Tolbooths – local holding prisons, and a not so temporary home for many a Covenanter. The Tolbooth as its name suggests was usually a place at or near a main gate into a town where literally any tolls, or local taxes, and customs were collected. They were also the local place of confinement for persons […]
The European Reformers. John Calvin (1509-1564) Much has been said and written about Calvin, his works and the structured church that he created, that only a short note is given here – mainly about his formative years before he went Geneva. Born 10 July 1509 in Noyon, in Picardy he was a quiet man but […]
Rev James Guthrie of Stirling It seems so easy to dismiss a persons life and efforts for whatever cause, in the hindsight of history. The return of King Charles to the throne in 1660 resulted in the restoration of the king to his throne, his privy council, the Scottish parliament and judiciary and the return […]
Circuit Courts The Circuit Courts were the continuation of Justice in the shires normally when the Justiciary Court in Edinburgh was in recess. The particular significance of them was that they maintained the momentum of oppression and facilitated persecution of any non conformity, first at local level from allegations received from spies, the curates and […]
The Monasteries in Scotland. From ca 1100 to the end of the thirteenth century Scotland, that is the lands outside the Highland Line, were ruled by the Norman dynasty of Malcolm Canmore who introduced Southern and European ways to the Court when he acceded to the throne in 1057. A major contribution to the establishment […]
Travels in Scotland – The North Berwick Coast The visitor to Edinburgh can very easily spend all their time within the city itself, there is so much to see. But do try to find time to look around the nearby countryside which also has many spectacular views. Steeped in history the Lothians has […]
St Baldred and the Bass Rock. This interesting story of the Bass Rock and its earlier use as a monks cell is reproduced from The Scotichronicon , Rev J.F.S. Gordon DD (1867). [ To see a large view click on the image ]
The Justiciary Circuit Courts, 1684. Glasgow. Treatment of the heritors of Lochwinnoch [Extract from The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland from the Restoration to the Revolution. Robert Wodrow, Ed R Burns. Glasgow, Blackie & Son, (1835) Volume 4, p 134-136. ] Nothing can be more extensive than this bond of […]
An independent and contemporary view of the proceedings in the Scottish Parliament at the establishment of the Reformation Letter from Thomas Randolph, English envoy to Scotland, to Sir William Cecil, principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I, dated 19 August 1560. Cited in Works of Knox, vol. vi, p 116. YOUR Honour shall presently receave the […]
Dumfries to Kirkcudbright The local A710 road takes a convenient loop from Dumfries along the coast, by the Sweetheart Abbey and near to the road into Southerness and its famous golf course. A visit to the birthplace of John Paul Jones at Arbigland, Kirkbean and the small museum there gives an interesting insight to the […]
The reign of James VI from 24 July 1567 to 1603 – a time of discord and uncertainty for Scotland. With Queen Mary in exile and the Protestant Lords in the ascendancy a period of Regency existed and the institution of the Presbyterian Kirk experienced some stability. But, there was still much scheming and dissent […]
Jerome Russell and Alexander (Ninian) Kennedy, Martyrs 1539. Jerome (also Hieronymus) Russell was a Black Friar who was a resident in the convent of the Cordeliers in the diocese of the Archbishop of Glasgow. John Knox described him as ” a young man of meek nature, quick spirit and good learning.” Alexander (sometimes called Ninian) […]
The Solway Coast – Gretna to Dumfries. Singular advice to anyone exploring the Dumfries and Galloway region for the first time is to do some homework on what there is to see and enjoy. The certainty is that you will be amazed at the variety of places and scenes, and time to see it all […]
Charles I. 1625 – 30 Jan 1649. There were many undercurrents at work concerning religion and the economic state of the country but Charles I exacerbated matters by maintaining a closed court. Access to him personally was strictly maintained which increased the isolation of his natural courtiers. The perception certainly grew that he was greatly […]