roll-on roll-off ferries for the Ministry of Defence
would be built at the Clydeside yard. The order for six ferries had been
won by a German yard, threatening the future of the Govan operation as it
had no other orders in the pipeline. The Government had to be careful to
abide by European Union competition regulations but had been able to argue
that the Clydeside yard was of "strategic importance" for the building of
warships (which are not covered by the same regulations).
Cash Crisis at Edinburgh University
An investigation by the Association of University Teachers has revealed
that Edinburgh University, long regarded as one of the wealthiest in the
country, is struggling to make ends meet. And unless savings, including job
cuts, are made over the next few years, the situation will become even
worse. Funding allocations to the University are being cut and the merger
with Moray House has proved to be more expensive than anticipated.
Edinburgh University's financial out-turn for 1998/99 placed it 97th out of
169 UK higher education establishments.
Jenners Moving West
Jenners department store is an Edinburgh institution, which is hardly
surprising as it is the oldest independent department store in the world,
having been founded in 1838. Its rambling building in Princes Street is a
famous landmark (and any bright whiz kid who tries to "modernise" it will
kill it stone dead). But Jenners is now considering plans for expansion
and is reported to be negotiating with the developers of Lomond Shores, a
60 million pound "visitor experience" on the shores of Loch Lomond, to open
a branch there.
Scottish Criminal Records Office for Glasgow
A 30,000 square feet office block which has remained empty since it was
built two years ago at Pacific Quay, has been leased by the Scottish
Criminal Records Office (SCRO). Pacific Quay is on the south bank of the
Clyde and was the site of the 1988 Garden Festival. An Imax cinema and the
new National Science Centre are also being built at Pacific Quay and a new
BBC Scottish HQ will also go there if agreement can be reached on the
construction of a new bridge across the Clyde.
Celtic Weddings Make a Comeback
Traditional Celtic "hand-fasting" weddings died out in the Dark Ages,
superseded by Christian marriages as the Catholic Church replaced the
ancient customs. But recently, thanks to the Mel Gibson movie "Braveheart"
which portrayed Wallace and his bride in a handfasting ceremony in front of
a Celtic cross, the custom has been making a comeback. In the last year,
nearly 20 traditional Celtic weddings have taken place - but with one
change. It used to be that Celtic couples were married by having a cord
placed loosely across their hands. If they decided within a year that they
had "made a mistake" the marriage could be annulled. If they decided to
stay together, the placed the cord across their arms and symbolically tied
both ends. Hence the term "tying the knot".
Threat of Ferry Strike
Unions representing the officers on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services
to the Western Isles rejected a "final" pay offer at the beginning of this
week after two days of negotiations. Strikes would have disrupted essential
services to the islands, beginning this weekend. However, by Friday a new
offer was made which was accepted by the unions. But the threat of the
strike at the start of the holiday season and with a bank holiday on Monday
meant that many visitors to the Western Isles had already cancelled their
bookings, resulting in financial losses to the hotels and guest houses.
If Buses Run Early, Drivers Can Lose Their Jobs
The Government's Traffic Commissioners have told Lothian Buses that they
will not accept buses operating more than a minute early. So the management
of the bus company have warned drivers that there will be "severe
consequences" if they depart from bus stops earlier than the scheduled
time. Ultimately, drivers could lose their jobs. So if passengers see
drivers sitting waiting at a bus stop and not driving off, they will now
know why! But with Edinburgh's notorious, slow moving traffic, it should
not happen too often.
Mobile-free Zones on Virgin Trains
In an effort to woo customers (the rail franchises are coming up for
renewal in the not too distant future) Virgin trains are to ban the use of
mobile phones on parts of its train service. They will be the first to have
"quiet carriages" where ringing tones and loud voices using phones will
disappear. Surprisingly, Virgin Mobile, the telephone arm of the Richard
Branson empire, is said to have welcomed the development.
Waverley Misses the Boat
The repairs to the Waverley, the last ocean going paddle steamer in the
world, have been delayed by six weeks. This means that the Waverley will
not be available for trips "Doon the Watter" on the Clyde for most of this
summer season, including the traditional "Glasgow Fair" weekend. The ship
will now be out of action until August 18.
"Wee Spark" Launched
Last week saw the launch on the Forth and Clyde Canal of a one-third size
replica of the "Vital Spark" a Clyde "puffer" (small cargo ships which
traded in the Clyde and Western Isles for most of last century)
immortalised by Neil Munro in the "Para Handy" books. The replica is 25
feet long and was made by a heating contractor from Bowling, West
Dunbartonshire who is a member of the Forth and Clyde Canal Society.
Gartmore Residents Object to Christmas Trees
A plan by a conservation trust to plant a forest of Christmas trees near
the West Stirlingshire village of Gartmore, has been met with a storm of
protest from some of the local residents. They believe it will change the
landscape and cover land which is currently open space. The area is in part
of the proposed Lomond and Trossachs National Park and a petition has been
presented to the interim commission for the park. The owners of the land,
the Jensen Foundation, expressed surprise at the petition, claiming that
local residents had been consulted and that they had met all the issues
raised by the Forestry Commission and Scottish National Heritage.
27,500 Acres of Nature Reserve
The town of Muirkirk in East Ayrshire is about to become the centre of one
of the UK's largest sites of special interest (SSI) in order to protect the
country's largest population of hen harriers. There are 28 breeding pairs
of the blue-grey bird, with a wing-span of a metre or more, which has been
in decline across Europe in recent years. The Cairngorm mountain range is
the only SSI covering a larger acreage than the new Ayrshire nature
reserve.
Green Light for Exclusive Golf Course
Sutherland area planning committee unanimously approved the proposal by
tycoon Peter de Savary to build a second international golf course at the
luxury Skibo Castle and Carnegie Country Club. This establishment has
become a popular hideaway for the rich and famous - Michael Douglas,
Catherine Zeta Jones, Jack Nicholson and Mick Jagger are just a few of the
guests who enjoy the luxury of staying in a castle which was originally
created for Andrew Carnegie, the industrialist and philanthropist. A 454
acre farm is to be utilised to create the new facility.
Nessie Related to a Walrus??
A team of Swedish scientists who have carried out a sonic survey of Loch
Ness say that in addition to the expected sounds of eels, pike and trout,
there was a grunting noise which they identified as being similar to that
of a walrus or elephant seal. The survey was organised by the Official Loch
Ness Monster Fan Club which is based in Inverness, who believe that
"something" got into Loch Ness thousands of years ago and has evolved.
Weather in Scotland This Week
Lots of cloud, light showers and bright intervals over the country this
week. Daytime temperatures were mainly in the range 50/60F (10/15C) with
Leuchars recording the highest of the week, reaching 61F (16C) on Monday.
The Western Isles had some of the best sunshine with Lerwick recording 14.4
hours on Thursday. The outlook is "continuing changeable" (what's new?)
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HISTORICAL AFFAIRS - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
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Ravenstone Project
A Web site has been set up to advertise the plan to create a Building
Preservation Trust to restore Ravenstone Castle, in Wigtownshire,
south-west Scotland and thereafter other historic buildings, if that can be
achieved. Ravenstone is a 16th century 'L' plan building on 4 floors,
originally under the ownership of the Kennedys of Blairquhan. You can see
more of the castle and read about the project at
http://www.biton.uk.com/ravenstone/
Urgent Repairs to Castle Tioram
The proposal by the new owner of Castle Tioram to spend 3 million pounds on
converting the ruin into a habitable home is to be considered by the
Highland Council and Historic Scotland on 2 June. But approval was given
this week for emergency repairs to be carried out on the curtain walls of
the castle, which are crumbling. The castle was the ancient seat of the
Lord of the Isles but has been unoccupied since 1715 when it was set on
fire by the chief of the Macdonalds of Clanranald to prevent it falling
into the hands of the Hanoverian forces.
Secret Admirer Bought Balmoral for Queen Victoria
Newly discovered private papers show that Queen Victoria was able to buy
Balmoral Castle as a result of an inheritance of half a million pounds from
an eccentric recluse who was madly in love with her. John Camden Neild
never met the Queen, but he left her his entire fortune. Queen Victoria
negotiated the purchase of Balmoral four years later and because of the
legacy was able to buy the 17,500 acre estate, raze the existing castle to
the ground and build the fairy-tale structure which has remained the
private property of the monarch for five generations. The Queen planted a
pine forest and rerouted a public road to ensure her privacy and built
gardens, lawns and terraces. The private letters were written by Queen
Victoria's solicitor in Edinburgh, who negotiated the purchase from the
Duke of Fife.
Plea to Return Lakota Waistcoat
Glasgow City Council were this week considering a request by
representatives of the descendants of Rain in the Face, a Lakota Sioux
warrior who is credited with killing General Custer at the Battle of the
Little Big Horn in 1876. The descendants want the city to return a buckskin
waistcoat which is said to have belonged to Rain in the Face. It has been
in the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow since 1891 when it was sold to the
city council by a member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, which was
visiting the city at the time. The Museum returned a Lakota Sioux "Ghost
Shirt" last year, as the tribe persuaded the city council that it was of
religious significance to them. The head of Glasgow Museums is resisting
this new request as the waistcoat is of significance to an individual (a
descendant of Rain in the Face) rather than the Lakota people as a whole.
Visitors for Iron Age Village
An Iron Age settlement, which is 1500 years older than Stonehenge, is to be
opened to visitors next month. The huge site at Old Scatness is close by
Sumburgh Airport on Shetland and has been examined by a team of
archaeologists for the last 25 years. It is one of the oldest sites in
Europe and Historic Scotland have described the settlement, which dates
from 2500BC, as the best-preserved Iron Age settlement in Britain. The
stone buildings uncovered are largely intact and there is evidence that
some of the houses had two storeys. During excavations the most perfectly
preserved Iron Age house ever found in Britain was uncovered when the
ground gave way underneath the site supervisor and his leg disappeared into
a hole which turned out to be two metres deep. It turned out to be a room
in a house with a stone roof, The people living there were farmers and
fishermen and there are the remains of an old broch or watchtower. Viewing
platforms for visitors have been erected and guides will be available to
answer questions.
Where Size Matters
For over 150 years the height of all the brides who are married at St Cyrus
church in Angus has been measured by an antique measuring stick. The
reason? A wealthy landowner left a bequest as a sort of dowry, to the
tallest and the shortest girl married in the church each year. There is a
similar sum of money for the oldest and the youngest. When the custom was
first instituted the interest on the money produced a valuable bonus for
the winning brides. But poor investment over the years means that the
amounts given away each year are now modest - a mere 12 pounds (US$)19
each. But the local St Cyrus girls consider that the tradition is worth
continuing, even if the financial rewards are slight.
Hanged Man Discovered Under Stirling Jail
Archaeologists working beneath the Tolbooth jail in Stirling have uncovered
the skeleton of a man who had been hung there in the 19th century. The
Tolbooth was built in 1703 and has a reputation for being haunted. The
hanged man had been buried with his boots on - the remains of the soles and
heels of the boots had survived.
Sailing Ship Faces "A Big Bonfire"
The world's oldest clipper sailing ship, which plied the route between
Britain and Australia in the 19th century, is facing destruction. The s.v.
Carrick was launched in 1864 as the City of Adelaide and immediately cut
the journey time to Australia from 100 days to 65. She was renamed the
Carrick in 1923 and for 40 years was moored in the centre of Glasgow as the
headquarters of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. She was donated to the
Clyde Ship Trust in 1990 but sank in Princes Dock in a storm. The Carrick
was refloated and was moved to the Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine where
she has lain, slowly rotting away, ever since. The Museum has been unable
to raise funding for restoration and, despite its historic importance, the
museum trustees have now applied for permission to destroy the wooden ship
in "a very big bonfire".
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Monarch of the Glen in New Zealand
The popular TV drama series "Monarch of the Glen" is soon to be shown on
New Zealand TV. Based (very loosely) on a Compton Mackenzie novel, it
recounts the trials and tribulations of the new Laird of Glendarroch who is
torn between his life as a London restaurant owner and becoming a landowner
of a Highland estate which is losing money. There are plenty of romantic
interests too. It stars Richard Bryers and Susan Hampshire. The series was
filmed at Ardverikie Estate and castle, overlooking Laggan Loch in the
Cairngorms. There is a Laggan Web site, where you can see some of the
countryside and learn more about the shooting of the series at
http://www.laggan.com/index.htm A second series of the programme is being
filmed this summer.
The "X Files" Become the "Och Files"
David Duchovny, star of the X-Files TV series was in full Highland dress
when he arrived at the premier in Edinburgh of his latest film "Return to
Me". The tartan was Ancient Hunting McFarlane which he claims he has a
right to wear as his mother was a Scot, born in Aberdeenshire. The Prince
of Wales also attended the premier.
Edinburgh Festival Fringe Venue Saved
The six theatres in the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh's George Street have
been major venues for the Fringe events at the Edinburgh Festival for the
last twenty years. Recently, however, it has been in financial difficulties
and there had been concerns that it might not be able to continue to be an
important part of the Fringe. This week, however, the Scotsman newspaper
(which is based in Edinburgh) announced a 375,000 sponsorship package over
the next three years which will keep the facility open.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra Successes
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra has concluded a deal with the BBC to
broadcast the last night of their Promenade Concert series. The orchestra
has also managed to substantially reduce its financial deficit over the
last year, despite not being able to perform its concerts in Edinburgh's
Usher Hall which is undergoing a major renovation. The finale of the last
night at the Scottish Proms includes orchestral versions of "Auld Lang
Syne" and "Flower of Scotland". The concert in July is already a sell-out.
New Panoramic Cinema System
A Scot is hoping to take Hollywood by storm this summer with a new
panoramic cinema film. Unlike cinemascope, which required three projectors
and special cinema screens, Chris O'Kane's system uses one camera, 35mm
film - and a special anamorphic lense which squeezes the image
horizontally. When it is projected, it creates the same all-round effect of
a panorama film. The demonstration film, however, is far removed from
cinemascope epics such as "How the West Was Won" - it's subject is "A Trip
to Dunoon".
Footballer Takes to the Ocean Wave
Ex-Rangers player Ally McCoist who still plays for Kilmarnock, but who is
spending more time these days on TV as an entertainer, has been engaged by
the Cunard cruise line to mingle with the passengers on the QE2 in the
Mediterranean this summer. His wisecracking patter and more formal talks on
his football career (he scored 250 goals for Rangers, a club record) are
expected to entertain the passengers. Other footballers lined up for
similar duties are Denis Law and Alan Hansen.
Highland Games
Next weekend sees traditional Highland Games at Ardrossan, Blackford,
Carrick, Cornhill, Shotts, Strathmiglo and Markinch.
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SPORT
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Sunday Results
Celtic 2 Dundee United 0
Dundee 0 Aberdeen 2
Hearts 2 Hibernian 1
Kilmarnock 3 St Johnstone 2
Motherwell 2 Rangers 0
League Tables
The last games of this year's Premier League which were played on Sunday
did not affect the top two placings (Rangers on 90 points and Celtic on 69
points). Motherwell's shock defeat of Rangers was not enough to allow them
to steal third place (and entry to the Eufa Cup) as Hearts beat local
rivals Hibs.
Scottish Cup Final - Aberdeen 0 Rangers 4
Aberdeen goal-keeper Jim Leighton was carried off within five minutes of
the start of the game after diving at the feet of a Rangers player in the
penalty box. The clash resulted in a broken jaw. Rangers scored one goal in
the first half when van Bronkhorst broke through after 35 minutes. Rangers
then unleashed a three-goal barrage in the second half as Vidmar, Dodds and
Albertz all scored within three minutes of one another. That sealed the Cup
for them - the 100th major trophy in the club's history.
Who Will Be the Next Celtic Manager?
It is looking increasingly unlikely that Dutchman Guus Hiddink will be the
next manager of Celtic. His agent says that Hiddink is now a "long odds
outsider" for the role. It appears that the full Celtic Board would not
back what they regarded as the exorbitant cost of the package proposed by
the chairman to obtain Hiddink's services. The focus has now apparently
switched to the Leicester City manager, Martin O'Neill. But O'Neill, who is
reputed to earn 800,000 pounds a year at Leicester will not be cheap,
particularly as Leicester won the Worthington Cup and will play in the UEFA
Cup next season. O'Neill denies that he has been approached.
Larsson Returns
Henrik Larsson, who suffered a broken leg seven months ago, was back in the
Celtic first team last Sunday. He played the last 15 minutes of the last
game of the season. He was told this week that he has a place in the
Swedish national side in the Euro 2000 Championship this summer.
Hearts Make Loss
Heart of Midlothian Football Club have reported that as a result of not
being in European competitions this season and with no big income from the
transfer of players, the club made a loss of 1.44 million pounds (US$2.3
million) in the half year to 31 January. The Scottish Media Group invested
8 million pounds in the club last September and this has allowed them to
strengthen the playing squad and develop its youth policies.
Rangers Hall of Fame
As Rangers celebrated 100 years at their Ibrox ground, their chairman,
businessman David Murray, announced the creation of a "Hall of Fame" in the
form of plaques beside the marble staircase which leads to the heart of the
stadium. The Rangers players to be included will span 100 years and will
include such greats as Tommy Muirhead, Alan Morton, Willie Woodburn and
George Young.
Celtic Trust Established
A new group was formed this week which aims to campaign to have a
representative of the fans and the smaller shareholders on the board of
Celtic Football Club. The Lord Provost of Glasgow was elected trustee of
the new group. It is likely that similar groups of supporters will be
created at other Premier Division Clubs.
Cup Final Ticket Row
Some weeks ago Aberdeen Football Club threatened to take the Scottish
Football Association (SFA) to court because Aberdeen had been given a
smaller ticket allocation than Rangers for the Cup Final. The row erupted
again this week - because Aberdeen had not sold all the allocation which
had been made to them. The canny Aberdonians had been slow to take up the
tickets at a price of over 50 pounds (US$80). But the SFA said it justified
their decision on the allocation.
Claymores Cannot Dull Frankfurt's Stars
The Scottish Claymores suffered another defeat in the NFL Europe League
when they went down 31-30 to Frankfurt Galaxy in overtime at Murrayfield on
Sunday.
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SCOTLAND THE WHAT?
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Any Blue Will Do
On occasions, purists have argued that the blue background in Scotland's
national flag (the white St Andrew's Cross on a blue background and known
as the Saltire) should be a light blue rather than a deeper, royal blue.
But this week the Scottish Parliament decreed that "any blue will do" just
so long as it is clearly "blue". The heraldic description of the Saltire is
"an argent cross on an azure background". But heraldic colours are not
strictly defined and there is no officially recognised shade of blue for
the flag.
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SCOTTISH QUOTATIONS
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"Who will not sing 'God Save the King'
Shall hang as high's the steeple;
But while we sing 'God Save the King'
We'll ne'er forget the people.
Robert Burns in "Does Haughty Gaul Invasion Threat? Following a rumoured
invasion of Britain by Napoleon, Burns played a prominent part in raising
the Dumfries Volunteer Force. He wrote this poem around that time.
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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 50 different names. The URL is
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/weekly/aa070199.htm
Lamont
This name used to always be pronounced with the emphasis on the first
syllable, not as "La Mont" as it is frequently heard these days. The name
is of great antiquity in southern Argyll where the chiefs were known as
"Mac Laomain Mor Chomhail Uile" or "The Great MacLamont of all Cowal" -
there is an inscription in an old churchyard in Kilmun recording this. The
name comes from Logmaor, the Norse word for "law man" or "law giver".
Legend has it that the clan is descended the royal house of Dalriada and
from the O'Neill princes of Tyrone in Ireland in the 11th century. But the
first firm evidence for the name is in the early 13th century when
Laumanus, son of Malcolm, granted land at Kilmun and Kilfinan in Argyll to
the monks from Paisley Abbey.
In 1456 John Lamond was the baillie (a magistrate) of Cowal. The seat of
the chiefs of the clan (styled the Lamont of Lamont) was at Castle Toward,
opposite Rothesay Bay, south of Dunoon. Their territory stretched from the
edge of Dumbartonshire to Loch Fyne. Some Lamonts, however, moved to
Aberdeenshire and John Lamont from Braemar became professor of astronomy in
Munich in the middle of the 19th century.
In 1643, Sir James Lamont supported the royalist cause - which brought him
into conflict with the powerful Campbells. The Lamonts ravaged some of the
Campbell lands but after the defeat of the Marquis of Montrose, the
Campbells besieged the Lamont castles. The chief surrendered and although
the terms appeared to allow him and his family safe conduct, the Campbells
imprisoned the Lamont chief in Dunstaffnage Castle for five years and
massacred 200 clansmen. The clan never recovered from the ravages of the
Earl of Argyll. The last chief to live in Cowal was born in 1854. The clan
lands were sold in 1893 and the chief emigrated to Australia where the
present chief resides. A clan history of the Lamonts by Hector McKechnie
was published in 1938.
In more recent times, Norman Lamont was a Chancellor of the Exhequer in
Margaret Thatcher's government and famously took the UK out of the
European Exchange Rate Mechanism.
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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 few months have now been gathered together on a
Web page at http://scottishculture.About.com/library/weekly/aa111599.htm
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)
One of seven children, Doyle was born on 22 May, 1859, the son and grandson
of artists (his grandfather was a political cartoonist in "Punch"
magazine). He was educated at Stoneyhurst and studied medicine at Edinburgh
University. After a spell as ship's surgeon on a whaling ship, he worked as
a doctor from 1882-90 in practices in Southsea and London. But the success
of his early fiction encouraged him to give this up and devote himself to
writing.
His first short story was published in 1879. His early stories such as "A
Study in Scarlet" (1887) and "Sign of the Four" (1890) introduced Sherlock
Holmes and Dr Watson for the first time. Holmes was based on a forensic
medicine teacher at Edinburgh University, Dr Joseph Bell. The name Holmes
had been derived from the American author Oliver Wendell Holmes.
His "The White Company" set in the Hundred Years' War was regarded as one
of the outstanding historical novels of his time. But it was "The
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" published in the Strand Magazine from 1891
to 1893 which gave him immediate, widespread fame. He killed off Holmes in
1893 but he reappeared in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" published in
1902.
In 1896 Doyle became a war correspondent in the Sudan and he served as a
doctor in the 1899-1902 Boer War in South Africa. He was knighted in 1902
for his service in the war. He wrote a history of the Boer War which proved
popular at the time and as a war correspondent he later wrote an account of
the British campaign in France and Flanders. His interest in spiritualism
became known during World War I and he wrote a number of books on the
subject. In 1927 the Sherlock Holmes stories were published as "The
Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes."
Doyle was married twice and died in Sussex in 1930.
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SCOTTISH HUMOUR
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Many of the jokes which have appeared in this section over the last few
months have been assembled onto a separate Scottish Humour Web Page at
http://www.RampantScotland.com/SCM/humour.htm
Three Englishmen were in a bar and spotted a Scotsman. They decided to have
fun with him and one of the Englishmen walked over to the Scot, tapped him
on the shoulder, and said, "Here, my good man, I hear your St. Andrew was
yellow."
"Oh really, hmm, didn't know that," said the Scot.
Puzzled, the Englishman walked back to his friends. "I told him St. Andrew
was a yellow, and he didn't care." The second Englishman remarked, "You
just don't know how to set him off ... watch and learn." So, the second
Englishman walked over to the Scot, tapped him on the shoulder and said, "I
say, I hear your St. Andrew wore women's clothing!"
"Oh really, hmm, didn't know that."
Shocked beyond belief, the Englishman went back to his pals. "You're right.
He's unshakable!"
The third Englishman remarked, "Gentlemen, I'll really get him upset ...
just watch." So the third Englishman walked over to the Scot, tapped him on
the shoulder and said, "I hear St. Andrew was an Englishman!"
"Aye, I thought that's what your friends were trying to tell me."
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SCOTTISH POETRY and SONG
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The following poem is reputed to have been written in the visitor's book of
the Ben Nevis Hotel in the late 19th century. Ben Nevis and Fort William
below get some of the highest rainfall in Scotland...
Roll by, thou dense and damp pea-soupy shroud!
Do we thus reach the highest point in vain?
Roll by! we say, and leave behind no cloud
Our view to mar; but, should'st thou still remain,
Mark well the threat - "Never shall we come again."
If at first you don't succeed, try again:
Mist and rain you should not heed, try again;
When the clouds have rolled away,
And the sun holds glorious sway,
Climb the path without delay, come again,
All your labours he'll repay - grand old Ben.
We climbed thy stony sides, oh Ben!
We groped around thy cloudy head,
We peered and jeered and swore - and then,
In sheer disgust, we went to bed.
We toiled along with saddened hearts - and grief,
And found - ah, well, just mist and tinned Australian beef.
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BEST OF THE RECENT ADDITIONS TO RAMPANT SCOTLAND DIRECTORY
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Note that many of the sites which have been highlighted here each week for
the last few years have been gathered together into a "Sites in the
Spotlight" Web Page at http://www.RampantScotland.com/hot.htm
Gloves Off As Parliament Fights Mike Tyson
http://scottishculture.About.com/library/weekly/aa052400a.htm
Granting convicted rapist Mike Tyson an entry permit, to allow him to fight
at Hampden Park in Glasgow, has resulted in another fight - between the UK
Parliament in London and the new, devolved, Scottish Parliament. It was
claimed that "the will of the Scottish Parliament had been ignored" by the
Home Secretary. You can read the full background to the Tyson fight and the
political aftermath in this article.
Walk Scotland http://www.walkscotland.com/
Outdoor and countryside news, updated weekly. Archive material includes an
ever-expanding collection of day walks from all over Scotland, a section
for Munro-baggers and mountaineers with routes and reports, country
expeditions for backpackers and explorers, hilltop humour and jokes - and
lots of pictures of the wild outdoors of Scotland throughout.
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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
Caerlaverock Castle, Dumfries
Although Caerlaverock is away from some of the more frequented tourist
haunts, it is one of Historic Scotland's more popular castles. It is not
hard to see why - an imposing, historic castle, in a lovely setting,
surrounded by a moat and with marvellous views of the Solway Firth from the
battlements. From time to time, Historic Scotland also arrange for a
recreation of a castle siege at Caerlaverock - and the siege engines are
always there as a reminder.
Sir John de Maccuswell (Maxwell) built an earlier castle at Caerlaverock
when he was granted the land in 1220 but it was too near the Solway salt
marshes and the present castle was begun further inland in 1270, built on a
foundation of rock. The Maxwells stayed at Caerlaverock for the next 400
years.
Inevitably, located so close to the English Border, Caerlaverock was an
early target when King Edward I (the "Hammer of the Scots") invaded in 1300
when the Scots resisted the overlordship he had imposed. Edward arrived
with 87 knights and 3,000 men. The contemporary account of this great siege
is one of the most detailed to survive. The castle fell after a
surprisingly short siege and became an English stronghold during the War of
Independence until 1312.
The castle is shaped like a triangular shield, with a strong double tower
at one corner where the drawbridge was located. Archaeological excavations
in the moat have uncovered wood from the original drawbridge which has been
carbon dated to 1270. There was originally a round tower at each of the
other two corners but one has crumbled away. Inside the castle is the
"Nithsdale Lodging" built in 1634. This was at one time a well appointed
three-storey mansion, decorated with heraldic stonework associated with the
Maxwell family. Decoration of a different kind can be found south wall of
the hall in the gatehouse - Robert Burns' initials and the date 1776 when
he called at the castle!
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SCOTTISH RECIPES
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Mrs Janet Keiller made marmalade for the first time in Dundee in 1797 when
a cargo of oranges were going cheap, so it is not surprising that marmalade
features in a number of Scottish recipes. Here is one for a marmalade cake.
Ingredients (with US conversions in brackets):
8 oz self-raising flour (One cup all-purpose flour with baking powder)
2 beaten eggs
3 oz caster sugar (Three rounded tablespoons granulated sugar)
4 oz margarine (4 rounded tablespoons)
1 drop vanilla essence (vanilla extract)
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 teaspoon orange rind, finely grated
2 tablespoons milk
Pinch of salt
Method:
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the margarine until the
mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, half the orange
rind and then add the eggs, marmalade, milk and vanilla. Mix well to
achieve the consistency of thick batter. Grease a 6 inch round cake tin and
bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 350F/175C/Gas Mark 4 for around
one hour and twenty minutes until golden brown. If you have one, you can
check with a skewer until it comes out clean. Sprinkle the rest of the
orange rind on top and allow to cool for a few minutes before you turn out
on a wire rack to cool.
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PARLIAMO GLESCA
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A collection of the words which have appeared in this section have been set
up on a web page at http://www.RampantScotland.com/SCM/glesca.htm
This week, once again, here are some more words which are found as part of
Scottish place names:
"Bal" - in Gaelic the word "baile" means a town or a village so it crops up
in the names for many such places including Balnagowan (village of the
blacksmiths), Balquhidder (fodder village) and Balmore (big village - which
it is not!) and Balmoral.
"Loch" - the Gaelic and now Scottish word for a lake (the only lake in
Scotland is the Lake of Menteith near Aberfoyle, and that may have been a
cartographic error copying "lairg" meaning low lying ground). In addition
to bodies of water, there are places like Lochaber (still, stagnant lake)
and Lochgelly (clear lake).
"Ken" and "Kin" - derived from the Gaelic word "ceanin" meaning head and
found in such places as Kenmore (big headland) Kinlochleven (head of Loch
Leven) and Kinbuck (buck's head).
"Pit" - there are over 300 place names in Scotland beginning with these
three letters, particularly in areas previously occupied by the Picts -
such as Pitlochry. Scholars believe that it is derived from a word meaning
"a part" or "a share".
Scottie
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Rampant Scotland - the largest directory of Scottish links!
http://www.RampantScotland.com
About.com - a selection of the BEST Scottish links!
http://scottishculture.About.com
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