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Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 115 (1985), 3-14

Monumental guidebooks 'in State care' R W Munro*

SUMMARY A new series of guidebooks to Scottish monuments in State care is being produced by the Historic and Monuments Directorate of the Scottish Development Department. The origin and progress Government-sponsoredof guidebooks Scotlandin consideredare chiefly from pointthe of view of the non-expert user or casual visitor.

INTRODUCTION Five years is not a long time in the history of an ancient monument, but in that period there has bee transformationa whicy b y h visitorwa e th n historii o st Governmencn i sitew sno t car helpee ear d to understand what they see. A new series of guidebooks and guide-leaflets is part of the continuing proces f improveo s d 'presentation' whic bees hha n carrie t ove yeare dou th r s successivelM H y yb Office of Works, the Ministry of Works (later of Public and Works), the Department of the Environment finallSecretare d th an , y yb Statf yo Scotlanr efo d acting throug Scottise hth h Develop- ment Department. One does not need to be particularly 'ancient' to have seen that rather bewildering procession of office, ministr departmend yan t pas rapin si d order acros bureaucratie sth c stage. Only since 197s 8ha the Scottish ful e Officlth responsibilitd eha y for wha bees tha n called 'our monumental heritagea - ' useful blanket term which appears to cover the definitions of 'monument' and 'ancient monument' enshrined in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act of 1979 (Maclvor & Fawcett 1983, 20). Those now held in trust for the nation by the Secretary of State are cared for on his behalf by the througD SD directoratha e named 'Historic Building Monuments'd san change-ovee .Th newe th -o rt style guides dates from 1982 thosd an , e already issue par'rolline a df ar to g programme e brino 't th l gal relevant guide-literatur dateo t p eu , which will take several year achieveo st . The decision on what constitutes an appropriate 'monumental guidebook' is not an altogether simple one. Government research is said to have come up with a 'meaningless statistic' that visitors hav plannine averagn th e a d conservatioan d g, ean readin13 f o e gag n office quoteo wh r wrott di f eo meeting the needs of the 'ordinary visitor wanting a day's enjoyment amid pleasant ruins' (Baker 1983,62). The new-style guides now being produced by the directorate are aimed at 'folk who find a general interesr examplefo , in t , r forts'o s , rather than expert medievan i s r bastioneo l d artillery defences; people looking at a monument, it is assumed, 'want first to know what it is, who built it, and when it was built' (Maclvor & Fawcett 1983, 27). How then do those who are responsible for producing the new-style guides see their task?

"Journalist and author, SOCIET ANTIQUARIEF YO SCOTLANDF SO , 1985

Speaking at a conference held at St Andrews in September 1983, Mr lain Maclvor, Principal Inspecto f Ancieno r t Monument r Scotlansfo d since 1979, said: Guidebooks must always have an important role to play in informing the visitor and are particularly important as they are frequently the only tangible record he will have of his visit. For many years the guide-book provided a detailed history and description of the monument, but hardly acted as a guide to it. For some time the division [at that time the Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings Division, Scottish Development Department bees ha ] n alterin e thruss guidebookit gth f o t y b s turning them into usable guides rather than academic treatises, making much illustrativ f moro e eus e material (Maclvor 1983, 15). This polic mors ywa e recently repeate Davir D y ddb Breeze seriee ,th s edito himseld f o r an e fon Inspectorse th wrotfirso e th ,twh n eissui newslettea f eo 'Friende th Scottise r th rfo f so h Monuments' Aprin i p u l t 1985se : 'For many years the guidebook was in reality a handbook, providing a detailed history and descrip- tion of the monument, but hardly acting as a guide to it. For some time, the Directorate [Historic Buildings and Monuments, SDD] and its predecessors have been altering the composition of the "guidebook", turning it into a guide rather than an academic work. This process started in 1970 with the introduction of a new guide to Fort George. Another major step forward was the revamping of the "guidebook" into a modern, two-column format, making much more use of illustrations' (Breeze 1985, [4]). The 'guided tour' is of course no new concept of what the visitor requires, even if some writers have tended to wander from it. 'Having thus mastered the main features in the architectural developmen 'e th f to , wrot Douglar eD s Simpso typicaa n i l passag Hermitagn eo 1957n ei , 'we positioa n i begi s u w inspecwalkino t ny t n b no Le e . ar it tg round outsideappreciato T ' . . . .e eth background to the process described by Mr Maclvor and Dr Breeze, and for the record, it is worth looking more closely at the beginning of Government sponsorship of official guidebooks to monu- ment cares it n s,i which doe t sees no havmo t e been notice t leasda publishen i t d form.

ENTE 'KING'E RTH S ANTIQUARY' The first guidebook to an ancient monument in published by a Government agency seems to be that for the abbey and palace of Holyroodhouse, written by Sir Herbert Maxwell of Monreith, who was president of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland from 1900 to 1913. Its first appearance in 1906 was hailed as a major event. In a long notice in the Scottish Historical Review, J H Stevenson wrote: 'A guidebook by a writer of eminence is by no means unknown. Nevertheless it is a large step in advance whe OfficM nWorkf H eo s produce Offician sa l Guid Scottisa o et h Royal Palace, written, at its direction, by the President of the Society of Antiquaries. Hitherto we have been familiar with almose th t regal title f Historiographeso r Royal, King's Limner Poed an , t Laureate; entew no r King's Antiquary betteo n n I .r hand' . . s. and so on. But Mr Stevenson had some reservations about the historical sketch from Sir Herbert's 'facile and engaging pen', while Dr Thomas Ross (in an annotated copy of the guidebook) found fault with e structurasomth f eo l details. t thiBu s doe t detracsno t fro importance mth f 190a eo s 6a

landmark in State-sponsore1 d guidance, and the offending passages continued to appear as the booklet went through successive editions (all still price, wit6d h t da revenu e from advertisements), right up to Sir Herbert's death in 1937, when it had just been superseded by a new guidebook written by Dr J S Richardson. Despite its blemishes, the work must have stimulated many visitors to take a deeper interest in Scottish history as a result of their visit to Holyroodhouse. MUNRO: MONUMENTAL GUIDEBOOKS 'IN STAT5 E CARE | *

Commissionere Th Woodsf so Forestsd an precedeo ,wh Office dth Workf epreservao e th n si - tion of some ancient monuments in Crown ownership, do not seem to have embarked on any printed 'presentation' of them. Regular arrangements for visitors to the palace had been made from 1854, and as early as 1818 an 86-page Historical Description of the or Chapel Royal of Holyrood- house, with a short account of the Palace and Environs, was printed for John Petrie and sold by him at the Chapel Royal; a new and enlarged edition, to 'meet the wishes of the inquisitive tourist and visitant', was printed for Mrs John Petrie and sold 'for behoof of herself and family' in 1819 (the name of Mr James Bland appears in the text as 'Beadle', with Mr John Petrie as deputy). In 1834, we learn from a later guidebook, Mr Henry Courtoy was appointed, under commission of the privy seal, sole Beadl Keeped Chapee ean th f ro l Roya Holyroodf lo ; 'wit ardoun ha zead ran l rarely displayedd an , scarcel expectee b o y t nativ a t d Scotlandf no fro eo e mon , though lon enthusiastin ga c admires it f ro antiquitie traditions'd an s begae h , foro nt m collections relatin chapel-royale th o gt , palacd ean adjoining royal domain, resulting in the publication in 1837 of a new guidebook, dedicated to the wife of the hereditary keeper of the palace. Other 'histories' followed, with illustrations including two by George Meikle Kemp, of the . Returnin Office th Worksf o gt o e , however nexs it , t Scottish publicatio t appeano d nrdi until 1928 .modesa This swa t 28-page bookle Whithorn o t n Priory, Majesty's issueHi y db s Stationery Offic i e n wit PeerhprefacR a C sy b (latee r Charles)Si r , Chief Inspecto f Ancieno r t Monuments. Wit appointmene hth Peerf o t Inspectos sa Chies 1910a n ri d f an ,Inspecto 1913n ri a , new works organization had been produced to deal with the increasing number of monuments in State care; James S Richardson was appointed Inspector of Ancient Monuments for Scotland in 1914, and John Wilson Paterson became architec chargn i t f ancieneo t monument historid san c buildingn si Scotland. Peers regarded the publication of guides as an essential part of his work, and in the Whithorn bookle sectio a tearl e th yn n o monument CollingwooG W y sb followes dwa histora y db y and architectural description by R C Reid. e nexTh t guidebooks notabln histore me ,th writteo n ef i ancieny o tw y nb t monumentn i s Scotland published an , 1929n di , launche serieda whicf so 'new-stylee hth ' considereguidee b y sma d a modern projection. Part f Edinburgo s h Castle, whic s unde e wa hcontroe militar th rth f o l y authorities, were officially regarde 187speciaf y do b s 7a l historical interest Crowe th d n,an Rood mha been 'opened for public inspection' soon after the rediscovery of the regalia in 1818. Sir wrote and published his Description of the Regalia of Scotland in 1819, but it was not issued under Government auspices ver;a y slight Guidecastle th Georgy o et b e Oliver appeares wa t 1853dn i i d ;an t untino l 1929 Offic thaM f WorkH to e s produce 'offician da l guide' whicn i , buildinge hth s were described by Dr J S Richardson and the history written by Dr Marguerite , Keeper of the Burgh Records. The other booklet, by Mr J Wilson Paterson, described the ruins of Inchcolm Abbey in the Firth of Forth. It owed its origin to special circumstances which afford an interesting parallel with modern 'rescue archaeology'. Inchcolm had been 'disfigured by the fortifications erected during the war', and whe 192n i ear e 4Moraf th lo y place abbee dth y ruins unde Commissionere rth Workf so becamt si e possibl removo et accretionse eth whicy b largee hth r portio monastie th f no c building beed sha n converted int odwellina g housemako t d exhaustivn ea an , e remainse studth f yo r Paterso M . n presented the results of his investigations in a paper to the Society of Antiquaries in March 1926, in whic tracee hh developmene dth monastere th f seriea o t f o planf so d y ai wit s e basehth actuan do l evidenc 192n ei officia sites e found 9hi th an , n do l guidabbee publisheth s o eyt wa Office th r f edo fo Works by HMSO. thers A soms ei e confusion abou datin e guidebooke tth th f go s published betwee wars,e s ni th t i

perhaps worth sequencsettine th t callee gou b whaf 'gree y o dth ma ty guides followss a ' : 2 | SOCIET 6 ANTIQUARIEF YO SCOTLANDF SO , 1985

1906 Palace and Abbey Church of Holyroodhouse Sir H Maxwell 1928 Whithorn Priory W G Collingwood & R C Reid 1929 RichardsoS J WooM n& d Abbeye Th f Inchcolmo 1929 J W Paterson 1931 Huntingtower J S Richardson 1932 Dryburgh Abbey RichardsoS J WooM n& d 1932 RichardsoS J WooM n& d 1932 J S Richardson 1933 Skara Brae ChildG V e 1934 J S Richardson 1934 Elgin J S Richardson & H B Mackintosh 1934 Llnlithgow Palace RichardsoS J BeveridgJ n& e 1934 Sweetheart Abbey RichardsoS J n 1935 Dunkeld Cathedral SimpsoB ME n 1936 TTie Palace f Holyroodhouseo J S Richardson 1938 TTze Cortfe o/ SttV/mg J S Richardson & M E B Simpson In addition to these, a simple form of unillustrated leaflet guide was introduced, including Hailes Castle (1931). The years between the Second World War and the 1978 reorganization (referred to earlier) were prolifia innovativd can e perio guideboon di k production, whic proceedins hwa g alongsidea more themati regionad can l approach. Mor titlew e ne thas 5 appearedn2 eved an ,balna d dan incomplete summary will serve to link the old series with the new. Mr Stewart Cruden, who was for 30 year Inspectoe sth r (latterly Principal Inspector Ancienf )o t Monument Scotlandr sfo , appreciated importance th puttinf eo g archaeological informatio generae th o nt l publi cleaa interestind n ci ran g way, writin guidebooke gth t AndrewS o st s Cathedra Castld an l e (195 1951)d 0 an broche th , f so Mousa and Clickhimin (1951), Castle Campbell (1953), and Arbroath Abbey (1954). The leaflet guides were continued, and he also introduced 'card guides' and experimented with more attractive formats which gave distinction to the outside as well as the inside of the 'blue guides' (Laing 1984, 481). The driving energy of Dr W Douglas Simpson contributed Threave (1948), Edzell (1952), Huntly and Craigmillar (1954), Kildrummy (with Glenbuchai), Crichton and Hermitage (1957), (1958), and Urquhart (1964); although some of his tenets are not accepted, his influence remains Dunstaffnaged an , Castle (1981) includes originas muchi f h o Apted R l e draftth M f r o , D . Inspectorate, undertook Claypotts (1957) and Aberdour (1961), while Mr lain Maclvor wrote on Dumbarto towardy rangw wa e 'sitne f eso th na e d (1958 guidingle d )an ' booklets wit Forts hhi George (1970) usefu;a this swa l basic framewor monumena r kfo t whic designes hwa unita survives d da yan s outwardly little altered, and his (1978) showed that the pathfinding method could adaptee b vera o dyt different kin structuref do .

THE 'NEW-STYLE' GUIDEBOOKS maie Inth n strea guidebookf mo beinw sno g produce Historie th y db c Building Monud san - ments directorate chiee th , f outward sig changf n o double-colum e th s ei n e layoupagee th th d f sto an improved qualit paperf yo , which together allow greater integratio texillustrationsf nd o tan . They fall into two categories, of which the first are reissues or revisions of guides which were already in print: first published 1982 Arbroath Abbey R L Mackie & S Cruden, adapted R Fawcett 1954 1982 Caerlaverock Castle B H St J O'Neil, rev C J Tabraham 1952 1982 Dirleton Castle RichardsonS J TabrahaJ C v re , m 1934 MUNRO: MONUMENTAL GUIDEBOOK STATN I / S E CAR | E

SimpsonD FawcetW R v re , t198 2 Edzell Castle 1952 SimpsoD 198W 2n 1957 SJ Richardso1982 n Huntingtower 1931 1982 St Andrews Castle S Cruden 1951 1983 Dryburgh Abbey J S Richardson, rev C J Tabraham 1932 1983 Palace J S Richardson, rev F Stewart 1934 Brockse 198Th 3 of Mousa Clickhimind an HamiltoJ n 1970 1983 Skara Brae V G Childe & D V Clarke 1933 1983 Urquhart Castle W D Simpson, rev C Lindsay & M. Reynolds 1964 1983 Fort George lain Maclvor 1970 1984 Whithorn CAR Radfor DonaldsoG d& n 1953 1984 Inchcolm Abbey J W Paterson 1937 1984 Tolquhon Castle W D Simpson & C J Tabraham 1948 ApteR M 198d 5 Aberdour Castle 1961 SimpsonD Breez J Hum R W D J 198 v e& re , 5 Bothwell1958 Castle PiggotS t 1985 Cairnpapple 1951 1985 Huntly Castle W D Simpson & C J Tabraham 1954 Concurrently with these, there have appeared at the time of writing the following new guidebook same th en si series: 1982 Blackness Castle lain Maclvor 16pp 1983 New Abbey Corn Mill J R Hume & C J Tabraham 16pp 1983 C J Tabraham 16pp 1984 Bonawe Iron Furnace G P Stell & G D Hay 32pp 1984 BogdaQ N Lochlevenn Castle 16pp undate TaidA lA 28pp 1985 Cathedral Richard Fawcett 32pp 1985 TabrahaJ SmailholmC m Tower 16pp While no Government department is likely to be associated with anything 'cheap and nasty', there may have been a feeling in some quarters that a 'revamping' of the old-style guidebooks might carry popularizatio suc y faro nhto An . fears should disappear wit reissuee hth revisiond san w sno published. Sometimes nothing more than new paragraphing and a word or phrase in bold type can hav immediatn ea e impacvisitoe th n ro t usin gguidebooa k 'on site'. The texts of Fort George, Cairnpapple and Aberdour have been left largely undisturbed by the authors, but the new format and layout add greatly to their effectiveness - especially in the case of Cairnpapple, where Professor Piggott' previousls swa unillustraten ya d leaflet guide therf I . roos ei m for criticism woult i , thae db t more prominence might have been reasone giveth effecto nd t san f o s choice th maritima f eo e sitr Forefo t George, wit implications hit r defencd sfo an a e se fro e mth supply. In the historical portion of Aberdour the rather dry recital overburdened with detail and exact dates might have been revisedobvioue th d an ,s misquotatio morf no e tha documente non e th d an , introductio o manto f yo n printing errors, suggests overhasty production Inchcolm,n I . already improved by the addition in 1950 of Monsignor David McRoberts' 'history', the descriptive portion closel Wilsor M o yt n Paterson's original text. Three of the late Dr Douglas Simpson's guides have been reissued. In Bothwell the revisers' task seems to lie almost entirely in the 'presentation' of the author's self-confident, robust and sometimes even majestic prose (but unfortunately not correcting his slip over a title involved in the famous 'Douglas cause', which determined the ownership of the Bothwell estates); Huntly borrows from rather than follow originals sit , remodellin extendind gan descriptioe gth n with further detailf so decoratio furnishingd nan ; Tolquhon lends itself particularl pictoriae th o yt l treatment denien i t i o dt the old guide-leaflet (the old gremlin is back, saying it was 'first published 1984'), but in proclaiming it SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1985

'new-stylee ILLUTh S1 ' guidebooks

'a feudal display of pride', with an illusory impression of defensibility, more might have been made of Forbee th s famil create o referenced ywh an , dit squireso st , laird lord leavd y san sma e some readern si doubt about their status as minor Scottish barons. farsaiw e b , dt Ho i then than tca , these 'new-style' guidebooks combin role ef th 'usable o e guide 'tangibld an ' e record monumente th f o ' Statn si e care, answering where possibl questione eth s that visitors are likely to ask? Rather than beginning fro generalizationy man probabls i t i , y bette cito rt e examples, without fully reviewin booklete on y gan .consideree Theb n yca d together under theichosen ow r n section headings - adopted in most but not all in the series - Introduction, History (including building history and family history where appropriate), and Tour of site, before the illustrations and details of format whic essentiae har whole th o et l purpos discussede ear e viewpoinTh . t should alway thae sb f o t t simpl user,no e reader,e d th yth an although there wil plente lb temptationf yo must strayo i st d tan , supposee b d that most users (unlike other readers) will have neither wis opportunitr hno 'contraso yt t and compare'. MUNRO: MONUMENTAL GUIDEBOOKS 'IN STATE CARE' | 9

INTRODUCTION Toue Ith f r normally become maie sth n feature whic visitoha expectes ri sitee reath o dt t i , n do follows that the Introduction should include the salient points which will be necessary to a proper or at least preliminary understandin cleas i lont o i S rs g. whera it f itinerare go eth y wil foune e b lth n di booklet (and some care has been taken to ensure that it is), historical matter not essential to such an understanding can be given separately, with an occasional cross-reference to prevent the significance of some important feature being missed. More detail can then be included on the families, ecclesias- tic r otherso s involved justifief i d an , separatda e sectio buildinn no g historgivene b n y.ca In the series, the Introduction usually emphasizes the historical, architectural or social impor- tanc significancd ean monumente th f eo sometimed ,an touthreee l sal th rthis d sectioe .A s an b y nma the only parts read while visiting a monument, attention should also be focused (without too much detail featuren )o s examplewhicr fo speciae - h ar t vaulte i e o th ,lt d cloister building Incholt sa e mar mentioned in introducing the description of the abbey, but although the completeness of Glasgow Cathedral is stressed at the very outset in its new guidebook, enough emphasis is hardly given to the survival there of the stone screen or pulpitum between the nave and the choir. Where the Introduc- tion begin sitsettina y sf welb ei y dictatesceneo e ld ma g th t i plas e purpos,a d sth nbuildingan e th f eo , it would be kinder to the visitor to avoid burdening the first paragraph which he reads with kilometres and hectares, as in Lochleven Castle.

HISTORY purpose th t thino f es o i s t articlI asseso et informatioe sth n give thesn i e guidebooks whicn ,o h an inexpert opinion woul valuelesse db t rathe presenteds i bu ,t i concentrato rt y wa e . th Som n eo e passing comment historicae th n so ordern li contene b , y howeverma t , fro inveteratn ma e used ran hoarder of such publications old and new. Generally speaking, a good idea is given of the men who built these monuments, or rather who caused them to be built. Dr Simpson set a fine example, by his appreciation of the importance of family history in their creation and continuation. The influence of the great Douglas houses runs through the story of Bothwell and Threave, Aberdour and Lochleven, as it does also at Tantallon and other propertie Statn si e care. Aberdour Mortoa s ha n family tree therd shora an , s ei t illustrated 'appendix' on other Douglas properties in it and Bothwell. This feature is probably designed to engage the visitor's interest in more than a single property, but it prompts the thought that it would be instructiv relationshie th f ei p betwee Douglae nth s builders als d geographicae oan ,th l spreae th f do monuments associated with them, coul showe db n graphically meany b , treef so mapsr so , wite hth picture 'relatedf so ' properties somewha competo t tt reduceno s ea wito dmais e hth n subjece th f o t guidebook. Family influence on architectural patronage, of course, can be found among the Setons and their Huntly and Eglinton collaterals, but they are not so widely represented among monuments in State care. In writing the history of a building, there is some risk that stone and lime will overlay or obscure humae th n factor whicy sb h alon procese eth carries swa d on. This tendenc t alwayno s yi s sufficiently resisted visitoe Th . tolds i r r instancefo , , that Duff House serve 'administrativn a s da sociad ean l centre for the vast landed estates' of the earls of Fife, and its contents 'supported the style of a highland [sic] nobleman' rise Williaf th e o t ;bu m Duf Dipplf o fIris n a ho et earldo mmors i e clearly sketched in a few paragraphs of Burke's Peerage, and the extent and location of his estates is only indirectly touched on in the guidebook, and not explained as an essential part of the story. To avoid overlapping, building history is not usually treated separately (the exceptions are Bothwell Castl Glasgod ean w Cathedral, saie wherb do t abou et therlo a t s theiei r evolution)t A . Threave, whic sais hi havo d t 'mos e eth t complete vestiges kine wall-heath f df o o ' d defence knows na 0 1 SOCIET ANTIQUARIEF YO SCOTLANDF SO , 1985

'hourds wooder o ' n galleries (Stell 1981,21-2) mighe ,on t expec fino tt d more tha casuana l reference significance th o t put-loe th f eo g holes there whic puzzled hha writeguidebooe e dth th f ro w kno replaced. Is it being captious to suggest that, while talk of a 'building-campaign' is not inappropriate at Blackness, the word may sound less seemly to a reader in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral? Bonawe has a full and clear account of the iron industry in the Highlands and the process used there. The working of New Abbey Mill is fully explained and unusual features pointed out; but the opportunity has not been taken to place corn mills in the context of the communities which they served, or to indicate to a visitor the factors which led to the steady decline in their numbers. Later association eved a monumen e presenf an so nth e r us exhibitiot fo t n purposee ar s prominen guide th Smailholmn o eti t , althoug fascinatios hit 'wee th er sicnfo k laddie becamo wh ' r eSi Walter Scott lays more two-year-ole stresth n so stayeo dgrowine thath wh n dy no thergbo r efo several years thereafter. An example of how more might be made of monumental associations with human being Blacknesss si guidebooe th s a ; k points out castle th , e occurs periodically from 144o 9t 170a Stat s 7a e prison, where 'me f rano n k arid consequenc d somha e e degre f comforeo n i t confinement' t onlbu ,y Cardinal Beato nameds ni vere Th .y shortnes stae th y f withiso walls nit f so such men as Mackenzie of Kintail and Huntly (1586 and 1592) may show how Blackness was regarded by great men warded there. The author is rightly concerned with expounding the castle's real significanc artillern a s a e y fortification placa rols it s f a econfinemened o an , r 'prisonerfo t f o s conscience ignoreds i ' t producei t t inconsiderablye ; no da e 'prison literature' neaa , e t th pla n yo words 'blacknes darknessf so 'darknesd an ' Blackness'f so repora d an , t tha devie sees tth lnwa sitting on the walls when Monck bombarded it. A prisoner was transferred to Stirling in 1704 'by reason of the bad air att Blackness', and in 1708 it was 'reckoned worse than a common gaol'. The blank page at thif o sd 16pen e p th booklet migh usee b t inforo dt m visitor somf so thesf eo e fact otherd an s s well known such as James Ill's association with Blackness just before his fall; some mention of the practice of holding importan 'in n wardtme ' until they complied with some government requirement might tno be thought too 'academic'.

TOUR As has been mentioned, the descriptive tour or itinerary is not a completely new feature, accepteds althougi t i mor e w th hen no i , complicate r comprehensivdo e site maie t leastsa th ns a , 'thrust' of the series. The best recent example of this is a well thought-out and clearly presented tour of Glasgow Cathedral, which recommends an itinerary with six exterior and seven interior viewing points. This tour may take at least one hour to assimilate even superficially - a reckoning made after a preliminary perusal of both the numbered sections and the general and building histories, which a casual visitor might have to postpone until after a visit. By following this procedure it was noticed that some discreet cross-referencing would have been useful; photographs in the 'history' sections help towards the recognition and understanding of such features as the modifications made c 1200 in the south-eastern cornesouth-westere th f o r n compartmen , 25) pulpitum9 crype e p th th , f (p to td an flanking altar platforms (pp 13,18,31), and the varied window tracery in the choir (pp 5,7,28). How different parts of the building were used by clergy and laity is clearly explained, with an 'unbroken roun dailf do y prayer', and folaccesy aisleo kla t ambulator d y sb s an navee e th th n welo s I .t y a s la captio Slezer'o nt s drawing, which include demolishee sth d archbishop's castle, attention might have been drawarmoriae th o nt l stones fro castle mth e doorway place crypte th n di , where the easile yar y misse damagee visitore th th s i y db s a , d bishop's effigy (traditionall militane th f yo t patriot Wishart). The ground plan was inconveniently placed in the first printing, as will be noticed later. Suc itinerarn ha nots yi coursef ,o , require simplee th n di r monuments madt i visitot e ebu ,on r MUNRO: MONUMENTAL GUIDEBOOKS 'iN STATE CARE' 11

realize what had been missed in the past through lack of such a 'guided tour' to read at Glasgow Cathedral and indeed elsewhere. The rain which was falling may have made the guidebook less attractiv 'tangibla s ea worts e wa record. ht it visiti e t th f bu , o '

ILLUSTRATIONS mattee Inth illustrationf ro stylw ne e e achievesth moss sit t impressive improvements. Their complete absence from the leaflet-guides was inevitable, but it is only with the more flexible printing technique availablw sno e thafulle ton y realize method awkwarol w e sbunchinho f th d o s dwa g them together, divorced from the text. Complete integration is now possible, and an intelligent use of captions allows further information to be conveyed without breaking into the main text. Illustrations are usually placed to match the text; too complicated a mixture-as in Echoes of Stone, for example - distracn ca readee th tmak d ran e reference tex e bac th tediou a t n ki frustratind san g businessn i t ,bu this seriebees ha nt si successfully avoided. Photograph buildingf so usee t onlsar dno illustrato y t e architectur constructiond ean : Duff House housa s ha e party group including King Edward VIIn a , amenity bazaar in progress in 1907, and a sample of its later chequered use as hotel, nursing home and army billet. There is a much greater variety of illustrations than in the past. The reproduction of drawings and paintings mad earliey eb r artist antiquaried san Slezerg s(e , Grose, Sandb Nattesd yan somd ,an e unfortunately unattributed perhapd an , s unknown) often show monumente sth mora n si e complete state developmene Th . photographr ai f to mads yha possiblet ei illustrato t layoue e th settin d an t f go some monuments more effectively, especially when combined with adjacent ground plans (as in Tolquhori) or labelled perspective drawings (Inchcolm). Overall ground plans are given in all the guidesindeede ar d ,an essentia theio lt r purpose severan I . l the convenientle yar y placeinside th n edo back cover, or across a 'centre spread', and so are easily referred to while the visitor reads the text and follows the recommended itinerary; here exceptions unfortunately include Glasgow Cathedral, where plans appear on page 4 (at the beginning of the 'tour' section, but easily 'lost' - corrected on reprinting), with a numbered route rather too coyly indicated. Another welcome featur provisioe th s ei morf no betted ean r 'reconstructions'. Government policy on the preservation of ancient monuments still adheres to the principle laid down by Robert Reid during his brief period as Scotland's 'first inspector of ancient monuments' 150 years ago - that repairs should be solely for their protection, 'the less appearance of interference with their present stat constructiod ean better'e nth . This tallied with Scott's diary sam entre th ef y o yea r (1829 )- ' a ruin shoul protectee db t nevedbu r repaired' (both quote Ogle-Skan di n 1984, 349) fortunatelt Bu . y this wise limitation nee depictiot e applth dno o yt f sucno hprintee ruinth n o sd pagee lono th s , s ga freedo exercisems i d with knowledg discretiond ean . Even informe imaginativd dan e 'reconstruc- tions' were at one time frowned upon, but the new series shows how fully they are now accepted as part of official thinking. The 1950 edition of Inchcolm displayed six outline sketches showing the developmen churce th f to h buildings fro15te 12te th m hth o h t century 197n ;i 8 these were separated and placed in their context - a method made easier by the double-column format of the fourth edition in 1984. One of the leading artists in this field was Alan Sorrell, whose conjectural restoration drawings of Caerlaveroc Dirletod Bordee kan th d nran abbey offician swo lthir e approvalth dn i editiow .No n of Bothwell, anothe f Sorrell'o r s drawings (probably base MacGibbon do d Rossnan s givei ) n prominence, witcautioe readee hdu th o nt r tha reasonr fo t s explained 'Bothwell would never have looked like this', but with an approving comment on the 'marvellous impression' which it gives of that splendid medieval castle. The inclusion of an earlier reconstruction, that of Lochleven Castle from Burns-Begg's boo f 1887ko welcomede alss b ,i o t , even wit warnins hit g tha artise th t t faileo dt 12 | SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1985

include the outer courtyard and walled garden (which in fact figure rather inadequately in the present text, and are completely missing from the ground plan). Cutaway drawings have been used to illustrate complicated developments, such as the south tower of Blackness, and diagrams are frequently introduced to explain working machinery. Portraits, other than royal ones, are usually unobtainable of the key figures in 'ancient monument' history. Heraldry can sometimes offer a decorative substitute, especially when it is actually incorporate buildinge th n dHuntly'i n i s a , s magnificent 'frontispiece'; drawing instruce sar - tive but less effective, and in Bothwell one looks in vain for the Moray and Douglas armorial stones illustrated in Sir William Eraser's account of the castle in The Douglas Book (1885), and also by MacGibbon and Ross.

FORMA LAYOUD TAN T The guidebook covers are generally attractive and arresting, usually including a picture of the monument by photograph or other medium. Presumably by intention, there is no unformity in colour, typograph r positioningyo , althoug page-size hth unifors ei folde4 m(A A5) o t d . HMSO bookshop addresse prica d esan code placee outsid 3e ar pane a th n di n lo e back covers, sometimes accompanied above or below by a suitable 'embellishment' - the 1584-9 building plaque at Tolquhon, 1753 linte t Bonawea l , 1757 royal ciphe t Forra t George, Glasgow's episcopa Huntle l th seal d yan , monogram. Such features migh distinctiv a sough e s tb a t tou e eth 'signaturen o s seriese wa th t i r s ,a fo ' fron 'blud ol t ecovee guides'th n ri . Title-page alse sar o varie layoun di type d guidebooke an t .Th publishel al e sar HMSOy db t ,bu the name and logo of 'Historic Buildings and Monuments, Scottish Development Department' are also include mose th n tdi recent naminn I . g authors proliferatioa , designationf no degreed san y sma be expecte promoto dt e instant confidence (and sales beiny )b g given prominenc title-page th n eo e- although the entirele yar y omitte Blacknessn di Inchcolmd an - rathe r than relegating e theth mo t introduction or inside front cover. Each section, as well as its formal heading, is set off by a boldly- quoted phrase either from a previous writer or from the author of the text. Thus Smailholm is 'standing star uprighd kan t lik wardenea happiea ( ' r choice from Scott than 'that mountain'd [sic] tower' title-page , th readinsaia n e do b o et g from Marmion facn i t- fro originae mth l manuscript, late rflashind amended)an t gap t phraseBu . s cannot alway t handa lackind e b san , g them such heading degeneratn sca e into insipid labels. Duff House, which understandly avoids singline th t gou phrase 'a monstrous House' used by its builder in a letter to William Adam, dubiously dubs it 'a classic castle'. Useful notes on 'further reading' are nearly always included, and the citing of excavation reports published in the Proceedings and other journals echoes the precedent set by the first publication on Inchcolm more than 50 years ago. Detailed references would obviously be out of place in such booklets t Glasgow,bu Cathedral manages indicato t e unobtrusivel course th n ynarrativi f eo e how sources such as the Melrose Chronicle and the papal records have shed light especially on the building history. Technical jargon, shunned whenever possible, is sometimes necessary; a glossary of military engineering terms is conveniently added in Fort George, where their use is unavoidable. The visitor to Smailholm may be surprised to learn that the Scots word 'barmkin' (defined as 'a defensive perimete f middlino r g strength r Maclvor'M n i ' s Craignethan) means literally 'a barrie r kinfo r e (cattle)'. As well as publication or edition dates (only once omitted), a formal statement on the ownershi monumene card th pf an e o givens i t usualld an , y alse locatiooth n (with national grid reference wherd an ) e necessary t Threavea s a , nota , accessibilityn eo . MUNRO: MONUMENTAL GUIDEBOOKS IN STATE CARE 13

PICTORIAL AND 'CONCERTINA' GUIDES Scottish Medieval Churches (1985) r RicharD y b , d Fawcett more th firse f eth o ts generai , l publications whic Directorate hth e inten publishdo t . Thoug itselt hno guidebookfa likels i t , i hel o yt p visitors seeo t examplet kou ecclesiasticaf so l architectur Statn ei e care introductionwhicn o ,a t s i t hi . The two most popular monuments in Scotland, Edinburgh and Stirling , have been provided with handsome full-colour pictorial guides (1980; 1983). The introduction on the chronological development of the Edinburgh site particularly is a model of pleasing and instructive presentation. The numbered tours, comprising 28 points of interest and importance at Edinburgh, mor6 1 d e widelan y scattere t Stirlingda , will tesmentae th t physicad an l l stamin lesy san agilf ao e visitor attempting them without a break. The illustrations and panoramic displays are both practical as aid understandino st attractivd complicatee gan th eyee t th ,bu o et d itinerary propose t Stirlinda g might have been simple folloo rt mora wf i e straightforward black-and-white ground plan rather than a tinted semi-pictoria beed ha n e use on l illustrato dt recommendee eth d route. Not all the monuments in State care are capable of supporting a full guidebook. Wherever there icustodiansa usualld ,an y where ther key-keepera s ei , 'concertina' guide-leaflet beine sar g provided meeo t neede tth visitorsf so . Abou thesf o 0 et2 have been published since 1982; som adaptatione ear s guide-leafletsd frool e mth othert bu ,completel e sar y new ,Roma suce thath s ha n to n bath-houst ea Bearsden first discovere 1973n di . This serie s- convenien useo t , although those with more than five segments require careful handling - now also includes the abbeys of Culross, Deer, Glenluce, and Kelso; Torphichen preceptory and the collegiate churches of Lincluden and Seton; Cardoness, Crookston, Elcho, MacLellan's and Newark (Renfrew) castles, and Scotstarvit tower; Ruthven barracks Jarlshod an , f (wher guideboow ne ea due)s ki . Unmanned sites present a different problem, but at the Bearsden bath-house there is an 'interpretativ guide-leaflee eth sitee paneld th an , n o ' availabls i t t locaea l museum t othea d rsan monuments along the line of the Antonine Wall (Breeze 1983, 29-32).

CONCLUSION Many of the features and techniques mentioned here have been widely adopted, and are not, of course, confined to Government-sponsored guidebooks. There has been, in fact, a spate of such material in recent years, to satisfy tourist demand, although not all of it stands up so well to close examination. Some point criticisf so m have been mad impliedr eo woult i t hare ,bu d b findo t morda e practical and authoritative series, upholding the scholarly standards of the past, fulfilling its present aim to inform the 'inquisitive visitant' with assurance and imagination, and showing every sign of being read tako yt e advantag furthef eo r technical advance futuree th n si .

NOTES Stevenson's revie Scotn i ws i Hist Rev, 455-614 . Ross's annotated cop f Maxwell'yo s boon i s ki Edinburgh Central Public Library (Edinburgh Room). e sequencTh f Governmeno e t guidebooks mus e somethinb t a bibliographer' f go s nightmare. Inchcolm publishes wa 1929n di slightl,a y amended versio 195 e 1937n i th 0t editio,bu callens i e dth 'second'; similarly Dry burgh 1932 and 1937 editions were followed by a 'second' edition in 1948. Melrose was published 1932, but its second edition (1949) gave 1936 as the date of the first (subsequently corrected). First editions of Tantallon (1932), Elgin (1934), and Stirling (1938) were in their second editions (1950,1950,1948) dated 1937,193 193d 8an 6 respectively gremlie t .Th no s nha ceased its operations in the 1980s. 14 SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1985

3 Guidebooks up to a maximum of 16 pages cost 45p, while those up to 32 pages cost 75p. The 'concertina' leaflets retail at 35p, except those on Deer Abbey and Skelmorlie Aisle which cost 30p. full-coloue Th r guide Edinburgo st Stirlind han g respectivelycastle1 £ d san cosp Scottishd 80 t an , Medieval Churches £3.50. ( Fortificationsd an wortha s i y successor.) Echoes Stonen i was priced at £4.50.

REFERENCES Baker, D 1983 Living with the Past. Bedford. Breeze J 198D , 3 'The Roman Bath-Hous t Bearsdena e : Making things e Public'publith r cn fo i , Magnusson, M (ed), 1983, 29-32. Breeze, D J 1985 'Guide Books', in Welcome: News for Friends of the Scottish Monuments [no 1,1985]. Laing L , 1984 'Thirty Year Populaf so r Archaeology, 1945-75' Breezen ,i (ed)J ,D , Studies Scottishn i Antiquities, Edinburgh, 481-7. Maclvor, I 1983 The Role and Function of the Ancient Monuments Division of the Scottish Develop- ment Department', in Proudfoot, E V W (ed), Ancient Monuments, Historic Buildings and Plan- ning, St Andrews, 9-17. (Counc Brit Archaeol Scot, Occas Pap, 1.) Maclvor, I & Fawcett, R 1983 'Planks from the Shipwreck of Time: An account of Ancient Monumen- try, thenow'd nan Magnusson n i , (ed)M , , 1983, 9-27. Magnusson (edM , ) 1983 Echoes Stone:n i Years0 10 of Ancient Monuments Scotlandn i (publishey db SDD for Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland, 1983). Edinburgh. Ogle-Skan H 198P , e Offic4Th Workf eo Scotlandn si Earle :Th y Years' Breezen i , (ed)J ,D , Studies in Scottish Antiquities, Edinburgh, 337-59. Stell G ,198 1 'Late Medieval Defence Scotland'n i s Caldwelln i , (ed)H D , , Scottish Weaponsd an Fortifications, 1100-1800, Edinburgh, 21-54.