Various features of the 1937 edition of the Official Guide to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Abbey & Environs have been covered already in recent posts. The guide also uses a number of pages at the back of the book to cross-sell not only other sites in the care of the Government, but also the range of guidebooks which HMSO had begun to prepare for them.
In contrast to similar lists in other site guidebooks of the period, this section provides a distinct tone of voice in the promotion of sites in state care – suggesting that, “..it is not perhaps sufficiently realised that a large number of our most precious national monuments are not in the charge of the State and are being preserved and made accessible to the public, who for a small charge (usually not more than 6d.) are able to visit them.”
The section goes on to use a somewhat convoluted system of italics and capitals to highlight guides available, those in preparation and the prices of them. The series of Regional Guides to Ancient Monuments (mentioned elsewhere) is noted as being in course of publication.
It is worth noting that the summer opening hours for sites are longer than current site opening schedules – closing at 7 or 8 p.m!
Heritage Futures 