Dalziel or Dalzell, as well as Bluidy Tam and the Muscovite de’il. He was a Scottish Royalist General in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Born in Linlithgowshire; the son of Thomas Dalyell of the House of the Binns, Linlithgowshire; head of a cadet branch of the family of the Earls of Carnwath, and of […]
Francis Alexander Mackinnon, born April 9, 1848, was the 35th chieftain of the Mackinnon Clan and a Test cricketer for England. Arunabha Sengupta remembers the life and career of the man who was the second batsman to be dismissed during Test cricket’s first hat-trick. This article was originally written for The Cricket Country, and has […]
The use of spiral staircases in medieval castles served as clever defence systems. They were almost always built with the spiral in the same direction (clockwise, when looking up from the bottom) so that the defending swordsman, who would either be coming down the stairs or backing up in reverse, could freely swing his sword. […]
If you picture troops involved in a 14th Century clan battle, fairies are the last thing you would expect to find among the ranks. However according to legend, a fairy is said to have appeared at the Battle of Traigh Ghruinneart, fought between Clan MacDonald and Clan MacLean in 1598. Although it wasn’t the kind […]
In Torgyle, Glenmoriston there are a set of footprints in the clay, these have been here since the 1820s. No grass grows here and even reappearing after the ground was dug up by vandals in the 1970s. Local legend tells that they belonged to a visiting preacher, Finlay Munro, a strange and charismatic figure born […]
Volunteer archaeologists have been helping to uncover the forgotten past of Crathes Castle, near Banchory. This has been part of a month-long dig, during which the team has uncovered traces of a 17th century courtyard and old buildings under the lawn. Pottery and bits of glass have also been found, as well as a bottle […]
Crathes Castle historic seat of Clan Burnett. Like most Scottish castles Crathes has it’s ghostly tales. The one it’s most known for is the withered spectre of the Green Lady stalks the corridors, putting the frighteners on those she meets. More than that, she is a portent of death. Whether you are a believer or […]
by Ray McHatton One of the first direct taxes levied upon the American colonies by the British crown was the Stamp Act. It was passed through Parliament on March 22nd, 1765 to take effect on November1st of that year. This act placed a fee on just about every paper transaction in every day use, such […]
The Black Dwarf, also known as The Black Tinker (C’eard Dubh) is now almost forgotten, a character who was once highly feared, written about by Sir Walter Scott, and played a large part in legends from all across Scotland. The Black Dwarf is known on Islay and there are many stories about him in the Scottish Borders […]
By Ray McHatton Clan Mackintosh of North America Flight Lieutenant Wallace McIntosh was considered the most successful WW2 air gunner in Bomber Command, having downed eight enemy aircraft during his career with the RAF. In a single mission the day after D-Day, he took down three German night fighters, which were radar-retrofitted, and much coveted […]
