Aglooka Advisor

Summer 2020

Issue No. 10

1

Aglooka Advisor

Summer 2020 Issue No.10

President’s Report page 4

The Future of Clestrain page 6

The Society patrons page 8

Trailer for Double Transit of the NW Passage-just! page 9

All’s Well at Clestrain page 13

From Erebus to Orkney page 14

Contributions from Members page 16

JRS Explorer Badges page 18

Completion of the New House at Clestrain page 19

Where is Clestrain’s Garden? page 22

JRS Collage for the NHS page 23

Thoughts on the Lockdown page 23

Photo on front cover: reconstruction of the Hall of Clestrain as it might have looked in 1769. Drawing by Simpson and Brown 1990.

2 Patrons

Dr Peter St John, The Earl of Orkney

Ken McGoogan, Author

Ray Mears, Author & TV Presenter

Elaine Grieve, Lord Lieutenant of Orkney

Sir Michael Palin

Magnus Linklater CBE

Board of Trustees

(in alphabetical order by surname)

Andrew Appleby — Jim Chalmers — Neil Kermode — Fiona Lettice—Mark Newton — Norman Shearer — Nominated: James Grieve, Liz MacInally

Committee

President — Andrew Appleby

Chairman — Norman Shearer

Honorary Treasurer — Fiona Lettice

Webmaster and Social Media — Mark Newton

Honorary Secretary — Michelle Scott

Registered Office

The John Rae Society

7 Church Road, Stromness, Orkney KW16 3BA

Tel: 01856 771419

Website: www.johnraesociety.com e-mail: [email protected]

Newsletter Editor — Fiona Gould

The views expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Editor or the Board of Trustees of the John Rae Society

3 President’s Report meet remotely. This is very successful and brings us What is on everyone’s mind together. just now is the Corona Virus lockdown. I will refer to that I must mention that Wilma later. Hutchison of the Pomona Inn, Finstown, has had to close her Firstly I have to tell you that welcoming pub due to a fall. our Chairman, Norman This was our venue for board Shearer, suffered a stroke meetings and we thank her for earlier in the year. He is her kind hospitality over the recovering well, but he is years. currently unable to perform his role as chairman. We all wish Despite all these setbacks, we Norman well. make long strides forward. Simpson and Brown of Founding Trustee, Anna Elmy, Edinburgh are completing a has stood down. She has been Heritage Assessment with suffering with mobility architectural recommend- problems for a long while and ations. Rob Robinson of Herit- is unable to get out and about. age Consulting is preparing a We all wish her well too and business sustainability report thank her for her tremendous too. Thanks to your generosity contribution to the John Rae we can still afford to complete society. these assignments in separate We are delighted, though, to stages. This will prepare the welcome Liz MacInally from Society to apply for the major Stenness onto the board and grants when the lockdown has James Grieve from Kirkwall. eased. Both have the talents we need Another major stride forward in this exceptionally busy time is the purchase of additional for JRS. Another welcome is to land at the back of The Hall of Michelle Scott who has Clestrain. We have negotiated volunteered her services as a far broader strip for access Secretary. and a greater parking and Due to the social distancing we turning area. This will give us are no longer meeting as space for a wider road down, a before. Mark Newton set up footpath and cycle path. We Microsoft Teams so we can can also land and waterscape 4 the intermittent burn into a the Hall of Clestrain from more natural feature and them. create an approach with a rich As seen in the last Newsletter, collection of natural Orkney several corporate members and plants, giving an have joined us with their enhanced feeling of bio- support. There is one, diversity. however, to whom we gave The greater parking area honorary corporate member- removes the risks of placing ship. This is Casey Con- the car park over archae- struction. Paddy Casey has so ologically sensitive areas close many times come to our to where the north pavilion rescue. The Hall’s roof was was. Our archaeological blowing off in a tempest some survey showed many years back: his firm securely interesting anomalies there, fixed it. We would have lost and Ivan Craigie once this gem of an ‘A’ listed uncovered a well where rubber building had he not done so. tyres might have rested. This John Rae’s grave in the sensitive area is now protected kirkyard of St. Magnus for later study and Cathedral has also been conservation. sensitively restored by him. His firm’s sheer generosity in In total we are purchasing five providing a splendid cabin as acres. The cost will be our occasional Visitor Centre is £20,000. The society pays a a great boon: here we can ten percent deposit and legal provide shelter and hospitality fees with three years to on our open days. Casey complete. We have completed Construction’s support is this initial stage already. We indeed highly valued by The have a pledge to support one John Rae Society. acre from one of our Corporate Members and another funder We held a very successful is looking at a further event in Orphir Community contribution. We are grateful Centre to engage locals in our to Ivan and Jean Craigie for project. This will be described agreeing to these terms, just in the article following this as they did when we bought report.

5 Davie Reid, our stalwart what they would like to see procurer of goodwill and good featured at the Hall, once it things, has instigated the John has been restored. However, Rae Explorer Badges, advice from the government supported by a donation from was changing so rapidly that it one of our Patrons, Sir Michael was very difficult to say Palin: more news of this later whether or not the event in this newsletter. should go ahead at all. We drew together all the This year’s John Rae Birthday information we had at the time Lottery has brought in and decided that the event worthwhile funds for us all. I should still go ahead but we would say it made it possible would need to take some for us to pay the deposit for precautions, like having soap the extra land at Clestrain and and hand sanitiser available at some of the fees. the door. It is difficult to give details of We didn’t expect a large forthcoming events at this footfall, but we were point in time. We had some pleasantly surprised by the exciting ones planned and will number of people that keep you informed when we attended and astounded by know what we are able to the response from everyone offer. Our membership that filled out the continues to grow apace. questionnaires – the creativity Andrew Appleby and ingenuity that was brought forward from all ages President is incredibly valuable.

*** A special ‘thank you’ must be made to the community of The ‘Future of Clestrain’ Orphir. Without their contrib- March was supposed to be an utions, the event would not exciting month for us at the have been nearly as John Rae Society: the 14th successful. They donated an being The Future of Clestrain enticing spread of homemade event in Orphir. This event cakes, shortbread, traybakes was an opportunity to engage and biscuits; accompanied by with the public and hear about tea and coffee. While sipping

6 away, one could browse the assured, there is a lengthy great selection of plants book on just that. provided by Eleanor Maciver Finally, there was an incredible ranging from intricate alpines digital display, compiled by Jim to bluebells, ‘in the green’, ready to explode into bloom. Chalmers. The display went into great detail about the If that wasn’t enough on its work that has already gone own, then there was an into the future of Clestrain, educational information what ideas the John Rae display board created by Fiona Society have already, as well Gould, telling the history of the as the possibilities and Hall of Clestrain, accompanied potential to have a thriving by an interesting selection of hub for the community that old pictures of the Hall and its meets the needs of many. former residents. Architectural mock-up draw- ings of Clestrain captured the Moving round the room, there attention and imagination of were some activities for onlookers, giving extra children, including a lucky dip substance to the creative and the chance for even the juices. youngest of people to express their views of ‘what they’d like There was live accordion and to see at Clestrain’ by putting fiddle music throughout the crayon to paper – this is where day from Ellen Grieve and the idea of solar roof tiles and Ingrid Tait. This really helped turbine chimney stacks was to create a relaxed and social born! atmosphere, even with every- thing that is going on in the There was certainly no world. shortage of educational material on offer from an old The highlight of the day was sea chest, brimming with Rae- the Maureen Findlay Dancer’s related items, such as maps of dancing The John Rae Reel. the Arctic and an interestingly Composed by Maureen Findlay fashioned sextant that pivoted herself, to music by Dawn on the base of a tuna can. Stout, the dance is a beautiful Also, if you ever want to know and very visual portrayal of everything there is to know Rae’s journeys through the about Inuit shoes, then rest 7 Arctic. Comprising some very Captain William (Bill) Spence f young dancers, it was a delight or nearly six years. Bill was to see the practice and previously a trustee of the dedication that has gone into Society then became a patron the performance. John Rae and, on his retirement from would certainly be proud. the Lord Lieutenancy in January, remains a dedicated All-in-all, despite the member of the Society. He has obstacles, it was a very always supported us well, successful event. We arranging for the Duke of managed to raise a total of Gloucester to visit the Hall of Clestrain in 2017 (in pouring £164; we have gained several rain), attending board new members and have an meetings as and when he outstanding response to our could and often attending our community survey, as well as public events, including the getting the chance to meet and celebration of the purchase of talk to members of the public the Hall in 2018. about their contribution and ideas to what will one day become one of Orkney’s most valuable treasures.

James Grieve

***

The John Rae Society Patrons

The Society is fortunate in having patrons who are both notable and who make a considerable contribution to the furtherance of its cause. (

For list see page 3). Recently we have lost one to retirement from public office but have He has been succeeded as Lord gained another in his place. Lieutenant by Elaine Grieve

(above) who has kindly agreed We have been privileged to to become one of our patrons have had as our patron in addition to her other duties. 8 Bob Shepton, adventurous miles south east of Upernavik, mountaineer and sailor, was due where the team made another to give a presentation at the impressive first ascent on Society’s May Festival this year, Impossible Wall, 850 metres but this has had to be postponed. well into the Extreme grades. So we asked him to write a trailer to whet your appetites for this Having crossed over to arctic Canada they made another first ascent on a rock wall south west of Pond Inlet. We were held up at Pond Inlet for five days waiting for ice to clear but eventually made it into and so to Beechey Island to view the three famous graves from Franklin’s expedition wintering event which we hope will take there in 1845. After refuelling place at a future date. (Editor) with a long hose across the A trailer for Double Transit of beach at Resolute we the North West Passage – continued on down Peel Sound just! to Leask Cove, unrecorded in the Pilot which we later put Some South African climbers right, where we were again wrote saying they were looking held up by ice. So we for adventure. ‘What about the traversed back and forth North West Passage?’ ‘That will through the do,’ they said. So we set sail across the Atlantic from Scotland. I had made a big thing of how stormy it could be in these northern latitudes. We had benign conditions with Force 4 or 5 on the beam, with sunshine. Halfway across one of them asked ‘Is this your gale alley then, Bob?’. ‘for fun’ with Nordwind . Later Cheeky! We made our way up we anchored by Nordwind in the long coastline of west the Tasmanian Islands, and to some twenty 9 helped them when they lost their bower anchor and sustained damage to their prop shaft in a storm there. Making our way out together three days later we were informed by a boat coming the other way that Victoria Strait had opened. This saved us a We waited nine days in Tuk for lot of distance and two tricky gales in the Beaufort Sea to channels north and south of pass through. The lads were Gjoa Haven and we were able busy at their computers in a to go direct to guest house which allowed through Victoria Strait. them Wi-fi, especially Steve After re-stocking we enjoyed who was making and editing a two pleasant days sailing down film of the trip. From Tuk we Dease Strait and Coronation sailed and motored to the Gulf before anchoring. Next laguna north of Barrow where morning we hit a rock just we waited two days for a south of Lady Franklin Point – favourable wind direction. We the helmsman did confess he did get the favourable but it had not been watching the became a gale which sped us echo sounder but we were too in short nasty seas down the close in anyhow – and Chukchi Sea running before on eventually put in to Bernard bare poles for a day and a Harbour to inspect for night. Very unpleasant. Relief damage. All seemed well. We was short lived next day before motored against big seas to more wind and another round Baillie Island north of confused sea next evening Bathurst, before we could sail split the mainsail with an again south west towards unintended gybe. The Bering Tuktoyaktuk. Sailing in 2-3 Strait however was benign and metres of water below the keel we had a pleasant sail along for miles on end in the shallow the coast to Nome. Finally waters approaching Tuk with some difficulty the boat certainly concentrates the was hauled out in Nome for the mind. winter.

10 The next year was a more easterly gale was forecast. All difficult year in the Arctic. I could think of doing was to go There was a lot more ice, and down to Barter Island and see we encountered strong whether we could find shelter contrary winds. Why were we there. going back the same way? It proved difficult and in the Long story, I’ll tell you end we ran westwards for six sometime. It was a different miles and hid behind a gravel crew this year and we started bank and waited it out for two late (July 30) because crew more days. Steph who wanted member Rich had battles of his to absorb as much of the Arctic own getting an American visa. as possible was very Steph was overcome by the disappointed when I said we rather special romance of would have to miss out sailing through the Bering Herschel Island, with its old Strait with America () whaling station and even a visible to starboard and sauna if you could collect (Siberia) to port. But we then enough driftwood for a fire. had to wait — you do a lot of But another easterly gale that in the Arctic — for nine threatened so we hurried on to days at Point Hope to let Tuktoyaktuk, where we had a strong north winds pass difficult time. Nobody would through. At last, we could give us or sell us oil for the round the corner and make engine. In the end the Mayor progress against a more found a five gallon drum of moderate north west wind. So synthetic oil and in spite of my up to Barrow, round Barrow manual saying mineral oil we Point, into and out of the had to take it, at $175 CAN! laguna and along the North Alaskan Slope. There were advantages in all the delays, as two boats who had left before us from Nome had a bad time with ice here but it had cleared by this time. On the other hand one big disadvantage of the North Alaskan slope is that there is nowhere to hide and an 11 Bathurst Point was shielded by ian Islands were not friendly a long huge sheet of pack ice this time, Bellot Strait was. But coming down from Amundsen now we were stuck at Fort Gulf. Eventually we found a Ross, with a huge sword of ice way through and continued on stretching down Prince Regent through Snowgoose Channel Inlet and a strong north wind. between Bathurst and Baillie Eight nail biting days later — Island (plenty to tell you were we going to get out here…) At Dease Strait we before winter? — we were able deployed our underwater to weave through eight-ten camera to film the fauna and miles of ice and made it to flora on the seabed for a Lancaster Sound. scientist back home as requested, and so made our way to Cambridge Bay. Here we at last met arctic guru David Scott Cowper in his specially designed mean machine Polar Bound. We had been trying to meet for ages. Also a couple of Australian lads and an Anglo-Irish crew who An enforced stay in Arctic Bay respectively were trying to and Tay Bay and we made it to transit the NW Passage in a Aasiaat in Greenland to leave 22ft dinghy and an ocean type the boat there for the winter. rowing boat. Fortunately both It had been a close run thing. crews had decided to abort at Cambridge Bay!

The skipper soon began to hassle the crew as Victoria Strait was open. This would save us at least a hundred miles though it did mean missing out the sea strait between King William Island and the mainland, the last piece in the jigsaw John Rae had discovered. The Tasman- 12 All’s Well at Clestrain Society was achieving and was keen to see The Hall. When we For a long time I have thought, got to the undercroft beneath ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely if there the front stairs, the light were a well inside The Hall of wasn’t so good. I crept into Clestrain.’ This thought oft that crypt and just touched followed me when I was in the where the rope marks showed. basement. Here it was that the Merely the tiny, gentle various kitchen and domestic pressure from my finger sent downstairs work took place. A the ‘beam’ spinning! I was well there would make perfect amazed. I thought the beam sense and be such a benefit to was set solid! But it wasn’t. I the hard-working staff. looked at the ends of the great The tiny ‘room’ under the spindle and they were trimmed grand steps from outside up to into neat pencil points, which the front door always looked to fitted snugly into the me like a candidate for such a stonework. well. It is damp down there. An old mangle had been chucked in there decades ago, and it is a good, out-of-the-way place.

One sunny afternoon, light streaked in through a hole under one of the steps. It shone onto a beam, which straddled the width of the little room. This shaft of light Photo by JohnPeterWelburnABIPP showed lots of marks as if a rope had been dragged over it. That beam had probably not ‘Yes!’ I thought. ‘A well is spun for a century! beneath that spar.’ I knew there was another well, When showing folk round, I did which Ivan Craigie had found point it out, but didn’t go down with his digger. This was at the into the space. But in the rear of where the North autumn of 2019 I took a visitor Pavilion stood. It will have there. She had shown such served the workers there. But interest in what the John Rae to discover one within the Hall was wonderful. 13 Just at this point of , thickness and nature of the Ivan came into the basement. rope that wound round it. I showed him. He said he’d When this covid-19 crisis is never been aware of a well over, that is another thing we there. But he did point out in must see to. the dark right hand corner a When it comes to doing the very old metal bucket. Could internal archaeology of The this vessel have swung from Hall of Clestrain, this will prove that roped beam in days gone to be a most interesting area by? of research. It will reveal a lot about the everyday life below stairs, and one never knows just what has been chucked down a well!

Andrew Appleby

***

From ‘Erebus’ to Orkney Naturally, I was really pleased. This discovery had made my Eighteen months ago the month. names Michael Palin, Andrew Appleby, HMS Terror, Dr John I returned some time later. Rae, Franklin and Stromness, Sadly, the beam had dropped. had no links to my everyday Its ends were rotted and the life at all. This situation finer points couldn’t bear its changed because of our love of own weight, so gravity took its sailing and owning a boat on toll, but not before the the Isle of Bute. revolving, once rope-bound spar, had told its story. The journey from our home in The spar now rests on a pigpen the Dales to the marina could within the basement. It be tedious so we started requires scrutiny from a wood listening to Audible books. Sir expert and should probably be Michael Palin’s book Erebus subjected to an electronic told the story of the event that scan. This will reveal a lot of captured the nation’s interest information about the following the disappearance of 14 the ill-fated Franklin exped- Our most outstanding visit was ition to find the North West the result of meeting Andrew Passage. Appleby and we told him about We listened to the remarkable my model. That literally story of HMS Erebus and her opened the door and we were sister ship HMS Terror. offered a tour of Cles- train with Andrew himself. We I like to build model ships and promptly became members of railways and suggested that the Society and I promised Father Christmas might just Andrew some photographs of have a model kit of Erebus. A my HMS Terror when real surprise it was to find a completed. superb kit of her sister ship HMS Terror. More reading and a desire to see where the expedition had called in and taken on fresh water in Stromness led us to a four week visit to Orkney in December 2019.

We were truly smitten by Ken’s model of HMS Terror everything about the island and particularly its people. We It has taken nearly 3 months learnt about John Rae and his of patient work. Sometimes, quests for answers to with the prospect of making Franklin’s fate; that Franklin 140 identical blocks and had possibly visited the Raes’ tackles, and then having to fit house prior to departure. We them, and many other saw Rae’s statue in Stromness intricate jobs, I have had to and Login’s fresh water well, walk away, take a deep and Rae’s memorial in the breath, and start anew. When Cathedral. The museum in laying the many deck planks I Stromness had an exceptional would think that Franklin presentation about Rae and his would have walked on the real Arctic exploits. It also had deck when inter-ship visits many models of sailing ships took place. When I fitted the and my fingers itched to start ship’s bell I thought I have on mine. seen the real thing on the sea bed in the video of the wreck of Terror found in 2016. When 15 Erebus and Terror were closely at the maps that I had moored in Stromness Franklin pored over as a young person. possibly had walked the same floors of the house we walked I first set foot on Orkney as a on with Andrew. As I worked teenager in 1995. I fell in love on the model I would picture with the windswept hills and Login’s Well and the flagged was captivated by the human streets of Stromness. I history of the islands. I was considered my task nothing especially keen on under- compared to the restoration of standing the connection Clestrain House. So I would between Orkney and Canada— continue building with re- exciting adventures embarked newed energy. upon by the Hudson Bay Company and many a fine So a simple solution to passing whaling ship. the time on the motorway, and a marvellous book, resulted in In 2006, I joined my father another model for the shelf and a few family friends, and our acquaintance with renting a vehicle in search of remarkable people. the islands’ best fish and chips and the family home of John Ken Hack Rae. Of course, we knew of the Hall of Clestrain, and had been *** forewarned of the state of the building: deserted and News from Members crumbling. I remember driving down the long road to the shoreline and seeing the 1. Visiting Clestrain dilapidated building grow large on our approach. My lasting John Rae was always an impression of that first visit is inspiration to me. I grew up in the smell. Abandoned. We Canada, travelling regularly to poked about the basement, Nunavut and studying assessing the condition, northern history — so his marvelling that such an name popped up over and important homestead had over. I got my first in-depth fallen into such disrepair. We history lesson when I tackled strolled the shore of Salthouse Ken McGoogan’s Fatal Bay and reflected on the Passage. I devoured it. And significance of the place and then, I began to look more the importance of the great

16 Orcadian explorer and his twelve years later, return to a early years. place that now conjured sentiments of rejuvenation This past June, I had the and triumph, where there once opportunity to visit the Hall of was melancholy. Clestrain again. This time, I came with my own two young Cedar Bradley Swan, CEO girls—Charlotte and Islay—and Adventure Canada (written in the group of intrepid 2018) adventurers aboard Adventure Canada’s biennial Scotland Slowly expedition cruise. As visitors, we were not alone; we had a host of fabulous Orcadians greet us to share their love of the Hall of Clestrain. We learned about the architecture and the fundraising efforts undertaken by the John Rae Society. The homestead felt a world apart from my first visit; much work still has to be done, but the love and dedication of a small Cedar with her younger daughter, Islay, at Clestrain in 2018.Photo by but mighty group was Mike Beadell palpable. Like Adventure Canada, the John Rae Society 2. New member, Jan Emil takes great care to preserve Kristoffersen, writes from and safeguard this historical Norway: treasure. My reason for joining the John It was a proud moment for me Rae society is to support your to bring our guests to this efforts to restore the Hall of place. To acknowledge the Clestrain and to keep the great skill and ambition of John memory of Dr. John Rae alive Rae by paying homage to the for future generations. He was place where he lived, where he a true hero. My interest in no doubt nurtured his desire to John Rae is part of a lifelong explore and laid the foundation fascination of the heroic age of for his resourcefulness. It was Arctic and ex- personally rewarding to, ploration, ever since I stood on 17 the the deck of the as a St Magnus cathedral and his five year old kid in 1958. I am grave in the kirkyard, became also attached to Scotland, inspired by the Arctic explorer having spent my first years of who ‘lived like an eskimo and life near its borders in dressed accordingly’. Newcastle, and then in Glasgow (Milngavie and Kirkintilloch). Rae’s ability to learn from the Inuit, and his obviously enormous physical strength and stamina, combined with academic skills as a surgeon, is an impressive combination of virtues only to be envied. I have been to Orkney once and have seen the wonderful John Rae memorial inside the St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall, but I have not yet managed to visit the Hall of Clestrain. It is definitely on my list! I wish the JRS all the best in your David (on left) with friends by the cairn on Egilsay restoration efforts and look forward to follow the progress! Originally a member of the Friends of the Orkney Boat 3. David Aggett wrote to tell Museum, he has been a us that: member of the John Rae Society from the start and is a As a member of the Bridge staunch and generous Ward Club in the City of supporter. London at the church of St Magnus the Martyr, he learned *** of St Magnus Cathedral and St Magnus Kirk on Egilsay. In JRS Explorer Badges 1938 the three parishes collaborated in erecting a stone cairn on the highest Recently the John Rae Society point of Egilsay. David visited commissioned the making of a this over 20 years ago and number of badges for the local seeing John Rae’s memorial in scout troop, the John Rae Explorers. The funding for this 18 came from one of our Patrons, something all the Trustees feel Michael Palin, the famous TV strongly about encouraging personality, traveller and of and perhaps some of these course one of the Monty young explorers will take up Python team. The scout troop the baton of the John Rae decided a couple of years ago Society in the years to come ! to rename themselves the ‘John Rae Explorers’ and have Mark Newton been active in helping us out at our open days at the Hall. Last Completion of the New June a young lad, Isaac, had House at Clestrain 1769 his investiture at the Hall, ( https://www.johnraesociety. At the Archive Day last year in com/investiture-at-the-hall/ ) Orkney Library (see issue no. at his request, and after this 9) the JRS chairman Norman Davie Reid, a former Trustee Shearer began studying a and a very active member, document from the Sheriff’s suggested that it would be Court which is an account for great if we could produce a the measuring of and all the badge for them We decided to carpentry work at Clestrain. It let the kids themselves design is described as an ‘Account of the badge and after adding our the Measure of Patrick logo a design was agreed. Honyman of Graemsay’s new house at Clestrain’ and dated 13th September 1769. I offered to complete a transcription of this document but have not finalised it as the Archive is currently closed and I need to check some details with the archivists. The following is a resumé of These were then embroidered information gleaned from the by LOGO Orkney ( https://www. article. facebook.com/ LOGO. Orkney/ and, because of the sponsorship The account lists, floor by from Michael Palin, these are floor, measurements of the now given to any new member rooms, all the woodwork, of the John Rae Explorers. The windows and some items of involvement of the younger furniture. It gives exact generation in our project is lengths of wood (in feet and 19 inches) and the cost per foot, On the second floor, which also the amount of putty (in had nine windows, six internal pounds) and the number of doors suggests a number of lozens (panes of glass) used in bedrooms, with apparently the windows. It also refers to four fireplaces. separate rooms partitioned off by the carpenter. He was The next floor (attic) had fewer working to a plan which is windows (five) but most described as a ‘sketch’. Thus notably a circular window we learn that on the ground above the front door. The floor (or basement) there were existence of this window four rooms (kitchen, parlour validates the theory that the and two others) a milk house Hall once had a pediment (as and a wine cellar, in addition to shown in the drawing on the a lobby and a passage. There front cover of this newsletter). were seven sash windows and a light above the entrance. The doors had double architraves and the carpenter put in a clothes press (cupboard) and another one for books and papers, the latter fitted with shelves. There was also a small press above the parlour door. Extract from the document showing entry about the circular window 2 The first (or ground) floor contained a lobby, a drawing We know that a fierce gale in room, a dining room and a the 1790s damaged the roof ‘grain’ room. The latter term is and it seems probable that the something of a puzzle but is decision was made then not to most likely to refer to a finish replace the pediment. As on the walls rather than to a anyone who has been to 1 granary! There were nine Clestrain will know, it is windows on this floor, with located in an extremely windy shutters, and a light above the spot! Residents of the Hall front door. The dining room may have discovered that had a press and there appear architecture designed in to have been five fireplaces. Edinburgh2 was not suitable for Orkney. This floor had three skylights. 20 Reference to a ‘garret floor’, skylights and the roof of a tympany (a triangular space forming the centre of a pediment) further supports the original pediment theory.

Outside there were ‘wings’ nowadays referred to as ‘pavilions’, with casement Extract from the document showing windows, doors, fireplaces and entry about the pigeon house3 staircases. There were also byres and stables. The stables stays in Kirkwall and 1’6 for boat freight and horse hire from Holm to Kirkwall. Horse hire from Kirkwall to Claistron (sic) was also 1/6 and his half freight from Clestron (sic) was 2/6. We have to remember that boat travel then was often preferable to going overland, just as John Rae’s usual method of travel from Clestrain to Stromness was by boat. Extract from the document showing 3 entries about the ‘wings’ 1Grain’ historically referred to Scarlet Grain a red dye made from crushed had a 33’ long rack and two insects and used from Classical times. skylights. A pigeon house had 2 1 a small cupola on top of it. ‘ Gayfield House in New Town, Edinburgh, built in 1764, is For furnishing the house the remarkably similar to Clestrain and if not designed by the same architect carpenter supplied tables, surely comes from the same set of beds, ‘screw’ beds, ten foot designs. ladders and washing boards. 3All extracts reproduced with kind Alexander Stewart who permission from Orkney Archive submitted his expenses Photos by JohnPeterWelburnABIPP charged 2/6 for overnight Fiona Gould

21 Where is Clestrain's for example — yet no gate Garden? wide enough to let a cart in. This practical element would I was amazed and intrigued by seem crucial in the man- what looked like an enormous agement of a garden of this walled garden at Clestrain, and size. Talking of size, the interested to find out more, so ground seems rather large to I enrolled for the Garden furnish the needs of a modest History course at the Botanic household like Clestrain's Garden Edinburgh in 2015. I surely? And as the Orkney had hoped the course would wind swept over the ten feet give me the skills needed to do high walls, it would have hit the relevant research. Now, the middle of the garden at three years after receiving my some speed — making the diploma, I am little the wiser - central area effectively useless about Clestrain at least. for flowers or vegetables.

I did spend time in Kirkwall's There is evidence of some Archive and found some gardening however. The treasures but nothing that remains of a 4' wall runs from talked about the 'high dykes' east to west separating off as a garden. Not in the about one fifth of the land. document outlining the Towards the north-east corner requirements of the house of this space is a depression in build, not in an inventory when the soil surrounded by a line of it changed hands in the 19th stones which was a pond. (Mr century. And although it Craigie, owner of Clestrain appears on the old maps it is Farm, noted that his father, never referred to as a garden. arriving in 1925, remembers People have assumed it was a it.) And some fruit trees still walled garden but as yet I grow on the south-facing wall. have no evidence. Maybe that area was all that was ever formally gardened? A walk round the walls and through the garden added to The treasures I mentioned at the questions but offered few the start are two letters I answers. There are niches in found in the Archive from John the mid points of the walls, a Rae senior to Watt of Skaill common decorative feature in (Breckness). The first from an historic garden allowing the 1829 includes a list of 12 apple placement of a small sculpture varieties he recommends as 22 good in Orkney - and in 1. In what colours are the particular the 'Hawthorn dean children’s names hidden? and Keswick Codlin'. He also 2. How many Easter eggs are suggests a particular pear, there? saying that it is, 'the only one 3. What are the colours on Mr that produces well here — at Tumble the clown’s shirt? any rate of those in the 4. In what colour is Peter garden'. In the second letter of Rabbit hiding? 1832 Rae senior is again writing to Watt saying, 'I have 5. How many green stars are cut all the gooseberry bushes there? that can well be spared...If you 6. How many pom-poms are can at any time spare a day there? there are several things you might wish to have [from the garden]'.

So Rae senior was a gardener of some knowledge who knew what does in Orkney. I just wish I knew for sure where all that gardening was happening!

Caroline Beaton, Holmlea, Orphir, Orkney ***

Caroline Beaton is a local resident Thoughts during with a keen interest in gardening ‘Lockdown’ and archive research. March 2020 will forever be *** known as the time that Britain went into lockdown. When JRS Collage for NHS faced with such troubling times as these, it is hard to see a way Andrew Appleby’s grand- forward. It is as though a huge children, Inga, Angus and wall has been placed in front of Hamish designed this collage us and there appears to be no for the NHS on behalf of the way around it - it stretches as JRS. They have also posed far as the eye can see and some questions for you: beyond - just miles and miles of obstacles and uncertainty. 23 Every day is different, and the years. Our task is to ‘stay conditions are changing faster home’. Sounds simple than we can keep up with. You enough, but I’m sure I don’t wake up and the situation has need to tell you that it quickly changed drastically from what becomes far more complex it was when you closed your than just that. I, for one, can eyes just hours before. These certainly draw some really are strange times. comparisons.

We should ask ourselves: what John Rae, a man of resilience, would John Rae do in a determination and adaptability situation like this? This may would assess this situation seem a bit extreme, but carefully and think about all perhaps the situation that we possible outcomes and what find ourselves in is not all that the best approach would be to different from stepping out tackle the task at hand and to into the treacherous unknown get through to the other side. of the Arctic for the first time. He would not give up hope and he would delve deep to call We are facing a long journey upon his inner strength. He that, for now, seems would see the goal at the end, impossible. The wall of take a deep breath, put his obstacles that we are faced head down slowly, turn his with, perhaps, prompts many shoulder to the wind and push of the same emotions and forward with supreme thoughts that Rae would have determination. had while looking out at the vast frozen wilderness that is If there was ever a time to be standing in his way, like a like John Rae, then it is now. vicious army, ready to fight. Adapt to changes; do not fight them. Take help from others The task that Rae had sounds and all pull together – now is simple on paper: map area of not the time to be conceited. coast from A to B. This sounds Draw upon your inner like a relatively straight- strength; your explorer, forward objective until you adventurer, hunter and start thinking about what it survivor. actually entails: pain, suffering, mental torment for James Grieve days, weeks, months and 24