Blog Posts - John's Scottish History Pages

Scotland's Royal Landscapes

30/8/2018

it is always gratifying when 'the work' is cited by other people or otherwise made use of. And it is particularly so when this is in 'official' documents, so that new research results become more readily available, a recognised part of Scotland's history.
It is not usually appropriate to put material on this site which is drawn directly from work I do for others - such as Historic Environment Scotland or National Trust for Scotland. But, as HES have now cited material on their own websites, here we go!

This website is now cited in the Statement of Significance for Holyrood Park, recognising that the article on Scotland's Royal Landscapes sets Holyrood in its wider context and modifies earlier views of the history of this nationally important site; for that see
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=e1a38947-6fa5-4f6a-887a-a57000d19aa0

The corresponding Statement of Significance for Stirling King's Park also cites this website but also work I earlier did for HES. For that see:
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationid=b1942a54-029b-43d9-8732-a8b1010acf46

Conference in Rambouillet

24/5/2017

It's always encouraging to be asked to speak at Conferences as it suggests that, someone, somewhere, thinks the work is worth hearing about. And to be asked to speak at one in France is even more pleasing.

So, I will be whizzing off to Rambouillet, outside Paris, for a conference on Marie de Guise to be held on 16th June. I know several of the other speakers so it will be a chance to catch up with old friends - indeed, with some young friends.

I am attaching the Poster and the day's programme - they certainly do things in style with the event taking place in the Palais du Roi de Rome!

Ben Lawers Historic Landscape Project

7/1/2017

It does not just seem a long time since I was deeply immersed in the Ben Lawers Historic Landscape Project. It IS a long time - over ten years!
It was perhaps the biggest project ever organised in Scotland to integrate archaeological, historical and environmental investigations at a landscape scale.
Unfortunately, publication has turned out to be a slow process - for all sorts of frustrating reasons. Some papers have crept out over the years. But, at length, the major publication has appeared.
It is published on SAIR (Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports) and is available to download FREE at
http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/sair/contents.cfm?vol=62

Another Site Update

23/10/2016

Not quite as quickly as I had hoped but here is another update with version 2 of my Royal Landscapes paper on the Reports page of the website.

I have been very conscious, for some time, that there has been a good deal of work done on royal landscapes since I first posted my paper and this is now noted along with some other amendments and updates.

John Gilbert has published important work on Falkland; in part he agrees with what I said (which is gratifying) and elsewhere he shows that I was wrong - which is how research proceeds and progress is made.

And Marilyn Brown has published her major work on Scottish gardens - I had had the benefit of discussions with her before the last version of the paper but it is a pleasure to acknowledge her work here.

Less positively, Stirling Council have taken over ownership of much of the Stirling Park - and have got their bulldozers to work on short order. In so far as my work helped with the argument that the landscapes should be taken from Crown control, I am beginning to regret it. Neglect was, surely, preferable to officially-endorsed vandalism?

A busy year - so far!

3/10/2016

I am very conscious that the site has not been updated much recently. The very positive explanation is that I have been very busy.

The year started out with a big research programme for Historic Environment Scotland on Linlithgow Palace - concentrating on how it was used rather than on structure. And there were certainly some interesting findings.

Then came another palace - this time Falkland for the National Trust for Scotland - and that has just gone in. Some new material there too - especially for the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Both those will actually be used in connection with other, ongoing studies - it's when it is all put together that things get really interesting.

And meanwhile (lectures through the summer to one side) I have been asked to write 'a chapter' on farming in the Stirling area 1500 to 1750. The greatest difficulty about that is squeezing the vast mass of diverse information into the space allowed. Especially when, as I started to ponder it, I was tempted to go back to the Archives and have dug up yet more information - some of which is forcing me to revise some of the old ideas.

Of course, not use whatever just regurgitating the old ideas, what we have known for years. So, 'a challenge' - as they say!

And there will be another update, fairly soon. Some new 'news' to announce. Perhaps next week?

Bannockburn 2014

11/5/2016

Just when you thought it was safe to raise your head, here it comes again!

The seven hundredth anniversary of the battle in 2014 resulted in a good deal of noise - and some real, concrete research.

I was pleased to be involved in some of that, specifically work on the landscapes of the battle working with Dr Richard Tipping of Stirling University and others.

The results of our labours - most visibly manifest in the 'Battle Map' over which the mock battle is now fought at the new Bannockburn Heritage Centre - have now appeared in the form of a chapter in a newly published book.

Richard Tipping, Aden Beresford, Gordon Cook, Derek Hamilton, John G. Harrison, Jason Jordan, Paul Ledger, Dmitri Mauquoy, John McArthur, Stuart Morrison, Danny Paterson, Nicola Russell and David Smith, 2016. 'Landscape Dynamics and Climate Change as Agents at the Battle of Bannockburn' 111-128, in M. Penman (ed) 2016, Bannockburn, 1314-2014: Battle & Legacy, Proceedings of the 2014 Stirling Conference, Shaun Tyas, Donington.

One of the things which struck me at the time - and strikes even more forcibly now - is that the battle was not just the events on the two days in 1314 nor just the political and military consequences which flowed directly from those two days. It continues to have cultural significance to this day. That is one of the aspects which is brought out in the book, with chapters ranging across topics such as the significance of Stirling Castle in the battle, recruitment to the English army and the continuing memorialisation of the battle both at the 'site' and in books and publications.

This, as you would expect, is a serious academic tome (and costs £35 though it should soon be available in libraries). Let's hope that it's ideas get into wider circulation and begin to inform some of the more 'popular' histories and tales about the battle!

History Scotland Article

17/4/2016

It's been a long time since the last blog post - and the excuse must be the best one, that I have been very busy indeed. In fact, with a major job taking up the first three months of the year, and another one waiting to follow on its heels, there has been little breathing space.
But, some time ago, I was asked to write a piece about the Stirling Castle Palace Project. And, as I had some new 'thoughts' on sixteenth century Scots court protocol, I agreed.

The piece is now 'out' in History Scotland Magazine - an important vehicle for communicating with a general interest audience. So, if the relationship of politics, culture and architecture are 'your thing', take a look at John G Harrison, 'Some aspects of royal life in 16th century Scotland', History Scotland, Volume 16 (3) May/ June 2016.

I just re-read it - and it's surprisingly interesting!

'With Thy Towers High'; The Archaeology of Stirling Castle and Palace

13/11/2015

Lunch in Edinburgh today with my old friend Dennis who presents me with my brand-new copy of this new volume. It covers the excavations and survey work at the castle over the period 1992-2011. It puts them into the context of the changing story of the castle itself, its parts and landscapes; and it relates them to the uses of the castle, particularly as a royal residence and a later fortress.
It is a specialist publication, with chapters on a range of technical aspects. But it is very nicely produced (by Historic Scotland) and astonishingly modestly-priced.

Gordon Ewart & Dennis Gallagher, 2015. 'With Thy Towers High': The Archaeology of Stirling Castle and Palace, Historic Scotland, Archaeology Report no 9, Edinburgh.

You can get all the details here.

Scottish Vernacular Buildings Group Conference in Stirling on 3 Oct

18/9/2015

I have been a member of this Group for 'longer than I care to remember'. This year, for the first time in a long time, the AGM and Conference are in Stirling. The theme is 'building materials' and I will be speaking on the building materials of early-modern Stirling.
It's to be held in Cowane's Hospital (beside the kirk). I gather that there are still a few places left so, though the formal period is past, you might still be able to book. Find all the details and the booking form here.

Broad Street, Stirling

9/8/2015

Today, I opened volume 38 of Vernacular Building, the annual journal of the Scottish Vernacular Building Group. The first thing to catch my eye was a familiar drawing on the front cover of houses which used to stand on Stirling's Broad Street, till demolished in the 1920s.

On opening the volume I found an interesting article by John R Hume entitled 'Houses in Broad Street, Stirling' pp. 99-115.

The article is a 'must read' for anyone interested in the Scots urban vernacular and particularly, of course, for myself, who have written about parts of this row of houses in the past (indeed, John cites one of my papers).

Most of these houses, sad to say,were demolished in the 1920s, though some facades etc remain further up the street.

John says;
"Even in its altered state, the north side of Broad Street is one of the finest ensembles of burgh buildings in Scotland and the photographs suggest that before the 1924 demolitions it could claim to be the very finest, both in terms of the quality and interest of the individual buildings and of the ensemble as a whole."

This is not a judgement I am likely to dispute!

I wish I could be confident that such destruction was safely in the past. But, with the demolition of Forthside House just a few years ago and the creation of intrusive 'hard standing' on a green field right below Stirling Castle, such confidence would be misplaced!