Last of the Westland Whigs

In the late 17th century, the 'Westland Whigs' were the radical descendants of earlier Covenanters who had defied the absolutist rule of Stuart kings in south west Scotland.

Monday, April 30, 2012

The Breaking of Britain 1216-1314


Locations of Norman-style mottes plus adjacent farms with Gaelic names Stewratry of Kirkcudbright



Researching the medieval society and history of Galloway, I have found the Paradox of Medieval Scotland database a very useful source. The project is now being extended to include a database of charters from Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland as The Breaking of Britain Cross Border Society and Scottish Independence 1216-1314.

Researching the Contraction of Gaelic in Galloway [also see post below], one of the problem areas was trying to work out what impact the settlement of Middle English (Older Scots) speakers associated with 'Norman-style' mottes on the language mix in Galloway might have been.[See map above]

 The situation is confused since there is an overlap between some of the place names Daphne Brooke [Northumbrian Settlement in Galloway and Carrick, PSAS 1991] identified as Old English and locations Chris Tabraham  [Norman Settlement in Galloway, 1984] identified as possessing either 'Norman-style' mottes and/or charter evidence for non-native (usually Cumbrian) land-ownership.

I suspect that most of Brooke's Northumbrian/ Old English place names are actually twelfth/ thirteenth century in origin, but it is difficult to prove.


Saturday, April 28, 2012

Family History McCullochs of Galloway

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Osprey watch Threave Castle Douglas

Storm clouds over Blackpark marsh near Castle Douglas, Scotland
Saturday 21 April 2012.
Went out to Threave to check on osprey, but was delayed by a hail and rain storm - see photo above.
I did not see the osprey but a couple from Cumbria who were already there had seen the osprey at the tail end of the storm catching a fish near the Stepping Stones bird hide on the river Dee (just below Threave castle).

I saw the photograph of the osprey with a fish - very impressive! Unfortunately I did not see the osprey.

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Saturday, April 14, 2012

Dumfries and Galloway Study: Training Days

Dumfries and Galloway Study: Training Days: After full review of detailed feedback following the public meetings held at the end of last year, we are now ready to embark upon the next ...

Friday, April 13, 2012

Osprey update 13 April

Male and female osprey Threave, Castle Douglas 5 April 2012
Karl Munday, Head Ranger at National Trust for Scotland Threave Estate has suggested that the female in the above photo was just passing through and that our male was 'chancing his luck' with her. This means that our female has not yet arrived. Which is a better scenario than the female arriving and then going off again... 

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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Solitary osprey at nest, Threave, Castle Douglas 12 April

Visited the Threave, Castle Douglas osprey nest 12 April 2012. Four local RSPB members were there and some discussion about female osprey took place. I said my son had seen a pair of ospreys on the nest on 5 April. Today, again, only one (male?) osprey was at the nest.

Here is one of the photos he took of the pair on the nest. I assume they were a male and female.

Pair of ospreys Threave, Castle Douglas 5 April 2012



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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Gaelic in Galloway Part Two- Contraction

Threave Castle built for Archibald the Grim as Lord of Galloway

Gaelic in Galloway Part One- Expansion has been published in the Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society -Third Series, Volume 85 (2011). This is the current (April 2012) draft of Gaelic in Galloway Part Two- Contraction. I hope that it will also be published in the Transactions in due course.

Gaelic in Galloway Part Two Contraction April  

Gaelic in Galloway Part One Expansion

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Gaelic in Galloway Part One DGNHAS 2011


Volume 85 (2011) of the Third Series of the Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society has now been published and my article on Gaelic in Galloway -Part One is now in print.

I found the Transactions in Castle Douglas library after I moved back here in 1997. They are a wonderful resource for local historians and I have spent many hours reading through them and copying interesting articles. The DGNHAS was founded in 1862 so there were quite a few back issues to go through.

I have been a member of the Society for 12 years, but until last year never got around to contributing an article myself. I already have Gaelic in Galloway Part Two written and ideas for a few more. 

Castle Douglas osprey watch 10 April

Male osprey at Threave, Castle Douglas nest 10 April 2012


Went out to Threave castle nest site  10 April with my son and we saw the male osprey. We have not seen the female since 5 April 2012

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Monday, April 09, 2012

Osprey feeding near Castle Douglas

Alistasir junior saw the male osprey feeding this morning Monday 9 April 2012. However, we have not seen the female osprey since 4 April.
Male osprey feeding near nest No. 2  Threave, Castle Douglas  9 April.

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Thursday, April 05, 2012

Female osprey at Threave, Castle Douglas 5 April

Female osprey with male Threave, Castle Douglas 5 April 2012
Alistair junior reported today[ Thursday 5 April 2012]  that he has seen and photographed the female osprey with the male on the nest at Threave castle, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway. This is brilliant news.

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Monday, April 02, 2012

Flying osprey, Threave, Castle Douglas 2 April 2012

Osprey in flight Threave, Castle Douglas  2 April 2012
My son Alistair (junior) took these photos of osprey in flight Monday morning 2 April 2012.
Osprey in flight (2) Threave, Castle Douglas 2 April 2012

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Sunday, April 01, 2012

Osprey Threave, Castle Douglas 1 April 12

Osprey at Threave, Castle Douglas 1 April 2012
Osprey stretching wings Threave, Castle Douglas,  Dumfries and Galloway 1 April 2012. I went out to Threave this morning and saw the male osprey on the nest. While I was there, three crows came right up to the nest.

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Osprey and three crows Threave, Castle Douglas 1 April 2012