The Historical Handbook To Scotland

CASTLES
TOWNS
ABBEY
VILLAGES
INVASIONS
CATHEDRALS
PALACES
BATTLES
WHISKY
CITIES
CHURCHES
REBELLIONS
GOLF CLUBS
STATELY HOMES

With more than 900 entries in alphabetical order, The Historical Handbook To Scotland provides a factual overview of the country's historical landscape from the Roman occupation to the present day. Integrated among its largest cities and smallest villages, that number more than 260 locations, are some 500 historical buildings. These range from the most strategically defended castles to the more venerable ruined abbeys that stand as testaments to the struggles and strife of the nation, during which many of the structures were designed and doctrines upheld. Between these are the 90 battles and periods of conflict. The comparatively modern history of more than 100 distilleries and golf clubs serves to reflect the industrialisation and urbanisation of 19th and 20th century Scotland, and like most of the other entries, start with the subject name, region, location and earliest history, eventually ending with a modern day summary that the reader can experience first-hand.

ST MACHAR'S CATHEDRAL
CITY OF ABERDEEN
Standing in the Old Town overlooking the river is the well preserved granite structure. Possibly built on the site of a 6th century Columban Church after David I transferred to the see from Mortlach, confirmed in a Papal Bull in 1157. Amongst its numerous bishops was Alexander Kininmoth (1356-80) who founded the present Cathedral of St Mary and St Machar but after its destruction by Edward III in 1336 it was carried on by his successors, notably bishops Dunbar and Leighton. By 1532 it included a five-bayed nave, and aisles choir, a transept, the Lady Chapel, and consistory, with two western octagonal steeples and a central tower in which hung fourteen bells. The destruction suffered by iconoclasm in the 16th century and during the Civil Wars of the 17th century, when it proudly stood with its west front and massive twin towers as the only granite Cathedral in the world reached a crescendo in 1688 when its central tower fell, demolishing its choir and transepts. Although it was later pillaged for its stone, its oak ceiling emblazoned with the arms of its benefactors, many of whom were from the noble houses of Europe, is a reminder of its 19th century restoration. See Aberdeen City

STIRLING CASTLE
STIRLING
Rising from a rock above the town, this was the site of a fort stretching back into antiquity and was probably occupied by the Romans as the Roman road from Camelon northward passed through here. Stirling was the scene of much strife until its emergence from obscurity in the 12th century, when in 1124 it witnessed

the death of Alexander I, and by 1127 was a Royal Burgh and one of Scotland's main strongholds. Garrisoned by the English after being pledged to Henry II as surety for the release of William the Lyon, 1175, but later restored to the Scots. Ironically it was the scene of King William's last Parliament and where he died in 1214, when it began to be favoured as a royal residence. It was here that Alexander II introduced the law of trial by jury and where in 1295 John Balliol held his convention which proposed a defensive league with France, precipitating the Wars of Independence when it was occupied by Edward I's forces until its recapture by William Wallace after the battle of Stirling Bridge, 1297. The siege by Edward I in 1304, which held down the English army for three months, resulted in its capture and destruction and rebuilding in stone to a Norman design. In Walter Scott's 'The Lord of the Isles' is described the preparations for a response by Edward II, to a later siege by Robert the Bruce:

England was roused on every side,
Courier and post and herald hied,
To summon prince and peer,
At Berwick bounds to meet their leige,
Prepared to raise fair Stirling's siege,
With buckler, brand, and spear.

Surrendering to the Scots after their victory at Bannockburn, 1314, it was taken and retaken until Sir Robert Erskine Mar was made Hereditary Governor by David II, becoming a popular residence for the Stewarts, particularly Robert II and Robert III. It was here in 1452 that James II murdered the treacherous William, 8th Earl of Douglas, which led to the fall of the Douglases in 1455. The Royal Chapel built by James III was rebuilt by James VI for the baptism of Prince Henry, which took place amidst great pomp and rejoicing in 1594. King James III is also credited with building the Parliament Hall in a late Gothic style, along with the outer gateway, wall and towers. Preceded by a Lions den, though the palace was begun for James V (1513-42) by French masons and finished in its Renaissance style in the time of Queen Mary (1542-1567), its short-lived usefulness was to become apparent after it was the scene of the last Parliament of James VI, the last monarch to reside here before the Union of the Crowns in 1603 when the court had removed to London. Stirling was pillaged and damaged by Cromwell's forces under General Monck in 1651, but withstood an attempted seizure by the Jacobites in 1746. To the west of the chapel, which suffered a fire in 1855, the skeleton of the ill-fated Earl of Douglas was discovered in 1797. In the 19th century the castle was used as an infantry barracks by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and now houses the regimental museum.