Old Photographs Jarlshof Scotland

Old photograph of Jarlshof the best known prehistoric archaeological site on mainland Shetland Islands, Scotland. The Bronze Age settlers left evidence of several small oval houses with thick stone walls and various artefacts including a decorated bone object. The Iron Age ruins include several different types of structure including a broch and a defensive wall around the site. The Pictish period provides various works of art including a painted pebble and a symbol stone. The Viking-age ruins make up the largest such site visible anywhere in Britain and include a longhouse; excavations provided numerous tools and a detailed insight into life in Shetland at this time. The most visible structures on the site are the walls of the Scottish period fortified manor house, which inspired the name Jarlshof that first appears in an 1821 novel by Walter Scott.

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Old Photographs Golfers Lundin Links Scotland

Old photograph of golfers on the golf course at Lundin Links by Lower Largo, East Neuk of Fife, Scotland. Lundin Golf Club, near to St Andrews the Home of Golf, is well known throughout the golfing world as a course of rare quality. Founded in 1868, on a Tom Morris course it was extensively redesigned by five times Open Champion James Braid in 1909.



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Tour Scotland Winter Video Sunset Isle Of Skye

Tour Scotland video of a Winter sunset on visit to Isle Of Skye, Scotland. Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly major island in the Inner Hebrides. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillins, the rocky slopes of which provide some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the country.

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Old Photograph Sollas Scotland

Old photograph of crofters thatched cottages in Sollas, North Uist, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. In 1849 Lord Macdonald determined to evict between 600 and 700 crofters from Sollas, of which he was then proprietor. They were at the time in a state of great misery from the failure of the potato crop for several years previously in succession, many of them having had to work for ninety-six hours a week for a pittance of two stones of Indian meal once a fortnight. Sometimes even that miserable dole was not forthcoming, and families had to live for weeks solely on shell-fish picked up on the sea-shore. Some of the men were employed on drainage works, for which public money was advanced to the proprietors; but here, as in most other places throughout the Highlands, the money earned was applied by the factors to wipe off old arrears, while the people were permitted generally to starve. His lordship having decided that they must go, notices of ejectment were served upon them, to take effect on the 15th of May, 1849.



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Tour Scotland December Video Windy Sunset Scone Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland December video of a windy sunset on visit to Scone by to Perth, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Photographs Holyrood Abbey Edinburgh

Tour Scotland video of photographs of Holyrood Abbey on ancestry visit to Edinburgh, Scotland. Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh. The abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I. During the 15th century, the abbey guest house was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Reformation the Palace of Holyroodhouse was expanded further. The abbey church was used as a parish church until the 17th century, and has been ruined since the 18th century. The remaining walls of the abbey lie adjacent to the palace, at the eastern end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile A small selection of my personal photographs shot on small group tours of Scotland.

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Old Photographs Kirkmichael Scotland

Old photograph of houses and cottages in Kirkmichael, a small village located in Strathardle, Perthshire, Scotland. This is the largest village in Strathardle. Known locally as " the glen ", the Strath runs for 13 miles from Glen Brerachean on the Moulin Moors to the confluence of the River Ardle and the Blackwater just east of Bridge of Cally. Other settlements along the A924 are Straloch, Enochdhu, Ballintuim and Bridge of Cally. The Ardle starts opposite the road to Glenfernate where the Brerachean and the Fernate meet and is bridged at Enochdhu, Kirkmichael, Pitcarmick, Ballintuim, Blackcraig, Cally Lodge and Bridge of Cally.



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Old Photograph Inverugie Scotland

Old photograph of Inverugie located on the entrance to the River Ugie just north of Peterhead, Scotland. Inverugie railway station station on the Peterhead branch of the Great North of Scotland railway which was closed to passengers under the Beeching Axe in 1965.



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Old Photographs Rait Scotland

Old photograph of cottages and people in Rait, Perthshire, Scotland. This Scottish village is located two miles north-west of Errol, in the Gowrie area west of Dundee. The former parish church, now ruined, was built in the Middle Ages, and abandoned in the 17th century when the parish of Rait was merged with Kilspindie. The remains of a prehistoric promontory fort lie to the east of the village. The 16th century Fingask Castle is located to the north of the village, on the south-facing slopes of the Sidlaw Hills.

Old photograph of Rait, Perthshire, Scotland. This Scottish village is located two miles north-west of Errol, in the Gowrie area west of Dundee.

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Tour Scotland Video Photographs Holyrood Palace Edinburgh

Tour Scotland video of photographs of Holyrood Palace on ancestry visit to Edinburgh, Scotland. The Palace of Holyroodhouse, commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the Monarch of the United Kingdom in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace has served as the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 16th century, and is a setting for state occasions and official entertaining. A small selection of my personal photographs shot on small group tours of Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Daniel Docherty Busking Dundee

Tour Scotland Boxing Day video of Daniel Docherty busking outside the Overgate shopping centre in the City Centre on visit to Dundee, Scotland.
The surname Docherty was first found in at Inishowen, in the barony of Raphoe, in County Donegal, Ireland, where they were a large and influential sept, and were kin to the O'Donnells. They were one of the principal Irish clans to resist the Norman invasion of 1170 and were known as the Lords of Innishowen directly descended from the distinguished Irish General King Niall of the Nine Hostages, who was descended from the Heremon line of Irish Kings.
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Tour Scotland Boxing Day Sunset Firth Of Tay Dundee

Tour Scotland Boxing Day travel video of sunset and storm clouds over the Firth of Tay on visit to Dundee, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Seagulls At Sunset Firth Of Tay Dundee

Tour Scotland video of seagulls flying over the Firth of Tay at sunset on visit to Dundee, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Carving Entrance Thistle Chapel Edinburgh

Tour Scotland video of a carving at the entrance to The Thistle Chapel in St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, also known as James II of England and Ireland. The Order consists of the Sovereign and sixteen Knights and Ladies, as well as certain "extra" knights, members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs. The Sovereign alone grants membership of the Order; he or she is not advised by the Government, as occurs with most other Orders. The Order's primary emblem is the thistle, the national flower of Scotland. The motto is Nemo me impune lacessit, Latin for " No one provokes me with impunity "

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Old Photograph Loth Scotland

Old photograph of Loth near Helmsdale in Sutherland, Scotland. The Duke of Sutherland's Railway opened in 1868, and stopped at Golspie. The Duke paid for the continuation of the line to Brora, thus ensuring a service for his home at Dunrobin Castle. The Highland Railway took over the running of the line when it was extended to Helmsdale on 9 November 1871, when West Helmsdale closed with Loth opening. The Highland Railway absorbed the line completely into their own network on 31 July 1884. Loth closed on 13 June 1960.



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Old Photograph Lonmay Scotland

Old photograph of Lonmay located between Peterhead and Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This Scottish village is said to be the home of the ancestors of Elvis Presley.







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Tour Scotland Christmas Day Video Sunset Forth Bridge

Tour Scotland Christmas Day video of sunset behind the Forth Road Bridge over the Firth of Forth, from North Queensferry, near Edinburgh, Scotland. A windy late afternoon in Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Christmas Day Video Walk Edinburgh Castle

Tour Scotland Christmas Day video of a walk on the esplanade at the historic Edinburgh, Scotland. This Scottish castle is closed to the public on Christmas Day. The first documentary reference to a castle at Edinburgh is John of Fordun's account of the death of King Malcolm III. Fordun describes his widow, the future Saint Margaret, as residing at the Castle of Maidens when she is brought news of his death in November 1093. Fordun's account goes on to relate how Margaret died of grief within days, and how Malcolm's brother Donald Bane laid siege to the castle. However, Fordun's chronicle was not written until the later 14th century, and the near contemporary account of the life of St Margaret by Bishop Turgot makes no mention of a castle. During the reigns of Malcolm III and his sons, Edinburgh Castle became one of the most significant royal centres in Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Christmas Day Video Tree St Giles Cathedral Edinburgh

Tour Scotland Christmas Day video of the Christmas Tree in St Giles Cathedral on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Christmas Day Video Walk To Forth Railway Bridge Near Edinburgh

Tour Scotland video of a Christmas Day walk down Hawes Pier to view the Forth Railway Bridge and Road Bridge on visit to South Queensferry near near Edinburgh ,Scotland. A windy Christmas morning in Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Christmas Eve Sunset Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland Christmas Eve video of sunset behind St Matthew's Church on visit to Perth, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Christmas Eve Storm Clouds Perth Perthshre

Tour Scotland Christmas Eve video of storm clouds over St Matthew's Church on visit to Perth, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Videos Christmas Eve Church Service Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of a Christmas Eve church service on visit to Perth, Scotland.



Tour Scotland video of a Christmas Eve church service on visit to Perth, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Videos Christmas Eve Carols Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of a choir singing Silent Night at a Christmas Carol Service in Perth, Scotland.



Tour Scotland video of a choir singing O Come All You Faithful at a Christmas Carol Service in Perth, Scotland.

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Old Photograph Mavis Grind Scotland

Old photograph of Mavis Grind a narrow isthmus joining the Northmavine peninsula to the rest of the island of on mainland Shetland Islands, Scotland. Mavis Grind is said to be the only place in Britain where you can toss a stone across land from the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Remains of a late Bronze Age settlement have been found close by.





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Old Photograph Ferry Boat South Queensferry Scotland

Old photograph of a ferry boat by the Forth Railway Bridge in South Queensferry, Scotland. This Scottish ferry was built in Dundee in 1861. There were ferries from South Queensferry across the Firth of Forth to North Queensferry in Fife until 1964 when the Forth Road Bridge was opened.



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Old Photograph Sorisdale Scotland

Old photograph of crofters cottages in Sorisdale hamlet on the Isle of Coll which is West of Isle Of Mull, Scotland.



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Old Photograph Ayton Scotland

Old photograph of Ayton in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. This Scottish town is located on the Eye Water, from which it is said to take its name: Ayton means " Eye town ". It contains the former ancient tollbooth, town hall with a clock tower. Ayton was the location of a coaching inn on the road between London and Edinburgh. On August 12, 1948 the Berwickshire region was hit by a calamitous flood when one third of the annual rainfall fell in just six days. The water flowed off the Lammermuir Hills causing the Eye Water and other rivers of the area to overflow and cause much damage.



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Old Photographs Dunardry Scotland

Old photograph of Dunardry near Cairnbaan, Argyll, Scotland. The ancient and unbroken chiefly line of Clan MacTavish are styled MacTavish of Dunardry, the Gaelic Dun-ArdRigh means " fort or castle of the High King ". It is unknown who built the castle of Dunardry, or even when it was built. The castle is marked on a 1634 Timothy Pont map. By 1686 it must have been in the possession of the Earls of Argyll. It was renovated in 1704 by Duncan MacTavish, and according to the 19th century historian G.D. Mathews, it seems likely it was later owned by the MacTavishes. Today nothing exists of the site, as it lies beneath the Crinan Canal seen in the above photograph. After the Battle of Culloden, some Jacobite Highland Chiefs treated their own clansmen very badly, transporting their Clan members off their land and, indeed, from their country. This was the period known as the Highland Clearances. The MacTavish Chiefly line, still seated in Dunardarie with their clansmen, were not involved in the " clearing " of their own kin, and no MacTavishes were put off the lands. After Culloden, a few of the MacTavish started to use the Thompson spelling. The Chiefly line of MacTavish, however, retained the name MacTavish and remained seated at Dunardry. Parish registers and family groups of gravestones in Argyll express the transition of the name from MacTavish to Thomson or Thompson. The photograph above shows Dunardry Locks on the Crinan Canal.

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Merry Christmas From St Andrews Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland video of a young Scottish Piper playing the bagpipes and wishing you all a Merry Christmas on visit to St Andrews, Fife, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Video Harry Potter Steam Train Glenfinnan Viaduct

Tour Scotland travel video of the Harry Potter, The Hogwarts Express steam train crossing Glenfinnan Viaduct on the West Highland railway line on ancestry to Lochaber, Scotland. Glenfinnan Viaduct has been used as a location in several films and television series, including Ring of Bright Water, Charlotte Gray, Monarch of the Glen, Stone of Destiny, and three films of the Harry Potter film series.

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Tour Scotland Winter Video Mountains Island Of Arran

Tour Scotland Winter video of the mountains on ancestry visit to the Island of Arran, Scotland. James, 2nd Lord Hamilton became a privy counsellor to his first cousin, King James IV of Scotland and helped to arrange his marriage to Princess Margaret Tudor of England. As a reward he was created Earl of Arran in 1503. The local economy for much of this period was based on the run rig system, the basic crops being oats, barley and potatoes. The population slowly grew to about 6,500. In the early 19th century Alexander, 10th Duke of Hamilton, born 1767, died 1852, embarked on a programme of clearances that had a devastating effect on the island's population. These improvements typically led to land that had been rented out to as many as 27 families being converted into a single farm. In some cases, land was promised in Canada for each adult emigrant male. In April 1829, for example, 86 islanders boarded the brig Caledonia for the two month journey, half their fares being paid for by the Duke. However, on arrival in Quebec only 100 acres was made available to the heads of extended families. Whole villages were removed and the Gaelic culture of the island devastated.

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Tour Scotland Winter Video Loch Shiel Lochaber Scottish Highlands

Tour Scotland Winter video of Loch Shiel on ancestry visit to Glenfinnan, Lochaber, Scotland. Loch Shiel is the location of the fictional Black Lake near Hogwarts in the film versions of the Harry Potter series. It is also the fictional birthplace of Connor and Duncan MacLeod in the Highlander series. The loch was also used in the filming of the movie The Master of Ballantrae starring Errol Flynn.

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Tour Scotland Video Christmas Carol Meikleour Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of a Christmas Carol being sung outside a pub on visit to Meikleour, Perthshire, Scotland.

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Merry Christmas From Perth Perthshire Scotland

Tour Scotland video of two young Scottish Pipers playing the bagpipes and wishing you all a Merry Christmas on visit to Perth, Perthshire, Scotland. Callum on the left and Jack on the right.

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Tour Scotland December Video Walk In Falling Snow Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland December video of a walk in falling snow by the Old Bridge over the River Tay on visit to Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland December Video Sleet Falling River Tay Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland December video of sleet falling on the River Tay on visit to Friarton Bridge by Perth, Perthshire, Scotland.

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Tour Scotland Winter Videos Edradour Whisky Distillery Highland Perthshire

Tour Scotland Winter video of Edradour Whisky Distillery by Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland. Established in 1825, the distillery was traditionally run by three men but now there are just two. Only twelve casks are produced each week. Edradour takes it water from a stream on Ben Vrackie called Edradour burn, and that stream, after two days of heavy rain in Scotland, was well filled with water today.



Tour Scotland Winter video of a drive to Edradour Whisky Distillery by Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland.

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