Clipmarks | Patty2007's 'castle' clips

A whole Scottish way of life is under threat

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:24:20 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007
clipper's remarks: Pictures of Aberdeen dock from the late 19th century are astonishing for the size and number of fish landed: table-sized halibut lie stretched out in rows interspersed with huge cod, skate and ling. But conflict boiled behind these scenes of plenty.

Scots who caught their fish mainly by hook and line fought to keep the new-fangled English steam trawlers out of their waters, forcing a Royal Commission of Inquiry to investigate their complaints.

Ultimately, they lost the argument and the more-efficient - and destructive - trawlers were embraced by the Scots. If they had prevailed and the trawlers were kept out, perhaps the state of Scottish fisheries and marine life would be different today.

Scientists estimate that only a tenth of the level of table-fish in 1900 remains in the seas around Scotland today. Some large species have all but disappeared, such as angel sharks and the once "common" skate.

Clip Source: news.scotsman.com

Cod in market: scientists estimate that only a tenth of the level of table-fish in 1900 remains in the seas around Scotland today.
Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

AS A teenager, I lived in Wick, a remote fishing port of 7,000 inhabitants moored at the far north-eastern extremity of Scotland. The land is low and the climate is bleak for much of the year.

My favourite weekend pastime was to hike along the ragged cliffs fronting Wick Bay to a ruined tower, and there contemplate nature and life.

Old Wick Castle was thick-walled and crouched on a narrow rocky promontory, three sides sea and one land. I would sit on the headland, the wind billowing waves through the grass and spreading windrows across the bay, enjoying my solitude.

Aloft, effortless fulmars rode the wind and kittiwakes returning with food wheeled and shrieked before finding their ledge among the thousands of others crammed with birds.

Tags: scotland, fish, environment, pollution

Scotland - Craignish Castle Area

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:28:41 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.darkisle.com

Craignish Castle Area

In the Argyll and Bute region, we went looking for the Craignish Castle. First we found a small kirk near Barravullin. It had this celtic cross at the entrance. Thought it looked nice!

Then we found the Castle. The castle had been modernized to provide apartment space. So no access was granted, even the road was private. That being the case, this is as close as we could come to seeing it.

After the castle there were some sculptured stones in a graveyard and kirk area. Some of them are very well preserved. The graveyard is located along the B8002, a very long single lane road.

Tags: craignish, castle, scotland, graves, stones

Aberdour Castle, Fife

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:26:21 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007
clipper's remarks: "Construction of the castle started around 1200 and it passed to the Douglas family in 1342 and has remained with them ever since. The Douglases here became Earl of Morton and the 4th Earl was Regent for the young King James VI. The 6th Earl imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots in Loch Leven Castle in 1567/68."

Clip Source: www.rampantscotland.com

- Aberdour Castle, Fife

Scottish Castles Photo Library

Tags: douglas, scottland, castle, photos

The oldest post office in the world

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:14:12 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

The oldest post office in the world

THE TOWN of Sanquhar in Dumfriesshire is like many small towns dotted around Scotland. It is old - in this case dating back to the 8th century - and is long past its heyday. It has a wealth of history, including a striking castle ruin, and lies amid exquisite scenery. A quiet and unremarkable little place nowadays, its glory lies in the past.

Unremarkable, that is, unless you take the time to explore. Try looking beyond Sanquhar's pretty town centre with its shops, tearoom and cash machines to a building on the town's High Street. It can boast something truly remarkable. For if you send a postcard from Sanquhar Post Office you will have sent it from the oldest post office in the world.

Sanquhar knitwear is world famous and flourished during the 18th century when many stockings, gloves and individual patterned garments were sent to America before the War of Independence.

Sanquhar, circa 1967, including the Tollbooth, built in 1735.

Tags: dumfriesshire, scotland

Alford

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:42:47 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

Craigievar Castle

Alford Main Street

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

The Haughton Arms

Tags: alford, scotland

antonine wall and rought castle photos

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 19:26:10 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

Rough Castle & The Antonine Wall

Rough Castle Roman Fort seen from the West. The western ramparts
of the fort are visible along the centre and right hand side of the
skyline, while the Antonine Wall is seen emerging on the left hand skyline.

Antonine Wall West of Rough Castle

Looking West Along the Wall

Car park: the vehicle gate may be
locked in winter, but there is space
to park at the end of the track

Ramparts at West End of Fort

More of the South Side Ramparts

The Wall Seen Across Roman Tree Burn

The Ditch, West of Rough Castle

Less Well Defined Ditch, East of Fort

Track to Car Park, with Wall to the Left

Defensive pits or "lilia" on the north side of the wall, which can
just be seen in the top right of the photo heading back into the woods.

Tags: photos, scotland, antonine wall

Dracula's Castle up for Sale

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 01:17:53 GMT

clipped by: LisbethJ

Clip Source: www.time.com

Baring Fangs Over Dracula's Castle

Set dramatically on top of a sharp rock in the forested Caparthian mountains not far from the picturesque medieval Romanian town of Brasov, Bran Castle looks straight out of a fairy tale. But its beauty alone does not explain the fervor of the debate over its ownership. The myth-shrouded castle is also known as Dracula's Castle: according to legend, Vlad "The Impaler" Draculae, a local ruler known for his cruel torture methods (the story goes he liked to have his dinner while watching his opponents painfully die on a stake) used to inhabit Bran Castle. This, however, is merely a myth, which has its roots in the famous novel by Bram Stoker, and no one knows for sure whether the local ruler ever actually set foot in the castle. Still, on the rumor, 450,000 tourists visit it each year. Now it has become the subject of an escalating political dispute in Bucharest.

Habsburg put the castle up for sale, with an asking price of $100 million.

Tags: dracula, castle, sale

Great Castles of Scotland

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:50:40 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Some Great Castles of Scotland

Culzean Castle - Ayrshire, Scotland

Another brilliant folly, this castle is perched on the sea cliffs with beautiful views. Totally rebuilt in the 1700s by Robert Adam, it appears on the back of the Scottish five-pound note. Oh, and it has some lovely grounds which you can take days to explore.

See Culzean Castle

Dumbarton Castle - Dumbarton, Scotland

This is Macbeth's castle (yes he of Shakespeare fame), when he was king. It guards the entrance to the Clyde, is built on a huge rock, was re-fortified up until the Napoleonic Wars. Lots of up and down walking but some stunning views from the battlements.

See Dumbarton Castle

Tags: scotland, castle

Castle Maruoka

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:56:09 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: web-japan.org

The oldest castle still standing in Japan

Maruoka Castle is located on a high hill above Maruoka Town, Fukui Prefecture, in central Japan. The castle is also known as Kasumiga Joh, Mist Castle, owing to a legend that a fog would descend to protect it in time of battle.

Maruoka Castle was completed in 1576, and is the oldest one remaining of all the castles in Japan.

In 1948 the structure was destroyed by an earthquake, but by 1955 it was reconstructed using 80% of the original building materials, and remains standing today. It is a nationally designated Important Cultural Property.

Tags: castle, japan

The Graffiti Project in Glasgow

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 16:25:04 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.thegraffitiproject.net

The project will involve the artists and organizers living together in the Castle for approximately one month, documented by various forms of media. The artists will have time to share and explore new ideas, from both sides of the equator, culminating in a one-off, giant piece of collaborative art.

This distinctive vision is quickly catching people’s imagination, and news is spreading fast with many media publications and arts organizations contacting us ahead of the press release and marketing campaign, eager to be involved in a project of this kind. The rate at which the idea is circulating has reaffirmed our confidence in the project, and given us an early insight into the potential scale of its audience.

The idea is simple and original: take the vibrant and often transient art form of Brazilian graffiti out of its predominantly urban context and apply it to the ancient and permanent walls of an historic rural castle in Scotland.

Tags: scotland, kelburn castle, glasgow

Hunted Castles1

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:38:07 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

Moat haunted

WITH hundreds of years of feuds, battles, murders, curses and broken love affairs, it is no surprise that Scottish castles have more than their fair share of ghost stories. Whether or not you believe them, the tales of Scotland's haunted castles throw up some fascinating glimpses of the past.

A castle wouldn't be a castle without its smattering of ghosts and ghouls. Many of the tales are highly dubious but there are too many strange experiences to discount every one out of hand.

Glamis, Angus

THE childhood home of the late Queen Mother is sometimes claimed to be the most haunted castle in Scotland. The Grey Lady of Glamis is said to be the ghost of beautiful Janet Duncan, accused of being a witch and tortured, then burned alive by followers of King James V. Today she allegedly wafts around the castle, praying - accompanied by loud knocking noises.

Tags: scotland, castle, ghosts

Old school spirit refuses to die away

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:34:15 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: heritage.scotsman.com

SCARY BUSINESS: Ewan Irvine of Scottish Paranormal says he has felt the presence of people who worked at the Ragged School. Picture: Bill Henry

Old school spirit refuses to die away

NO-ONE could remember the last time a living human soul had ventured there. Certainly, it's been closed off to the public for more than 100 years - though few of the tourists and residents trundling past on their way to the Castle would even be aware of its existence.

Staff at the next door Camera Obscura use the bottom two floors of the long-neglected Ragged School, but admit no-one goes up to the top two floors.

Tags: ghost, scotland

Braemar

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:15:20 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

Ballater

Old Royal Station

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

Braemar

Invercauld Road with Creag Choinnich in the Background

Braemar Castle

Remains of Kindrochit Castle

St Margaret's Episcopal Church

The Fife Arms Hotel

Bridge over the Clunie Water

Shops on Mar Road

Braemar Heritage Centre

The Invercauld Arms Hotel

Traditional Butcher's Shop

Tags: braemar, scotland, aberdeen

Huntly castle

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:00:41 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

Huntly Castle

Huntly Castle and Courtyard from the Old Motte

The Palace Tower

Huntly Castle from the South

The Writing on the Wall

Preserved Fireplace

Frontispiece Above Main Door

Palace Interior

And from the West, with Visitor Centre

Basement Passage

Foundations of the Tower House

Tags: aberdeen, scotland, huntly castle, strathdon

Huntly Castle

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:59:05 GMT

clipped by: Patty2007

Clip Source: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk

Huntly Castle

Huntly Castle and Courtyard from the Old Motte

Huntly Castle has seen more than its share of Scottish History, and has the scars to show for it. Over a period of 600 years this site saw four different castles in three slightly different locations under two different names. And between them these castles were attacked or besieged at least eight times.

The Palace Tower

Huntly Castle from the South

The Writing on the Wall

Preserved Fireplace

Tags: huntly castle, scotland, strathdon, aberdeen