History Scotland July-August 2020

David Breeze Christopher Smout Historiographer Royal Elizabeth Ewan University of Guelph EDITORIAL BOARD FIND OUT MORE AT: HTTP://SCOT.SH/HIS-BOARD Mr Derek Alexander Archaeologist, National Trust for Scotland Dr John Atkinson Managing Director GUARD Archaeology Ltd Medieval and post-medieval settlement and industry Dr Sonja Cameron Historian, writer and editor Prof Hugh Cheape Sabhal Mor Ostaig College, University of the Highlands and Islands George Dalgleish Keeper, Scottish History and Archaeology, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh. Scottish decorative arts, specifically silver, ceramics & pewter; Jacobite collections Dr Piers Dixon Operations Manager at the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), (rural settlement and medieval archaeology) Mr Andrew Dunwell Director, CFA Archaeology, Edinburgh (Later prehistory and Roman) Mark A Hall History Officer (archaeology collections) at Perth Museum & Art Gallery. Dr Kevin…

So many of us are missing visiting our favourite museums, galleries and beauty spots and with ‘normality’ still some way off, it’s been good to see organisations both large and small reach out to the public and invite us to enjoy history virtually. We have our own invitation as you’ll see on page 7, with the launch of our #StoryOfOurStreet project – a research project you can join from anywhere in the world. Elsewhere on these pages, we begin a new series on the secret history of the Bishops’ Wars, explore the Glasgow neighbourhood that inspired a young James Watt and explore how what happened at Culloden went on to affect how Britain shaped its Empire. Stay safe and best wishes to you and your loved ones. Warm wishes Editor,…

After completing a doctorate on the covenanting armies at the University of Oxford, Edward Furgol spent his career in the British and US heritage industries. He has continued to research and write about the covenanters ever since. On page 16 we present part one of Edward's two-part series on the secret history of the oft-forgotten Bishops’ Wars. Dr Christopher Storrs is reader in History at the University of Dundee. He has written widely on ‘Enlightened despotism’ in early modern Europe, with a particular focus on 17th- and 18th-century Spain. In ‘The Campomanes letter:', starting on page 28, he presents an as-yet unpublished letter that reveals an abortive plan to settle a community of northeast episcopalians in Habsburg Spain. Originally qualifying as a geologist, Frances Green worked in the oil business…

The project aims to establish exactly what, and to what extent, visitors’ images can be used for conservation monitoring. The team hope to monitor things such as discolouration and algae growth on stone, erosion of peat caps of walls and forts, erosion as well as water damage, vandalism and littering. In addition, the collected data should help project researchers to understand how visitors experience the sites. This is a unique project in the disciplines of Citizen Science and Heritage Science and could lead to an innovative way for Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to monitor their remote properties. Since the project started last summer, more than 2,800 submissions have been made, with the team on track over 12,000 images by the end of the project, in September next year. The resulting…

Ian Russell has been announced as the next Chair of the Board of Trustees of National Museums Scotland. The appointment will be for four years and Ian succeeds Bruce Minto, who has held the position for the last eight years. Ian has been a Trustee of National Museums Scotland since October 2018 and was previously was Executive Director of Scottish Power Plc for twelve years. He received a CBE in the 2006 New Year Honours List for services to young people and volunteering. National Trust for Scotland has announced that it is to appoint Philip Long OBE, currently Director of V&A Dundee, as Chief Executive once Simon Skinner retires in July. Prior to his leadership of V&A Dundee, Philip was Senior Curator at the National Galleries of Scotland. He is…

‘Click your heels together three times and say, “There’s no place like home”, and you’ll be there’. At least that is what Dorothy said would happen in The Wizard of Oz. At present, many wish they could click their heels to return to a pre-COVID19 world, however for now, we are at home. BBC radio presenter Mark Stephen once said that across Scotland there is history under your feet wherever you go. He is correct. For now, though, we live with various guidelines with regard to ‘social distancing’, ‘shielding’ and enforced ‘self-isolation.’ Historians have been quick to point out that the world has seen pandemics before, the Spanish Flu of 1919 being the nearest comparison, but also many parallels being drawn to plagues of antiquary. I remember refereeing football matches…