Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Scottish Korean War Memorial
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Martinmas 11 November
Today is not only Armistice,Remembrance and Veterans Day but also the feast of St Martin. Originally cattle were slaughtered and salted for the winter and Border Reiving was at its peak between Michaelmas 29Sept and Martinmas 11 Nov.This was one of the old Scottish quarter days of the year on which certain payments,rent and interest were due and leases began and ended. Contracts of employment also started and terminated on this day and were regular events in the countryside and towns. The Term Days Whitsun and Martinmas together with Candlemas and Lammas constituted the Quarter days. In 1886 term dates for removals and the hiring of servants in towns changed to 28 November. The Old Scottish term days were finally regulated to the 28 Feb,May.Aug and November by the Term and Quarter Days (Scotland) Act 1990. Martinmas is still remembered as the first or autumn term in the universities of St Andrews and Glasgow.
Saturday, 30 October 2010
A Scottish Witch For Hallowe'en
This atmospheric photo by Ian Philip of a memorial to Maggie Wall or Walls who allegedly was burnt here in 1657 in the parish of Dunning,Perthshire. However no record has survived about her and the trial, but the memorial is well cared for and the inscription
Maggie Wall
burnt here
1657 as a Witch
This short film on Youtube sets the scene to music
http://www.dunning.uk.net/dunning/xroad4.html
mr philip's photostream http://www.flickr.com/
Monday, 25 October 2010
Dunino Parish and Halloween
Last weekend I again visited Fife and 
explored Dunino Parish which is only 5 by 3 miles in area and home to the remains of an old WW II airfield stationed by Polish airmen.Known as HMS Jackdaw II it was a branch of the larger HMS Jackdaw at Crail. http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/DuninoAirfield
explored Dunino Parish which is only 5 by 3 miles in area and home to the remains of an old WW II airfield stationed by Polish airmen.Known as HMS Jackdaw II it was a branch of the larger HMS Jackdaw at Crail. http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/DuninoAirfieldBoth airfields were used for anti submarine patrols and planes from here took part in the attack on the Tirpitz.
Passing Dunino Law, the only hill of any consequence in the parish leads to the parish church and manse. This site has long been associated with worship.The current church stands on a site which originally was surrounded by a stone circle and within the graveyard there is a monolith. This standing stone has indistinct carvings,possibly Pictish and a much later sundial inscribed on the top.However the site of modern coins left scattered on the stone is totally unexpected and a precursor of other incongruous objects deposited close to a Christian site of worship.
Continuing through the graveyard a short walk through a blue gate leads to Dunino glen. Here a large rock promontory has a carved baptismal font and a hollowed out footprint in the rock.These footprints were often the sites of ancient inauguration as found at Dunadd in Argyll.
From the rock a set of stone steps lead down into the glen and Kinaldy burn. Here there are mysterious Celtic carvings of uncertain date possibly depicting the Green Man and a 'Clooty well' were strips of clothing and other votive offerings are tied to the trees. It is an atmospheric place of mixed messages and yet clearly demonstrates the continual link between pagan and christian places of worship in Scotland. Not a place to visit on All Hallows Eve !
Dunino Parish District No: 425
County. Fife
Old Parish Records.
Births: 1643-1690
1689-1855
Marriages: 1643- 1689
1689-1855
Deaths: 1750-1854 (burials)
Kirk Session Records:
Minutes 1647–1805; 1848–1948
Collections and Disbursements 1805–1874
Note: Available at St. Andrews University Library, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, record CH2/405
Commissary Court St Andrews 1596 and Edinburgh 1580
Sheriff Court Cupar
Scottish DNA Project
The Scottish DNA Project now has an active blog at http://scottishdna.blogspot.com/
The project is administered by the genealogy studies group at Strathclyde University.
An essential aid to all those with Scottish roots researching their genealogy and family history. The more that join the greater the benefit to us all
Monday, 11 October 2010
Sunday, 10 October 2010
Ceres Parish and Fife Folk Museum
What a wonderful day spent exploring the Fife parish of Ceres. This small former Burgh of Barony has a recorded history back to 1314 when men from the village were archers for Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn and after the victory over the English they were granted two days holiday to celebrate. This tradition continues to the present day when the Ceres Highland Games are still held http://www.ceresgames.co.uk/. Many of the traditional pantiled cottages in the village were weavers homes.Linen and flax growing were an important industry with a corresponding growth in population recorded in the census returns. For anyone with ancestors from Fife a visit to the Fife Folk Museum is a must http://www.fifefolkmuseum.org/. This wee gem of a museum run by volunteers has a wonderful collection of exhibits covering agricultural and domestic life in the 18th and 19th century. There is a fine display of Scottish weights and measures, agricultural equipment and traditional trades and crafts of masonry,joinery and thatching. For those who fell foul of the law a pair of 'jougs' are still found attached to the entrance to the old tron or weigh house.
The Parish of Ceres,7 miles by 4 miles is rich agricultural farm land and previously was a source of lime and coal. A network of footpaths once used by pilgrims bound for St Andrews cross the parish and a fine view of the surrounding area is gained from Hill of Tarvit.
Ceres Parish District No: 415
County. Fife
Old Parish Records
Baptismal Register 1738–1806, 1808, 1836–37, 1858–1891
Session Minutes 1738–1748
Accounts 1738–1771, 1781–1863
Commissary Court .St Andrews Earliest testament 1550
Edinburgh 1580
Sheriff Court. Cupar.
The 1841 census was lost in transit to Edinburgh.
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