Spring has well and truly sprung! There are daffodils everywhere I look, and it has even been vaguely mild. I have taken the serious step of putting away all my thickest winter jumpers and replaced them with my lighter knitwear. Knitwear is still necessary, because I live in Scotland, and I’m a realist. So, you’re…
Tag: Scotland
Venue in focus: Cottiers Theatre
Karen and Rachael visit Cottiers Theatre, formerly Lansdowne Church in Glasgow’s West End. For once they are not going for a pint, they are going to talk about Daniel Cottier the genius behind the outrageously exotic decor side, as well as the glorious stained glass windows.
An Introduction to the Glasgow Necropolis
The History Girls Frae Scotland take a wander around Glasgow’s Victorian Necropolis, introducing some of it’s architectural gems and discussion, just a few of the folk buried within. P.S. We are dressed like Bikers Chicks, do you dig it?
It’s All About Alf – GCHT Conference
Karen’s talk, It’s All About Alf, gave a general overview of Alf Websters windows and where to find them. On the 6th November 2015, The Gilded Age Team celebrated the Centenary of Alfred Alexander Webster (1883-1915), stained glass artist and master-craftsman, through a one day conference at Websters Theatre in Glasgow’s West End. His life also allowed…
Exhibition Review: Turner at the Scottish National Gallery
An exhibition? In January? Are you mad? No I’m not, and never fear, it’s free! I know you are all poor, tired, fed up, and wondering whether humans could hibernate, but this is exactly why you should pile some clothes on top of your jammies and drag yourself to the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh for…
Review: The Bannockburn Experience
PREPARE FOR BATTLE!! A couple of months ago we were lucky enough to visit Bannockburn for a wee day oot. Although I loved the thought of visiting the newly refurbished Bannockburn experience, I was a little skeptical about the new fangled technology added to jazz up the overall experience of visiting, what really is a…
Photography: A Victorian Sensation Exhibiton Review
Last weekend I went off to Edinburgh to FINALLY visit the Victorian Photography exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland. It’s one of their big yins, and it is held upstairs in their temporary exhibition space. I do adore the Victorians, they are totally insane and so I was very much looking forward to what these…
The October Lowdown: Top 5 things to do this month
October is my favourite month of the year, not just because it’s my birthday, but because it’s Halloween, it’s winter coat buying time, it’s Strictly and Downton and Oscar-bait-movie watching time! There’s also some exhibitions on and that. So, here is the History Girl Lowdown for the month, and as we say here in Scotland, have…
Cast Iron: Cherubs Everywhere!
I recently spent a blissful few days on the Isle of Mull, purely for holidaying purposes. We climbed hills, we ate freshly caught crabs and oysters, and we drank Tobermory whisky. Separate posts on Mull and on Iona, which we also visited, will follow over the next few weeks. The whole island is outrageously beautiful,…
Celebrating Scotland’s urban heritage
We were lucky enough to attend a bloody fantastic double lecture by the Scotland’s Urban Past and The Discovering the Clyde teams last week. Both projects are awe-inspiring RCHAMS (Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland) projects. Scotland’s Urban Past is a five-year nationwide project aimed at all communities within Scotland’s towns and cities,…
Mary Queen of Scots Statue, Linlithgow Palace Peel
On the 25th of April a statue of Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1587) was unveiled on Linlithgow Palace’s Peel. As a female monarch who led such tragic and interesting life, Mary’s tale has spawned many a film and soapy historical novel. Surprisingly, this much celebrated, and undoubtedly brave woman did not have a public monument in Scotland until now. This…
Caerlaverock Castle, Dumfries
This medieval fortress looks like a movie set, with its moat, unusual triangular shape and crumbling moss covered walls. It has in fact been used in various films and tv programmes over the years, and you can see why when you visit. Now under the car of Historic Scotland, Caerlaverock, like any good castle, has…
History. Heritage. Hilarity. 