Posted in Trips, War Memorials at 12:00 on 27 January 2021
Our friend in the North(east) – well it’s actually well south of Son of the Rock Acres – lives just north of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, in a village called Whitburn whose War Memorial I featured here. That itself is just north of Fulwell, which I gather is part of Sunderland and where his friend (who now lives in Markinch and through whom we got to know him) used to live.
Since she is well aware of my interest in War Memorials she made a point of taking us to see the one in Fullwell. She remembered it as being upright but it is now set on the ground inside a stone enclosure in a small park area. It bears only Great War names.
Plaque with dedication, “To perpetuate the memory of the men of Fullwell who fell in the Great War 1914 – 1918.”:-
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Posted in Scottish Fiction, Alasdair Gray, Andrew Crumey, Andrew Greig, James Robertson, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Memes, Scottish Literature, Iain (M) Banks at 12:00 on 25 May 2020
The good lady is taking part in a meme, which originated with Reader in the Wilderness in the USA.
It’s not quite in the spirit of the meme but I thought I would give you a glimpse of some of my bookshelves over the next few weekends. (Monday counts for this.)
So these are the top four shelves of the bookcase where I keep those works of Scottish Fiction I have already read. (Unread books are kept elsewhere.) The bookcase was bought from IKEA and fitted well in our old house which had high ceilings. When we moved to Son of the Rock Acres we wondered where it could go. Not downstairs, not enough clearance. Upstairs though, the ceilings are three inches higher! The removal men were great at manœuvring it into place with so little margin for error. It now sits on the top corridor just outside my study. (You can’t always see the books so clearly, there’s usually more stuff placed in front of them. A few history books are still perched above some in the bottom row.)
Edited to add:- The meme was set up to include recommendations for reading. Well, on that note Lewis Grassic Gibbon is always worth it, most especially Sunset Song in the A Scots Quair trilogy. So too are Alasdair Gray, Iain Banks, Anne Donovan, Margaret Elphinstone, Andrew Crumey, Andrew Greig, James Robertson.
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Posted in Art, Dundee at 12:00 on 17 February 2020
Since Falkland is only about four miles from Son of the Rock Acres I was interested in this picture of Falkland Palace as it looked in mediæval times:-
Eduardo Paolozzi designed case for storing catalogues for Nairn Floors Ltd:-
Turkey Red Designs:-
Geometric brooches:-
“Butterfly” Tiara:-
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Posted in Art Deco, Architecture at 20:30 on 25 July 2019
Markinch is the town nearest to Son of the Rock Acres. It’s a bit bigger than a village. Big enough to have a reasonably large Primary School which has some Art Deco styling.
I suspect, though, it was built in the 1950s when there was still a hangover of Deco style from pre Second World War days.
I took care to photograph it in summer when there were no children around.
Markinch Primary School from John Dixon Park:-
Seen from northwest. Rule of three in windows, brick “portholes”, flat roof, square chimney tower:-
West side Close-up:-
North side from northeast. Porthole window, canopy, rectangular chimney block, metal railing on wall, metal gate:-
Old “boys” entrance. Canopy with porthole window above, frieze:-
South side from southeast. Canopy, porthole window. Old “girls” entrance.
East side. Rule of three in some windows. White “portholes”:-
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Posted in Fife, History at 12:00 on 21 February 2019
A project to resurrect the mediæval Fife Pilgrim Way is now well in hand.
There were two main routes across the county (or kingdom as the locals still refer to it at times,) starting at Culross and North Queensferry and ending up at St Andrews.
The ancient route went through the nearest small town to Son of the Rock Acres, Markinch, the ancient capital of Fife.
There are some hopes the restored route(s) will bring modern day pilgrims (and other tourists) to the town.
A year or so ago there was an information day about the Pilgrim Way at St Drostan’s church. On display were several representations of monastic and pilgrim life, rendered in knitwear.
Trees and pilgrims:-
Church:-
Monks:-
Monks’ garden:-
Monastery vegetable patch:-
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Posted in Architecture, History at 12:00 on 13 February 2019
Markinch is the nearest small town to Son of the Rock Acres. It was once the capital of Fife where in mediaeval times justice was administered. Its most prominent landmark is St Drostan’s Church whose tower dates back to the 12th century.
St Drostan’s in the snow:-
St Drostan’s from Glass Street:-
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Posted in War Memorials at 20:00 on 6 August 2018
Falkland is a village in Fife, Scotland, about three miles away from Son of the Rock Acres. I featured its main War Memorial here. This one – due to the smaller number of names – must be only for members (or attendees) of the Parish Church.
Central Panel:- “To the glory of God and in memory of those who gave their lives for their country in the Great War, 1914-18.”
Side panels:- “1939-1945”
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Posted in Dumbarton FC at 12:00 on 7 February 2016
Scottish Cup Fifth Round, The Rock, 6/2/16.
Well it’s another clean sheet and we’re in the hat for the quarter final draw. Plus there ought to be a good portion of gate money for the club from the replay.
Dens Park isn’t far away from Son of the Rock Acres so I’ll doubtless be attending.
Unfortunately St Mirren won today so we dropped a place in the league.
I just hope the Cup doesn’t distract us and detract from our league prospects. Two big away games against teams just above us are coming up.
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