Scottish Blog

Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey, located in Edinburgh.

Holyrood Abbey is an important aspect of Scottish history and mentions of it can be found in a number of events that shaped Scotland.

Holyrood Abbey was founded in 1128, although originally the original thought to build it occurred to King David I, on Holy Cross day in 1127. According to local legend, and legend of Clan Crawford, King David I was hunting in an area of woods nearby the current Holyrood Abbey location. He was attacked by a great deer, legend claims that the deer was so mighty that King David I could have been killed by him, or at least heavily injured. Two local brothers, from the Crawford clan, Johannes and Gregan, came to the rescue of King David I. As a reward for their brave act, King David I crowned the two the following day, he also commissioned the building of Holyrood Abbey on that location the following year. The name of the site is also a direct reference to the event that lead to it being established. Holyrood translates into modern English as Holy Cross, in reference to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Holyrood Abbey has been used for many important occasions throughout Scottish history. There have been numerous marriage ceremonies and coronations at Holyrood Abbey. The site has also been the target of a number of militant attacks. One of the most damaging amongst these was when the site was plundered in 1544, by the forces of Edward Seymor, during the “Rough Wooing” period of Scottish history.

Oengus mac Fergus was the king of the Picts between 732 and 761, he was also one of the most powerful rulers in Scotland during his reign.

Oengus mac Fergus is a figure somewhat shrouded in mystery in Scottish history, as there are only a limited number of historic sources regarding him left intact. For instance, the first piece of unknown information is exactly how old Oengus mac Fergus was, although at his death it was recorded that he was most likely to be roughly 75 years old, putting his birth year at 686, or there about. This archival problem is not aided by the fact that many of the sources are written in local dialects and languages, meaning that Oengus mac Fergus could be read in a number of different ways. Typically, he is referred to as Onuist map Urguistin Pictish sources, Óengus mac Fergusso in Irish sources and, Angus mac Fergusin in any Anglican texts.

Oengus mac Fergus was the leader of one of four groups inhabiting the current day United Kingdom. Oengus mac Fergus was the leader of the Picts, the other three groups consisted of Northumbrians, Dal Riata and Gaels. As with Oengus mac Fergus, the available information on these empires was scarce making it hard to construct a full timeline of the events leading to the crowning of Oengus mac Fergus. It is known that between 728 and 729 four large scale battles were held between Oengus mac Fergus and an opposing leader by the name of Alpin. Of these, Oengus mac Fergus was the victor of two. On the 12th of August 729, Oengus mac Fergus ascended as the ultimate rules when he defeated Drest.

The Glasgow Subway system is the fourth oldest subway system in the world.

The Glasgow Subway is one of the oldest subway systems in the world, and as such stands somewhat as a Scottish symbol of ingenuity and engineering. Opened on the 14th of December 1896 by the Glasgow District Subway Company, is only preceded by the subway systems of London, Istanbul and Budapest.

The Glasgow Subway was originally designed (and still is) as a 10.4 kilometer circular path, with 15 stops. The tracks were originally “clutch-and-cable” based, with a cable dedicated to pulling trains in either direction. The cables were towed by a steam powered engine, which was located between the West and Shields Road stations.
The Glasgow Subway system continued to be cable hauled until 1935, when one of the tracks was converted to an electric one, where the train was supplied with electricity through the third rail on the track. The carriages in the Glasgow Subway system were fitted with electric lights well before then, these lights were powered by a “skid pad” running alongside the train. This system was kept until 1977.

The Glasgow Subway was upgraded in 1977 due to a number of factors. Amongst these, the most influential were the relatively small utilization of the subway, the dilapidated condition of the carriages and cracks in some architecture of stations. The station and carriages were renovated and repaired. Along with this, the Glasgow Subway also received new, heavier subway rails, which were placed in the same gauge as the London Underground.

To this day, the route of the Glasgow Subway is exactly the same as it was originally, which is unique for a subway system of that age. There have been projects proposed to the Scottish parliament which call for expansion of the tracks, but so far none have been fully approved because of the large costs that they would entail, although a number of station renovation projects are currently underway or will be soon.

1713-1784

Allan Ramsay was famous Scottish painter during the time of the Scottish Enlightenment.

Allan Ramsay was born on the 15th of October of 1713, in Edinburgh. His father, also named Allan Ramsay, was a poet and the author of “The Good Shepherd”. This allowed Allan Ramsay a certain degree of freedom in the choice of his career and educational path, as he was by no means constricted by finances.

Allan Ramsay began his education as a portrait painter at the age of twenty, under the instruction of Hans Huyssing, in London. He studied for three years at the St Martin’s Lane Academy. Upon completion, Allan Ramsay travelled to Naples and Rome, where he worked with a number of superior artists.

Allan Ramsay returned to Edinburgh in 1738. He completed a portrait of the Duke of Argyll, which earned him much respect, the art was later featured on the banknotes of the Royal Bank of Scotland. He then moved to London and gained employment with the Duke of Bridgewater. He married in 1739, although his wife died in 1743. He re-married in 1752, to one of his pupils.

Until 1770, Allan Ramsay traveled throughout Italy with his wife. They spent time in not only artistic pursuits but also literary and antiquarian activities. In 1770, Allan Ramsay gave up painting altogether, partially because of continuing pain from an accident which left his shoulder dislocated. He completed only one painting past this point, as he had already been begun. The painting as of the King.

Throughout his career, Allan Ramsay completed a large number of portraits. Most celebrated amongst these were those from his early years. Dominantly, the most talked about are the full length portraits of the Duke of Argyll and that of the Lady of Coke.

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Iain Banks is an internationally recognized Scottish science-fiction writer.

Iain Banks (or Iain M Banks, as he or more commonly known) was born on the 16th of February 1954, in the Scottish town of Dunferline, Fife. He grew up in a relatively easy lifestyle, as his father was an officer in the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom and his mother was a professional ice-skater. He studied at the University of Stirling, taking majors in English, philosophy and psychology.

Iain Banks is most commonly known for his science fiction novels, predominant amongst these are his works on “The Culture” series, of which there are currently six, with another being released in 2008. He has released three other science fiction novels and twelve general fiction novels since 1984. Alongside this there are a number of contributions made by Iain Banks to various books and a guide to travel through the Scotch distilleries of Scotland. Interestingly, all of the science-fiction works by Iain Banks are published under the name Iain M. Banks, while all his other publications go under his real name.

In his personal life, Iain Banks is a known supporter of the Declaration of Calton Hill. His works often have a “left-wing “theme through them, which can be contributed to his own political views. Early in 2007, Iain Banks sold his collection of various cars and purchased a hybrid car, vowing from that moment to only vote for the Green party.

Richard Feynman:
You know, the most amazing thing happened to me tonight. I was coming here, on the way to the lecture, and I came in through the parking lot. And you won't believe what happened. I saw a car with the license plate ARW 357. Can you imagine? Of all the millions of license plates in the state, what was the chance that I would see that particular one tonight? Amazing!

John Maynard Keynes:
When the facts change, I change my mind.

George W. Bush:
A year ago my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had shot someone. Ah, those were the good ol' days.

Charlie Brooker:
If you truly believe you need to pick a mobile phone that "says something" about your personality, don't bother. You don't have a personality. A mental illness, maybe, but not a personality.

Scott Adams:
Arguments don’t mean anything unless you first agree on the definitions. Semantics matter.

Ernet Renan:
The simplest schoolboy is now familiar with facts for which Archimedes would have sacrificed his life.

Winston Churchill:
If you are going through hell, keep going.

Bonnie Erbe:
Everyone knows no war goes as planned. Otherwise, both sides would always win.

Charles F. Kettering:
A problem well stated is a problem half solved.

David Letterman:
What we know about Osama bin Laden is this: he's worth $300 million, he has five wives and 26 kids ... and he hates Americans for their 'excessive' lifestyle.

Hans VanBuitenen:
You don't have a problem if you have a problem. You only have a problem if you have a problem and you don't know how to fix it. If you know how to fix it, it's not really a problem; it's just a delay.

Kenneth L. Smith:
I suppose anything is possible; it is just that some things are more possible than others.

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The Declaration of Calton Hill was a proclamation and a demonstration, which called for Scotland to become an independent republic.

The Declaration of Calton Hill was formed by the Scottish Socialist Party. Primarily it called for Scotland to become an independent state. It would separate Scotland from the United Kingdom and place the issue of sovereignty to the power of the people. It also called for a non-hierarchal society and national values like equality, liberty and solidarity. Another important aspect of the Declaration of Calton Hill was the call for the creation of a Scottish constitution, which would guarantee rights for the citizens of Scotland, like freedom of speech and information. It also would give Scotland the right to refuse military aid and the removal of all the United Kingdom’s nuclear arsenal from Scotland.

The Declaration of Calton Hill received a mixed group of supporters. A large part of the supporters merely supported the idea of an independent Scotland. The Declaration of Calton Hill also drew much support from those agreeing with the socialist undertones of the declaration. As such it also drew much support from the artistic community of Scotland, with many important figures like Irvine Welsh agreeing with it.

The Declaration of Calton Hill took place on the 9th of October of 2004, which was the same time as when Queen Elizabeth II was addressing the Scottish Parliament. It took place on Calton Hill of New Town Edinburgh. The event was attended by roughly 500 people.

1808 – 1890

James Nasmyth was a renowned Scottish inventor, primarily known for his creation of the steam hammer.

James Nasmyt was born in Edinburgh, on the 19th of August 1808. He was the son of Alexander Nasmyth, a famous Scottish painter. Because of his privileged lifestyle, James Nasmyth was sent to the Royal High School for his early education. As a hobby of both him and his father, James Nasmyth was encouraged to practise mechanics in his time of in his father’s workshop. Combining this with access to an iron foundry owned the family of his friend, Jemmy Patterson, James Nasmyth had a strong founding in his future career as an engineer and inventor.

By 1820 James Nasmyth had left school to practice mechanics in his father’s workshop. By the age of seventeen he had created a fully functional steam engine. In 1829, nearly nine years after the creation of his first steam engine, James Nasmyth had refined his designs and hand built a fully working steam powered engine that was capable of carrying passengers. He took his design to London and sought employment in the Henry Maudslay workshop. He received a position, but lost it two years later after the death of Henry Madslay. By 1836, James Nasmyth had settled in Lancashire and was involved in the creation of the Bridgewater Foundry. He was involved in a number of further iron foundries.

The real fame of James Nasmyth began to brew before 1840, when he visited a number of French dock yards and introduced the idea of his steam hammer. After refining his idea in France, James Nasmyth returned to London and began the production of his hammer, which was soon to be found throughout large construction sites through out Britain.

James Nasmyth retired at the age of 48, in 1856. He spent much of his remaining life studying astronomy, primarily observing the moon through a hand built telescope of his own design. He passed away in 1890.

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The Battle of Otterburn was a battle fought between the English and the Scottish in 1388.

The Battle of Otteburn took place in the year 1388, at a time of great unrest and constant border fighting between Scotland and England. The exact date that the battle took place is disputed by the both sides, while the English contest that the battle was fought on the 19th of August, the Scottish believe the date to be the 5th of August.

The Battle of Otterburn occurred near the valley of Rede, at the place called Otterburn, near the village of Ponteland and the Otterburn tower. It was the resting place of the Scottish army led by James Douglas, the 2nd Earl of Douglas, after he led a raid on the English port of Newcastle.

The Battle of Otterburn began when the English armies, led by Henry Percy, that were pursuing the Scottish forces came upon the Scottish resting place. As the Scottish leader was confident that the English would not pursue, posted no sentries around his forces. Subsequently as the English discovered the resting army they attacked, hoping to capitalize on the element of surprise that such an attack would entail.

Although by all records the Battle of Otterburn began with the Scottish in a mass of confusion with many men not having time enough to either arm themselves with weapons or even don their armor, it was still a victory for the Scottish. It is thought that this was primarily due to the poor visibility of the battlefield due to the hills and setting sun, in fact part of the battle was actually fought under moonlight, not allowing the English to fully utilize their longbows.

In amidst the Battle of Otterburn the Scottish leader, James Douglas, was killed. As he was stripped of his armor, he had no distinguishing symbols on him and his army was unaware of his death until the next morning. Even with the loss of their leader and being initially outnumbered by 2000 men (the Scottish had 6000 soldiers), the Scottish still won. The English suffered almost one and a half thousand death, captures and wounds.

The Tay Road Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Tay River.

The Tay Road Bridge is a motor vehicle and foot bridge spanning the Tay River between Newport and Dundee. The bridge consists of 4 road lanes, which are an extension of the A92 road, it also has walking and cycling areas for pedestrians. The bridge is currently over 2.2 kilometers in length. It is also sloped downward toward Dundee, with a height above sea level of 38 meters in Newport and just under 10 meters in Dundee.

The construction of the Tay Road Bridge began in 1963, after almost thirteen years of planning and five years of site testing. Physically the Tay Road Bridge consists of 42 sections, created out of over 140,000 tones of concrete, and close to thirteen thousand tones of various steels was used along with a 65 girder. Upon its completion, the Tay Road Bridge cost £6 million and took almost four years to build.

The Tay Road Bridge was officially opened on the 18th of August 1966 by Queen Elizabeth. As part of the opening ceremony celebration the bridge was allowed to be used for four days without tolls. Since then tolls have been enforced when crossing the bridge. Although in 1991 a tolling scheme was introduced whereby only southbound traffic would be tolled, the latest tolls ranged from nothing for motorcyclists to £2 for heavy trucks. More recently, in May 2007, the Scottish parliament voted to longer impose charges onto the bridge.

The Royal Scottish Academy is an organization which promotes contemporary Scottish art.

Since it was founded, in 1826, the Royal Scottish Academy has proudly been an independently funded organization, created for the purpose of promoting the creation and interest in Scottish art.

The first exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy was in 1827, shortly after. It received a full royal charter in 1838. In 1830, the Royal Scottish Academy began its collection of literature and the creation of a library. In 1840 the Royal Scottish Academy created an arts school, which was called the Life school.

The Royal Scottish Academy until 1910, the Royal Scottish Academy as housed inside the same building as the National Scottish Art Gallery on The Mound in Edinburgh. After which it was transferred to an adjacent building, which previous to this known as the Royal Institution. The most recent development of the Royal Scottish Academy is its inclusion of printmakers in its memberships.

The Royal Scottish Academy is comprised of the leading artists, sculptors and architects of the time. To date, the membership numbers over six hundred and twenty members, of these, some of the most prominent were:

George Aikman
Elizabeth Blackadder
Francis Cadell
Alexander Carrick
George Paul Chalmers
William Cruikshank
Stanley Cursiter
Robert Gibb
William Gillies
George Harvey
James Eckford Lauder
Robert Scott Lauder
Horatio McCulloch
David Michie
Joseph Noel Paton
Samuel Peploe
Sir Henry Raeburn
Anne Redpath
Thomas Ross
Tom Scott
William Lamb

1803-1869

Robert Scott Lauder was a Scottish painter, who was greatly renowned at the time.

Robert Scott Lauder was born on the 25th of June 1803, in the Silvermills House in Edinburgh. His father was relatively wealthy at the time, being an owner of a local tannery. This wealth allowed Robert Scott Lauder a comparatively easy life. He spent a large portion of his early life in London with his older brother.

At the age of 23, Robert Scott Lauder returned to Edinburgh from London. At this point he had already established himself as a prominent artist and had been commissioned to create some works. Most notable of these at this point was a portrait of his brother, Henry Lauder.
In 1830 Robert Scott Lauder was elected to be a member of the Royal Scottish Academy, which is an academy of contemporary Scottish art. His election was also made him one of the original Academy members.

Robert Scott Lauder married in 1833. Soon after he followed his brother and travelled throughout Europe, where he studied art. Before returning to Edinburgh, Robert Scott Lauder spent a number of years living in London. In London he created his “Christ walking on water” painting, which he submitted a competition with the Royal Scottish Academy.
Upon his return to Scotland, Robert Scott Lauder created what are arguably his most notable works, these include:

Scene from The Bride of Lammermoor
The Trial of Effie Deans
Meg Merrilies
Hannah presenting Samuel to Eli
Mother and Child

The works of Robert Scott Lauder stopped in 1861 when he suffered a paralytic stroke. He died on April the 21st 1869 from bronchitis.

See also: Famous Scots.