Heritage
Scottish Word of the Day: Rook
Not the common bird, but an old Scots word meaning plunder. Although one of the most common uses is to indicate that you have no money left, it is unclear whether this is a general term, or whether it implies (as plunder does) that it was lost or stolen.
Falkirk’s historic town centre to get a facelift
ONE of Scotland’s most historic town centres is set to undergo a £2 million facelift.
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Aberdeen University becomes font for Scotland’s Catholic heritage
TWO priceless collections of manuscripts, books and letters from the archives of the Catholic Church are to be returned to the north-east of Scotland for the first time in more than half a century.
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Rescue deal to bring William Adam mansion back from brink Picture gallery
THE future of one of Scotland’s most important listed buildings has been secured under a rescue deal set to trigger a £12 million overhaul for the crumbling 18th-century mansion in the Lothians.
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Diamond jamboree as Bonnie Prince Charlie’s gem auctioned off Picture gallery
A YELLOW diamond brooch once owned by Bonnie Prince Charlie and a rare stone worth £3 million are among jewels going under the hammer at auction today.
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Harley-Davidson devotees rescue crumbling Scots home of legendary motorbike maker
A TINY but ’n’ ben is about to get a new – and noisy – lease of life. The cottage in Angus is the former family home of the American Scot who helped found the most iconic motorbike ever produced. Now devotees of the Harley-Davidson brand have used their own money to buy the cottage to turn it into a pilgrimage site for bikers around the world.
Hard living: A history of crofting
Crofting was the outcome of the Highland Clearances when tens of thousands of people were evicted and moved to small plots on difficult-to-cultivate land in return for an annual rent.
Croft tourism throws lifeline to struggling farms
THE chances are there will be dodgy weather, a surplus of midges and a lack of night life. But the historic network of crofts that date back more than a century are to be marketed as an “authentic” taste of Scotland.
Duke of Argyll joins Jacobite rebels to petition Queen for clemency
THE Queen is to be presented with a petition aimed at ending laws imposed by the British government on the vanquished Jacobite clans after the 1715 and 1745 risings.
Scottish quote of the day: William Wallace’s statement at his trial on 23 August, 1305
Thanks to the popular film Braveheart, it’s difficult to know what William Wallace truly said, and what Hollywood decided he said.
Island on the edge: The challenges facing Foula
David Pollock finds a memoir of life on the remote outpost of Foula highlights the present challenges to its survival
Historic Scotland rescues Perth City Hall from demolition
AN ICONIC Scottish concert venue threatened with demolition has been saved after an intervention by Historic Scotland.
4 commentsScottish word of the day: Biddie
As is the case with several Scots words, there are numerous descriptions (both pleasant and unsavoury) for women.
Enter our Historic Scotland photo competition
You could win £500 worth of photography vouchers, one year of Historic Scotland Membership and a unique experience on location with a Scotsman photographer.
Scottish events of the Week
Need some inspiration for how to spend your free time this week? Here we look at five events worthy of your consideration.
Rare glimpse of Raj – hidden in Edinburgh shoe box
A SHOE box full of images capturing life in India at least a century ago has been discovered in one of Scotland’s national collections.
Sacrifice: Remembering the Scots in the Russian Arctic Convoys
This week Wester Ross is holding exhibitions and events to commemorate the Scots who undertook one of the most hazardous duties of the Second World War, writes Alistair Munro
Chariots of Fire’s Olympic secret revealed
THE extraordinary role of a French resistance fighter in bringing the award-winning film Chariots of Fire to the big screen has been revealed by the film’s producer, Lord Puttnam.
Eric Liddell: The man who put God before gold
THIRTY years after Lord Puttnam brought the story of Eric Liddell so memorably to life in Chariots of Fire, the Oscar-winning film-maker pays tribute to the Scottish athlete who put his faith before Olympic glory and in doing so became one of the greatest Olympians of them all
3 commentsScottish Fact of the Day: Scottish Saints
MOST people will be aware of St Andrew, commonly referred to as the patron saint of Scotland, but there are around 23 prominent Scottish saints - and no, St Johnstone isn’t one of them!
Scottish Fact of the Day: Loch Lomond
YOU may know it due to the song ‘The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond’, but the eponymous loch is in fact the largest expanse of fresh water in the whole of Britain.
Culloden’s past is present for man who makes living history
IN the Soldier’s Tale, Mike Newcomen, a living history presenter based at the Culloden visitor centre near Inverness, describes what fascinates him about the famous battle site.
Too much time on his hands, but work ticks all the boxes
IN the Clockman’s Tale, Kenneth Chapelle describes the restoration and repair work he does on the 300 clocks belonging to the National Trust for Scotland.
Beltane: A brief history
ON April 30, thousands will climb Calton Hill for this year’s Beltane Festival, a party which includes fire, drumming and dancers dressed in little more than a coat of red paint.
Appeal for help to discover site of Pictish battlefield
HISTORIC Scotland is seeking the help of the public in its attempt to identify the lost site of one of the most pivotal battles in Scottish history.
Racing cert: The 400-year history of Perth racecourse
Next year Britain’s most northerly racecourse, Perth, will celebrate 400 years since its founding. Martin Hannan examines its remarkable run
New Brave trailer released video
A new trailer for Brave, the medeval-based Scottish, has been released this week.
Scottish place names abroad: Aberdeen, Hong Kong
In our next instalment of Scottish place names abroad, we take a look at Aberdeen in southern Hong Kong and its close ties with the fishing industry, including its iconic floating village
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Mary Queen of Scots showcase revealed by National Museum of Scotland
RARE treasures linked to Mary Queen of Scots are to be brought together for the first time for the biggest ever celebration of her life and legacy.
Highland Clearances app offers tour of a dark time in Scots history Picture gallery
TWO centuries ago, it was a site of human suffering that became one of the darkest stains on Scotland’s history. Now it has been turned into a tourist attraction.
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Scottish quote of the day: Ian Rankin, writer
BEST KNOWN as the creator of Inspector Rebus, Scottish author Ian Rankin has written 17 Rebus novels and is the UK’s best-selling crime writer, despite never setting out to be one.
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Official tartan of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games unveiled
ORGANISERS have the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games have today unveiled the event’s official tartan.
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Video: diving the Dresden video
Sunken 40 metres off the coast of Orkney lies some of the last vestiges of the once grand German WW1 fleet.
Livingston: Town that evolved into major success story
THE news, when it was finally confirmed, was so dramatic, so devastating and completely life-changing, that it made her cry.
7 comments- Bare Buff offers naked cleaning service
- Harley-Davidson devotees rescue crumbling Scots home of legendary motorbike maker
- Scottish pensions crisis: Scots born today ‘will retire at 77’
- The world is not enough: soon we’ll need three planet Earths
- Diamond jamboree as Bonnie Prince Charlie’s gem auctioned off
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Weather for Edinburgh
Wednesday 16 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 6 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: East
