An Inventory for Scotland

2015

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) presented its final reports in the form of a well illustrated overview of its work from 1908 until its conclusion in 2015. This beautifully designed study includes commentary on the impact of different technologies on how the historic landscape and its features can be mapped and recorded.

Assynt and the Northwest Highland Geopark

Assynt © David Gill

The crowdfunding support for the Northwest Highland Geopark continues. However with only two days to go, there is still 75% of the project amount to raise.

You can support the project here.

Love the Northwest Highlands Geopark

Suilven from Lochinver © David Gill

The Northwest Highlands Geopark is crowdfunding to support its work and maintain its UNESCO recognition.

Please support its great work in one of the outstanding landscapes of the British Isles.

Crowdfunding and NW Highlands Geopark

New short video to raise awareness of our crowdfunding campaign help us keep telling geo-stories! https://t.co/G1QVFgyNAu #lovethegeopark pic.twitter.com/gkjmPSPMfZ

— NW Highlands Geopark (@NWHGeopark) April 24, 2017

The NW Highlands Geopark is one of the those special places with dramatic landscapes: mountains, lochs, bogs, coastline. There is a crowdfunding exercise to support the park.

Dumbarton Castle: Spur Battery

Dumbarton Castle © David Gill

The Spur Battery at Dumbarton Castle was constructed about 1680. It lies to the west of the Governor’s House. The Spur Battery was intended to cover the southern approach to the castle.

Leading Visitor Attractions 2016: National Trust for Scotland

Brodick Castle © David Gill

The numbers for Leading Visitor Attractions in the UK are now available. They include properties in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.

The properties are:

• no. 133: Culzean Castle & Country Park, 209,710
• no. 157: Burns Birthplace Museum, 140,528
• no. 159: Culloden, 139,691
• no. 181: Inverewe Gardens, 91,576
• no. 209: Drum Castle, 47,037
• no. 211: Bannockburn, 45,757
• no. 213: Falkland Palace, 41,390
• no. 217: Pitmedden Garden, 33,095
• no. 233: Brodick Castle and Country Park, 27,896
• no. 224: Hill House, 26,857
• no. 230: Gladstones Land, 21,807

Significant increases were seen by Burns Birthplace Museum, Culloden, Inverewe Gardens, Drum Castle, Pitmedden Garden, and Gladstones Land.

Culloden © David Gill

Leading Visitor Attractions 2016: Historic Environment Scotland

Iona Abbey © David Gill

The 2016 figures for Leading Visitor Attractions have been published. They include figures for properties in the care of Historic Environment Scotland (Historic Scotland).

The properties are:

• no. 16: Edinburgh Castle, 1,778,548
• no. 68: Stirling Castle, 481,970
• no. 84: Urquhart Castle, 396,397
• no. 103: Glasgow Cathedral, 296,062
• no. 177: Skara Brae, 93,375
• no. 182: Doune Castle, 90,279
• no. 188: St Andrews Castle, 77,038
• no. 190: Linlithgow Palace, 74,428
• no. 194: Iona Abbey, 65,092
• no. 198: Fort George, 60,924
• no. 200: Melrose Abbey, 52,073
• no. 203: Argyll’s Lodgings, 49,197
• no. 210: St Andrews Cathedral, 46,488
• no. 212: Tantallon Castle, 42,708
• no. 215: Caerlaverock Castle, 35,633
• no. 219: Elgin Cathedral, 30,502
• no. 220: Blackness Castle, 30,053

Significant rises were seen in the numbers for Edinburgh Castle, Urquhart Castle, Glasgow Cathedral (62%), Doune Castle, Linlithgow Palace, St Andrews Cathedral, Elgin Cathedral and Blackness Castle.

Linlithgow Palace © David Gill