Dundas Castle

We recently visited Dundas Castle – located in South Queensferry this castle is now the stately home of Sir Jack and Lady Stewart-Clark, but was formerly a home of Clan Dundas

view of Forth Bridge from Dundas Castle

The commanding views over the Forth made this castle an important part of Scotland’s defence during the Second World War. In 1938 a German Luftwaffe raid on the Forth Road Bridge caused alarm and protection for this vital bridge was put into place, barrage balloons were floated around the bridge and an army headquarters was set up at Dundas Castle. For five long years soldier’s occupied Dundas Castle.

If you climb the steep stairs of the tower you will not only see amazing views but also messages left by the soldiers in the lead piping on the roof. Scratched over the long hours keeping watch on the incrediably important Forth Road Bridge.

Writing in the lead piping

The post Messages from WW2 soldiers at Dundas Castle appeared first on ScotClans | Scottish Clans.

glenfinnan charlie

This week sees the return of the historically significant Glenfinnan Stone to Scotland.  It is a round, weatherworn stone, about 12 inches in diameter, with a hole carved out at its centre, supposedly for the purpose of supporting the standard carried by Bonnie Prince Charlie when he arived at the shores of Loch Shiel. This event marks the beginning of the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745.

In 1988 an inscription was found on a flat rock near the original site of the stone which read “1745. In the name of the Lord the standards of Charles Edward Stuart, triumphaning at last, were set up”.
In 1989 however, the stone mysteriously vanished without a trace until recently when a local historian, Iain Thornber was contacted by a member of the public.  She had watched a documentary which featured a piece on the Stone’s disappearance, and recognised it as a stone that was sitting in her garden.  She had been given it as a gift many years ago and didn’t realise its significance.
As a piece of history, its return will rank alongside the Stone of Scone in terms of cultural significance, and after being displayed at the West Highland Museum in Fort William, it will be returned to its original home.

The post Glenfinnan Stone found at last appeared first on ScotClans | Scottish Clans.