Threat to Hermitage

I was very disturbed to read a press report of proposals for the building of yet more wind turbines, this time in close proximity to Hermitage Castle. We already have far to many of these in the Borders. The proposal is for 20 turbines on a farm near the Castle each over 400 feet high no less (approximately twice the height of the Scott Monument).

Hermitage Castle in Mary’s time was of course in the ownership of Lord Bothwell and it was here that he got involved in an affray with Little Jock Elliot of the Side coming off very much second best, being badly wounded even having to bargain for readmittance to his own Castle.The event of course remembered in the well know Border Ballad "Little Jock Elliot"

"I have vanquished the Queen’s Lieutenant

And garred her trooper’s flee

My name is Little Jock Elliot

O wha daur meddle wi’ me?

Fully a week later Mary, set out from Jedburgh where she was dispensing justice accompanied by among others, Murray Huntly and Maitland. She returned the same day and it has been calculated that at most she could have spent maybe two hours at Hermitage. So much for Buchanan’s assertion;-

　

"being impatient of delay and not able to forbear, notwithstanding the severity of the season, the difficulty of the way, and the danger of robbers she hastened her journey accompanied by such such a company of men as no honest man even of a mean condition would have adventured his life and his goods"

It was of course on her return from Hermitage that Mary became gravely ill and nearly died.

Hermitage Castle has a stark striking beauty on a bleak landscape made beautiful by the very forcefulness of its impact and the splendour of its isolation .

So little has changed since this grim edifice was built in the thirteenth century by William de Soulis whose descendant suffered death by being rolled up in sheet of lead and placed in a boiling pot and many have shivered on entering its portals or even viewing from a far. There can be few castles anywhere more imposing or forbidding.

All of this could be lost if these proposals are to go through - shibboleths to cheap energy, monstrous obtrusions on the landscape, highly subsidised, forcing on all of us increased fuel bills and of course grossly inefficient, not operating when the winds fails to blow, usually the coldest days of the year or even when the wind blows too strongly.

Historic Scotland has said "Hermitage is of national importance, one of the great mediaeval fortresses of Scotland and the building of the turbines would have a significant impact on its setting".

Clan Armstrong Trut is urging members and supporters to lodge their objections and I personally will be doing so. I hope others will do likewise. See- . Http://www.armstrongclan.org.uk/pdfs/letter.pdf

Ronald Morrison

 

Visit to Scone Place

Scone Palace

 Earlier this week visited Scone Palace - I think my first ever visit to the Palace itself.

A veritable treasure trove of fine furnishings, porcelain, ivories and objects d'art and as ever on visiting these fine houses with their wonderful collections came away feeling I had viewed but a small part and appreciated even less.

Of the furnishings perhaps the finest piece is a writing desk used by Marie Antoinette.

Mary never visited which is understandable granted that the original palace had been destroyed or at least badly damaged by the mob in 1559 and in any event was owned by the Ruthvens in many ways arch-enemies of the Queen.

However in the last room visited there are bed hangings and a tapestry said to have been worked by Mary during her time as a prisoner in Lochleven No indication of provenance was given. Mary seems to have spent a lot of time weaving even for a prisoner.

Below some images of the hangings.

During the tour it was mentioned that the last Protestant coronation indeed last coronation to be held in Scotland that of Charles 11 in 1651 was at Scone. Had an interesting discussion as to how it might have compared with that of James V1.

Ronald Morrison

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Scottish Branch of the Society will be on Monday 24th. October in the Quaker Meeting House Victoria Terrace Edinburgh - aim to be there for 7.00 p.m.

For full details of the Quaker Meeting House and how to get there see their website

On the evening we are very pleased to welcome Dr. Michael Turnbull who will speak on

"The Beatification of Mary"

The meeting is open to all - no charge.

Earlier a number of members will be meeting to enjoy a bite to eat in the The Royal McGregor 154 High Street.

In the aftrenoon at 2.30 p.m. some members will be meeting to view the Singing the Reformation exhibition in the University Library on George Square.If we can justify sufficient numbers we are hoping to be given a specialized guided tour. Quoting from the University's website re. the exhibition;

• Step into the world of Reformation Scotland to see and hear how singing touched everyone.
• Listen to the early music that was sung and played in early modern Scotland whilst viewing the original musical manuscripts and musical instruments.
• Investigate how music was found within church and chamber and was part of life in ordinary households as well as in the royal court.
• See how contemporary visual images of the natural world found in wall panels and paintings, minatures and needlework complement the songs and all ‘sing’ together with a 'chereful voyce'.
• Examine the most important surviving source for Scotland’s early music found within Thomas Wode’s partbooks.
• View all eight Partbooks brought together from across the world for the very first time.
• Follow the careers of Thomas Wode, the man who preserved the music and of his patron Lord James Stewart, Regent Moray.
• With the help of contemporary books, manuscripts, paintings and maps enter into the soundscape surrounding a Scot during the reign of King James VI.
• Understand the role of psalm singing before and after the Protestant Reformation and how it continues to this day.

All enquiries contact Ronald Morrison -RM114414@aol.com.

Looks like a most interesting day in prospect,

Mary,Queen of Scots got her Head Chopped off

Mary, Queen of Scots got her Head Chopped Off.

Have just learned that Liz Lockhead's highly acclaimed but historically very inaccurate play "Mary, Queen of Scots got her Head chopped off "will be running at the The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh until 15th. October.

So far as I can see the production would seem to be receiving very favourable reviews.

For full details of of cast, performance times and admission charges see

Ronald

Seige of Haddington Walk

Reconstruction by Andrew Spratt of English Earth and Timber Fortress at Haddington

during the Siege of 1548.

Jean Fairbairn has brought to my attention an Archaeological Walk organised by East Lothian Archaeological Service of the site of the Siege of Haddington in 1548 which is taking place on 29th. October.

This would form a very natural follow-up to the tour of  the Battlefield of Pinkie Cleugh recently enjoyed by several of our members - see report

The walk which will be led by Stephanie Leith will last from 10.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and there will be a charge of £3. Stout foot wear and wet weather gear are essential To book contact Stephanie on 01620 827408 or e-mail bookings@eastlothian.gov.uk

Ronald Morrison

A Busy Week-end

A busy week-end for members of the Society.

Saturday saw the Society outing to Dunfermline and Rosyth Castle very ably organized by Society members, Lilian Cameron and Lindsay Fowell while on Sunday nine members enjoyed a mini-bus tour of Pinkie Cleugh Battlefield arranged by the Pinkie Cleugh Battlefield Group.

Full reports of these outings on the website shortly.

Meantime though some images from Rosyth - unfortunately because of camera problems none from Sunday

Ronald

Lord James by Catherine Hermany-Vielle

I have just been reading an article in this week’s ‘Southern Reporter’ regarding a  book launch in Melrose.

This is Catherine Hermany-Vielle’s  book “Lord James”, a best seller in France now translated into English. The English version was actually launched at several venues last autumn but the Scottish Borders launch which was to have taken place at Abbotsford House had to be postponed because of bad weather.

The author who is French was the winner of the Prix Femina in 1981 for her book’ Le Grand Vizir de la nuit’ and is a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. She now resides in Virginia, United States.

The novelised history which was launched by Burt’s Hotel in Melrose in association with Mason’s Bookshop Melrose deals with life of James Hepburn the 1V Earl of Bothwell, Mary’s third husband.

It is fair to say the book takes a much more favourable view of Bothwell and his motives than most accredited histories stressing how he alone of the nobles  remained completely loyal to the Queen at all times.
It is unfortunate though to see history twisted in the newspaper report which states “When a month after their marriage Mary was imprisoned by Elizabeth 1, Bothwell fled to Bergen now in  Norway, then part of Denmark before being arrested as a pirate and jailed”

This is course to completely overlook Mary’s period of imprisonment in Lochleven  and while it is true that Bothwell was originally arrested as a suspected pirate his continued detention had perhaps, more to do with Anna Thronsden his common law wife and his value to the Danish King, Frederick 11 in negotiations both with Moray and his successors as Regents of Scotland as well as with Elizabeth.

Below a photograph from the ‘Southern Reporter’ of the launch. This shows Tracy Mason of Mason’s Bookshop, Catherine Hermary-Veille and Society members Sir Alistair Buchan-Hepburn a direct descendent of the 4^th. Earl.

Sir Alistair has been campaigning for six years now to have his ancestors remains currently in Farevejle Kirk  in Denmark returned to Scotland for appropriate and proper burial.

In the article Sir Alistair states, all his efforts notwithstanding, that the Danish authorities claim they have had no representations at all from Holyrood for return of the remains and that there can be no progress without such a request. However Sir Alistair also states that he is meeting with the new Chief Executive of Historic Scotland in October to discuss the matter. We can only await further developments.

Ronald Morrison.

Hardcover: 416 pages
Luath Press Ltd
ISBN-10: 1906817545
ISBN-13: 978-1906817541
Size: 23.6 x 15.2 x 4.6 cm