Crawford Tip to Scotland
Photos
Our
trip to Scotland was actually undescribable and fantastic! We made the trip in
February of 2004. The weather was perfect and the sites were just breathtaking.
We had the opportunity of visiting with Rev. Ian Benzie, minister of the Auld
Kirk in Kilbirnie. We plan another
trip to Scotland soon. If you would like to contact me, please do so at Nancy Gay Crawford.
We
stayed in a little burgh of Doune in Stirlingshire Scotland. It is the capital of Monteith, at the mouth
of the River Teith. Doune has it’s very own castle, and is one of the few
castles that has been unaltered. It’s
tower is 90 feet high and dates from 1400. Doune Castle is one of the
finiest castles in this part of Scotland.
A dun is a fortified town, from which Doune Castle got it’s
meaning. Prehistoric earthenwork can be
found around the stone castle. Doune Castle was originally built for Robert Stewart, Duke of
Albany and Regent of Scotland from 1396-1420.
Robert Ist married the heiress Countess of Monteith, and his son,
Murdoch, 2nd Duke of Albany inherieted the castle when Robert Ist died in 1425.
During this time young James I's exile in England was enforced and in due time,
the said James had off Duke Murdoch's head. Murdoch Stewart and his sons were
executed and the castle and earldom was then merged with the Crown. James IV
then gave it to his English queen, Margaret Tudor, who, in
1525 gave Doune Castle to her third husband, Henry
Stewart, Lord Methven, who was actually a descendant of Albany. The
castle was granted to another of the same Stewart line, Sir James Stewart, by
James V. James Stewart then became James 1st Lord Doune. His grandson married the Regent Moray's
daughter, and he became the famed Bonnie Earl of Moray of the ballad.
Their descendant is still the owner; and though the castle fell into partial
ruin, the then Earl of Moray restored it in 1883. In 1570, Mary
Queen of Scots stayed there during her exile as well as many other royal figures.
Doune Castle lies between the Teith River and a tributary and has most probably
been the site of a castle since the Romans had a fortress nearby.
The
burgh of Doune is a very attractive, authentic and quaint little town. I would
definitely return. In the center of main street is the great parish church of
1822. West main street has the old triangular market place with the old Mercat Cross in the center.
This Cross was used when cattle and sheep fairs had been authorized by an Act
of Parliament in 1665, making Doune a very busy town. The main road from there
to the south crosses the Teith by a two arched bridge, built in 1535 by Robert
Spittal.
At
one time, Doune was famous for the manufacture of Highland pistols. On either
side of the Mercat Cross there are still two pairs of pistols crossed. Sporrans
had also been made there, until the Proscription Acts of London banned all the
wearing of Highland dress. Then a different kind of manufacture came to replace
these, that of cotton milling and distilling.
While visiting Scotland we rented an appartment in
Doune that was perfect for our needs.
It was inexpensive, comfortable and near many of the sites we wanted to
see. We could also fix sandwiches or cook a meal if we wished. We also found
that renting a car is the way to go.
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Ceiling in Great Hall -
Stirling Monument of Robert The Bruce 1 Monument Of Robert The Bruce 2 Church of the Holy Rude 1 - Stirling Church of the Holy Rude 2 - Stirling Wallace Monument At A Distance Ceiling view over Crawfurd Gallery Rev. Ian Benzie of Auld Kirk/H. Carter
Crawford |
The
castle Crawford Tower belonged to Alexander de Lindsey. The English seized this castle in
1297 and it was later taken by Wallace. Edinburgh Castle At A Distance Another View of Edinburgh Entrance St. Margaret’s Chapel Edinburgh Castle St. Giles Cathedral – Edinburgh Entrance to St. Giles Cathedral Argyll’s Lodging (Duke of Argyll’s home) Argyll Lodging
is a grand mansion that was built around 1630 and further extended by the
Earl of Argyll in the 1670s. Argyll lodging is the finest and most complete surviving example of a 17th-century town residence in Scotland. It was built by Sir William Alexander who was the founder of Nova Scotia. It was passed to the Argyll family on his death. Doune Castle - Town where we
stayed. Overlooking Pitlochry
from the east, is Edradour Distillery. It is the smallest
distillery in Scotland. Edradour is the last survivor of the long tradition
of farmhouse distilleries, and has an annual output of 240,000 bottles per
year. |
Copyright 2005 Nancy Gay Crawford Updated: September 4, 2005