Scotland
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Dunblane
In Memory of the victims, survivors, friends, families and community whose lives were affected by the events of March 13th 1996 March 13th 1996, and lone gunman Thomas Hamilton, entered Dunblane Primary School in Scotland, armed with four hand guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. He headed for the gym and, once there, started to shoot. Thomas Hamilton was a local man, 43 years of age and an unemployed shopkeeper. Having spent a year as a scoutmaster some years previously, Hamilton was forced to leave the movement after several complaints were received about his conduct with the boys, particularly when away at camp. Hamilton had since that time engaged…
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The Darien Scheme
Scottish settlement in America brings to mind Nova Scotia or any of the original thirteen colonies. There was one Scottish settlement which is much less known, but is just as important if not more so. Since the crowns of England and Scotland had been united under James I, the fortunes of the two countries were tied closer than ever. However, things were not rosy in Scotland. Poverty, war, famine and homelessness was plaguing the land and threatening to have the Scottish identity swallowed up by their more prosperous neighbors the the south. William Paterson, a Scot who had made his fortune as one of the founding directors of the Bank…
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Banshee
A Banshee (“woman of the barrows”) is a female spirit in Irish mythology. Traditionally when a person died a woman would wail a lament at the funeral. These women are referred to as “keeners” and legend has it that for great Gaelic families the lament would be sung by a fairy woman; having foresight, she would sing it when a family member died, even if the person had died far away and news of their death had not yet come, so that the wailing of the banshee was the first warning the household had of the death. In later versions, the banshee might appear before the death and warn the…
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The Edinburgh Vaults – Underground Secrets
Edinburgh sits on seven hills, much like Rome. Only two of these high points are visible today- Castle Hill and Calton Hill. Between the hills, the city was built up with various bridges connecting them. One of the most famous was the South Bridge connecting Old High Street and the University district. In the poor neighborhood of Cowgate, narrow streets with a gate at either end called closes were knocked down and their stones reused to create the elaborate system of 19 arches. It spanned a chasm over 1000 feet long, and at its highest point it stood 31 feet above ground. The bridge’s foundations, which penetrated Edinburgh’s bedrock, went…
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The Stone of Scone – Stone of Destiny or Forgery
The Stone of Scone doesn’t look like much. It is a simple red sandstone block 26 inches in length by 16.75 inches wide, and 10.5 inches deep with chisel marks on its flat top. There is also a carved cross and iron rings on each end. However, it has been used in the coronation of Scottish Kings since the time of the kingdom of Dal Riata (Dalriada). Legend says it was the rock that pillowed Jacob’s head in Bethel after he wrestled with angel, and was later used as the pedestal for the Ark of the Covenant. Then it ended up in Scotland by way of Spain and Ireland. The…
