The Streets of Edinburgh have been quiet during lock down, the Castle esplanade 1400hrs on a Sunday afternoon – unimaginable during normal times
A small album from Crichton Castle; a ruined castle near the village of Crichton in Midlothian link
Crickey, i’m really a dunderheid! should’ve posted this yesterday! as it was more appropriate – the ruins of St. Andrews Cathedral. Built in the early 12th century this was Scotland’s largest cathedral and most magnificent church
St. Andrews Cathedral
Panoramic – Bannockburn Battlefield
we can see the Rotunda and flagpole and the Statue of Robert The Bruce – all commemorating the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. When Robert Burns visited the site in 1793 he pend the poem ‘Scots Wha Hae’
Bannockburn Battlefield
The Iconic Dunnottar Castle
an Iconic ruined medieval castle Near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Panoramic shot of Dunnottar Castle
More photos of Dunnottar Castle and other historic sites on the Highlands 2017 album link
25 Photos from Linlithgow palace have been added – Linlithgow palace
Taken April 2017
The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are situated in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, 15 miles west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Interesting article in the Scotsman – Lost Edinburgh: The Nor’ Loch
Some Snippets
THE LUSH, tranquil gardens which grace the centre of Edinburgh offer a stark contrast to the wretched and harrowing events which took place on the site of Princes Street Gardens centuries ago.
The precise origins of the Nor’ Loch are much contested. There is evidence to suggest that a large body of water existed in the valley to the north of the Castle Rock as far back as 15,000 years ago – the deep valley being a product of the last ice age.
Executions
As well as being the city’s most popular suicide spot and the scene of numerous violent murders, the banks of the Nor’ Loch were frequently used as a place where brutal punishments were carried out.
Executions and public ‘dookings’ were commonplace, with huge crowds gathering to witness the event. One of the more gruesome tales involved a Mr Sinclair and his two sisters who were sentenced to death for incest in 1628.
Witches
Prior to the Scottish Enlightenment, it is estimated that more than 300 men and women were sentenced to be tried for wizardry and witchcraft either in the Nor’ Loch itself or around its banks. The process was barbaric with victims being tied up thumb-to-toe, dragged down the muddy slope towards the loch and thrown into the water like rats.
Go Read the Full Thing
http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/heritage/lost-edinburgh-the-nor-loch-1-3281943