Skulferatu #29 - Hound Point Battery, Dalmeny Estate, South Queensferry

 

On a sunny, but bitterly cold April morning I took a walk from Cramond, through Dalmeny Estate, to South Queensferry.  Following Cycle Route 76, I walked through the top of the estate and round and down to Hound Point.  By Fishery Cottage, I cut up the hill and through the woods to the concrete remains of the Hound Point Battery, an old First World War coastal defences site.  There I had a good look about as the trees all around swayed and creaked in the wind.

 

Hill view of gun emplacement at Hound Point Battery

 

Remains of the magazine building

Gun emplacement – Hound Point Battery

 

Gun emplacement – Hound Point Battery

 

Gun emplacement – Hound Point Battery

 

Hound point Battery was part of a defensive system built along the coast of the UK that stretched from Shetland to Cornwall.  Building work began on the Battery before the start of World War One and it was operational by 1914.  The Battery consisted of two gun emplacements at the top of the hill overlooking the Firth of Forth, and a magazine building to the rear and slightly further down the hill.  While it was operational the perimeter of the Battery would have been surrounded by blockhouses and a barbed wire fence.  When it was armed in 1914 the Battery had two BL 6-inch Mk VII guns, however these were removed in 1915 and transferred to another battery at Leith Docks.  The guns were then replaced in 1916 with two 12 pounder Quick Firing Naval 18cwt guns.  These were dismounted and removed in 1922.

 

In September 1914, the Battery at Hound Point opened fire on a suspected enemy submarine out in the Firth of Forth.  However, one of the shells fired ricocheted off the water and landed near to the Earl of Moray’s residence at Donibristle House in Dalgety Bay.  Luckily, it didn’t cause much damage other than ploughing up the lawn in front of the house.  The enemy submarine was eventually sunk by a gunner based out on Inchgarvie Island.

 

The Battery is now in a state of disrepair and is badly vandalised and crumbling away, much like most of the old coastal defences.  However, around the old gun emplacements there are some good views, through the trees, over the Forth.  The sort of views that make you realise why they built the Battery where they did.

 

I left the Skulferatu that accompanied me on today’s walk in the hollow of a tree growing out from one of the gun emplacements.

 

Skulferatu #29

Skulferatu #29 in tree hollow at Hound Point Battery

 

Map showing location of Skulferatu #29

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are –

 

Latitude 55.999295

Longitude -3.351049

I used the following sources for information on Hound Point Battery -

 

Linlithgowshire Gazette – Friday, September 18, 1914

 

Overland China Mail – No 2386, October 31, 1914

 

Canmore – Forth Defences, Inner, Hound Point Battery

Canmore - Forth Defences, Inner, Hound Point Battery

 

Ancient Monuments UK

ancientmonuments.uk - Hound Point Battery, City of Edinburgh

Article and photographs are copyright of © Kevin Nosferatu, unless otherwise specified.

Skulferatu #28 - St Triduana's Chapel, Restalrig, Edinburgh

 

If you venture down the road from Jock’s Lodge in Edinburgh and successfully navigate one of the narrowest pavements known to man, you’ll arrive in Restalrig.  There, nestled by Marionville Fire Station on one side and a housing estate on the other, sits the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church.  If you are lucky enough to find the gates open and wander on in, you will enter a little haven of peace with lots of ornate and crumbling gravestones, ivy covered tombs and ancient looking trees.  The road through this graveyard then leads to the church, where beside it stands St Triduana’s Chapel.

 

View over graveyard to St Margaret’s Church and St Triduana’s Chapel

 

St Margaret’s Church and St Triduana’s Chapel

 

St Triduana’s Chapel was built in the 1400s in the time of James III to enclose the well of St Triduana.  The building was of a unique design in that it was a two storey hexagon, the lower storey being the well house and the upper storey being a chapel.     At the time the chapel was built it was considered to be a remarkable building and Pope Innocent VIII described it as being a ‘sumptuous new work.’  Only the lower storey now survives as the chapel was destroyed in 1560 during the Reformation.  In 1906 the chapel was repaired, and a new roof added to it.

 

St Triduana’s Chapel

 

Stairs leading down to chapel entrance

 

View of St Triduana’s Chapel

 

Few nowadays have heard of St Triduana, let alone the chapel dedicated to her.  She was believed to have accompanied St Regulus to Scotland in the 4^th Century when he brought over the relics of St Andrew.  They landed at Kilrymont, which is now known as St Andrews.  Triduana then made her way to Rescobie in Angus where she lived a life of reclusive prayer and worship for a while.  However, one day she came into contact with Nectan, King of the Picts.  On seeing her he was overcome by a violent passion for her and demanded that she be his.  In great fear of him she fled but was soon found by a party the King had sent out to search for her.  They told her she must return to the King with them.

 

‘What does so great a prince desire of me, a poor virgin dedicated only to Christ and God?’  She asked of them.

 

‘He desireth the most excellent beauty of thine eyes, which if he obtain not he will surely die,’ replied the leader of the group.

 

‘Then what he seeketh he will surely have,’ answered Triduana.  And (yes, you’ve guessed it) she plucked out her eyes, skewered them on a branch snapped from a thorny tree and handed that to the King’s men saying – ‘Take that which your Prince desireth.’  They were horrified by this and rode back to the King to present him with Triduana’s gory gift.  The King, needless to say, then gave up on his lusty pursuit of Triduana.

 

After blinding herself Triduana made her way to Restalrig where she lived a life dedicated to fasting and prayer.  There she was said to have cured those who were blind or had severe eye problems.  On her death she was buried where the church of St Margaret now stands.  The spring near to where she lived became a place of pilgrimage soon afterwards, as it was believed the waters that came from it were holy and could cure blindness and diseases of the eyes.

 

View of St Margaret’s Church and St Triduana’s Chapel

 

Gravestone in chapel grounds with Marionville Fire Station Tower in distance

 

Gravestone in chapel grounds with Marionville Fire Station Tower in distance

 

St Triduana’s Chapel is currently closed to the public as it is undergoing conservation works.

 

I placed the Skulferatu that accompanied me on my walk today in a crack in the wall of a tomb near to the chapel.

 

Skulferatu #28

 

Skulferatu #28 in wall of tomb by the chapel

 

Map showing location of Skulferatu #28

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are:

 

Latitude 55.957896

Longitude -3.149796

 

I used the following sources for information of St Triduana’s Chapel –

 

Public information notice at the site of St Triduana’s Chapel

 

Scotsman, December 7, 1931 – article on St Triduana and the well at Restalrig by Dr T. Ratcliffe Barnett

 

Historic Environment Scotland Website

Historic Environment Scotland - St Triduana’s Chapel

 

Canmore Website

Canmore - St Triduana's Chapel, Edinburgh

Article and photographs are copyright of © Kevin Nosferatu, unless otherwise specified.

Skulferatu #26 - Saltcoats Castle, Gullane, East Lothian

When I go cycling from Edinburgh to North Berwick, I like to take the coastal road and enjoy the scenic route.  Just before I reach Gullane, I turn off from the road and take the bumpy path along the John Muir Way and cut down to the rather spectacular ruin of Saltcoats Castle.  On a sunny day it’s relaxing just to sit in the castle grounds, rehydrate and take in the great view.

 

Saltcoats Castle with ruined cottage and outbuildings

 

Tower of Saltcoats Castle seen through overgrown outer area of the castle

 

The history of this rather marvellous ruin starts with a legend of daring and bravery, or the needless slaughter of a wild animal, depending on your point of view.  The story goes something like this…

 

…back in the mists of time, when the lands that now make up East Lothian were sparsely populated and thick with forest and wild beasts, there was a huge, wild boar that terrorised the area.     This beast was enraged by anybody it saw on its territory and had chased, gouged and maimed a dozen or so people.  Soon it got to the stage where those in the villages were terrified of travelling to market, the peasants working the fields were terrified as they worked, the landlords in their stately homes were terrified of walking outside in their gardens and those travelling from Edinburgh towards England took a long route round to avoid the area.  The King, on learning what was going on, offered a large reward to anyone who could kill the boar and rid the land of its menace.  Many tried and died in their attempts.  The boar always seemed to be one step ahead of them and ambushed many a brave hunter, slicing through their weak and mortal bodies with sharp tusks that seemed to be made of steel.  Soon the boar was being seen as more than just a beast, it was a demon sent from Hell or a punishment from God.  The churches rang out their bells and the holy prayed in hope that the good Lord would end their torment.  But he didn’t.

 

Then along came a young man from the Livington family.  His family had fallen on hard times and he had decided that to improve their lot he would take on the challenge of killing the boar.  First of all, he set about preparing for the task and had a special glove made of thick leather.  The inside of this glove was heavily padded with down.  He also had a steel helmet, body armour and a sword made for the task.  Expensive though this was, he persuaded the craftsmen who made the pieces for him that he would pay them when he had killed the boar.  Such was his self confidence in completing this task that they all agreed to this and he was soon ready to go on the hunt for the deadly beast.

 

On a summer’s morning young Livington set off out into the forest.  As he went, he would call out every so often in order to attract the boar.  However, it was almost as if the beast could sense him and his purpose, and for hours Livington walked without seeing any sign of it.  Growing weary from walking, Livington stopped near a stream and drank from it.  He sat by it for a while and decided to give up for the day and to start his hunt again the next morning.  As he rose to make his way back out of the forest, he heard something crashing through the undergrowth.  It drew nearer and nearer.  Livington drew his sword and readied himself.  With a roar the boar burst through the undergrowth to where Livington stood.  The creature was huge with tusks like sabres and eyes that glowed red like the hot coals of a fire.  For a moment it stood still staring at Livington, then it stamped at the ground, snarled, and rushed at him with tusks out.  Like a matador, Livington spun to the side and the boar charged past.  It came to a skidding halt and turned again to face him.  It’s eyes burning with anger and hate it let out a roar and charged at him.  Livington once more sidestepped the boar as it reached him, howling with frustrated rage it turned and came at him again.  As it was almost on top of him Livington thrust his gloved arm down into its mouth.  The shock of this caused the beast to stumble and fall, taking both it and Livington to the ground.  The beast, unable to move its head enough to gouge Livington with its tusks, kicked out at him, catching him several times about the body and denting the armour he wore.  In this onslaught Livington almost lost grip of his sword, but just managing to keep hold of it he thrust it up and through the beast’s heart.  The beast let out a groan, almost human, then sighing it died by Livington’s side.  Exhausted, Livington lay by it and prayed a prayer of thanks to the Almighty Lord above.

 

A group of five woodsmen, had bravely ventured that day into the forest to chop wood, and had heard the commotion.  Cautiously they approached to see what was going on and saw Livington lying beside the body of the boar.  Thinking that he must have died in the fight, they went over to offer prayers for him.  On seeing that he was alive and suffering from no fatal wounds, they helped the exhausted man to his feet.  They then cut and stripped a large branch and tied the body of the boar to this.  Four of the woodsmen carried it out, while one carried Livington on his shoulders.  As they walked out through the forest, they came across a den of six squealing little piglets. The six little piglets mama boar had been protecting from those who encroached on her territory.  These were gathered up, placed in a sack, and handed to Livington.

 

On hearing that the boar was dead, villagers from all around came out in celebration.  That night Livington and the villagers, from landlord to peasant, all feasted on suckling pig and wild boar sausages, black pudding, and roast pork.  All washed down with local ales and fine wines imported from afar. 

 

A few days later the King heard that the boar had been killed.  For Livington’s act of bravery and ridding the land of the terrible beast the King granted him the lands from Gullane Point to North Berwick Law.  It was on the land acquired by Livington, near to Gullane, that Saltcoats Castle was built.

 

Up until the 1790s the helmet said to be worn by Livington when he slayed the boar hung in the church at Dirleton in East Lothian.  When the church was being repaired the helmet was removed for safekeeping and was lost.

 

At the mouth of the Peffer there is a small stream that goes by the name of Livington’s Ford.  It is here that Livington supposedly slew the wild boar. 

 

Anyway, let’s get back to the castle…the name of Saltcoats Castle is thought to come from the fact that it stands on ground that was in ancient times a salt marsh.  The castle is a Sixteenth Century courtyard castle that rose to a height of three storeys.  It was enclosed by a wall and in the grounds, there would have been an extensive garden and orchard.  There was also at one time a bowling green to the east of the castle, though all signs of this have been lost as it has been ploughed over numerous times and become part of the surrounding fields.

 

The castle was built in around 1590 for Patrick Livington and his wife Margaret Fettis of Fawside.  In the early 1700s the castle and estate were acquired by the Hamilton family when James Hamilton of Pencaitland married ‘the heiress of Saltcoats’, Margaret Menzies.  The castle was inhabited until around the late 1790s, the last tenant being a Mrs Carmichael, who died there.  It was then left uninhabited for several years.  Around 1810 much of the stonework was removed to build farm steadings and walls.  The ruined cottage which stands at the side of the castle was built around this time and on its front wall there is a panel taken from the castle with the coat of arms of Patrick Livington carved into it.

 

Tower of Saltcoats Castle

Sketch of Saltcoats Castle from ‘The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland’ - 1887

Side view of castle ruins and tower

 

Side view of castle tower

 

View of castle and ruins of farm steadings

 

Saltcoats Castle has now been designated as a scheduled monument.

 

The Skulferatu that accompanied me today was left on a ledge above the keyhole window on the tower.

 

Skulferatu #26

 

Spot the Skulferatu 

 

Close up of Skulferatu #26 on window ledge

 

Map showing location of Skulferatu #26

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are:

 

Latitude 56.026982

Longitude -2.827307

 

 

I used the following sources for information on the castle –

 

The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the Twelfth to the Eighteenth Century

Volume Four

By David MacGibbon and Thomas Ross

1887

 

Lamp of Lothian or the History of Haddington form the earliest times to 1844

by James Miller

1900

 

St Baldred of the Bass and Other Poems

By James Miller

Oliver and Boyd

1824

 

Wikipedia – Saltcoats Castle

Saltcoats Castle - Wikipedia

 

Canmore – Saltcoats Castle

Canmore - Saltcoats Castle, Gullane

 

 

Article and photographs are copyright of © Kevin Nosferatu, unless otherwise specified. 

Skulferatu #24 - SEPA Monitoring Site, River Almond, Craighall, Edinburgh

 

On an unseasonably sunny day I went for a stroll along the River Almond. The Almond runs from Hirst Hill in Lanarkshire to its exit into the Firth of Forth at Cramond.  The river is twenty-eight miles long and winds its way through West Lothian and round the outskirts of Edinburgh.  The name of the river comes from the old Celtic word Amon, which means river.  So, the name of the river is basically River River.

 

I joined the Almond at its exit into the sea at Cramond and walked along the riverbank up the path to the Old Cramond Brig (bridge).  On crossing that, I cut off down the path under the new bridge that carries the traffic speeding along the A90.  The noise from the traffic is a continuous thunderous rumble and as I walked through the nearby woods, I could just make out some birdsong, which made me wonder how the birds can possibly communicate above all that noise.  Maybe they just sing a bit louder.

 

Old Cramond Brig

 

Snowdrops on the riverbank

An old drainage tunnel, draining water from nearby fields into the River Almond

 

Once under and past the new bridge the river path winds on for miles and miles.  One day I will walk, or cycle, as far as the path carries me, but not today.

 

A view of the River Almond

 

Today I walked to the SEPA Monitoring Site on the Almond at Craighall.  SEPA, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, has 392 sites around Scotland that monitor water levels.  The information from these sites helps in flood management, amongst other things. 

 

SEPA Monitoring Site, as seen from the riverbank

 

SEPA Monitoring Site, as seen from riverside

 

The monitoring site at Craighall is a rather unimpressive, purely functional, brick building.  Its walls are cracked and pitted with holes and it is heavily graffitied on the wall facing the path.  At its side there is a set of rather worn steps and what looks like a lovely, shiny ruler.  This ruler is the basic, but effective tool for measuring the level of the river.  At the time of my trip out there the level was just under 50 centimetres.  According to the River Levels UK website the usual range of the level of the Almond is between 0.21 and 1.92 metres, though it reached 3.76 metres in April 2000…a particularly wet year I have no recollection of.  I must have spent most of it in the pub, to keep out of the rain.

 

Measure at side of building showing water levels

 

I left the Skulferatu that accompanied me on today’s walk in one of the many little holes in the wall of the monitoring station, facing out onto the River Almond.

 

Skulferatu #24

Skulferatu #24 in a hollow in the wall of the Monitoring Station

 

Map showing location of Skulferatu #24

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are –

 

Latitude 55.962894

Longitude -3.338132

 

Skulferatu #23 - West Breakwater Lighthouse and Signal Tower, Leith Docks, Edinburgh

 

West Breakwater Lighthouse

 

This abandoned and now derelict lighthouse sits on a concrete platform at the West Breakwater of Leith Docks.  It was built in the 1950s and on the flat roof there was a massive semaphore device for signalling to ships out in the Forth.  The building fell out of use due to advances in technology and changes in shipping routes.  Today it is derelict and empty, weather battered and stripped bare. It is usually decorated with graffiti, though every so often the council come along and whitewash the building and resecure the fence around it. 

 

Walkway to West Breakwater Lighthouse

The lighthouse is now derelict and abandoned

 

Graffiti on the abandoned lighthouse

The lighthouse tower

 

 

Concrete support pillars underneath the lighthouse

 

I’ve always thought the lighthouse is a building that could have a second life as something…maybe a trendy café or restaurant.  However, given the practical difficulties and costs involved in this sort of transformation, it will probably just crumble away until one day the bulldozers come in and knock it down.

 

I left a Skulferatu under the lighthouse, at the back of the space created by the supporting pillars.

 

Skulferatu #23

Skulferatu #23 at West Breakwater Lighthouse

 

TomTom Map showing location of Skulferatu #23

 

The coordinates for the location of the Skulferatu are –

Latitude 55.988837

Longitude -3.185501