Volume 34 Part II April 2006 Newsletter No. 76 CONTENTS Page no. 1 Editorial Betty Roy 3 CFSS Winter Programme 2005 / 6 Reports from Winter Talks 4 Sauchie Tower & Environs Jack Archibald William Wallace – 5 Betty Roy The Falkirk Connection 7 Digital Mapping Techniques Marilyn Scott 8 Menstrie Glen & the Wrights of Loss Jack Archibald Gleaned from Dunblane Traditions (1835) 9 Betty Roy - Ordinary Life on the Muir 11 The Vikings in Scotland Jack Archibald 13 Prelude to a Rebellion Bob Snaddon 15 In the Furthermost Hebrides Jack Archibald 15 Kirkgate – a remnant of Mediebal Alloa Betty Roy Dates for your Diary 18 Stirling Field & Archaeological Society 19 Dollar Civic Trust Emma Halford- 20 Their Past Your Future Scotland MacLeod, Project Coordinator EDITORIAL The Winter Session, 2005/06, starting with the Coffee Morning in September, has come and gone. Owing to illness, unfortunately, I was unable to attend this opening event. However, this was reported to have been a resounding success. A big thank you to the members for their continued support at this the only CFSS fund raising event. On the whole, the winter talks have also been given substantial support from the members. Audiences are slightly down on previous years – though not too significantly. We require to stage a recruitment drive – the easiest way to do this is for each member to bring along a friend who eventually may be persuaded to join. As a founder member of the Society, I have found those 30+ years to have been full of interest and I am aware that this feeling has also been shared by other members. Is it only a pipe-dream to hope we can attract a younger membership that will in future carry on our worthwhile objective, i.e. “to promote interest in the environment and heritage of the local area and beyond”. The lecture series for 2005/6 commenced with two excellent talks of local interest – Sauchie Tower Excavations – presented by Susan Mills , CFSS and Museums & Heritage Officer. Also Alloa Inch Research Project – a full account of the work carried out there and presented by Dr. Roy Sexton, CFSS and SWT and assisted by our Treasurer, Eddie Stewart. An extensive write-up is published in the Forth Naturalist & Historian, Volume 28, priced at £8. Copies may be obtained through FN&H and CFSS. Two further talks of local interest were presented in 2006. a) “The Completion of Colville Gardens Excavations” by Susan Mills and “The Lairds of Loss” by John Harrison, Freelance Historian. Two further historical programmes were – “The Vikings”, Dr Andres Jennings, BofA, “The Battle of Falkirk” – Ian Scott, Falkirk and George Robertson, Dunfermline History Society presented the life of Queen Margaret. These talks were fascinating and extremely well presented. At the time of writing, still to come, is Ken Mackay`s talk “In the Furthermost Hebrides”, 1 For the first time in almost 36 years we are unable to find a venue for the usual industrial visit – a sign of the times. Instead, John Donaldson of Livingstone will present a talk entitled Carpentry as an Art Form. Mr Donaldson is engaged by Historic Scotland to replicate in wood The Stirling Heads that once adorned the ceiling of James V`s Palace in Stirling. This will allow the original heads to be properly conserved. This meeting will be held in the Tommy Downs Room, Alloa Town Hall (27/3/06) Compilation of the Summer Programme is nearing completion and should be in your hands soon. The weekend Field T rip –19th/22nd May – goes “South of the Border”! Topics of study will be Hadrians Wall (Roman) and Anglo-Saxon Northumberland. 22 members have booked for this. The accommodation will be at the George Hotel, Chollerford. Some of the walks featured in the programme are old favourites – always worthy of repetition. I hope to see as many members, and friends, as possible taking part. Transport for the Saturday outings is by private car and usually there are some spare seats. A trip on the Forth & Clyde canal is being organised for the 24th June, cost £8 per person. Please let Jack Archibald know if you wish to attend (tel.01258 215873). As well as a flyer, the dates of all outings are published in this booklet. Please make a note of these dates and, if possible, do come along and enjoy a pleasant and interesting walk. Non members and friends are always made welcome. Council Member and our Planning Representative, Fraser MacKintosh, is moving to Boness and as a result has had to resign from the Council of the Society. He informs me that he will keep his membership up to date and come to meetings where possible. We wish Fraser and Irene happiness in their new home. Betty Roy – Editor. 2 CFSS SUMMER PROGRAMME 2006 Meet at Alloa Health Centre Car Park – Wednesday 7pm, Saturday 9.30am (except where otherwise stated**) Wednesdays May 10 Along the Forth – Alloa to Cambus(EKR/MS) contact 01259 213954 June 14 Earl`s Walk ( EKR) contact 01259 213954 28 Strathyre Broch ( Erwin Campbell) ES – contact 01259 216878 July 12 Cowpat Wood Gartmorn (EKR) – contact 01259 213954 ** 26 Argaty Red Kite viewing & guided walk with Lynn Bowser (01786 841373) £3.00 per person as a contribution to the KITE PROJECT (MS) Contact 01786 832248 ** meet 6.30pm Alloa Health Centre to arrive for 7 pm at Lerrocks Farm Aug. 9 Dunnimarle Castle Gardens. Culross (SM) contact 01259 216878) 23 Braehead / Claremont (EKR) contact: 01259 213954 Saturdays May 6 Drymen & Environs (EKR) – contact 01259 213954 June 24 Kirkintilloch – Forth and Clyde Canal (JA) contact 01259 215873 Cost for boat trip £ 8.00 per person Please let Jack Archibald know if you wish to attend. July 22 Torryburn/ Valleyfield & Environs -- Walk along the Forth etc. Aug 19 Perthshire – Elcho Castle and Huntingtower (JA) contact 01259 215873 Sept 9 COFFEE MORNING, SPIERS CENTRE, ALLOA 10am –12 noon Weekend Field Trip: The George Hotel Chollerford date 19th – 22nd May (Hadrians Wall and Anglo / Saxon Northumbria ) Most outings require shared transport, stout footwear and suitable clothing. On Saturdays bring packed lunches. Visitors are welcome for most events. Inquiries – Betty Roy 01259 213954 Bob Snaddon 01259 214840 Eddie Stewart 01259 216878 3 REPORTS FROM WINTER TALKS (2005/6) SAUCHIE TOWER and its Environs The first meeting of the Winter Session was a talk given by Susan Mills, the local Museums & Heritage Officer, on Sauchie Tower and its environs, a follow up to our visit to the Tower in August last year. Sauchie Tower was built between 1430 and 1440 by Sir James Schaw who came from Greenock to marry Mary de Annand, co heiress of Sauchie and granddaughter of Sir David Annand of Sauchie. The estate of Sauchie had been granted to Henri de Annand in 1321 by King Robert the Bruce. The main objective of the talk was the update on the excavations that have been ongoing in 2005. Excavations were started in 1984 and 1985 after the site had been acquired in 1982 with the intention of restoring it. Restoration of the tower did not happen but the ground floor and the great hall were cleared of debris. Clackmannanshire Heritage Trust are now owners of the Tower after it had been passed to them by Clackmannanshire Council who acquired it from the original developers. The Trust began work in 1999 to repair the building to save it from complete ruin. The parapet wall was repaired and a new timber roof was constructed with a temporary covering of felt to help with the drying out of the walls. Steel bands were placed round the top of the Tower just below the parapet to stabilize the wall. In 2004 a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund was awarded to the Friends of Sauchie Tower to continue excavations at the Tower and surrounding area including Old Sauchie House which was built in 1631 by Alexander Schaw, he was later knighted by Charles the 1st. Old Sauchie House was the residence of the Schaws until c1710 when they moved to the palatial house at Schawpark. On our visit to the Tower in the summer and the slides shown at our winter meeting, we were able to see the amount of work done by the team of archaeologists and the local volunteers. A complete survey of the Tower was done and a mountain of spoil had to be moved to uncover the medieval courtyard, also foundations of a building. This was a large communal hall with service area (kitchen with large fireplace). Beyond the kitchen was a circular bread oven. Drainage was discovered in the area of the courtyard and beyond. Old Sauchie House was a two-storey building and was partially demolished in the 1930s together with a cottage built on the end. Vegetation covered the whole area of the house and was removed before work could begin on the dig. The main entrance was on the first floor with a scale and platt forestair. Above the entrance was an 4 elaborate triangular pediment carved with a variety of motifs, including a panel bearing the name of the Schaws (three covered golden cups), the initials “AS” for Alexander Schaw, and the Schaw motto “I Mein Weill” and the date 1631. Sauchie Tower with all the scrub and debris cleared still looks an impressive building with dressed sandstone and corner turrets. The turnpike stair provided access to all storeys and is capped on the parapet walk by an unusual cap house with a pyramidal roof. We must thank Susan for a very comprehensive talk on both occasions and her paper on the subject is well worth a read.