Version: 4.41
URL: http://www.siliconglen.com
Archive-name: cultures/scottish/scottish-faq
Posting-Frequency: 4 months
Last-modified: 1-May-2008
The Internet's first guide to Scotland and Scottish culture.
Foreword
--------
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for the soc.culture.scottish usenet
newsgroup and Scottish information likely to be of general interest.
news:soc.culture.scottish was created on 24th May 1995. The proposer was
Brian Atkins and the group charter is located at the start of this FAQ.
The information here is copyright (c) Craig Cockburn 1994-2008,
please ask me if you want to use any material here for any purpose.
The idea for an on-line reference source for Scottish material came
to me in 1989 when I started the Scotland notesfile when working at
Digital (now Compaq/HP).
This FAQ first appeared in May 1994.
FAQ Information
---------------
The latest version of this FAQ, together with FTP sites for the FAQ and
details of how to get it by mail is at http://www.siliconglen.com/
There are details there of the FAQ in Text, HTML and Zip formats as well
as a full search engine. There is also an associated e-mail list for the
newsgroup.
This FAQ is a living document, if there's any corrections, additions or
comments you'd like to make, please send them to me for the next edition.
The usual major updates for the rtfm.mit.edu archive are :-
25-Jan (Burns night)
1-May (Beltain)
1-Aug (Lammas)
30-Nov (St Andrew's day).
Thanks to all those who have contributed articles, comments and
corrections
to this FAQ.
Craig Cockburn, Editor and main author.
mailto:craig@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.siliconglen.com/
Scotland (Alba).
Please don't e-mail me with questions which can be answered by posting
them
in soc.culture.scottish or other related newsgroups or mailing lists
mentioned here. I already get too much mail to be able to answer it all.
For tourism questions, contact visitscotland.com
mailto:info@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
+44 1506 832121
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
================================
Gaelic: Ceistean Minig a Thig
Scots: Aften speirit quaistions
Some sayings:
"Is truagh nach ta\inig Minig Nach Tig
Leath cho minig 's a tha\inig Minig a Thig"
<It's a pity that the things which don't come often
don't come half as frequently as the things which do">
(adapted from an Irish story)
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation" (Voltaire).
FAQ Contents
============
(full index follows after this summary)
1. General Information, Scottish society
2. Celtic culture and language information
3. Scots language information
4. Scottish music
5. Literature and Poetry
6. Festivals
7. Gaelic information
8. Gaelic song and music
9. Song lyrics
10. Scottish dance
11. Historical information
12. Traditions and Culture
13. Food, drink and pubs
14. Travel, Tourism and What's on
15. Areas and Places of Scotland
16. Sport and Recreation
17. Education
18. Media and Broadcasting
19. Government, Politics and Sovereignty
20. Internet and Computing information
21. Sources of Further information
22. Links in this FAQ
General Information, Scottish society
-------------------------------------
[1.1] Charter of soc.culture.scottish
[1.2] Scotland's name
[1.3] The Saltire (Scotland's flag)
[1.4] Geological Information
[1.5] Scottish saints and towns
[1.6] Scotland's population
[1.7] Currency and legal tender
[1.8] Legal questions
[1.9] Scottish books
[1.10] Business start-up information
[1.11] Scottish import shops
[1.12] Scottish exporters
[1.13] Scottish inventors
[1.14] Scottish business links
[1.15] Getting a job in Scotland
[1.16] Scottish Yellow Pages
[1.17] Scottish White Pages
[1.18] Getting Scottish addresses and phone numbers
[1.19] Buying a house, letting accommodation
[1.20] Women's issues
[1.21] Community information
[1.22] National holidays
[1.23] Sheep
[1.24] City status
Celtic culture and language information
---------------------------------------
[2.1] Celtic background
[2.2] Celtic art and font links
[2.3] The Celtic cross
[2.4] Postgraduate courses in Celtic studies
[2.5] The history of language in Scotland
[2.6] Celtic knotwork
[2.7] Pan-Celtic organisations in Scotland
[2.8] Imbas mailing list
Scots language information
--------------------------
[3.1] What is the Scots language. Who do I contact for more info?
[3.2] On-line Scots language info
[3.3] Scots Language Society / Scots Leid Associe
[3.4] Lowlands-L mailing list
Scottish music
--------------
[4.1] Introduction to Scottish Music
[4.2] Suggestions for a Scottish National Anthem
[4.3] Scottish Music record labels
[4.4] Folk Events Listings
[4.5] Folk and Traditional Music Record shops
[4.6] Primary folk music pubs and sessions
[4.7] Folk Clubs
[4.8] Scottish music information
[4.9] Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland (TMSA)
[4.10] Scottish Groups, Folk Groups, Artists and Bands
[4.11] Fiddle styles
[4.12] Books for learning the fiddle
[4.13] Where can I get a piper?
[4.14] Where can I get bagpipes?
[4.15] Early bagpipe references
[4.16] Learning to play the harp (clarsach)
[4.17] Scottish Arts Council
[4.18] Living Tradition
[4.19] Traditional Scottish Music and Culture List
[4.20] Cape Breton music mailing list
[4.21] Reference material for Scottish music
[4.22] The Piano film music
Literature and Poetry
---------------------
[5.1] Primary literary figures
[5.2] Info on Robert Burns
[5.3] Address to a Haggis - Robert Burns
[5.4] Robert Burns links
[5.5] The Celtic muse in Scott's 'Waverley'
[5.6] Scottish Poetry Library
[5.7] The Saltire Society
[5.8] Women's writing
[5.9] Scottish literature and writers
[5.10] Literature magazines and newsletters
[5.11] The Selkirk Grace
[5.12] Obituary of Sorley MacLean
[5.13] Sunset Song
Festivals
---------
[6.1] Scottish folk festivals
[6.2] Edinburgh Festival Fringe
[6.3] Edinburgh Folk Festival
[6.4] Gaelic festivals / Feisean nan Gaidheal
[6.5] Festivals in Edinburgh
[6.6] Scottish and Celtic festivals worldwide
[6.7] Hebridean Celtic Festival
Gaelic information
------------------
[7.1] How can I learn Gaelic?
[7.2] Gaelic links
[7.3] Where can I get Gaelic books?
[7.4] Scots Gaelic products and catalogue
[7.5] Where can I get Gaelic music and lyrics, info on Gaelic songs
[7.6] The National Mod and Local Mods
[7.7] How mutually intelligible are Scots and Irish Gaelic?
[7.8] Gaelic playgroups
[7.9] Gaelic newspapers
[7.10] Gaelic Arts
[7.11] Info on Scots Gaelic accents
[7.12] Scots Gaelic translation services
[7.13] Dog commands in Gaelic
[7.14] Census figures for Gaelic speakers
Gaelic song and music
-------------------
[8.1] Learning Gaelic song
[8.2] Waulking songs and information
[8.3] Puirt a beul
[8.4] Gaelic psalm singing
[8.5] Piobaireachd, Pibroch and Piping
[8.6] Oldest datable Gaelic Song
[8.7] Information on Runrig
[8.8] Information on Capercaillie
Song lyrics
-----------
[9.1] Scottish songs on-line
[9.2] Scottish song books
[9.3] Frequently requested songs
Scottish dance
--------------
[10.1] Understanding Scottish Dance music
[10.2] What is a Ceilidh
[10.3] Article on Scottish Step Dancing
[10.4] What is Scottish Country Dancing?
[10.5] Scottish Highland Dancing
[10.6] Books on Scottish dancing
Historical information
----------------------
[11.1] How do I trace my Scottish ancestry?
[11.2] Scottish Monarchs
[11.3] Declaration of Arbroath
[11.4] History and Archaeology information
[11.5] The Picts
[11.6] Antiquarian books
[11.7] Historical re-enactments
[11.8] Museum of Scotland project
[11.9] The story of Glasgow's emblem (fish and ring)
[11.10] Scottish historic buildings and sites
[11.11] William Wallace / Braveheart
[11.12] Clan Links
[11.13] John MacLean
[11.14] Robert Tannahill
[11.15] Robert the Bruce
[11.16] Thomas Muir
[11.17] John Paul Jones
[11.18] The Auld Alliance
[11.19] The Clearances
[11.20] Battle of Culloden
[11.21] Knights Templar
[11.22] Freemasonry
[11.23] Vikings
[11.24] Scots emigration/immigration to the US
[11.25] The fairy flag of MacLeod legend
Traditions and Culture
----------------------
[12.1] Learning and studying Scottish Culture
[12.2] Cultural Newsletters and websites
[12.3] Kilts and their history
[12.4] Plaid
[12.5] Tartan and Tartan Day
[12.6] Where to buy/hire a kilt and Highland accessories
[12.7] Kirking of the tartans
[12.8] Scotch
[12.9] Scottish Wedding Information
[12.10] The Church of Scotland
[12.11] Choosing a Scottish name for your child
[12.12] Couthie on the Craigie - Hyperreal Scottish culture
[12.13] Burns night / St Andrews Day / Tartan Day
[12.14] Saint Andrew's society
[12.15] Christmas Customs
[12.16] Hogmanay Customs
[12.17] New Year Fire Festivals
[12.18] Ba' game, Orkney
[12.19] Halloween
[12.20] Use of Mc Vs Mac in Scottish Surnames
[12.21] What is worn under the kilt?
Food, drink and pubs
--------------------
[13.1] Haggis information
[13.2] Scottish cooking and recipes
[13.3] Best Scottish pubs
[13.4] Whisky (whiskey)
[13.5] Ale (Beer)
[13.6] Irn-bru
[13.7] Traditional bread recipe (Gaelic and English)
Travel, Tourism and What's on
-----------------------------
[14.1] What's on
[14.2] Scottish Guide books
[14.3] VisitScotland / Scottish Tourist Board
[14.4] Travel information
[14.5] On-line maps
[14.6] Scottish and UK Virtual Reality Map
[14.7] Arts information and events
[14.8] Mary King's Close
[14.9] Photographs of Scotland
[14.10] Gift and Tourist shops
[14.11] Scottish Youth Hostels Association
[14.12] Dynamic Earth exhibition
[14.13] Museums
[14.14] Travel companies
Areas of Scotland
-----------------
[15.1] Aberdeenshire
[15.2] Bonnyrigg
[15.3] Central Scotland
[15.4] Cromarty
[15.5] Dalgety Bay
[15.6] Dunblane
[15.7] Easdale Island
[15.8] Edinburgh
[15.9] Falkirk
[15.10] Fort William and Lochaber
[15.11] Galnafanaigh
[15.12] Glasgow
[15.13] Highlands and Islands
[15.14] Kinlochleven
[15.15] Knoydart
[15.16] Loch Ness
[15.17] Melrose
[15.18] Midlothian
[15.19] Montrose
[15.20] Oban
[15.21] Queensferry and Forth Bridges
[15.22] Road to the Isles
[15.23] Shetland and Orkney
[15.24] St Andrews
[15.25] Stirling
[15.26] The Trossachs
[15.27] Linlithgow
Sport and Recreation
--------------------
[16.1] Football
[16.2] Rugby
[16.3] Camanachd (shinty)
[16.4] Golf
[16.5] Highland Games
[16.6] Curling
[16.7] Fishing and Angling
[16.8] Cricket
[16.9] Cycling
[16.10] Skiing
[16.11] Walking and Rambling
[16.12] Books for hillwalkers
[16.13] What is a Munro, Corbett or Graham?
[16.14] Diving
[16.15] Horse riding holidays
Education
---------
[17.1] Intro to Scottish Education
[17.2] Scottish Qualifications Authority
[17.3] Books and information on studying Scottish culture
[17.4] Learning and Teaching Scotland
[17.5] SCRAN - Historical and cultural on-line resource
[17.6] League tables of Scottish schools
[17.7] Research papers
Media and Broadcasting
----------------------
[18.1] Newspapers
[18.2] Radio
[18.3] Television
[18.4] Scottish and Celtic broadcasting on the Internet
[18.5] Scottish music radio programmes
[18.6] Gaelic TV and radio information
[18.7] Attitudes towards Gaelic TV in Scotland
[18.8] Scottish film industry
[18.9] Scottish film locations
Government, Politics and Sovereignty
------------------------------------
[19.1] Scottish Government
[19.2] Sources of political information
[19.3] Scottish politics e-mail lists
[19.4] Government publications
[19.5] Scottish sovereignty
[19.6] Scottish and English oil and energy reserves
[19.7] Political Quotations
[19.8] Quangos
[19.9] Local Councils
[19.10] 1997 General Election results
[19.11] Devolution Referendum Results
[19.12] The Scottish Parliament
[19.13] How the Scottish Parliament might work
[19.14] Scottish Elections
[19.15] Understanding Parliament
[19.16] The Monarchy
[19.17] OBEs, honorific titles, "gongs" etc
[19.18] Scottish Independence information
[19.19] Article on Independence
[19.20] Contacting MPs, MSPs by E-mail
[19.21] Health and the NHS
Internet and Computing information
----------------------------------
[20.1] Silicon Glen - Technology in Scotland
[20.2] General Internet information
[20.3] Creating a top level domain for Scotland
[20.4] Scottish usenet newsgroups
[20.5] How to get scot.* hierarchy groups
[20.6] Getting hooked up to the Internet
[20.7] Internet Cafes and Public Internet Access Points
[20.8] How can I find someone in Scotland on the Internet?
[20.9] Faxing Scotland by E-mail
Sources of Further information
------------------------------
[21.1] Scottish links
[21.2] Mailing lists
[21.3] Celtic information and Celtic FAQs
Links in this FAQ
-----------------
[22.1] Alphabetic list of links in this FAQ
[22.2] Links to pages of this FAQ
[1.1] Charter of soc.culture.scottish
Charter
=======
The news:soc.culture.scottish newsgroup will be open to discussion of all
subjects specifically referring to Scotland or Scottish culture. This
newsgroup will be created for reasons including, but not restricted to,
the following:
* To encourage understanding and discussion of Scotland and Scottish
culture, in the many ways people wish to define it.
* To act as a focus for the Scottish Diaspora (Scottish people, including
emigrants and their descendants) and to draw together the global
threads of the Scottish nation.
* To act as a resource for Scottish people who wish to use the Internet
and for people who wish to encourage the development of the Internet
in Scotland.
* To provide a forum for the use and support of the Scots and Scots
Gaelic languages and the Norse influenced dialects of Orkney and
Shetland.
The following exceptions should be noted:
* Matters referring to broader British issues should be posted to
news:soc.culture.british
* Matters referring to the broader Celtic issues should be posted
to news:soc.culture.celtic.
* Matters referring to Scottish Celtic folk music may have a more
appropriate forum in news:rec.music.celtic.
Rationale
=========
Millions of people worldwide are of Scottish descent, and there is
sufficient demand for a forum to discuss specifically Scottish topics.
Many new Usenet users are at a loss when they fail to find a group with
Scottish or Scotland in the title. This group's name will act as a
signpost for these people.
Previously, many people have used either news:soc.culture.british or
news:soc.culture.celtic, but this situation is increasingly difficult.
As the Scots are a small minority amongst the British peoples, many
who would post and/or read articles on uniquely Scottish topics in
the soc.culture.british newsgroup are inhibited from doing so by the
overwhelming number of non-Scottish posts to that group. The group
soc.culture.celtic also tends to be dominated by posts about Ireland
which are not related to Celtic matters and are not of interest to the
group's traditional readers. The soc.culture.celtic newsgroup is also
not particularly suitable for discussing Scottish issues as a great many
Scots do not view themselves as Celts.
The Scottish culture is unique. The Scots are a British people who have
been influenced by a number of different cultures. The main cultural
influence has been an Anglo-Saxon one similar but distinct from that of
England. The Gaelic culture of the Highlands is indeed a part of the
wider Celtic culture. The culture of Orkney and Shetland has been deeply
influenced by Scandinavia. This unique fusion of diverse cultures means
that there is currently no newsgroup that can serve as a forum for all
Scottish people to discuss uniquely Scottish issues.
The motivation for the creation of a soc.culture.scottish newsgroup is not
separatist. The new newsgroup will serve the distinct needs of the
Scottish
people in the same way as say the existing news:soc.culture.quebec and
news:soc.culture.berber newsgroups serve the distinct needs of the Quebec
and Berber peoples.
Charter authors: Brian Atkins, John Mack, Craig Cockburn.
Control and Summary
===================
One line summary
----------------
The newsgroup line for soc.culture.scottish is:
"Anything regarding Scotland or things Scots."
Control Messages
----------------
ftp://ftp.uu.net/usenet/control/soc/soc.culture.scottish
[1.2] Scotland's name
Scotland gets its name from the Scots, or Scotti who first arrived
in Argyll in the late 3rd to mid 4th centuries AD. It was not until
about 500AD that they built up a sizeable colony though. The Scots
spoke Irish, not Scots. Scots is a Germanic language like English,
described later. "Scotti" is what the Romans called them. We don't
know what they called themselves!
Some info on the Romans is available at
http://www.electricscotland.com/history/genhist/
[1.3] The Saltire (Scotland's flag)
Background
----------
Scotland has two flags - the Saltire or St Andrew's cross (white
on blue) and the Lion Rampant (yellow and red). The Lion Rampant
is the Royal flag and is supposed to only be used by royalty.
The Saltire is the oldest flag in Europe.
The St Andrew's Cross according to legend is that shape because
the apostle Andrew petitioned the Roman authorities who had
sentenced him to death not to crucify him on the same shape of
cross as Christ, and this was granted.
Origins
-------
Anyway, legend has it that the saltire flag has its origins in a
battle near Athelstaneford in East Lothian, circa 832AD when Angus
mac Fergus, King of the Picts, and Eochaidh of Dalriada defeated the
army of Athelstane, King of Northumbria comprising Angles and Saxons.
There is a saltire flying there near the church with an explanation
regarding the origin of the flag. The night before the battle, the
Scots saw a cross formation of clouds in the sky resembling a St
Andrew's cross - the patron Saint. They took this sign as an omen
and indeed they were successful in battle the next day. Thus the
colours in the flag are supposed to be white to represent the clouds
and azure, the colour of the sky towards the end of the day. Sky blue
is not the right colour, it is too light. The Scottish Parliament has
debated this matter and decided on Pantone 300 as the recommended colour
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=210112003
If you want this colour on your PC, the RGB Value on the colour
sliders for Pantone 300 should be 0, 132, 202. The web value for fill
colours should be "#0084CA".
The saltire was later incorporated in the union flag and union jack
although the colour of blue there is different. In those flags it
is navy blue which is used. The union jack is the version of the union
flag used on the jack staff at the front of a ship. This difference of
colour between the saltire and the union flags has resulted in some
confusion over the correct colour of the Scottish flag - so insist the
you get one which is azure and white and not anything else!
William the Lyon who adopted the Lion Rampant (in 1165) to replace the
previous symbol of Scots Sovereignty, which was a Boar. This has led
to some humorous speculation as to what the present title of the
Lord Lyon King of Arms might be had the change not been adopted.
Further, it was a heraldic symbol (or a Lyon rampant gules) far
before the charge of the Earl of Galloway. I forget what bloodline
used the charge just now, but I know that it predated the adoption
of the Saltire in the 9th century. I've got the reference somewhere
and I'll have a look about for it. The most modern change to the
standard occurred in 1165 with the addition of the gules bordure
tressure fleury-counterfleury, which is entirely distinctive and to
my knowledge not emblazoned on any other arms anywhere.
Purchasing
----------
Reputable places to buy flags include:
James Stevenson Flags Ltd
75 Westmoreland Street
Glasgow
G42 8LH
Tel: 0141 423 5757
James Stevenson Flags Ltd
16 Millgate
Cupar, Fife
01334-656660
The Scottish National Party
107 McDonald Road
Edinburgh
EH7 4NW
Tel: 0131 525 8900
http://www.snp.org.uk/
(on-line shop)
Scots Independent,
51 Cowane Street,
Stirling
FK8 1JW
Tel: 01786 473523
http://www.freescotland.com/si.html
Please state size (length) required - from half a yard to 5 yards.
Use of Saltire and Union Flag
-----------------------------
It is the case of course that it is NOT permissible for the ordinary
citizen of the UK either Scottish, English, Welsh or Irish to fly the
Union Flag. It is only permissible for Government offices, Royal Navy
ships on their foretop and certain other military uses (and recently
certain royal dwellings in the absence of the monarch). It is the flag
of the Union only. The common citizens should be flying their own
national flags - the crosses of St George, St Andrew, St Patrick and
of Cornwall and the dragon of Wales, unless they are on board ship when
these flags may be flown on the foretop but the red ensign is mandatory.
Scots should not even be flying the lion rampant which is the sign
reserved to the monarch of Scotland.
The question is as to what flag should fly in front of the Parliament of
Scotland, the Assembly of Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly and
over the buildings housing the official administrations of these. This
should be a matter for each body to chose for itself (for instance the
Scots should have the right to change their saltire or its background to
pink if they so wish).
Further information
-------------------
http://www.fahnenversand.de/fotw/flags/gb-scotl.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Scotland
There is a Heritage centre at Athelstaneford and it is open daily
between 10am and 5pm from April to September. Admission is free.
The Scottish Flag Trust, PO Box 84, Edinburgh, Scotland.
[1.4] Geological Information
The landmass known today as Scotland was once connected to the area of
the Torngat Mountain range of Labrador, Canada. This mountain range
was part of the Grenville province, named for the Grenville orogeny
during which it was created when the landmass now known as North America
collided with Gondwanaland during the late Proterozoic Period (about 2
billion years ago). At that time "Scotland" was located nearly
equidistant between the northern tip of Newfoundland and the southern
tip of Greenland, situated northeast of the former and southeast of the
latter.
The Great Glen is a strike-slip fault similar to the San Andreas fault
of California (US). Because of compressional tension along faults, the
rocks along such features are prone to developing fractures. Where such
faults and their consequent fractures meet the surface of the land,
water infiltrates the fractures. Freezing and thawing of this water,
couples with its flow down slope, contributing to the acceleration of
erosion that causes the development of the lochs of Scotland which
display the characteristic southwest to northeast relative trajectory.
This type of loch formation should not be confused with the coastal
lochs which display a predominance of glacial melt erosion features. As
the glaciers melt, the newly unburdened lithosphere uplifts due to
isostatic rebound in the dense, semifluid asthenosphere layer below. The
resulting increase in the slope of the land surface accelerates
meltwaters down slope, and the consequent saltatory transport of
sediments increases, deepening the loch seaward.
Scotland and England were originally separated by a sea known as the
Iapetus Ocean. The suture of Scotland to England occurred along the
area of Hadrian's Wall. The two "parts of Scotland" however might be
considered to be demarcated by the Lewisian (gneiss) deposits (of the
Isle of Lewis, for instance) in the Northwest Foreland (The northwestern
coast from River Donard south to encompass Coll and Tiree Islands and
down to the southwestern most tip of the Isle of Mull--including Rum,
Skye and the lesser inner Hebrides) and the landmass characterised by
the Moinian surficial deposits of the Highlands north of the Great Glen
fault. These surficial deposits converge along the Moine thrust faults -
a fault line that runs from the southeastern most boundary of Skye and
the Isle of Mull north, north east just east of Durness and the River
Donard (also listed as the River Hope according to my maps). Anyway, you
get the area of the basic line of the suture, I'm sure. Suffice to say
that the entire area represents a convergent plate boundary where the
basaltic oceanic plate is being subducted beneath the continental
plate and the ancillary Island Arc of the Outer Hebrides is being rafted
along towards a collision with the mainland (if one can call it that).
Further reading
---------------
For info on Scotland, see the Scottish information on this page
http://www.soton.ac.uk/~imw/geobrit.htm
A formidable understanding of geological terms will be necessary to get
the most out of the above paper. To that end, for education on
geological technical terms one would do well to consult:
http://www.ul.cs.cmu.edu/books/cont_techtonics/cont001.htm
For an informative elaboration of Scotland's geological history in terms
understandable to most folks not particularly well versed in geological
information consult:
http://www.iprs.ed.ac.uk/edit1/09/articles/06.html
A recommended book is Craig, G Y (ed.) "The Geology of Scotland", now in
its 3rd edition, and full bibliographic details available from
http://www.blackwell.co.uk/
[1.5] Scottish saints and towns
St Andrew: Scotland and St Andrews
More details below on St Andrew
Towns/Cities/Places in alphabetic order
St Nicholas: Aberdeen
St Blane: Dunblane
St Mary: Dundee
St Margaret: Dunfermline
St Giles: Edinburgh
St Mungo/Kentigern: Glasgow
St Molaise: Holy Isle off Arran
St Columba: Iona (formerly Scotland as well).
St Cuthbert: Kirkcudbright
St Magnus: Kirkwall
St Baldred: North Berwick
St Mirren: Paisley
St John: Perth
St Ninian: Whithorn
Sources: Scottish Traditions & Festivals, Raymond Lamont-Brown,
W & R Chambers, Edinburgh, 1991
St Andrew
---------
St Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland as the result of a
foreign monk/hermit (Greek if my memory serves) named Rule or Regulus
coming to what is today the town of Saint Andrews in 732 bearing with
him the purported bones of St Andrew. The religious foundation which
grew up around these relics was not originally Catholic, but Culdee.
Even this association with St Andrew is tenuous as there are other
places which claim to possess the bones of St Andrew. In any case, the
town of St Andrews became in consequence the premier religious site in
the east of Scotland and remained such when the Catholic Church attained
ascendancy over the Celtic Churches. In the west of Scotland, less
importance was attached to St Andrew than to the various local saints
such as Columba, Mungo, Maelrubha etc. Ultimately when the Scottish court
became dominated by Scots speakers, St Andrew became their principal
patron while the Gaelic areas chose Columba as their principle champion
and I don't think that they ever held St Andrew in great esteem. There has
always a lot of obscure politics going on in Scotland over the selection
of national saints and symbols and I suspect that the medieval kings
were delighted to have St Andrew, an apostle, as the patron of Scotland
which vicariously made Scotland "superior" to England who only had
St George, a popular but rather mythological patron and gave the east
coasters a chance to sneer at Strathclyde's St. Mungo as small potatoes.
[1.6] Scotland's population
Census figures for Scotland as a whole from 1811 onwards are available
at http://www.geo.ed.ac.uk/home/Scotland/pop.html
They show a steady rise in population, summarised as follows:
1811.........1,805,864
1861.........3,062,294
1911.........4,760,904
1961.........5,179,344
and a further slight rise to
1971.........5,228,963
and a slight drop to
1981.........5,130,735
and another (this time attributed to poll tax avoidance)
1991.........5,102,400
Figures from the General Register for estimates of Scotland's population
on 30 June for the following years. Figures in thousands.
1992.........5,111.2
1993.........5,120.2
1994.........5,132.4
1995.........5,136.6
1996.........5,128.0
The numbers of births are currently at the lowest level since civil
registration was introduced in 1855.
Highlands
---------
Here are the figures for the seven Crofting Counties, as posted by
Michael Paterson:
Argyll Caithn Invnss Ross&C Sthrld Orkney Zetlnd
Total
1755 66,286 22,215 59,593 48,048 20,774 38,591
255,543
1801 81,277 22,609 72,672 56,318 23,117 24,445 22,379
302,817
1811 86,541 23,419 77,671 60,853 23,629 23,238 22,915
318,266
1821 97,316 29,181 89,961 67,762 23,840 26,979 26,145
361,184
1831 100,973 34,529 94,797 74,820 25,518 28,847 29,392
388,876
1841 97,371 36,343 97,799 78,685 24,782 30,507 30,558
396,045
1851 89,298 38,709 96,500 82,707 25,793 31,455 31,078
395,540
1861 79,724 41,111 88,888 81,406 25,246 32,395 31,670
380,442
1871 75,679 39,992 87,531 80,955 24,317 31,274 31,608
371,356
1881 76,468 38,865 90,454 78,547 23,370 32,044 29,705
369,453
1891 75,003 37,177 89,317 77,810 21,896 30,453 28,711
360,367
1901 73,642 33,870 90,104 76,450 21,440 28,699 28,166
352,371
1911 70,902 32,010 87,272 77,364 20,179 25,897 27,911
341,535
1921 76,862 28,285 82,082 70,818 17,802 24,111 25,520
325,853
1931 63,014 25,656 84,930 62,802 16,100 22,075 21,410
293,139
1951 63,631 22,710 83,480 60,508 13,670 21,255 19,352
285,786
1961 59,390 27,370 83,480 57,642 13,507 18,747 17,812
277,948
Of course there are other definitions of the *Highlands* that one could
come up with but the Crofting County figures were carefully maintained
and monitored from the time of the Crofting Act (1880s ISTR). Please
bear in mind that Ross and Cromarty included Lewis and Inverness-shire
included the rest of the Western Isles, Skye and the Small Isles.
These figures were taken from a personal Memorandum to the Minister of
State, Scottish Office, about the Highland Development Bill then
before Parliament, written in 1965 by Mac Mhic Iain, the Earl of
Dundee, P.C., later MP for West Renfrewshire, becoming Under-Secretary
of State for Scotland. He was later Minister of State in the Foreign
Office and Deputy-Leader of the House of Lords.
1991 census
-----------
This info from the 1991 Census shows the population of 'localities',
i.e. the name used by the General Register Office for Scotland
Info also available at
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/road/aa383/scotloc.shtml
Localities are cities, towns and villages with a population of 500
residents or more. I won't go into the details of how such areas are
defined but they were drawn up in consultation with local authorities.
Hence, the boundaries and names should reflect local usage.
You can differentiate between towns and cities as you wish - GRO don't.
Note that Glasgow is apportioned between two local authorities.
Figures in thousands
---------------------------------------------------
Local Authority Locality Pop 1991
---------------------------------------------------
Glasgow......................Glasgow (Pt)...606.8
Edinburgh....................Edinburgh......401.9
Aberdeen City................Aberdeen...... 189.7
Dundee City..................Dundee........ 147.0
Renfrewshire.................Paisley........ 75.5
South Lanarkshire............East Kilbride.. 70.4
South Lanarkshire............Glasgow (Pt)....56.0
Fife.........................Dunfermline.....55.1
Inverclyde...................Greenock........50.0
South Lanarkshire............Hamilton........50.0
North Lanarkshire............Cumbernauld.....48.8
South Ayrshire...............Ayr.............48.0
Fife.........................Kirkcaldy.......47.2
East Ayrshire................Kilmarnock......44.3
North Lanarkshire............Coatbridge......43.6
West Lothian.................Livingston......41.6
Perthshire and Kinross.......Perth...........41.5
Highland.....................Inverness.......41.2
Fife.........................Glenrothes......38.7
North Lanarkshire............Airdrie.........37.0
Falkirk......................Falkirk.........35.6
North Ayrshire...............Irvine..........33.0
Dumfries and Galloway........Dumfries........32.1
North Lanarkshire............Motherwell......30.7
Stirling.....................Stirling........30.5
North Lanarkshire............Wishaw..........29.8
West Dunbartonshire..........Clydebank.......29.2
East Dunbartonshire..........Bearsden........27.8
East Dunbartonshire..........Bishopbriggs....23.8
Angus........................Arbroath........23.5
West Dunbartonshire..........Dumbarton.......22.0
North Lanarkshire............Bellshill.......21.6
East Dunbartonshire..........Kirkintilloch...20.8
Renfrewshire.................Renfrew.........20.8
East Lothian.................Musselburgh.....20.6
Inverclyde...................Port Glasgow....19.7
East Renfrewshire............Newton Mearns...19.5
Moray........................Elgin...........19.0
East Renfrewshire............Clarkston.......18.9
Clackmannanshire.............Alloa...........18.8
Aberdeenshire................Peterhead.......18.7
Falkirk......................Grangemouth.....18.7
Renfrewshire.................Johnstone.......18.6
South Lanarkshire............Blantyre........18.5
Falkirk......................Polmont.........18.0
East Renfrewshire............Barrhead........17.3
Midlothian...................Penicuik........17.2
Fife.........................Buckhaven.......17.1
Falkirk......................Stenhousemuir...16.7
East Renfrewshire............Giffnock........16.2
Argyll and Bute..............Helensburgh.....15.9
Scottish Borders.............Hawick..........15.8
North Ayrshire...............Kilwinning......15.5
South Lanarkshire............Larkhall........15.5
South Ayrshire...............Troon...........15.2
North Lanarkshire............Viewpark........14.9
Falkirk......................Bo'ness.........14.6
West Dunbartonshire..........Alexandria......14.2
Scottish Borders.............Galashiels......13.8
West Lothian.................Bathgate........13.8
Midlothian...................Bonnyrigg.......13.7
South Ayrshire...............Prestwick.......13.7
Renfrewshire.................Erskine.........13.2
Angus........................Forfar..........13.0
South Lanarkshire............Carluke.........12.9
Aberdeenshire................Fraserburgh.....12.8
East Dunbartonshire..........Milngavie.......12.6
Fife.........................Cowdenbeath.....12.1
Midlothian...................Mayfield........12.1
North Ayrshire...............Saltcoats.......11.9
West Lothian.................Linlithgow......11.9
Inverclyde...................Gourock.........11.7
Midlothian...................Dalkeith........11.6
West Lothian.................Broxburn........11.6
West Lothian.................Whitburn........11.5
Angus........................Montrose........11.4
Dumfries and Galloway........Stranraer.......11.3
Falkirk......................Denny...........11.1
Fife.........................St Andrews......11.1
North Ayrshire...............Largs...........10.9
North Ayrshire...............Ardrossan.......10.8
Angus........................Carnoustie......10.7
Highland.....................Fort William....10.4
North Ayrshire...............Stevenston......10.2
Renfrewshire.................Linwood.........10.2
West Dunbartonshire..........Bonhill.........10.1
East Dunbartonshire..........Lenzie...........9.9
North Lanarkshire............Kilsyth..........9.9
East Ayrshire................Cumnock..........9.6
Aberdeenshire................Inverurie........9.6
Aberdeenshire................Stonehaven.......9.4
Argyll and Bute..............Dunoon...........9.0
West Lothian.................Armadale.........9.0
Dumfries and Galloway........Annan............8.9
Edinburgh....................Queensferry......8.9
South Lanarkshire............Lanark...........8.9
East Lothian.................Haddington.......8.8
North Lanarkshire............Shotts...........8.8
West Lothian.................East Calder......8.7
Aberdeenshire................Ellon............8.6
Moray........................Forres...........8.5
Highland.....................Thurso...........8.5
Aberdeenshire................Westhill.........8.4
Moray........................Buckie...........8.4
Fife.........................Leven............8.3
East Lothian.................Tranent..........8.3
Argyll and Bute..............Oban.............8.2
North Ayrshire...............Kilbirnie........8.1
Perthshire and Kinross.......Blairgowrie......8.0
Highland.....................Nairn............7.9
West Dunbartonshire..........Duntocher and
Hardgate....7.9
Fife.........................Dalgety Bay......7.9
Angus........................Dundee (Part)....7.7
Highland.....................Wick.............7.7
Angus........................Brechin..........7.7
Fife.........................Cupar............7.5
South Ayrshire...............Girvan...........7.4
Stirling.....................Dunblane.........7.4
Shetland Islands.............Lerwick..........7.3
Moray........................Lossiemouth......7.2
Scottish Borders.............Peebles..........7.1
Fife.........................Lochgelly........7.0
East Lothian.................Prestonpans......7.0
Clackmannanshire.............Tullibody........6.9
North Lanarkshire............Newarthill.......6.6
South Lanarkshire............Bothwell.........6.5
East Lothian.................Dunbar...........6.5
East Ayrshire................Stewarton........6.5
Orkney Islands...............Kirkwall.........6.5
Fife.........................Ballingry........6.4
South Lanarkshire............Strathaven.......6.4
Aberdeen City................Dyce.............6.4
North Ayrshire...............Beith............6.4
Aberdeenshire................Banchory.........6.2
Aberdeenshire................Portlethen.......6.2
West Dunbartonshire..........Faifley..........6.1
Perthshire and Kinross.......Crieff...........6.0
Falkirk......................Bonnybridge......6.0
Fife.........................Inverkeithing....6.0
Scottish Borders.............Kelso............6.0
North Lanarkshire............Moodiesburn......6.0
Western Isles................Steornabhagh
(Stornoway)....6.0
Fife.........................Burntisland......6.0
Scottish Borders.............Selkirk..........5.9
Midlothian...................Gorebridge.......5.9
North Lanarkshire............Newmains.........5.9
North Lanarkshire............Holytown.........5.8
Stirling.....................Bannockburn......5.8
North Ayrshire...............Dalry............5.7
Argyll and Bute..............Campbeltown......5.7
Highland.....................Alness...........5.7
East Lothian.................North Berwick....5.7
Midlothian...................Loanhead.........5.7
Angus........................Kirriemuir.......5.6
Renfrewshire.................Houston..........5.5
Fife.........................Kelty............5.5
East Ayrshire................Hurlford and
Crookedholm.....5.4
Renfrewshire.................Bishopton........5.4
Fife.........................Cardenden........5.4
Dumfries and Galloway........Locharbriggs.....5.4
South Lanarkshire............Uddingston.......5.4
South Lanarkshire............Stonehouse.......5.3
Renfrewshire.................Elderslie........5.3
Clackmannanshire.............Tillicoultry.....5.3
Argyll and Bute..............Rothesay.........5.3
East Renfrewshire............Neilston.........5.3
Highland.....................Dingwall.........5.2
Clackmannanshire.............Alva.............5.2
East Ayrshire................Galston..........5.2
Renfrewshire.................Bridge of Weir...5.2
West Lothian.................Blackburn........5.0
[1.7] Currency and legal tender
All Scottish banks have the right to print their own notes. Three choose
to do so: The Bank of Scotland (founded 1695), The Royal Bank of Scotland
(founded 1727) and the Clydesdale Bank (owned by National Australia Bank).
Only the Royal Bank prints pound notes. All the banks print 5,10,20 and
100
notes. Only the Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank print 50 pound notes.
Scottish bank notes are not legal tender in Scotland. English bank notes
of denomination less than 5UKP were legal tender in Scotland under
Currency and Bank Notes Act 1954. Now, with the removal of BoE 1UKP
notes, only coins constitute legal tender in Scotland. English bank notes
are only legal tender in England, Wales, The Channel Islands and the Isle
of Man. In Scotland, 1 pound coins are legal tender to any amount, 20ps
and
50ps are legal tender up to 10 pounds; 10p and 5ps to 5 pounds and 2p and
1p coins are legal tender to 20p (separately or in combination). 2 pounds
coins and (if you can get hold of one) 5 pound coins are also legal tender
to unlimited amounts, as are gold coins of the realm at face value (in
Scotland at least).
Northern Irish notes are not legal tender anywhere, a situation similar to
Scottish notes. Whether Scottish notes are legal tender or not does not
change alter their inherent value but it dictates their legal function.
Credit cards, cheques and debit cards are not legal tender either but it
doesn't stop them being used as payment. Only a minuscule percentage of
Scottish and British trading is carried out using legal tender. Just
because
something is not legal tender certainly doesn't imply it's illegal to use.
The lack of a true legal tender in Scotland does not cause a problem for
Scots Law which is flexible enough to get round this apparent legal
nonsense, as was demonstrated some time ago when one local authority tried
to refuse a cash payment (in Scottish notes) on the grounds it wasn't
"legal tender", but lost their case when the sheriff effectively said
that they were obliged to accept anything which was commonly accepted
as "money", and that should their insistence on "legal tender" have been
supported, it would have resulted in the bill being paid entirely in
coins, which would have been a nonsense; stopping short of saying that
the council would have been "cutting off their nose to spite their
face", but seeming to hint at it.
For tourists: You can spend Scottish notes in England and they are
exactly equivalent to their English counterpart on a one for one
commission free basis. If changing Sterling abroad, do not accept an
inferior rate for changing Scottish notes than is being offered for
English notes as the two are equivalent. You are very unlikely to
encounter problems spending Scottish money in England, I did it for
many years and was never refused.
The definition of legal tender is something which is acceptable as payment
of a debt. If you pay using legal tender, the other person has no recourse
to chase you for payment. As part of the Skye Road Bridge tolls protest,
people have paid in small coins using the greatest number of small
denomination coins which constituted legal tender. Using entirely 1ps
for instance would not have been legal tender and could have been
refused. (This definition is a simplification, see the Currency
section of "Halsbury's Laws of England" for a full legal definition.)
Britain came off the Gold Standard more than 60 years ago. The Scottish
banks are allowed to issue a relatively small amount without backing,
and the remainder of their issue has to be backed by Bank of England
notes to the same value. So the BofE goes bust, the others go with it.
There is some info on monetary history at
http://www.ex.ac.uk/~RDavies/arian/other.html
More info on legal tender is at
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/about/faqs.htm
pictures of Scottish currency are at
http://www.scotbanks.org.uk/
The following discussion with the Secretary of State for Scotland occurred
on
23rd Jan 2008 re Scottish Banknotes and should be available via Hansard.
Banknotes
Malcolm Bruce (Gordon) (LD): What recent discussions he has had with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the acceptance of Scottish banknotes
outside
Scotland. [179988]
23 Jan 2008 : Column 1481
The Secretary of State for Scotland (Des Browne): I have regular
discussions
with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.
Malcolm Bruce: May I suggest that the Secretary of State impress on the
Chancellor and the Governor of the Bank of England that it is high time
Scottish banknotes were fully legally acceptable throughout the UK?
They are authorised by the Bank of England and should have exactly the
same
status. If dollars and euros are acceptable to traders in England, surely
Scottish notes can and should be, too. Will the Secretary of State
endeavour to ensure that this anomaly is brought to an end?
Des Browne: I am delighted to have the opportunity to expand a little on
the status of Scottish banknotes.
Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock) (Lab): And Irish ones.
Des Browne: And, indeed, banknotes from Northern Ireland. One of the
great successes of the very successful financial services sector in
Scotland is the privilege enjoyed by commercial banks to publish
banknotes when other banks, including commercial banks in England,
do not. The fact is that under the law Scottish banknotes enjoy
exactly the same status as all other methods of payment throughout
the United Kingdom, although that is not widely known. They are
perfectly legal, and people should know and respect that. I know
that on occasion some of my countrymen have had their banknotes
refused, but I have been in London a great deal over the past 11
years, and in connection with my ministerial responsibilities have
periodically had Northern Ireland banknotes in my wallet. No one
has ever refused to accept one of them.
23 Jan 2008 : Column 1482
Mr. Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD): The Secretary
of State says it is a matter of fact that Scottish banknotes can
be accepted throughout the United Kingdom, and he is right, but
it is also a matter of fact that often they are not. That was
highlighted in an excellent article in the Sunday Mail on 6 January.
The paper conducted a random sample, and found that it was difficult
to get notes accepted in Liverpool, Tadcaster, Coventry, Manchester,
Ashton-under-Lyne and London, where even the railway ticket vending
machines would not accept them. Will the Secretary of State
acknowledge that although this may not be a massive problem, it
is a source of embarrassment and irritation to many of our
constituents every year, and will he use his office to address the
problem?
Des Browne: I welcome the opportunity to repeat what I have
already said. Scottish banknotes are legal, and enjoy exactly
the same status as any other method of payment. The fundamental
problem is that the law of contract throughout the United
Kingdom allows people not to engage in a transaction at the
point of payment if they do not wish to do so. I should be
happy to join the hon. Gentleman and his party in a
discussion about reforming the law of contract if that is
what he wishes to do, although I suspect that we would find
it difficult to obtain the necessary legislative time or the
necessary support. But he is right: in the 21st century, this
irritation should not exist for people who are tendering
legal notes in payment. I think the best thing for us all
to do is to take every opportunity to tell people that
those notes are as good as anyone else's, and should be
accepted.
More info on the Scottish legal system in general is at [1.8]
[1.8] Legal questions
The Law Society of Scotland
---------------------------
http://www.lawscot.org.uk/
Scottish Law Information
------------------------
http://www.scottishlaw.org.uk/
Statutory instruments of the Scottish Parliament
------------------------------------------------
http://www.scotland-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/
Scottish Law Commission
-----------------------
Te statutory body concerned with updating and
reforming the law of Scotland.
http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/
Books
-----
Scotland has its own legal system and its own laws.
Answers to most common Scottish consumer questions can be found in:
Your Rights and Responsibilities, A personal guide for Scottish
Consumers. Published by HMSO and the Scottish Consumer Council.
ISBN 0 11 495205 1, 4 pounds 95p
Telephone orders: 0171 873 9090
Also, "The Legal System of Scotland" also published by HMSO.
Related
-------
For information on legal tender, see [1.7].
There is also a newsgroup news:scot.legal
Solicitors on-line
------------------
http://www.blaircadell.com/
http://www.georgesons.co.uk/
http://www.highlandlaw.co.uk/
The Law Society of Scotland, http://www.lawscot.org.uk/
provides a search facility to find contact details of Solicitors firms,
including their websites.
Making a will
-------------
http://www.scotwills.co.uk/
A site specifically for Scots to make their Will:-
Without a Solicitor and completely legally.
Only takes a few minutes and site is a member of Which? webtrader.
You can also print it off and sign it - all online
See the site for more info.
Introduction to Scots Law
=========================
Article by Angus MacCulloch mailto:msrlsam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
has a completely separate legal system from that of England
and Wales. Although it does share some institutions, the legislature
and the House of Lords (sitting as a Court). This stems from
Scotland's independence before 1707 and is enshrined in the Act
of Union.
Scots law stems from two main sources, enacted law and common law.
Enacted law has the authority of a body with legislative powers.
Enacted law can come from many sources, some include Royal
proclamation or order, Acts of Parliament (either the old Scots
Parliament or the UK Parliament), the European Community Treaty or
European legislation, or local authority bye-laws. Common law
derives it authority from the courts and is based on Scots legal
tradition.
Both forms of law have equal authority and often operate in the same
areas. Under the theory of the "supremacy of Parliament,"
as partially recognised in Scotland, enacted law will override
common law, but common law cannot override an enacted law.
Common law develops through the judgements of the courts. To predict
how it will deal with a given situation one must examine the decisions
of the courts in similar cases. Common law initially derived from
the Roman law, as codified under the Emperor Justinian, and
canon law, the law of the church. One of the other sources of law
was the writings of eminent legal scholars such as Lord Stair,
Erskine and Bell, Hume, and Alison.
The Scottish courts separate into two streams, those which deal with
criminal cases, and those that deal with civil cases. The criminal
law regulates the relationship between the individual and the state.
Civil law regulates relationships between individuals.
The criminal courts are, in ascending order of authority:
The District Court, the Sheriff Court, and the High Court of
Justiciary.
The civil courts are, in ascending order of authority:
The Sheriff Court, the Court of Session, and the House of Lords.
The doctrine of "precedent" means that the decision of a higher court
will be binding on a lower court. The High Court of Judiciary and
the House of Lords are not bound by their own decisions. The
decision of an English court is never binding upon a Scottish court.
The decisions of the House of Lords sitting as an English court will
be of a persuasive nature in a Scottish case.
There are also specialist courts which deal with particular areas,
such as industrial disputes, land matters, criminal charges against
children, and heraldry. The courts have a long history. The Sheriff
courts date back to the 12th century, the Court of Session was
established in 1532, and the High Court of Justiciary was established
in 1672.
Scottish judges will sit on both criminal and civil courts, although
some may be seen as specialising in particular areas. The judges are
appointed by the Crown from practising lawyers, both solicitors and
advocates.
The Not Proven Verdict
----------------------
Scots law is unusual in allowing three alternative verdicts in a
criminal trial. Although the "Not Proven" verdict is known, incorrectly,
as the third verdict, it has a 300 year history in Scotland. Even though
it has a long history it has been the subject of criticism since 1827
when Sir Walter Scott, novelist and Sheriff, described the not proven
verdict as "that bastard verdict, not proven."
The verdict of not proven is essentially one of acquittal. In all
respects the verdicts of not guilty and not proven have exactly the same
legal effects. In practice it is thought that a verdict of not proven
simply means that the judge or jury have reasonable doubt as to the
accused's guilt. It is interesting to note that the not proven verdict
is used in one third of acquittals by juries, and in one fifth of
acquittals in non-jury trials. Because of the higher number of non-jury
trials ninety per cent of all not proven verdicts are returned in such
cases. It is generally thought that the verdict gives juries, and judges,
an option between not guilty and guilty where they feel that the charges
have not been proved but they equally cannot say the accused is "not
guilty" because of its moral connotations.
Current challenge to the verdict stems from the dissatisfaction and
feelings of injustice suffered by the families of victims of crime.
Political influence has also been apparent, in 1993 George Robertson
tabled a Private Members Bill to abolish the verdict.
The legal profession has been divided over the issue most of this
century. A number of eminent judges have attacked the verdict.
One saying that it was theoretically and historically indefensible,
Lord Moncrieff in 1906. Others have supported it. In 1964 Lord Justice
General Clyde stated that "for upwards of 200 years a not proven verdict
has been available . . . and no convincing argument has been advanced to
justify its elimination from our law." One view from England helped to
explain the reason for the not proven verdict, Judge Gerald Sparrow
wrote, "I have often thought that the distinction typifies the
different spirit of Scottish and English law: the Scottish being the
more logical, the English more sporting." The original verdicts in
Scots law were "culpable" and "convict"; or "cleanse". Guilty and
not guilty were introduced by Cromwell during the Usurpation, when he
imposed English judges on Scotland. After the reformation the Scots
courts reverted to asking judges to find whether the facts in
the indictment were "proven" or "not proven." The "not guilty" verdict
was reintroduced in 1723 in the trial of Carnegie of Findhorn for the
murder of the Earl of Strathmore. In 1975 the Thomson Committee which
examined Scottish criminal procedure recommended that the three verdict
system be retained. In 1993 the Scottish Office said that "it was not
convinced that there was enough groundswell of dissatisfaction from
the public and, crucially, from the legal profession" to justify any
scrutiny of the not proven verdict. Most recently in 1994 the Government
in a White Paper, Firm but Fair, dealing, inter alia, with the verdict
made no proposals for any changes as in the absence of "a considerable
weight of informed opinion against the verdict" the three verdict
system should be retained.
It would appear that there is no immediate prospect that there will
be any change in the current three verdict system.
Trespass
--------
It is a perpetual myth that there are no trespass laws in Scotland. Even
before the recent Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, trespass
has long been a delict (civil wrong) which is remediable by the remedies
of interdict and damages. However, The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
amends the Trespass (Scotland) Act 1865 and establishes a statutory right
of access.
Certain types of trespass have been criminal since the Trespass
(Scotland) Act 1865 was passed, an Act no-one has ever heard of. Section 3
makes it an offence for any person to lodge in any premises, or occupy or
encamp on any land, being private property, without the consent of the
owner or legal occupier. Admittedly this section envisages a degree of
permanency which will not be present in every situation of trespass.
Land Reform
-----------
The Feudal System of land holding was abolished in Scotland by the
Abolition
of Feudal Tenure etc (Scotland) Act 2003, with effect from 28th November
2004. Prior to that date the rights to land were split between dominium
utile
(right of use) belonging to a "vassal", and the dominimum directum
belonging
to a "superior". The vassal was liable to give a "feu duty" to the
superior:
originally this could have been military service, a quantity of grain or
other
obligations; in the C18th these were all converted to payment of sums of
money. In 1975 legislation introduced rules for voluntary and compulsory
redemption which required feu duties to be redeemed by the payment of a
one-off lump sum.
Since the 2003 Act, superiorities have been eliminated, and all former
vassals
are now "owners". Provisions were also included to redeem all feu duties
still
in existence, and to transfer the right to enforce certain feudal title
conditions from the superior to the owner of neighbouring land.
Following the final counties of Scotland becoming operational on the Land
Register of Scotland, Registers of Scotland are working on ARTL (Automated
Registration of Title to Land), and consideration is being given to the
closure of the Register of Sasines.
Readers interested in Land reform may be interested in the book
"Who Owns Scotland Now: Use and Abuse of Private Land",
by Auslan Cramb, ISBN 1851589643.
List price 9.99 UKP (paperback) 14.99 (cloth).
More info
---------
http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/britain/scottishoutdooraccesscode.html
http://walking.visitscotland.com/
[1.9] Scottish Books
The following are all recommended as good places to look for
Scottish books on-line (alphabetic by URL)
Scotland/UK
===========
Amazon
------
http://www.amazon.co.uk/
Blackwells
----------
http://www.blackwell.co.uk/
Books From Scotland
-------------------
http://www.booksfromscotland.com/
Has lots of info on Scottish books, literary figures, writers and
associated
info.
Canongate
---------
http://www.canongate.net/
Canan
-----
http://www.canan.co.uk/
Gregory's Books
---------------
http://www.gregorysbooks.com/
John Smith's
------------
http://www.johnsmith.co.uk/
Scottish Publishers Association
-------------------------------
http://www.scottishbooks.org/
Scottish FAQ Books
------------------
http://www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/books/
Thistle Press
-------------
http://www.thistlepress.co.uk/scotbooks/
Waterstones
-----------
http://www.waterstones.co.uk/
National Library
----------------
The National Library of Scotland is at
http://www.nls.uk/
Others
------
http://www.diverseworld.com/stuart/stuart1.html
http://www.nwp.co.uk/
http://www.scotlandonline.com/entertainment/
http://www.scottishbooks.com/
Worldwide
=========
Amazon
-------
http://www.amazon.com/
Searches
========
For book searches and price comparisons, try
http://www.addall.com/
(highly recommended)
[1.10] Business start-up information
Enterprise/Business start-ups
=============================
Enterprise Agencies (national)
------------------------------
Scottish Enterprise
http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
http://www.hie.co.uk/
Young Enterprise Scotland
http://www.yes.org.uk/
Business shops
http://www.leel.co.uk/bloo.html
Networking groups for Entrepreneurs
===================================
Now Business
http://www.sharedbiz.net/
We entrepreneurs
http://www.weentrepreneurs.com/
Approx 50 pounds per meeting.
Scotland's only Innovation Consultancy
http://www.uk-idea.com/
The Entrepreneurial Exchange
http://www.entex.co.uk/
Business Links
==============
In Scotland
-----------
Angels Den
http://www.angelsden.co.uk/
Scottish Development Finance
http://www.scottishdevelopmentfinance.co.uk/
IRC Scotland
http://www.ircscotland.net/
They can help find new products or technologies from across
the UK and Europe. They can also promote technologies and
innovations for commercialisation or further development
Targeting Innovation
http://www.targetinginnovation.com/
Deliver business support services to a broad range of companies and
organisations in software, innovation, biotechnology, e-business and
intellectual asset management.
They have a key role in helping start-ups, established businesses and
organisations in these sectors based throughout Scotland.
Scottish Financial Enterprise
http://www.sfe.org.uk/
ICASS is a government initiative, supported by European Funding, which
provides specialist advice and counselling for Scotland's inventors and
small innovative companies
http://www.icass.co.uk/
Centre for Entrepreneurial finance (Scottish Enterprise)
http://www.equityfinance.org/
Scottish Equity Partners
http://www.sep.co.uk/
The Queen's awards for Enterprise
http://www.queensawards.org.uk/
National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts
http://www.nesta.org.uk/
In the UK
---------
Grantfinder is the most comprehensive database of UK and EU
funding, including grants, loans, subsidies and other incentives.
http://www.grantfinder.co.uk/
British Venture Capital Association (BVCA)
http://www.bvca.co.uk/BVCA/Welcome.html
Working Model
http://www.workingmodel.co.uk/
Help with building prototypes. Highly recommended.
Baylis Brands
http://www.baylisbrands.com/
From the inventor of the clockwork radio
Techcrunch UK
http://uk.techcrunch.com/
Organised know how
http://www.organisedknowhow.co.uk/
LKT Business Solutions
http://www.lktbusinesssolutions.com/
Non UK sources
--------------
Venture Finance
http://www.tpsite.com/tp/vf/
American Inventor
http://www.americaninventorspot.com/
Other links
===========
Scotland
--------
E-commerce Scotland
http://www.ecommerce-scotland.org/
Scottish IS - the trade body for IT in Scotland
http://www.scotlandis.com/
Useful info on company startups
http://www.startupweb.com/
Patent Attorneys
http://www.hindlelowther.com/
http://www.murgitroyd.co.uk/
http://www.marks-clerk.com/
http://www.ip-g.com/
http://www.kennedyspatent.com/
http://www.fitzpatricks.co.uk/
Legal information
-----------------
http://www.pinsentmasons.com/
http://www.out-law.com/
UK oriented
-----------
Federation of Small Businesses
http://www.fsb.org.uk/
http://www.bba.org.uk/
British Bankers Association. Has a useful search engine to
compare business bank accounts
http://www.cssa.co.uk/
CSSA is the trade association for the IT services and software
sectors, representing the interests of companies in these sectors since
1975.
CSSA currently has over 600 member companies representing approximately
80%
of the industry by turnover with combined revenues of more than 14 billion
pounds in 1998.
In addition CSSA's business growth service provides support and
advice to a further 700 young, hi-tech companies.
Patent search
-------------
http://gb.espacenet.com/
Information for exporters
-------------------------
See [1.12]
[1.11] Scottish import shops
United States
=============
Scottishcrofters.com
--------------------
http://www.scottishcrofters.com/
Scottish Crofters is a web-based import store. They sell tartans,
kilts and accessories, crafts from the Highlands, handmade bears
dressed in custom tartans, and a broad range of traditional Scottish
and Celtic jewellery.
Dunedin Scottish
----------------
Dunedin Scottish
5402 Airport Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33634
(813) 885-5880
Order line- 1-800-237-5836
mailto:dmcdonal@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scot
----------
Great Scot has a web site with secure on-line shopping at
http://www.greatscotshop.com/
We rent kilts and also have an easy payment plan for kilt purchases.
Our kilts are made at the Lochcarron Mill in Scotland. We ship world-
wide.
We carry tartan ties, sashes, scarves, clan crest badges and key fobs,
kilts, bagpipes, maps, books, music and videos, chanters, sporrans etc.
We also have jewellery we order through several different sources in
Scotland.
David and Sally Fay
Great Scot
P.O. Box 1817,
Nashville, IN 47448
Tel:800-572-1073
Fax:812-988-8094
mailto:greatscot@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lion
-------------
http://www.scottishlion.com/
The Scottish Lion Import Shop is located in North Conway, New Hampshire,
USA, where, for the last 27 years they have been offering fine Scottish,
Irish and British imported items. They are the largest mail order
catalogue and store in the eastern U.S.
Gael Force Imports, Inc.
------------------------
http://www.psnw.com/~gforce/
Music, Gifts and Jewellery, Books and Videos, Resources and Information.
P.O. Box 26445 Fresno, CA 93729-6445
US or Canada Toll Free 1-800-905-4268, other (209) 438-9661
Fax (209) 438-8813 mailto:mail@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Norwegian Import Shop in Norway is:
House of Scotland
Elisenbergveien 35
N-0265 Oslo
Norway
Tel: (47) 22 55 37 86
They specialise in Scottish Import Products: Clothes, shoes, etc.
It is also possible to order items like bagpipes and practice chanters
etc.
through them. They are also specialists in Burberries.
[1.12] Scottish exporters
Scottish Exporters Virtual Community
------------------------------------
A site to help Scottish companies promote themselves internationally
through the Internet. The site provides a lot of free information: export
and market research information with country guides; information on how
to do business in these countries and a library section has some papers
on marketing.
http://www.catalyse-int.com/
Exporters may also be interested in
http://www.netbanx.com/
for secure on-line card clearance
See [14.10] for gift/tourist shops in Scotland and info on Scottish shops
which export.
[1.13] Scottish inventors and inventions
See here
http://www.scottish-inventions.org.uk/
has info on famous inventors, inventors in history.
If you're currently inventing things, contact:
Inventors Helpline Scotland
Mike Brown
mailto:mike@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scottish business links
Shopping
========
Major Shopping Centres:
Buchanan Galleries, Central Glasgow
http://www.buchanangalleries.co.uk/
Braehead, about 5 miles west of Central Glasgow
http://www.braehead.co.uk/
The Gyle, western outskirts of Edinburgh
http://www.gyleshopping.co.uk/
McArthurGlen, Livingston
Desginer outlets, discount prices
http://www.mcarthurglen.com/centres/home.cfm?centre=livingston
Stirling Thistle Centre, Scotland's first covered shopping centre
unfortunately no website
Falkirk Howgate
no website
For general high street everyday shopping (ie food, electrical
goods, clothes etc) I can highly recommend the site Fixture Ferrets
http://www.fixtureferrets.co.uk/
Finance
=======
http://www.financescotland.com/
Banks
-----
Bank of Scotland http://www.bankofscotland.co.uk/
Royal Bank of Scotland http://www.rbos.co.uk/
Clydesdale Bank http://www.cbonline.co.uk/
Insurance/Assurance
-------------------
CGU Group http://www.cgugroup.com/
Scottish Amicable http://www.scottishamicable.com/
Scottish Provident http://www.scotprov.co.uk/
Scottish Widows http://www.scottishlife.co.uk/
Standard Life http://www.standardlife.com/
Utilities
=========
British Energy http://www.british-energy.com/
Scottish Hydro Electric http://www.hydro.co.uk/
ScottishPower http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/
ScottishTelecom http://www.scottishtelecom.com/
The Scottish Water and Sewerage Customers Council
http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/
[1.15] Getting a job in Scotland
Printed media
=============
The Scotsman and The Herald carry job adverts most days, although
Friday is the best day for both. The Scotsman has an Edinburgh bias
to the jobs in it, the Herald a Glasgow bias. However, sometimes jobs
in Edinburgh are only advertised in the Herald. I've also seen
Highland jobs only advertised in the Herald. Best to get both if
you're not fussy about location. If you live outside Scotland, the
best paper with a UK wide circulation and with a focus on Scottish
jobs is Scotland on Sunday. Can't say much about the journalism though,
after all it is from the Andrew Neil propaganda machine.
The Scotsman is at
http://www.scotsman.com/
The Herald is at
http://www.theherald.co.uk/
Scotland on Sunday is at
http://www.scotlandonsunday.com/
Online resources
================
Note: Many of the on-line resources are biased towards jobs for those in
the computer industry.
Job metasearch
--------------
http://www.jobs.co.uk/
Meta search for jobs. Potentially a great (although rather obvious) idea
but has some way to go to be a useful search as there are limited search
options and the integration between the jobs.co.uk site and the others
is very lacking in places. One day they may all get their collective
acts together and create a common API which produces something useful.
Alternatively, contact us as we are interested in developing such an
interface and are looking for funding/sponsors/partners.
Jobsite
-------
Similar to Jobserve although some jobs may appear on one and not the
other.
Send an e-mail to mailto:jobsite@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
or visit their website at
http://www.jobsite.co.uk/
Tel: 01243 641141
Very flexible search which actually seems to work, unlike many other
sites.
Highly recommended. They have launched a Scottish flavoured version at
http://www.scotrecruit.com/
which is highly recommended
Jobserve
--------
Jobserve allows to to filter jobs by location so you can receive a mail
whenever a job in Scotland comes up which matches your criteria (e.g.
technical skills) For more information about JobServe, please send a
blank e-mail to mailto:help@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
or visit their website at
http://www.jobserve.com/
Unfortunately, you can't filter by salary so you often get back a load
of irrelevant dross. Unfortunately also only agencies can use the service.
This means that vacancies with many smaller companies are not to be found
here as such companies cannot afford the 30% of first year's salary which
agencies charge, often for a few hours work (not bad work if you can get
it!). This is the original online job matching service and it shows. It
doesn't look like they've updated their search facilities since launching
in 1994, c'mon guys when is the salary filter going to arrive?
Website is noted as PANTS here:
http://www.siliconglen.com/usability/jobserve.html
careerjet
---------
http://www.careerjet.co.uk/
Covering all job sectors and the whole UK, this useful job search
has a wide range of jobs and a detailed geographic filter but no
salary search and no option to multiselect various locations.
TipTopJob
---------
http://www.TipTopJob.com
TipTopJob.com is a general job board. Search through thousands of jobs
across 34 different industries and apply online. Set up email alerts
and add your CV to help yourself get recruited.
Scottish Jobs on the Net
------------------------
http://www.scottishjobsonthe.net/
No nonsense Scottish Job board with no annoying pop ups just thousands
of jobs throughout Scotland
Scottish Jobs
-------------
http://www.scottishjobs.com/
One of the most flexible searches going, highly recommended.
Killer Jobs
-----------
http://www.killerjobs.com/
A decent website with a reasonable number of results. No salary search
though.
Keywords are mandatory (so no browsing for just the top paid jobs,
irrespective
of keywords)
IT Job Board
------------
http://www.theitjobboard.com/
Monster
-------
http://www.monster.co.uk/
Apparantly the market leader, although unfortunately they can't email
you the actual details of jobs which match your requirements!
TotalJobs
---------
http://www.totaljobs.co.uk/
IC Scottish Recruitment
-----------------------
http://www.icscottishrecruitment.co.uk/
Search by salary doesn't work
One of the worst job websites for usability
Website is noted as PANTS here:
http://www.siliconglen.com/usability/icscottish.html
Scottish IT Jobs
----------------
http://www.ScottishITjobs.com/
Jobs in Academia
----------------
For jobs in academic circles
http://www.jobs.ac.uk/
http://www.AcademicCareers.com/
S1 Jobs
-------
http://www.s1jobs.com/
Allows filtering by salary (hooray)
The Appointments Section
------------------------
http://www.taps.com/
ScotlandJobs
------------
http://www.scotlandjobs.com/
- Domain available
http://www.movejobs.com/
- Domain also available
Agencies
--------
http://www.best-people.co.uk/
Best People
http://www.careercare.com/
CareerCare
http://www.computerpeople.co.uk/
Computer People
http://www.elan.co.uk/
Elan
http://www.headresourcing.com/
Head Resourcing
http://www.mcg.co.uk/
Melville Craig Group
http://www.portalrecruitment.co.uk/
Portal Recruitment
http://www.search.co.uk/
Search
Search are Scotland's largest independent recruitment Agency and have
the largest online database of jobs covering Scotland.
http://www.tps.co.uk/
Technology Project Services
Software Academy
----------------
The Software Academy, mailto:software.academy@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
is a
Scottish Enterprise venture to provide support and advice on
recruitment and skills projects including: assistance with the
recruitment process, Training Needs Analysis and access to the
Graduates into Software programme.
Rules and regulations
=====================
If you are not a European Union citizen, then there are complex
laws around obtaining a work permit and residency or being a student.
You are strongly advised to consult the British Embassy or Consulate
in your country for official advice. There is some information at
from the Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
entitled "Naturalisation as a British Citizen - A guide for applicants"
which should help.
and
http://britain-info.org/
regarding immigration rules to the UK
[1.16] Scottish Yellow Pages
Scotland.org - the first and only public-sector sanctioned yellow
pages of Scotland
http://www.scotland.org/
there is also a "white pages" service from this address
businesses can also be found in
http://www.yell.co.uk/
"Yellow Pages" is a registered trademark of BT in the United Kingdom
See also Scottish entries in
http://www.ukdirectory.com/
The US gateway for Scottish Tourism is at
http://www.toscotland.com/
Friends of Scotland
http://www.friendsofscotland.gov.uk/
Highlighting the best that Scotland offers the world
[1.17] Scottish White Pages
The Scotweb scottish store
http://www.scotweb.co.uk/
[1.18] Getting Scottish addresses and phone numbers
If you have an incomplete address and want the full address, there
is a lookup service for all UK addresses available at
http://www.royalmail.com/
For "Yellow Pages" information, see [1.16]
For "White Pages" information, try
http://www.192.com/
once you have the postcode, you can get a local map via
http://www.multimap.com/
(see [14.5])
To locate people, try
http://www.whowhere.lycos.com/
[1.19] Buying a house, letting accommodation
Property websites
=================
Solicitors
----------
http://www.sspc.co.uk/
Essential viewing - select the local site for your area
Solicitors and Estate Agents
----------------------------
http://www.s1homes.com/
Scottish property and real estate throughout Central Scotland.
This site and the SSPC site have more listings for Scottish
properties than any of the sites below and both are well worth a look.
Mostly estate agents
--------------------
http://www.your-move.co.uk/
http://www.propertyfinder.co.uk/
http://www.propertywindow.com/
http://www.property.scotsman.com/
http://www.thehousehunter.com/
http://www.fish4.co.uk/
http://www.itlhomesearch.com/
http://www.assertahome.com/
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/
Note that many of the above are dominated by purely estate agents and the
same property will likely appear on many of the above sites. Solicitors
tend to only put their properties in the SSPC guides, so there is minimal
overlap with other sites.
http://www.edinburghnews.com/
(Edinburgh Evening News, Edinburgh area only)
New Homes
---------
http://www.new-home-locations.net/
Essential viewing if you want a brand new house, the other sites and
publications are generally hopeless at distributing information on new
homes.
Lettings
--------
http://www.lettingweb.com/
Mortgages
=========
The following sites are good places to look for a mortgage
Easiest to use
--------------
http://www.moneyextra.com/
(personal favourite)
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/
http://www.ukmortgagesonline.com/
http://www.charcolonline.co.uk/
(the search engine behind Tesco Finance, Interactive Investor)
http://www.moneysupermarket.co.uk/
Also worth trying
-----------------
http://www.firstmortgage.co.uk/
http://www.yourmortgage.co.uk/
http://www.mortgageseekers.co.uk/
http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/
(search has to be started from the beginning if you change anything)
Solicitors
==========
The majority of property in Scotland is sold through solicitors offering
an estate agency service. The Scottish Solicitors Property Centre site at
http://www.sspc.co.uk/
has links to the various local centres around Scotland (Edinburgh,
Glasgow,
Tayside, Highlands, Perth, Aberdeen, etc) which cover properties for each
particular area. Each site has a convenient computerised matching service.
This system is really convenient but is so efficient it can lead to
a large number of people chasing after a small number of highly
desirable properties. You can sometimes pick up a bargain by specifying
you are interested in all areas.
Estate Agents
=============
Solicitors have a particularly high market penetration in the cities, and
sell over 92% of Edinburgh properties for instance. However, in more rural
locations and in smaller towns, the balance is not so one sided and may be
around 50/50 split between estate agents and solicitors in these places.
Timber Frame Houses
-------------------
There is information on buying a timber frame house at
http://www.scotframe.co.uk/
Free house prices for Scotland, no need to register either!
http://www.nethouseprices.com/
Property for sale
-----------------
View this property for sale
http://www.siliconglen.com/house/
[1.20] Women's issues
Engender
--------
http://www.engender.org.uk/
described as: "...a Scottish site for women.... Engender is our own
research and campaigning organisation for women in Scotland, committed to
greater visibility, influence and yes...power for women."
Quine
-----
http://www.quine.org.uk/
Quine Online - Scottish Women
Has everything from rape crisis centres to traditional quilting.
Lots of organisations have sites housed within this one.
Glasgow Women's Library
-----------------------
http://www.womens-library.org.uk/
mailto:gwl@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Community information
http://www.mbn.co.uk/ascc/
Association of Scottish Community Councils
To be on a community council, you generally need to be on the electoral
roll for that council's area. Because the electoral roll is compiled in
November, but the elections to the community council are in September,
this means you must have been living in the community council's area for
between 10 and 22 months in order to be eligible to stand.
http://www.slainte.napier.ac.uk/ISC3815
Scottish community information
[1.22] National holidays
The usual 8 Scottish holidays are:
1 Jan Ne'ers day (for traditions see [12.16], [12.17])
2 Jan Scottish New Year holiday
Good Friday
May day holiday (First Monday in May)
Spring Holiday (Last Monday in May)
August holiday (First Monday in August)
25 Dec Christmas day (for traditions see [12.15])
26 Dec Boxing day
These holidays differ from England as follows:
England gets Easter Monday instead of 2 Jan.
England's August holiday is at the end of August.
There are also "harmonised" Scotland holidays in which Scotland gets the
holidays listed above except the August holiday is the English one
rather than the Scottish one. Scottish School holidays are generally the
end of June to the middle of August; about 2-3 weeks ahead of the
holidays in England.
Scotland also has local holidays at various times of the year, (eg
September) and also trade fairs fortnight. Edinburgh's is the first
two weeks in July, Glasgow's is the 3rd and 4th weeks in July. Although
it is called trades fortnight, the first day of the fortnight is widely
taken as a local holiday across many businesses, particularly public
sector. During this time, local travel may operate a cut down timetable.
[1.23] Sheep
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/
Everything you ever wanted to know about breeds of Sheep. Common Scottish
types are Cheviot, Shetland, Boreray, Hebridean, Orkney, Scottish
Blackface.
[1.24] City status
This one has provoked much heated argument, not least because the official
definition of a city is now out of step with the traditional definition of
a city and there is a certain amount of politics associated with what is
a city and what isn't and historically differs from the use of the term
in England.
From the time of David I (12th C) the term city (or civitas) was
introduced
from England initially from the association with episcopal seats. However
unlike England, the word city was conferred on every town with a cathedral
no matter what its importance, trading rights or size. Later a city might
acquire burgh status (e.g. Dunblane) or Royal Burgh status (Elgin),
however
the two are independent - there were 68 Royal Burghs in Scotland at the
time
of their formal abolishment in 1975.
There is no indication that at any time from the 12th century up to the
21st
century when city status was conferred on Stirling and Inverness, that the
title of city confers any special rights, privileges or status. It appears
to have been exclusively an honorific title and a matter of civic pride
for the inhabitants of the town and recognition by the monarch. It also
gave a certain importance to towns that were not burghs or royal burghs
and differentiated them from ordinary villages.
There is a claim that Dunblane was granted city status by James IV
in 1500 when he ruled Scotland from the nearby Royal burgh of Stirling. I
welcome evidence of how this was conferred as it has so far been difficult
to trace. There is a possible explanation that 1500 was about the time
James IV spent quite a lot of time with Margaret Drummond, possibly
marrying her in private. However, in order to block this and make way for
his marriage to Princess Margaret of England, Margaret and her two sisters
were poisoned in 1501 and all three got a magnificient send off in the
Cathedral where they lie to this day. So perhaps Margaret was Dunblane's
reason for being made a city and equally for evidence being hard to find.
This story does not explain why in 1150 when Dunblane's Bishopric was
founded that the town was not granted city status then and had to wait
350 years.
A much more plausible explanation is that of the 13 pre-reformation
cathedral
sites in Scotland, 11 of which were in towns, the term city was often used
to refer to the town - see the letter from Pope Benedict XIII of Avignon,
September 10, 1403, which refers to "the people of the city and diocese"
(of Dunblane).
The "rank" of medieval Scottish towns was thus:
Village (lowest); City (village with a cathedral, honorific title),
Burgh (legal status) and finally Royal Burgh (legal status)
The 11 towns, some of which use the term city today were: Old Aberdeen,
Brechin, Dornoch, Dunblane, Dunkeld, Elgin, Fortrose, Glasgow, Kirkwall,
Saint Andrews and Whithorn
The remaining two cathedrals were at Iona (seat of the Bishopric
of the Isles) and Lismore.
It is unclear whether initally city status was conferred by the monarch
or whether it was simply a term to describe the seat of a bishop.
However, over time, city status is something granted by the monarch and
there is not only a gap between a cathedral being founded but also the
creation of cities where there is no cathedral. By the time of the 17th
century there is a clear documented gap. Charles I founded the Bishopric
of Edinburgh in 1633 but the earliest recorded instance of Edinburgh
being called a city dates from 1687. There is also Stirling which became
the first Scottish city, historic or modern, to not have a cathedral.
By the 19th century a number of Scottish towns are calling themselves
cities but it appears that there is no record of how this was
officially conferred. The first record appears to come via a Royal
Charter granted to Dundee, on 26 January 1889.
The 1929 Local government Act created three different categories of burgh
one of which was cities and this list was Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen
and Dundee. Only Dundee seems to have a Royal Charter, the rest are
Royal Burghs which have been known as cities since medieval times.
So much for the smaller towns which had equal claim to the title.
By 1972, the "Municipal Year Book" gave the
list of Scottish cities as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee,
Perth and Elgin. It is unclear why Perth appears in
this list when Perth has never been a cathedral city and why
Elgin is listed and none of the other cathedral cities are.
By 1975 the former Burghs and Royal Burghs lost their ancient
rights. Thus city status which formerly served to differentiate
a village from a place with a cathedral now became the most
sought after honour which could be bestowed on a town.
The situation we have today is thus:
Two places with a cathedral which were never a city (Iona, Lismore)
11 places with a cathedral and associated settlement which became known
as cities from the 12th century. Old Aberdeen, Brechin, Dornoch,
Dunblane, Dunfermline, Dunkeld, Elgin, Fortrose, Kirkwall, St Andrews,
Whithorn. Many of these places still use the term city in various
contexts, e.g. "City and Burgh of Dunblane", "Brechin City (Football)".
Perth which is refered to as "The fair city" although it is unclear
when the city term originated.
3 major towns (Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen) which hold city status
from medieval times and which enjoy official city status today.
3 towns which have been granted city status by a Queen:
Dundee: Royal Charter, 26 Jan 1889.
Inverness: Royal Letters Patent, 18 December 2000, for the millenium.
Stirling: Royal Letters Patent, 14 March 2002, for the Golden Jubilee.
There are no further plans to grant city status for the time being.
These latter 6 form the Official List of Cities as recognised
by the Scottish Executive. However it is unclear what the grounds
are for this list when only 3 appear to have documentary
evidence of city status. It is also unclear why as recently
as 1972, Perth and Elgin were recognised as cities but are no longer
and why the ancient cathedral towns are not recognised as cities.
However, any town which historically called itself a city is still
free to do so. The only difference is that they are not on the
government's Official List Of Places We Officially Acknowledge As
Cities. It is also expecially odd as Dunfermline discovered that
in Medieval times it was called a city and on 16th September 2000
pulled out of the competition to award millenium city status on
the basis that it already was one, a fact recognised by the
executive. Why it should then be excluded from the official list
simply seems strange.
As a result, the 6 Official Cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow,
Aberdeen, Dundee, Stirling and Inverness now seem to have an elite
club and whilst fine for those places does seem to play down the
important Scottish tradition and status accorded to many other
towns and there is no clear explanation as to how this list was
arrived at other than a mixture of recent Royal charter or letters
patent, or being a big town with a cathedral. The only Scottish towns
today with an Anglican cathedral that don't have city status are
Oban and Perth.
The OED
-------
I wrote to the OED regarding the use of the term "City"
and the term "High School" which I also felt to be wrong as regards
Scotland:
Oxford University Press wrote back to me and said:
"I agree with you that the definitions of 'High School' and 'city' may
be misleading in respect to Scotland, and we will consider revising
them at the earliest opportunity."
Some definitions
----------------
Cathedral: The principal church of a diocese in which is to be
found the bishop's throne or cathedra
Civitas: The name civitas was applied by the Romans to each of
the independent states or tribes of Gaul; in later times it adhered
to the chief town of each of these states, which usually became
afterwards the seat of civil government and of episcopal authority.
The term later meant "a centre of civilized living".
Burgh: Conferring Burgh status gave a town self-government.
Burghs had special trading privileges, which were very important to
the prosperty of the town and its inhabitants. Burghs were
represented in parliament.
Royal Burgh: (or King's Burgh). Had no superior above them except
the King. This was the highest status which could be conferred on
a town. Royal burghs had a monopoly on foreign trade. They also had
more representation in parliament than non-royal burghs. Often the
Royal Burghs were sea ports or had some close connection with royalty
(e.g. Linlithgow and its palace)
The Burghs' trading rights were abolished in 1832 and the Burghs
themselves in 1975.
[2.1] Celtic background
It is incorrect to think of Scotland as a wholly Celtic country.
Since the first millennium BC, Scotland has been a place of multiple
languages and this tradition continues today. First of all it was
Pictish and British; then Gaelic, Norse and Scots came and today it's
English, Scots and Gaelic. Nearly all of Scotland was once Gaelic speaking
except Orkney, Shetland and Caithness which had a variety of Norse
until recent times and East Lothian which was settled by the Angles.
Galloway had a Gaelic community which became separated from the Gaelic
speaking Highlands and Gaelic was still in use until about the 17th
century in Galloway. Gaelic is a Celtic language, like Irish, Scots is
a Germanic language like English.
"Poets, scholars and writers in Lowland Scotland up until the 16th century
readily acknowledged Gaelic to be the true and original Scottish language.
As we know, though, it was an incomer just as much as Anglo-Saxon! For
Walter Kennedy 'it suld be al trew Scottis mennis lede': ('Flyting with
Dunbar' c.1500)"
section quoted from "Gaelic: a past and future prospect", Kenneth
Mackinnon.
Other notable reads include anything by the late Prof Kenneth Jackson,
particularly "A Celtic Miscellany", any of John Prebble's books (eg "1000
years of Scottish History") or Nigel Tranter ("The Story of Scotland").
The book "The Lyon in Mourning" about the Jacobite uprising is online
here:
http://www.nls.uk/print/transcriptions/lyon/vol2/
Particularly recommended is Michael Lynch's "Scotland: A new history"
ISBN 0712698930. 517 pages, published 8-October-1992. The
Michael Lynch book is particularly excellent - I have a copy myself and
it was also recommended by a friend with a degree in Scottish History.
Vast in scope with 25 chapters spanning 18 centuries, from the Picts to
the 1980s and aimed at the general reader. However, will miss out on
anything related to The Scottish Parliament. More info here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0712698930/scottishmusiccom
The author is Professor of History at Edinburgh University and
President of the Historical Association of Scotland.
For the most up to date recommended guide on Scottish History, take
a look at The Oxford Companion to Scottish History edited by
Michael Lynch. Hardcover - 758 pages, published October 2001.
The Oxford Companion to Scottish History has more than 170 expert
contributors. It interprets history broadly, including archaeology,
architecture, climate, culture, folk belief, geology, and the langauages
of Scotland. It covers more than 20 centuries of history, including
immigrants, migrants, and emigrants. It extends from Orkney and
Shetland to Galloway, the Western Isles to the Borders. It deals
extensively with Scots abroad, from Canada to Russia to New Zealand.
It includes entries on historical figures from Columba, Macbeth,
and William Wallace to James (Paraffin) Young. It covers Burns Clubs,
curling, and shinty. It ranges from clans to Clearances and Covenanters.
More information and related books at the following link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0192116967/scottishmusiccom
If you're interested in Celtic mythology, an excellent online reference
is at
http://irelandnow.com/ulstercycle/frame.htm
[2.2] Celtic art and font links
Clip art etc
============
http://celticknots.atspace.com/
http://home.ctnet.com/drew/celthome.html
http://home.ctnet.com/drew/knotwork.html
http://home.pi.net/~siteklj/cornwall.htm
http://members.aol.com/Cyrion7/celtic/
http://members.aol.com/ragnarok/artype/celtic/
http://people.wiesbaden.netsurf.de/~kikita/
http://webclipart.miningco.com/msub6.htm
http://webclipart.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa020698.htm
http://wvnvm.wvnet.edu/~cna00104/
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/5872/graphics.html
http://www.dickalba.demon.co.uk/
http://www.iserv.net/~scottish/
http://www.ceolas.org/clipart.html
http://www.celticlady.com/
http://www.planet.net/celtart/
http://www.siliconglen.com/joscelin/
http://www.siliconglen.com/craig/gaidhlig.html
http://www.underbridge.com/market/walker/
http://www.highlandersoftware.com/
Fonts
=====
http://members.aol.com/ragnarok/artype/celtic/
http://www.celticvoice.com/readings/gaeil1.htm
http://www.evertype.com/
http://www.indirect.com/www/engard/runes/runefont.html
http://www.ragnarokpress.com/artype/celtic/
http://www.ragnarokpress.com/scriptorium/2faces.html
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~smacsuib/fonts/
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~bigted/celtica/
http://www.vintagetype.com/
http://yeats.csufresno.edu/GAELIC-L.HTML
FTP sites
---------
ftp://ftp.winsite.com/pub/pc/win3/fonts/
Newsgroups
----------
See also the newsgroup news:comp.fonts
Information on Celtic fonts
---------------------------
Gaelic script is not based on Irish Uncial, but Irish miniscule,
8th century style. The Anglo-Saxon miniscule of the tenth is exactly
the same script, plus thorn, wyn and edh (as exemplified by the
9th-century
gloss to the Linsfarne Gospels), so much so that some academics argue
that Gaelic script is derived from Anglo-Saxon miniscule, rather than
the other way round. It's an old quibble, arising from the similarity
of these two scripts. If you are looking for a definition of Gaelic
script, either could serve as a source.
Gaelic script is characterised by a triangular letter A, and leans towards
Italic rather than the round upright majuscule, or uncial proper. The book
of Durrow is a particularly good reference source.
[2.3] The Celtic cross
It isn't Christian nor Celtic. The oldest examples of the "Celtic"
cross are those engraved or painted on flat pebbles, dating from
10,000 BC and found in a cave in the French Pyrenees. These "ancestor
stones" were believed to contain the spirits of the dead.
In Scotland, The stones at Callanish are laid in the shape of a
Celtic cross. Callanish also predates Christ. It is possible the
Christians took the cross symbol from the Celts or Megalithic peoples
but certainly not that the Celts took the symbol from the Christians.
Links
-----
Information on megalithic sites is available at
http://www.placedirectory.com/stones/stones1.htm
Callanish info at
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/2621/callanis.htm
[2.4] Postgraduate courses in Celtic studies
There are three Celtic departments in Scotland
Edinburgh University, Glasgow University and Aberdeen University
Edinburgh
---------
Dept of Celtic, The University of Edinburgh,
19/20 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD
Fax: 0131 650 6536
Tel: 0131 650 3622
contact: Professor William Gillies
http://www.arts.ed.ac.uk/celtic/
Degrees available:
PhD (min 3 years); MLitt (min two years); MSc/Diploma (one year/nine
months)
Entrance qualifications for all three is a good Honours degree in Celtic
studies or a related or relevant discipline, but I understand each case
is
considered on its individual merits.
The MSc/Diploma is based around a series of prescribed specialisms
including literary, linguistic and historical options of which
candidates choose one. There isn't much specific info on the content of
the other courses
The Dept of Celtic was founded in 1882 and is the oldest in Scotland.
Current members include Prof William Gillies (head of dept), Ronald
Black and Roibeart O Maolalaigh. Allan MacDonald also takes part in
teaching. Nerys Ann Jones, Kenneth MacKinnon and Cathair O Dochartaigh
are Honorary Fellows of the Faculty of Arts in the field of Celtic
Studies.
Aberdeen
--------
Roinn na Ceilteis / Celtic Dept
University of Aberdeen
Taylor Building
King's College
Old Aberdeen
AB9 2UB
Tel: 01224 272549
Fax: 01224 272562
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~lng014/celtic_dept/
Glasgow
-------
Roinn na Ceilteis / Celtic Dept
Glasgow University
Glaschu
G12 8QQ
Tel: 0141 339 8855
mailto:celtic@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
O'Dochartaigh is the head of department at Glasgow and
Thomas Clancy (British Academy Post-Doctoral fellow) teaches
there.
It is said that Aberdeen, then Edinburgh then Glasgow give their students
the best opportunities to leave as fluent Gaelic speakers. Edinburgh also
has the School of Scottish Studies which is the world centre for Scottish
ethnology, folklore, traditions, customs etc (covers the whole of
Scotland, not just the Highlands).
The School of Scottish Studies offers courses in ethnology and
has strong links with the Dept of Celtic (both part of Edinburgh
University)
http://www.pearl.arts.ed.ac.uk/SoSS/
mailto:Scottish.Studies@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
may eventually also be courses on offer at the
University of the Highlands and Islands
http://www.uhi.ac.uk/
There is also a Celtic studies dept at St Francis Xavier University,
Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Ken Nilsen teaches at St FX, used to teach in
the Boston area see Dr Ken Nilsen's homepage at
http://www.stfx.ca/people/knilsen/
For info on summer courses in Nova Scotia, see
http://www.ceilidhtrail.com/
There is also a Masters program at U. of Wales, Cardiff in Welsh
Ethnology
Jordanhill offers courses for people wishing to become Gaelic teachers
Jordanhill College
45 Chamberlain Road
Glaschu
G13 1SP
Clydebank College also offers Gaelic courses
Clydebank College
Kilbowie Road
Clydebank
Siorramachd Dhun Breatann
G81 2AA
There are also Celtic Studies departments at Harvard College and Stonehill
College (in Easton, Massachusetts) and the University of California at
Berkeley. There is an Irish Studies Program at Boston College.
See also
--------
http://www.yahoo.co.uk/Social_Science/Celtic_Studies/
[2.5] The history of language in Scotland
In Britain (including Scotland), Brythonic Celtic predates Gaelic by
almost 1000 years or so. Being spoken from Kent up to Glasgow and
across to Wales. Some people even suggest that Brythonic was spoken in
Ireland before Gaelic, but this notion begs the question... Where did
Gaelic come from and when? But that's another story. Pictish (possibly
Celtic) would probably predate even brythonic.
As to Gaelic and English in Scotland, The Highlands of Scotland were
occupied by Picts and the Lowlands were occupied by Brythonic Celts.
The Romans occupying the Lowlands during this time and when the Romans
left in 407, they left a weak kingdom, but still brythonic. The Scots
(Gaelic speaking) extended their region of Dalriada into Argyllshire,
between 500 and 550. The Angles extended the Kingdom of Northumbria
into Lothian, Berwick, Selkirk, Peebles and Roxburgh. As far as I am
aware these areas are in present day Scotland. The Angles spoke a
dialect of what is know today as "Old English". The Angles moved into
this area about 540 -600, these are rough dates. As time went
on, Scotland was left with 4 distinct areas. Dalriada, Pictland,
Strathclyde and Lothian (Northumbria). In 625 the Northumbrian Kingdom
stretched from the Humber to the Forth and was ruled by Edwin. In 685
the Northumbrians decided to try and extend Northumbria into Pictland
and hence invaded the Picts, but this was a big mistake. The
Northumbrian army was defeated by the Picts and eventually Northumbria
lost supremacy to the Southern Saxons. (Also why RP is based on
Southern English and Not Northumbrian ???). The Picts became the
supreme overlords of the Scots in Dalriada and the Brythonic Celts in
Strathclyde.
About 785, Pictland started to receive attacks from bands of Norse
invaders and these lead to Pictish defeats and in the 830 (approx), the
Norse invaders made permanent settlements.
In 843 Dalriada threw off Pictish control, where upon the Scots King
Kenneth MacAlpine laid claim to the Pictish throne through the Celtic
law of Tanistry. Followed by the union of the Picts and the Scots. The
now "United Kingdom" tried to oust the Northumbrians from Lothian but
were unsuccessful. At this time the Norse people occupied the Western
Isles, Northern Isles and Caithness.
The Scots allied themselves to the English to get rid of the Norse
Invaders and sometimes allied themselves with the Norse to get rid of
the English.
It was not until 1018 that the Scots Kingdom managed to remove Lothian
from the hands of the Northumbrians and in 1034 the Scots, Angles,
British and Picts were a United Kingdom of Scotland.
As far as I am aware MacBeth was the last of the Gaelic Kings, and he
himself was followed by Malcolm, whose wife (an English lass) moved the
royal court to Edinburgh around about 1070. At this time many
persecuted English people moved into Lothian from England due to Norman
Conquest. The English who were persecuted in England flourished in
Scotland.
The real point of all the above is that English has been spoken since
the 6th Century in Scotland. Not all of it but quite a large piece.
Modern Scots dates back to the first Angle invasions at this time.
Incidentally whilst parts of Scotland were English speaking, parts of
England were still Celtic speaking eg West Yorkshire Kingdom of Elmet
and part |
