The Lord Lyon King of Arms, Scotland’s chief heraldic officer and the most junior of Scotland’s Great Officers of State, is set to step down later this year. Mr. David Sellar was appointed to the role in 2008 and will retire in December after five years in the role. The Lyon Court regulates and has […]
Last week we reported that Edinburgh’s famous Greyfriar’s Bobby statue had undergone restoration work after years worth of tourists rubbing his nose for good luck. Less than 48 hours following the painstaking work to turn his shiny nose back to black, an abrasive material was “intentionally used” on the nose, stripping the repaired area. Police […]
Edinburgh’s world famous pup Greyfriar’s Bobby got a facelift earlier this week, following a successful Facebook campaign by Bobby enthusiasts. On Tuesday sculpture conservation and bronzework specialists enlisted by Edinburgh Council worked to restore the black on the dog’s snout after years worth of passerbys rubbing his nose for good luck. Bobby campaigners had resorted […]
Researchers from Britain’s DNA have produced the first ever map of redheaded nations and cities, with Edinburgh coming out on top in full ginger bloom. The study found that 40% of the Scottish capital’s population carry one of the three common red hair gene variants, higher than anywhere else in the UK and Irish Republic. […]
As you enter the main hall of the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 150 titans of Scottish history gaze down at you, providing a dramatic introduction to the subjects awaiting you inside the galleries. This impressive chronological frieze by William Hole begins in the stone age, carrying right through till the late 17th century when the […]
Internet search giant Google has revealed questions the world wants to know about Scotland, unfortunately showing rather unflattering results. The auto-complete feature imbedded in the search engine suggests common search terms when certain information is entered, revealing what internet users really want to know. When asking Google the question ‘Why is Scotland so…’, auto-complete suggests […]
With an overabundance of stunning landscapes and picturesque castles, it’s no wonder Scotland is a favourite calling card for film and television location scouts. Here are my top five Scottish locations featured on the silver screen: Inveraray Castle – Downton Abbey Featured in the nail-biting finale to the third season of Downton Abbey, the stunning […]
A week ago I took advantage of a lovely sunny day in Edinburgh and cycled along the Innocent Railway, then on to Craigmillar Castle. The castle is an amazingly well-preserved 14th Century castle just on the outskirts of the Scottish capital. It was home to the Preston family for over 250 years and was visited […]
In the little community of Marchmont in Edinburgh, one of the interesting characters you’ll see about the streets is Sonny Fascia, otherwise known as DJ Sonny. I first met Sonny at the cosy pub in the heart of the area The Earl of Marchmont, where he introduced me to his unique brand of Scottish turntablism […]
A map of Great Britain’s most popular surnames shows the dominance that clan areas still hold in Scotland, while other areas show the effects of modern-day immigration. Created by experts from three English Universities, Uncertainty of Identity uses surnames listed on the electoral roll to find the three most popular names in each electoral ward. […]
