Symbolism of The Celtic Cross

Symbolism of The Celtic Cross. Ancient pillar stones, market crosses, and ornamented Celtic crosses all share a common basic symbolism, that of the world-axis or link between heaven and earth. The main feature of the ornamented Celtic cross, the wheel-cross on top, is not derived from the crucifixion but from a more ancient symbol, the Chi-Rho monogram, a cross made by combining the first two letters of the name of Christ in Greek; Chi (X) and Rho (P). This second edition is illustrated by drawings of stones and crosses from Brittany, Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Cumbria, Ireland and Cornwall. The drawings give the reader an advantage over photographs by presenting some idea of what the crosses looked like when they were new. Symbolism of the Celtic Cross.

Scottish Ossian

Scottish Ossian. The Poems of Ossian. With dissertations on the era and poems of Ossian and Dr. Blair's critical dissertation. Contents: A Dissertation Concerning the Era of Ossian; A Dissertation Concerning the Poems of Ossian; Dr. Blair's Critical Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian; Cath-Loda, in Three Duans; Comala; Carric-Thura; Carthon; Oina-Morul; Colna-Dona; Oithona; Croma; Calthon and Colmal; The War of Caros; Cathlin of Clutha; Sul-Malla of Lumon; The War of Inis-Thona; The Songs of Selma; Fingal, In Six Books; Lathmon; Dar-Thula; The Death of Cuthullin; The Battle of Lora; Temora, In Eight Books; Conlath and Cuthona; and Berrathon. The Poems of Ossian.

Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs

Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs. James M. Mackinlays comprehensive work on the folklore of Scottish lochs and springs was first published in 1893, and copies of it have become scarce and difficult to obtain. This paperback reprint is a facsimile of the first edition. This book explains and interprets the origin of superstitions connected with Scottish lochs and springs. It sheds light on how these misinterpretations have come about and how the imagination can distort reality. Partial Contents: Worship of Water, How Water became Holy, Saints and Springs, Stone Blocks, Healing and Holy Wells, Water-Cures, Water-Spirits, Charm-Stones, Sun-Worship and Well-Worship, Wishing-Wells. Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs (1893).

The Saga Of Hacon

The Saga Of Hacon. A facsimile reprint of the edition of the original 'Rolls Series' translation by Sir George W. Dasent. The Saga of Hacon presents the reader with an unbroken record of the career of a king who ruled in Norway from 1217 to 1263 during a period when the predatory instincts of the Northmen, satisfied to some extent by by permanent settlements and acquisitions in France, the Mediterranean coasts, England, Scotland, and Ireland, had been abandoned now that the consolidated strength of European monarchies rendered a repetition of the piratical invasions of earlier times impossible or unprofitable, whilst the warlike elements of each Northern country were fully occupied by the internal dissensions which show that foreign agression had not been given up in consequence of of any decline in the love of fighting for fighting's sake. As is usual in such records, it is the fighting which principally interests the chronicler, and it is only by reading between the lines that we are able to catch a glimpse of of such important matters as the state of trade during the period, and of social conditions. The connection of this Saga with British history is mainly due to the expedition of its hero to Scotland in 1263.
being Icelandic Sagas and other historical documents relating to the settlements and descents of the Northmen on the British Isles

The Saga Of Hacon presents the reader with an unbroken record of the career of a king who ruled in Norway from 1217 to 1263 during a period when the predatory instincts of the Northmen, satisfied to some extent by permanent settlements and acquisitions in France, the Mediterranean coasts, England, Scotland and Ireland had been abandoned now that the consolidated strength of European monarchies rendered a repetition of the piratical invasions of earlier times impossible or unprofitable, whilst the warlike elements of each Northern country were fully occupied by the internal dissensions which show that foreign agression had not been given up in consequence of any decline in the love of fighting for fighting's sake. As is usual in such records, it is the fighting which principally interests the chronicler, and it is only by reading between the lines that we are able to catch a glimpse of such important matters as the state of trade during the period, and of social conditions. The connection of this Saga with British history is mainly due to the expedition of its hero to Scotland in 1263. The Saga of Hacon.

Scottish Folklore

Scottish Folklore. County Folklore. Orkney and Shetland Islands. These examples of printed folklore concerning the Orkney and Shetland Islands were collected by G. F. Black and edited by Northcote W. Thomas to form vol. Ill of the County Folklore series published by David Nutt for the Folklore Society in 1903. It is reprinted here in facsimile as a Llanerch-Folklore Society paperback. County Folklore: Orkney and Shetland Islands (County folk-lore).

Scottish Borders Customs

Scottish Borders Customs. Written almost a century ago, A Corner in the North by Hastings M. Neville gives a real insight into country life and customs in Northumberland and the Borders. As a book it has stood the test of time and can be regarded as a classic in its field. A corner in the North: Yesterday and to-day with border folk.

Old Scottish Customs Local and General

Old Scottish Customs Local and General. This fully comprehensive work by E. J. Guthrie was first published in 1885. The present paperback is a facsimile reprint of that edition. Old Scottish Customs: Local and General.

Best Scottish Arthurian Localities

Best Scottish Arthurian Localities. Arthurian Localities. With a Map of Arthurian Scotland. This is a facsimile reprint of the edition of 1869. In his preface, the author states that "in 1868, Mr Skene published his edition of the Four Ancient Books of Wales, in the introduction and notes to which he showed that a large proportion of these poems belonged to the North, and that the historical Arthur was a leader of the Northern Cymry, or the tribes of Southern Scotland and the English Border. Combining, therefore, Mr, Skene's critical results with my own humbler topographical researches, I now for the first time endeavour to prove, after a regularly conducted scientific method, that the district thus indicated is not only the chief country of Arthurian localities, but also that this district was the original scene of the events of which these localities preserve the mythical traditions. Arthurian Localities: With a Map of Arthurian Scotland.

Best Scottish Medievalists

Alba. Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era. A group of distinguished Scottish medievalists examines various aspects of the history of Celtic or Gaelic-speaking Scotland from the sub-Roman period to the sixteenth century. It is the first such volume to scrutinise in detail the history of the Highlands and Islands incorporating the most up-to-date research. It examines the evolution of the idea of 'Celtic Scotland', tracing the historiography of the Gaidhealtachd through the Caledonians, the Picts and the first medieval writings in the area. It investigates such areas as Galloway as well as surveying politics, culture and the church in the context of the great medieval lordships such as those of the Isles, Argyll, Moray and Ross and demonstrates how the histories of such provinces were integrated into that of Scotland at large. Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era.

Best Scottish Reformation History

Best Scottish Reformation History. The Origins of the Scottish Reformation. There is no other survey of the Scottish Reformation in print, and no book has focused on the movement's origins since 1910. This book refutes partisan Catholic and Protestant narratives to argue that the Reformation was contingent and unpredictable: other outcomes were possible until the last minute, and the eventual outcomes were determined by politics and violence as much as by religion. It pays serious attention to the international context of the Scottish Reformation: using European comparisons, attending to the direct influence of European events, and in particular looking at the role of England and the emergence of early ideas of 'British' identity. It recaptures the lived experience of this important period in which Scottish and British identity was remade. The Origins of the Scottish Reformation (Politics, Culture & Society in Early Modern Britain) (Politics, Culture & Society in Early Modern Britain).

Best Scottish Neolithic History

Best Scottish Neolithic History. Neolithic and Bronze Age Scotland. This is the story of Scotland from the first farmers to the beginning of the Iron Age. It traces the growth and mysterious decline of the society which left its mark on the landscape in the form of stone circles, settlements and ceremonial enclosures. Neolithic and Bronze Age Scotland (Historic Scotland).

Neolithic Scotland. Timber, Stone, Earth and Fire. This is a survey of the neolithic period in Scotland from 4000 to 2500 BC. This is an account of the Neolithic period in Scotland from its earliest traces around 4000 BC to the transformation of Neolithic society in the Early Bronze Age fifteen hundred years later. Gordon Noble inteprets Scottish material in the context of debates and issues in European archaeology, comparing sites and practices identified in Scotland to those found elsewhere in Britain and beyond. He synthesises excavations and research conducted over the last century and more, bringing together the evidence for understanding what happened in Scotland during this long period. His long-term and regionally based analysis suggests new directions for the interpretation of the Neolithic more generally. Dr Noble outlines the chronology of the Neolithic in Europe then considers its origins in Scotland investigating why the Earlier Neolithic in Scotland is characterised by regionally-distinct monumental traditions. He uses a long-term perspective to explain the nature of monumental landscapes in the Later Neolithic and considers the impact on the creation and maintenance of Neolithic society. He ends by considering how the Neolithic was transformed in the Early Bronze Age through the manipulation of the material remains of the past. Neolithic Scotland: Timber, Stone, Earth and Fire.

Best Scottish Emigration History

Best Scottish Emigration History. Scottish Exodus: Travels Among a Worldwide Clan. Millions of Scots have left their homeland during the last four hundred years. Until now, they have been written about in general terms. Scottish Exodus breaks new ground by taking particular emigrants, drawn from the once-powerful Clan MacLeod, and discovering what happened to them and their families. These people became, among other things, French aristocrats, Polish resistance fighters, Texan ranchers, New Zealand shepherds, Australian goldminers, Aboriginal and African-American activists, Canadian mounted policemen and Confederate rebels. One nineteenth-century MacLeod even went so far as to swap his Gaelic for Arabic and his Christianity for Islam before settling down comfortably in Cairo. This gripping account of Scotland's worldwide diaspora is based on unpublished documents, letters and family histories. It is also based on the author's travels in the company of today's MacLeods - some of them still in Scotland, others further afield. "Scottish Exodus" is a tale of disastrous voyages, famine and dispossession, the hazards of pioneering on faraway frontiers. But it is also the moving story of how people separated from Scotland by hundreds of years and thousands of miles continue to identify with the small country where their journeyings began. Scottish Exodus: Travels Among a Worldwide Clan.

Emigration from the United Kingdom to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. A database of English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish immigrants who arrived at the Port of New York between 1870 and 1897. Passenger lists. Emigration from the United Kingdom to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports: v. 2 (Emigration from the United Kingdom to America: Lists of Passengers).

Best Scottish Wars of Independence History

Best Scottish Wars of Independence History. Freedom's Sword. Scottish Wars of Independence. A popular history of the longest period of conflict between Scotland and England. It covers the story of William Wallace and his rebellion, subject of the Mel Gibson movie "Braveheart", and goes on to explore the career of Robert the Bruce, arguably Scotland's most capable military leader ever. The text continues after Bruce's death, revealing how Scottish invasions of northern England were finally halted and peace negotiated at Berwick in 1357. After that, English military efforts were concentrated against France, beginning the "Hundred Years War". Illustrations show how the soldiers were armed and equipped during 60 years of medieval warfare. Computer-generated maps reveal how Wallace outwitted the English army at Stirling Bridge and how Bruce achieved his incredible victory at Bannockburn. Peter Winter's text vividly describes this dramatic era of Anglo-Scottish conflict. Freedom's Sword: Scottish Wars of Independence.

The Second Scottish Wars of Independence. The wars of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce cast a long shadow in Scottish history. The collapse and recovery of the Bruce cause in the reign of his son, David II, has not attracted much attention among historians of medieval warfare despite the fact that the Scots were utterly defeated in three major battles. The nobility was destroyed at Dupplin Muir, the rank and file died in droves at Halidon Hill and, at Neville's Cross, the Scottish king was captured. So how did England manage to lose the war ? Drawn from English and Scottish state papers and chronicle accounts, this new book tells the story of the armies and campaigns that would develop the tactics that gave English forces the dramatic triumphs of the Hundred Years War. The fight of Edward III and his ally come protege Edward Balliol to oust the Bruce dynasty and bring Scotland into the feudal hegemony of England provided the arena for the first chivalric war in the British Isles. It saw not only the first demonstration of the terrifying arrow storm, but was also a war of minor actions and territorial dominance in the classic guerrilla style. The Second Scottish Wars of Independence.

Best Scottish First World War History

Best Scottish First World War History. The Flowers of the Forest. Scotland and the Great War. Today we are as far away from the First World War as the Edwardians were from the Battle of Waterloo, but it casts a shadow over Scottish life that was never produced by the wars against Napoleon. The country and its people were changed forever by the events of 1914-1918. Once the workshop of the empire and an important source of manpower for the colonies, after the war, Scotland became something of an industrial and financial backwater. Emigration increased as morale slumped in the face of economic stagnation and decline. The country had paid a disproportionately high price in casualties, a result of the larger numbers of volunteers and the use of Scottish battalions as shock troops in the fighting on the Western Front and Gallipoli, young men whom the novelist Ian Hay called the vanished generation who left behind them something which neither time can efface nor posterity belittle. There was a sudden crisis of national self-confidence, leading one commentator to suggest in 1927 that the Scots are a dying race. Royle examines related themes such as the overwhelming response to the call for volunteers and the subsequent high rate of fatalities, the performance of Scottish military formations in 1915 and 1916, the militarisation of the Scottish homeland, the resistance to war in Glasgow and the west of Scotland, the boom in the heavy industries and the strengthening of women's role in society following on from wartime employment. The Flowers of the Forest: Scotland and the Great War.
Come On Highlanders! Glasgow Territorials In The Great War. Already possessors of a proud history by the outbreak of the First World War, the men of 9th, Glasgow Highland, Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry, were right at the heart of the cataclysmic events that unfolded on the Western Front. One of the first Territorial units to be rushed to France in 1914, they participated in almost all the major British battles, Festubert, Neuve-Chapelle and Loos in 1915, the Somme in 1916, Arras and Ypres in 1917. They were closely involved in opposing the great German offensive of spring 1918, and in the big Allied push which culminated in victory later that year. Altogether, around 4,500 men served with the battalion in the First World War. By 1919, over 1,200 had died and at least double that number had been wounded. Despite this the ethos of the battalion, built up over half a century of peace and many months of warfare, survived. Alec Weir's accessible, informal style, employing many first-hand accounts, and his rigorous research combine here to produce a fascinating and detailed account of how ordinary men from all walks of life confronted and mastered the hellish conditions of trench warfare. Come On Highlanders! - Glasgow Territorials In The Great War..

Scottish Voices from the Great War. Using letters, diaries and first-hand accounts together with original photographs, here is the real story of Scotland's soldiers in the First World War. Scotland's response to the Great War has, up until now, largely been marginalized or ignored. With a proportionally higher number of volunteers than any other home nation, Scotland's youth played a significant part in Britain's war effort. Here is the first study of Scotland's response to the call to arms; the true story behind the raising, the training, life in the trenches, and the sacrifices faced by those battalions raised in Scotland. This book focuses on the experiences of those who served in the Scottish divisions. Charting the course of emotions from initial enthusiasm in August 1914 through to outright disillusionment with the continuation of the war in 1917, the author clearly shows how life at the front line produced both physical and emotional changes in those caught up in the horrors of trench warfare. Scottish Voices from the Great War.

Best Scottish Union History

Best Scottish Union History. The Union. England, Scotland and the Treaty of 1707. The story of modern Britain began 300 years ago, with the Treaty of Union between England and Scotland in 1707. In this fresh and challenging look at the origins of the United Kingdom, the first full study for four decades, Michael Fry traces the fault-lines of the present time right back to the treaty drawn up between the ruling classes of Scotland and England three centuries ago. In many previous histories this has been interpreted as mere dictation by England, which Scotland accepted for the economic gains it was supposed to bring. Fry rejects the idea that the economy was of overwhelming importance and shows how Scots were able to exploit English ignorance of and indifference to their country, as evident now as then, to steer the settlement in their own favour. That left the future of Scotland, England and Britain open, not closed. The full implications are only being worked out in our own time.While focusing on the few years which led up to the Union, Fry's reassessment casts its net wider than existing interpretations. He includes the political history of England as well as of Scotland, all set against the backdrop of war in Europe and the emergence of imperialism. He compares the fate of the Scots with that of other small nations. By a close, comparative reading of the evidence he manages to reconstruct the human as well as the political story, in the voices of the people where they can still be discerned, in plots and conspiracies long lost from view, in reports from battlefields and in the impassioned debates of the Scots Parliament as the nation steeled itself for the loss of independence which, even so, it would not allow to become irrevocable. The Union: England, Scotland and the Treaty of 1707.

Best Scottish Enlightenment History

Best Scottish Enlightenment History. The Scottish Enlightenment. The Scots' Invention of the Modern World. In 1696, on an unseasonably cold August evening, Thomas Aikenhead joked to friends as they hurried through Edinburgh's wind-blown streets that he would rather be in 'hell, to warm myself there.' The young theology student would pay for this remark with his life. Yet within one hundred years, the nation that began the eighteenth century dominated by the harsh and repressive Scottish Kirk had evolved into Europe's most literate society, producing an idea of modernity that has shaped much of civilisation as we know it. Arthur Herman argues that Scotland's turbulent history, from William Wallace to the Presbyterian Lords of the Covenant, laid the foundations for 'the Scottish miracle'. Harsh economic reality compelled Scotland into the act of Union with England in 1707, a move considered by many Scots at the time to sound the death-knell for their country and its culture. Within decades, however, a remarkable circle of Scottish thinkers, including David Hume and Adam Smith, gave birth to the key assumptions that underlie modern politics, economics, morals and cultural life. The Scots went on to become the mainstays of the British Empire, infusing this system of exploitation with a spirit of co-operation. Emigration to America brought inspiration for the American Revolution, and ultimately, towering figures such as Alexander Carnegie and Alexander Graham Bell fuelled the rise of America's capitalist democracy. Written with wit, erudition and clarity, The Scottish Enlightenment traces the pervasive influence of a nation and its people to claim their rightful place in the history of the western world. The Scottish Enlightenment: The Scots' Invention of the Modern World.

The Scottish Enlightenment was one of the truly great intellectual and cultural movements of the world. Its achievements in science, philosophy, history, economics, and other disciplines also, were immense; and its influence has hardly if at all been dimmed in the intervening two centuries. This book, written for the general reader, considers the achievement of this most astonishing period of Scottish history. It attends not only to the ideas that made the Scottish Enlightenment such a wondrous moment, but also to the people themselves who generated these ideas, men such as David Hume and Adam Smith, who are still read for the sake of the light they shed on contemporary issues. The Scottish Enlightenment.

Scotland in the Eighteenth Century. Union and Enlightenment. This is an introduction to Scottish history in the 18th which is completely up-to-date and gives equal emphasis to politics and religion. Once a small and isolated country with an unenviable reputation for poverty and instability, by 1800 Scotland it was emerging as an economic powerhouse, a major colonial power and an internationally acclaimed center of European philosophy, science and literature. This thematic investigation explores the experiences and responses of a people whose world was being fundamentally reconfigured and offers some topical and thought-provoking lessons from a dramatic period when, willingly or with great reluctance, the Scots adapted themselves to rapidly changing circumstances. Starting with the threshold of the Act of Union (1707) and running through to 1800 and the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars, This book covers the impact of the Enlightenment on Scotland and Scotland's own very significant contribution to this via Adam Smith, David Hume and their circle. Setting social, cultural and economic analyses within a firm political framework, Scotland's internal story is placed in the wider context of Britain, Europe and Empire, and her role and identity within the newly united Britain assessed. Scotland in the Eighteenth Century: Union and Enlightenment.

Best Scottish Medieval History

Best Scottish Medieval History. A history of medieval Scotland, concentrating on the period between the middle of the eleventh century and the Reformation and taking full account of recent scholarship. It is primarily a political and ecclesiastical study, analysing the development of the institutions of the Scottish state, conflict and co-operation between the crown and the nobility, relations with external powers, the history of the church in Scotland, and the formation of a distinctive Scottish identity. The Wars of Independence are examined in their historical context, and elements of identity and change are identified across the whole period. Particular emphasis is placed upon relations between core and periphery in medieval Scotland and on the difficulties experienced by the crown in imposing royal authority in the north and west. Medieval Scotland (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks).

Outlaws of Medieval Scotland. Challenges to the Canmore Kings, 1058-1266. The history of the so-called Canmore kings in Scotland, from the reign of Malcolm lll (1058-93) down to that of Alexander lll (1249-86), is marked by an array of insurrections led by discontented dynasts and native warlords with grievances against these kings. Although none of the challenges ultimately proved successful, they nevertheless form a much-neglected theme across a formative era of Scottish history, which they in part define. This book demonstrates that the Canmore kings maintained their grip on power in large measure through crushing rivals and quashing numerous insurrections; their claim to be the founders of the medieval kingdom is valid, but the roles of violence and military confrontations in the consolidation of their power and the formation of the medieval kingdom are given new emphasis here. From well-known events like the invasion of Somerled of Argyll in 1164 to lesser-known challenges like that from Donald MacWillliam in the 1180s, the book offers a systematic exploration of the leaders of insurrection, their aims and motivations, their military capabilities, and the reasons behind their failure as well as the overall impact of insurrection upon the Scottish kingdom. Outlaws of Medieval Scotland: Challenges to the Canmore Kings, 1058-1266.

Burgess, Merchant and Priest. The Medieval Scottish Town. This work examines what life was like in the new communities founded by David I in the 12th century, such as Perth, Aberdeen, Elgin, Edinburgh and Glasgow. It looks at houses, clothes and lifestyles, and also in relation to the religious houses which played such an important part in their life. Burgess, Merchant and Priest: The Medieval Scottish Town (The Making of Scotland): The Medieval Scottish Town (The Making of Scotland).

Puir Labourers and Busy Husbandmen. The Medieval Countryside of Scotland 100-1600. This title explores the new way of life brought to the Scottish medieval countryside by feudalism, the threat of revolution, and the spread of Benedictine monasticism. It focuses on the day-to-day activities of farming, peat extraction, woodland management, milling, malting, baking and brewing. Puir Labourers and Busy Husbandmen: The Medieval Countryside of Scotland 100-1600 (The Making of Scotland): The Medieval Countryside of Scotland 100-1600 (The Making of Scotland).

Medieval Scotland. Explore Scottish History. A study of the history of medieval Scotland. It is part of a series which offers an insight into Scotland's past and a general overview of the country's history. These books aim to develop historical skills and provide suggestions for further research. The volume: seeks to integrate social, economic, political and cultural developments to give a balanced view of Scottish history; places events in context through comparison with contemporary developments outside Scotland; helps readers to understand the past through the analysis of historical evidence; and uses timelines to give an overview of the period. Medieval Scotland (Explore Scottish History) (Explore Scottish History).

Best Scottish Tours of the Lower River Tay

The Lower River Tay at Campsie Linn, Perthshire, Scotland.

Tour Lower River Tay, Perthshire, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland. Rent a Cottage in Scotland. Tour Roman Scotland. Golf Scotland.

Scottish Tartan History

Scottish Tartan History. Of all the symbols associated with Scotland, tartan is undoubtedly the most evocative. When the Hanoverian government in Britain banned the wearing of Highland dress in 1746, after the 1745 Jacobite Rising, it was not just a bid to ban a superb campaigning garment, it was also a direct attempt to deal a mortal blow to a people's morale.

Best Scottish Tours of Sheriffmuir

Best Scottish Tours of Sheriffmuir. The Battle of Sheriffmuir, fought on 13 November 1715, is one of the few battles in history to have ended in a draw. It was fought between Jacobite forces led by the Earl of Mar and a smaller government army under the command of the Duke of Atholl.

Tour Sheriffmuir, Scotland, on an Ancestry Tour of Scotland. Best Scottish Tours, Best Scottish Food, Best Scottish Hotels, Small Group Tours of Scotland. Rent a Cottage in Scotland. Golf Scotland.

Best Scottish Fossils

The Queen Elizabeth Forest Park Visitor Centre near Aberfoyle, in The Trossachs, has an illustrated display of local geology, and an illustrated leaflet describing a sign-posted Fault Trail through the forest to examine the remains of this colossal activity in its much more tranquil modern setting.

From the hill above Lime Craig Quarry there is a spectacular panoramic view of the Trossachs, and beneath your feet an impressive view of an entire ocean. This ocean is long-dead, but evidence for its existence comes from fossils that have been discovered in small outcrops of rocks in Lime Craig Quarry and the surrounding areas. The information is far from complete, but the piecing together of the sparse fossil evidence would indicate that this ocean developed around 500 million years ago and was in existence for at least 40 million years. Yet at Lime Craig Quarry today, the remnants of this ocean are found in a belt no more than 135yds wide.
The fossils in the limestone at Lime Craig are not museum specimens. This is because they are so small that they have to be looked at under a microscope, and also because a natural process in the rock causes the original fossil shell to be replaced by silica, which forms a replica shell, so that these fossils are not particularly attractive. The rock in which they are found is grubby and highly altered, and is now often buried beneath considerable thicknesses of boulder clay. Yet over 30 different types of Ordovician fossils, formed in the second period of the Palaeozoic era, have been recovered from this limestone, and some of these have proved to be identical to those that occur in rocks of similar age in America. All are marine creatures, such as brachiopods, trilobites and snails. A few yards to the north of the limestone, much younger, and even smaller, microfossils have been found in shallow-water sandstone, providing an upper-age estimate for the ocean. During excavations of the quarry other rock types were found, including black shales, which are
characteristic deposits of deep marine environments, and also indications of volcanic activity.

The geological importance of these fossils stems from their situation along the Highland Boundary Fault, which separates the Highlands of Scotland from the Lowlands. The Highlands are composed of very old, metamorphosed Dalradian rocks, over 570 million years old, while the Lowlands of Scotland are made up of much younger Devonian rocks, about 400 million years old. Standing in Lime Craig Quarry, the hills to the south are Devonian and those to the north are Dalradian; in between lies the Highland Boundary Fault and the slivers of rock such as in Lime Craig Quarry, which are known as the Highland Border Complex. Prior to the discovery of the fossils the age of the Highland Border Complex was unknown, and this greatly hindered attempts to reconstruct the geological history of the area.

Since their discovery, however, it is clear that this narrow zone contains the remains of an Ordovician ocean, which has been destroyed by movements along the Highland Boundary Fault. It is now accepted that the earth's crust is made up of a number of plates that move around, and herein lies the answer to an ocean 135yds wide; in Lime Craig Quarry there is evidence for the lateral movement of two plates that crushed between them an entire ocean, or possibly, even, more than one ocean.

Best Scottish Tours of Corgarff Castle

Best Scottish Tours of Corgarff Castle. Corgarff is first glimpsed as the road begins to wind north to the Lecht pass, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Best Scottish Tours of Kildrummy Castle

Best Scottish Tours of Kildrummy Castle. Kildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Best Scottish Tours of Glenbuchat Castle

Best Scottish Tours of Glenbuchat Castle. Bold castle ruins on hill approached by twisting paths, once trodden by smugglers carrying tax-free whisky from illicit stills. View from outside only. Z-shaped with round and square turrets, steep gables and tall chimney stacks. Stone inscription above entrance states that if was built 1590 to mark marriage of John Gordon of Cairnburrow to Helen Carnegie. Castles of Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Best Scottish Tours of Strathearn

Comrie, Strathearn, Perthshire, Scotland. Comrie is a beautiful village located on the banks of the River Earn, just a few miles West of Crieff. Comrie is of Gaelic origin and means a place where rivers meet. The White Church, the former parish kirk, is the most striking building in Comrie, with its prominent tower and spire.