A church of St. Kieran, Fetteresso Church was dedicated Roman Catholic in 1246 before changing to Protestant under Mary Queen of Scots in the 1560s. It is currently a functioning part of the Church of Scotland and the frontage of the building was modelled from Fetteresso Castle. The image is a 360º photo outside the front of the church showing the promenade leading up to it. Accessibility note: The ground is flat and there are no stairs up to the building, but there is not currently information on the interior available
This 16th century tower house was built by Alexander Burnett and is a maze of turrets and corridors featuring elaborately painted ceilings and wood panelled floors. It sits in a glorious set of gardens amongst the low hills of the area. The inside houses family portraits, antique furniture, and beautiful architecture, while the garden outside is split into 8 sections encompassing an enormous host of plants. The tour here consists of two 360º images, one exterior of the house and then one in the center of one of the garden's areas to give a taste of the rest to come. Accessibility note: There is accessible parking and the site is wheelchair accessible, there is also a bike route and a self-guided, dog friendly, trail.
The Parish church of Kinneff was first consecrated in 1242, and has since undergone various alterations and renovations before entering its current state after 1876. It is a typical example of a Scottish 'T' shaped kirk which is used to direct the whole congregation to the pulpit. It is open daily for visitors and is a very short drive away from Inverbervie. This tour is a 360 photo of the interior of the kirk, displaying the 'T' design and the pared back interior. Accessibility note: There is an accessible parking drop off point as well as both level and ramp access to the building itself.
Built around 1320 for the MacDougalls, the castle today belongs to the Stewarts. Gaelic name is Stalcaire, meaning Hunter or Falconer. The castle was acquired in 1965 by Lt. Col. D. R. Stewart Allward who restored the castle over a period of ten years. The castle is privately owned and is open for visitor during selected times over the summer, to be arranged in advance. Featured in 1975 Monty Python and the Holy Grail as one of the sites for the Castle of Aaaaarrrrrrggghhh. The virtual tour is a set of images you click between, with a blueprint of the castle serving as a point of reference on the right side of the screen. For each movement, a text appears beneath the image with information on the view. For each location, you can look right and left and some will have a pop-up window containing more information. Accessibility note: The castle does not accomodate wheelchair users. Access to the castle requires the ability to enter/exist a boat and there are steps in and around the castle.
This category A listed building is a dramatic, Neo-Gothic tower was built to commemorate William Wallace between 1855-57 after designs by Robert Snodgrass Its square-plan footprint castellated top give it a powerful sense of rootedness in the landscape it sits in, emulating the strength of the man it was built for The name Barnweil was said to have originated from a comment Wallace made that the Barns of Ayr burned well when full of English soldiers. However, it is actually derived from its location near the ruins of the medieval church of Barnweil, whos parish was suppressed in the 17th century There is a 360º, black and white, image of the monument from the field in which it stands Accessibility note: Access to the monument is only possible by a climbing the hill which it caps
The castle was originally constructed as a tower house by Sir David Guthrie, Treasurer and Lord Justice-General of Scotland in 1468. A house was later built beside the tower and the two were linked by a further expansion in 1848, designed by David Bryce. The castle was held by the Guthrie family until 1983 with the death of Colonel Ivan Guthrie, upon which it was sold to an American businessman, who restored the castle. The grounds contain a 9-hole golf course and a garden that has a 160 year old hedge in the shape of celtic cross. The tour consists of a series of 360 photographs of the exterior and interior of all rooms of the castle, as well as views of the garden, Loch, and wedding chapel of Guthrie Village Church. Four drop down venues in the top right corner provide access to all available rooms. A menu bar in the bottom left corner can be used to move the image, but it can also be dragged by the mouse. Accessibility note: The Castle is today a private home.
The University of Dundee was founded in 1881 as a constituent college of the University of St Andrews before gaining independent university status in 1967. The university has 17,000 students and the main teaching facilities are located in the West End of Dundee. The tour consists of a aerial map with the buildings belonging to Dundee University marked out by pop-up menus. Hovering over the menu provides information on what building it is and reveals an 'Explore' button. Clicking this takes you inside the building with an option to click between 360º photographs of rooms inside the buildings, listed in a menu in the lower left corner. Accessibility note: accessibility levels vary across the campus.
The Mortuary Chapel was built in 1884 by Patrick Allan-Fraser as a mausoleum for the Fraser family. The building was later gifted to the people of Arbroath as a non-denominational chapel, with maintenance of the chapel falling to the Patrick Allan-Fraser of Hospitalfield Trust. The chapel is built in red sandstone with intricate carvings embellish the interior and exterior. The tour is a 360º photograph of the outside of the building, showing the structure and the surrounding cemetery. The view is just to the side of the main entrance. Accessibility note: There is a small step to enter the chapel. No disabled access to the upper floor. Parking is very limited around the monument.
Glamis Castle was the childhood home to HM Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother, having been the ancestral seat of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372. The site's history dates back to 1034 when King Malcolm II was murdered there at a Royal Hunting Lodge. The tour a 360º photograph of the Castle's courtyard which looks out into the grounds and down a section of the long driveway. Accessibility note: The ground floor, including the restaurant, is wheelchair accessible, but the castle tour includes uneven floor and stairs throughout. Motorised scooters are available for free to access the gardens.
The castle has been the property of the Carnegie family since its construction in the early 1400s but early records of the castle's history were lost when the castle burned down in 1452. The estate covers around 7,000 acres of land. The castle was rebuilt in 1791 by the architect James Playfair in the mansion house style and again in 1855 by David Bryce. After a fire 1921, the castle has been continuously rebuilt and adapted to modern conveniences. The castle today rents out apartments for holiday stays. The estate contains multiples spots of scientific interest, especially in its function of wildlife habitat. The castle further has paths laid out for scenic walks across the estate. The tour is a 360º photograph of the front of the castle and the gardens. Accessibility note: Enquire with Castle before stay.
This tour is a 360º photograph of a section of the Boddin coast, it contains information icons about various points of interest, such as Scurdie Ness Lighthouse and Lunan Bay. Accessibility note: N/A
At Hope Paton Park in Montrose is this granite memorial topped with a bronze statue of Peace. The central element is dedicated to WWI, with bronze plaques commemorating those who fought from Montrose. This is flanked by two blocks on each side which remember soldiers from WWII. Originally unveiled in 1922, the WWII blocks were added later. This tour is a 360º photograph taken in front of the monument allowing for full frontal views of all five elements. Accessibility note: The memorials are accessible from the pavement on the level.
Opened in 1904, this bowling green, and gardens, following the generosity of Miss Hope Paton, the daughter of a wealthy merchant who wanted to leave a mark on her hometown. The club has enjoyed a busy history and much local support. This tour is a 360º photograph from the front entrance including the green itself. Accessibility note: The green is viewable from the level but the entrance to the club house is up three steps.
Founded in 1781 by Susan Carnegie, it was originally called the Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary, and Dispensary. It was brought under NHS control in 1948, and in 1962 it became the Sunnyside Royal Hospital. The hospital closed in 2011 but the building still stands. The tour is a 360º photograph from the outside of the abandoned hospital Accessibility note: The hospital itself is not open to the public, but the grounds around it are fairly uneven and grassy.
The castle was built in 1520 with walled gardens from the 17th century. The castle is today a ruin but the garden is still maintained. The castle was built by the 8th Earl of Crawford and the garden expanded in 1604 by his son. Today the castle belongs to Historic Scotland and is open all year. The castle once housed Mary Queen of Scots on a visit in 1562. was occupied by English troops during Oliver Cromwell's invasion of Scotland in 1651. The grounds further contain a family burial vault and a summer house which can be explored. Tour is a 360º view from the 17th century formal garden with a close view of the castle ruins and the wall. Accessibility note: The castle has partial wheelchair access. There are ramps leading to the visitor centre and all part of the garden are accessible. The castle itself has step and cobble surfaces and is not suitable for users with physical disabilities.
The Memorial Hall and clocktower are built within a public rose garden in the village of Edzell. The Hall and garden are open for various activities such as, drama productions, dance, meetings, and exhibitions. The Library room has been restored from its Victorian state and is now a visitor centre offering a historical insight into the library and community. The tour is a 360º photograph of the front of the building, showing the entryway and clocktower. Accessibility note: There is level parking but the entrance is stepped.
The present house was completed in 1809 to replace an earlier house which had been demolished due to damp damage. In 1829, the house was bought by Sir John Gladstone, the father of later Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone. The house is surrounded by beech avenues originally planted in the 1750s. Fasque House was possibly the first house in Scotland to have electric lighting and had an electric buzzer system installed in 1890. The House can today be rented out for weddings and events. The tour is a 360º view of the front and gardens of the House. Accessibility note: The House has a few areas that are not suitable for disabled access, but the House has a lift to the main function and bedroom floor and some bedrooms allow disabled access and walk-in shower.
Since the 12th century and the reign of David I, there has been a royal castle on the rock overlooking the area that is now Edinburgh, but the site has been occupied since the Bronze Age. It has been the location of many conflicts throughout its history, playing key roles in the Wars of Scottish Independence and the Jacobite rebellion. Today, the castle is one of Scotland's most visited tourist attractions, with over two million visitors in 2017. It plays host to many events, notably including the Military Tattoo during the annual Edinburgh Festival in the summertime. Above is a 360º drone video, but the link provides a more in depth look at the fortress. This tour is a Google-powered set of 360º photographs that allow the viewer to navigate the fortress and and 'walk' through it. Accessibility note: All areas of the castle are accessed from a 350m long, sloped route. This route is cobbled and so can be a steep, uneven surface. There are stairs to some areas of the castle, but many have ramp access - such as the Great Hall, the National War Museum, and St Margaret's Chapel.
The Camera New on the market in July 2017, the Garmin Virb360 camera is an extremely capable 360° device. The images in this tour were captured as bracketed exposures, blended together in Adobe Lightroom and processed using the KRPano Virtual Tour software. All images were captured initially in jpg format but recent firmware upgrades to the camera now allow for capture of images in RAW format with a consequential improvement of both dynamic range and tonal quality.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the Queen's official residence in Scotland and contains many artefacts of Scottish royal history. The Queen's Gallery at the Palace of Holyroodhouse hosts a programme of changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection. The Palace was used by Mary, Queen of Scots for official and state entertaining but the Palace as it stands today was built between 1671-78. To access the tour, click the box entitled 'Launch Project' after following the link. The tour is an interactive set of 360º images from three different rooms inside the house. Each room has clickable info boxes that tell facts of the interior decoration. Accessibility note: Pushchair may not be taken into the palace. The lift leading to the State Harbour is under maintenance until April 2019.
This is a primarily residential area of Edinburgh, seen here is a large development on the waterfront The tour shows a section of Leith Harbour, and the Western Harbour development, included within the 360º image is a drone flyby of the area too. Accessibility note: N/A
The Firth of Forth is a centre of commerce in Edinburgh and shown here are five different points along the coast line. This tour consists of a set of 360º images including information points and embedded videos. Accessibility note: N/A
Gladstone's Land is the restored 17th century home of wealthy merchant and landlord Thomas Gledstanes. Gledstanes let out rooms in this six-storey building and the restored rooms reflect how these people from different social spheres went about their day in Edinburgh's Lawnmarket area. The museum is on the first and second floors of the house split across six rooms. The museum only offers guided tours. The tour consists of six views of four different rooms on one of the floors of the museum. The images are 360º degrees and you can click between the rooms via points that guide you through the house. Accessibility note: Unknown, but the museum levels of the house are connected via a staircase.
Founded in 1582, the University of Edinburgh is ranked in the top 20 universities in the world (2019). The University hosts over 35,000 students across multiple campuses in the city. This tour provides an insight into the old and new of the university with a set of 360º images showing the Old Campus Courtyard, the Informatics Forum, and the McEwan Hall Accessibility note: Accessibility levels vary across the campus.
University of Glasgow was founded in 1451 in Glasgow's city centre but moved to the current main campus grounds in 1870. It is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. The university has 28,000 students. The tour consists of a series of individual 360º photographs taken at various locations on the university campus and the areas surrounding it. Each image has a description beneath it and underneath is arrows to click through the images. The different locations are: the Memorial Gate, the Gilbert Scott building, Bute Hall, the Hunterian Museum, the Quads, the University Chapel, the Flagpole, Professor's Square, the university Library, Queen Margaret Union, the university gym, and Ashton Lane. Accessibility notes: Accessibility levels vary across the campus.
The gardens have been in their current locations since 1842 and were originally used for concerts and events, but were later brought into the Parks department of the city. The Kibble palace is an iron framed glasshouse built in the 19th century. It contains large collection of Australian and New Zealand tree ferns, some of which are over 100 years old. The Palace also hosts multiple statues; one of which, Eve by Scipione Tadolini, is shown in the tour. The tour is a single 360º image of the inside of the Kibble Palace. Accessibility note: There is accessible parking in the Gardens themselves, and the majority of pathways are on a level or slight incline.
The gallery opened in 1901 as the Palace of Fine Arts. Built around its large Centre Hall, the museum houses a wide ranging collection of art, arms, and natural history items across 22 galleries. The museum also holds the Salvador Dali painting 'Christ of St John of the Cross' from 1951 which shows the crucified Jesus hovering over a dark body of water. The tour consists of a set of 360º images of the interior and exterior of that gallery, showing the suspended Spitfire aircraft. Accessibility note: There is level access and accessible parking and a hearing loop.
The Port of Grangemouth is Scotland's largest container port and is linked via motorway, rail, and sea. The port handles approximately 150,000 containers per year and up to 30% of Scotland's gross domestic product (GDP) goes through the port. It is only feeder port in the UK that exports more than it imports. The tour consists of five 360º images of the areas with information boxes inserted over noteworthy elements. Accessibility notes: N/A.
Kennetpans was formed by the monks of Kennetpans Monastery and was a salt panning community. The local farmers learned how to distil from the monastery and in the 1730s it was the largest distillery in Scotland. In the 1770s a second distillery was opened by the brother of the original founder, John Stein. The site is now in ruins, having ceased function in 1825. The tour gives an aerial view of the ruins and the area around them with information points across the landscape. Accessibility note: N/A
The Kelpies are two 30-metres tall sculptures depicting the heads of two kelpies, mythological water spirits. The sculptures were made by Andy Scott and completed in 2013. The Kelpies are the largest equine sculptures in the world and represent the history of horse powered heritage across Scotland. The Kelpies are located inside the Helix Community Park, next to an extension of the Forth and Clyde Canal. The tour is a 360º photo that shows the area. Accessibility note: The area is accessible throughout for wheelchair users.
In 1904 this building was made for the publisher Walter Blackie by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. The entire house, inside and out, was designed by Mackintosh including furniture and fittings. He even recommended what sort of decorations the residents should use, such as flowers. The building has some structural issues and a large rejuvenation project is being undertaken (2019) in order to increase its longevity. The tour consists of a set of 360º images of the interior of the house with information points on various items. Accessibility note: There is accessible parking, wheelchair access, a hearing loop, and braille notices.
Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum and Arts Centre
The Centre was founded in 1993 by Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath and the Uist Art Association and the museum explores North Uist's social, domestic, economic, cultural and religious life. The collection is built up from artefacts from the nineteenth and twentieth century, as well as a collection of Scottish, local, and international art and craft pieces. Taigh Chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre is located on the shoreline of a marine Special Area of Conservation. The tour consists of two 360º images taken inside two rooms of the Centre that can be moved between. Accessibility note: The centre is wheelchair accessible.
The present ruins of Urquhart Castle stem from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries but there are traces of a Medieval fortification on the site stemming from the seventh century. The castle is one of the largest in area in Scotland. It has belonged to many different clans but most notably belonged to the Grants and was under siege by Jacobites following the 1688 Revolution. The tour starts with a view over that castle and has arrows that are used to navigate through the landscape. The tour can be viewed in Virtual Reality. Accessibility note: The visitor centre is fully accessible and there is a photographic guide for those who have mobility issues. Disability buggies are available on request and accessible parking spots.
Balvenie is a Speyside single-malt distillery which was founded in 1886 by William Grant. The first distillation took place on 1 May 1893. Balvenie is one of the only distilleries in Scotland with its own malting floor. The distillery is located near the ruined Balvenie Castle, which was built in the twelfth century with extension made in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The tour consists of seven 360º images taken from different spots around the distillery ground. The image are located in the bottom left corner. Accessibility note: There is no wheelchair access to the building. On tours walking is required and there are steps.
King James IV and his son, James V, commissioned this palace in the early 16th century. The Kings loved hunting and falconry, and this was created as a sort of holiday house for them to pursue these hobbies. There are many fairytale-esque buildings to explore, including the Chapel Royal and Britain's oldest real tennis court. The surrounding gardens are home to an orchard and wildflower meadow as well as a Renaissance style herbal garden. This tour consists of a set of multiple 360º photographs from both inside and out of the palace allowing the viewer to experience much of what is on offer. Accessibility note: This is unsuitable for wheelchairs as there are a lot of stairs. There is a hearing loop and large print guides.
St Andrews University - School of Classics
St Andrews University was founded between 1410 and 1413, and is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. The university consists of a main campus and owns modern and historic buildings throughout the town. The university has over 10,000 students admitted. The tour consists of two 360º images of the front of the building. Accessibility note: Accessibility levels vary across campus.
This castle dates from the 13th century and was built on a northern headland of St Andrews. Now in ruins, the castle still partially watches over the seas and surrounding area of the town. The famous 'bottle dungeon' is found here, cut out of the stone beneath the fortress. Visitors can compare the underground siege mine and the decorative Hamilton Facade. This tour consists of multiple 360º images in and around the ruins. Accessibility note: There is a wheelchair accessible visitor centre which includes multi-sensory elements for those with visual impairments. The dungeon, mines, and upper floors of the castle are not accessible for those with mobility issues or wheelchairs.
The ruined Roman Catholic cathedral was built 1158 and was the main seat of the Catholic Church in Scotland in the Middle Ages. The cathedral fell into disuse after the Scottish Reformation in the sixteenth century, which outlawed Catholic mass. The building was stormed by Protestants, destroying the interior, and the ruins were used for building material for the town. The ruins of the cathedral suggest that the building was once 119 metres tall, making it the largest church to have been built in Scotland. The tour consists of ten 360º views of the cathedral which can be clicked between in thumbnails on the bottom of the page or in icons spread around the images. Accessibility note: All areas of the cathedral, visitor centre, shop, and museum are accessed over grass or gravel paths. A ramp is available for entry to the museum.
This chapel was founded in 1450 and built in a neo-Gothic style. It was originally founded with a missionary and educational function as it was part of Bishop Kennedy's College of the Holy Saviour. St Salvator's has been the site of much conflict between Protestants and Catholics, with both taking their toll on the building. There has been restoration and changes made in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and the current building is a mixture of old and new, showing signs of its difficult history. This tour consists of a 360º photograph of the inside of the chapel. Accessibility note: The northern entrance is wheelchair accessible.
This 19th century mansion is a category A listed building whose grounds make up Camperdown Park. The park hosts a wildlife centre with close to 200 species of tree across the 400 acre area. It is noteworthy as the origin of the Camperdown Elm, discovered around 1840 by Lord Camperdown's chief forester. The tour consists of a 360º image of the exterior of one facade of the building and a portion of the grounds. Accessibility note: there is level access to the venue and a wide entry way as well as tarmac paths around the park
Dunscaith, Skye's oldest castle is situated north of Tarskavaig by the township of Tokavaig. It was a Norse stronghold, and then a MacLeod castle until taken by MacDonald's in 1266. It was the principle stronghold of the MacDonald's of Sleat until the early 1600's.
This tour was funded by St Andrews Community Trust.
This phase of the project has been funded by St Andrews University Research Impact. impact.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/ More information here: 2017.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2017/04/10/reconstructing-pre-reformation-st-andrews/
Abernethy is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, situated 8 mi south-east of Perth
Take in an enormous sweep of Scottish history as experienced by the Irvine family who lived in Drum Castle for over 650 years, from the 14th century onwards. Drum is one of Royal Deeside’s top historic attractions, just 10 miles from Aberdeen. It is one of Scotland’s oldest tower houses and is set beside an ancient oak woodland and a walled garden that contains a fine collection of historic roses which perfume the air. William de Irwyn was gifted the Royal Forest of Drum and the Tower of Drum by King Robert the Bruce in 1323. The tower has benefitted from various improvements over the centuries, including a Jacobean mansion house extension in 1619 and Victorian adaptations, such as the impressive library converted from the lower hall
19th-century baronial castle featuring period furniture & art, plus formal gardens & a country park
Crarae Garden (National Trust for Scotland)
Crarae is one the finest examples of Himalayan-style woodland gardens in Britain. The 50 acre site is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the banks of Loch Fyne in Argyll, Scotland. Crarae Garden was created in 1912 by Lady Grace Campbell, the aunt of intrepid plant hunter Reginald Farrer, who sourced trees and shrubs from China, Nepal and Tibet. The lower garden at Crarae is also home to a neolithic chambered burial cairn.
The exhibition - a collaboration between Culture Perth and Kinross, the University of St Andrews Open Virtual Worlds Research team, Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, and Tay Landscape Partnership with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Kirkcaldy Old Kirk is the site of the first Christian worship in Kirkcaldy after the Celtic missionaries brought the faith here in the 5th century. The first written record of the Kirk is in 1244. http://www.kirkcaldyoldkirktrust.org.uk/
The small village of Cramond, on the edge of Edinburgh, is one of Scotland’s most important archaeological sites. People have lived in and around Cramond for at least ten thousand years. Today Cramond is a pleasant commuter village for Edinburgh but there remain numerous reminders of its extraordinary past. This website guides you round notable historic sites in Cramond providing brief descriptions, photographs, and in some cases reconstructions of historic locations in the village.
Helmsdale is a village on the east coast of Sutherland, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The modern village was planned in 1814 to resettle communities that had been removed from the surrounding straths as part of the Highland Clearances.
University museum with 4 galleries exploring St. Andrews through the ages, with a sea-view terrace.
The Netherbow Port was a great gateway controlling access to Edinburgh from the Canongate (then a separate burgh). In May 1544 it was attacked by the English, who blew the gates open with a culverin (a type of cannon with a relatively long-range). The Netherbow was remodelled in the 1570s, and a central tower seems to have been added around this date. The gateway was eventually demolished in the mid-eighteenth-century as it was a hindrance to traffic.
The Cowgate probably developed as a street in the early fourteenth century. By the sixteenth century it was considered one of the more prosperous parts of Edinburgh. The writer and theologian Alexander Alesius (who was born in Edinburgh in 1500) claimed that Cowgate was where ‘the nobility and chief men of the burgh reside’. In the early sixteenth century the archbishop of St Andrews had a residence there, which survived until Victorian times. In 1537 money was left for the establishment of a hospital and chapel dedicated to Mary Magdalen at the western end of the Cowgate. The Magdalen Chapel still exists today, although the building has been substantially altered
The only Visit Scotland 5-Star Attraction in Aberdeen, the museum tells the extraordinary 200 year story of “the Finest Regiment in the World!”* Situated in the fashionable west end of Aberdeen, Scotland, in the former home of leading Scot
Welcome to the tour of St Andrews Preservation Trust musuem. Here you will be able to explore the museum, enjoy reconstructions of past life in St Andrews and relax in its gardens!
The New Shetland Museum and Archives at Hay's Dock, Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland, was officially opened on 31 May 2007 by HM Queen Sonja of Norway and the Duke & Duchess of Rothesay.
Lord of the Isles - 15th Century Finlaggan
Finlaggan, the centre of the Lordship of the Isles, an island settlement in the beautiful secluded Loch Finlaggan in the northeast corner of the Isle of Islay. Photospheres from a VR exhibit in the Finlaggan Visitor Centre.
THE BATTLE OF CULLODEN was fought on this moor 16 April 1746 The Graves of the Gallant Highlanders who fought for SCOTLAND AND BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE are marked by the names of their clans
How to use: Scroll around each scene using your mouse or by moving your smart phone. Look for interactive links to photos and information about the site. Click on the "portals" to change scene. If using PC or Laptop, double click on the tour window to enter full screen mode. If using a Virtual Reality headset /Google Cardboard or similar then download the RoundMe app for the best viewing experience!
Castle dating from 1269 with lavish rooms housing antiques, art and armour, plus walled garden.
Intricately carved chapel built in 1446, featured in The Da Vinci Code movie, with history talks.
Elcho Castle is located a short distance above the south bank of the River Tay approximately four miles south-east of Perth, Scotland. It consists of a Z-plan tower house, with fragments of a surrounding wall with corner towers.
Armadale (Scottish Gaelic: Armadal) is a village near the southern end of the Sleat Peninsula, on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland.
Isleornsay is a village lying off the main Armadale to Sleat road on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It overlooks, but is not upon, the island of Ornsay. The island itself shelters one of the best natural harbours in southern Skye.
Camuscross is a small crofting township on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Camuscross is situated on Camus Croise bay, on the west shore of the Sound of Sleat, in the Highland Council area. It lies close to the village of Isleornsay and the island of Ornsay.
Tomintoul is a village in the Moray council area of Scotland; until 1975, it was in the county of Banffshire.
Unival is a small, roughly-built square passage grave that lies on an elevated plateau on the hill of the same name. As Erskine Beveridge noted, it carries the Gaelic name ‘Leacach an Tigh Chloiche’ or ‘place of slabs of the stone house’. Excavated by Sir Lindsay Scott during the 1930s, it was found to house a small slab-built cist about 2ft high which contained the skeleton of a young woman, together with the rib-bones of a younger person who may have been buried earlier. Ian Armit noted that it appeared that burning charcoal had been tipped onto the skeleton a long time after its burial, suggesting visits to the tomb for ritual purposes other than burial. Amongst the numerous finds of local pottery discovered by Scott, the rarest was an almost complete Grooved Ware bowl and fragments of a beaker. These were common to later Neolithic finds across the mainland, suggesting the tomb continued to be used for burials well into the Bronze Age.
Caravat Barp is another example of a ‘Long Cairn’, 165’ overall, with some evidence remaining of a wide ‘horned’ entrance at the East end. Erskine Beveridge noted that it was ‘greatly dilapidated’ at this end, since it had been used as a quarry by local residents for the building of the several shielings and enclosures. Originally this must have been a significant landmark, since the narrower west end in Beveridge’s time stood ‘to a height of 10 feet’.
Iain Crawford, a passionate archaeologist and ethnographer who was influenced by the writings of Erskine Beveridge, decided to concentrate his searches in the 1960s on sites that might have been continuously inhabited over a very long period and yet remained visible. He wanted to get a clearer picture of daily life and work from the Mesolithic, through to the Bronze and Iron Ages, onwards as close to the present day as possible. The two main sandhills at Udal, North and South, gradually provided him with settlement remains which represent the rarity and importance of this site. The Udal South Mound revealed evidence of two stone built round houses or 'wheelhouses', now extremely vulnerable to the elements. Pottery shards, stone tools and some bronze and metal items, held by Glasgow University, show evidence of habitation from the Late Bronze Age through to the Late Iron Age. The Udal North Mound takes the period of settlement up to Viking and Mediaeval times and the finds include jewellery and a Norse gold coin of Harald Hardrada. There is evidence of continuous settlement through to the 19th century and much more exciting excavation remains to be researched by the Udal project on this site of major historical significance.
Barpa Langass is the largest and best preserved of the Neolithic chambered burial cairns on North Uist. According to Erskine Beveridge its massive size suggests that it was the burial place of some great chief and was intended as both a tomb and a monument. Its prominent outline and siting, midway up Ben Langass, is remarkable for the labour which must have been involved in carrying and placing so many large stones over a great distance in order to form its pyramid shape. Beveridge found remnants of burnt burials and fragments of Bronze Age urn pottery within the first chamber and he suggested that two further chambers may well lie beyond the entrance to the east. It is now too dangerous to enter because of the collapsed stonework. Pobull Fhinn is the most conspicuous Megalithic stone circle on North Uist and lies on a plateau overlooking the sea an easy walk away from Barpa Langass. It is interesting to speculate on the type of social relationships that might have existed between the two sites. The stones of Pobull Fhinn are shaped in an oval rather than a circle, their east-west axis being slightly longer than that to the north-south. The purposes of such circles are still open to considerable debate - were they placed to plot the celestial movements of the sun, the seasonal cycles or those of the dark, the moon and the stars? What community celebrations or rituals might these huge stones have been hewn and dragged so high up to denote? Certainly they represent considerable effort and confidence on the part of the early Neolithic farming communities who erected them.
Dun an Sticir is an example of how in mediaeval times the original Iron Age 'brochs', hollow walled windowless fortifications often built on islands and reached by a tricky causeway, were later adapted for more domestic purposes. The building of brochs for defensive purposes seems to date from 500 BC. Over the previous thousand years cooler climactic changes had encouraged layers of peat to gradually move downhill, overgrazing had taken its toll, and land for cultivation had become scarcer, forcing people to migrate to the lower ground. Duns comprised a single outer rounded wall, forming a tall tower often rising to 40 feet, mirrored internally by a second curving wall enclosing an inner chamber. This was a relatively straightforward fortification to build in order to protect your land. Erskine Beveridge also found evidence at Dun an Sticir of a gallery six feet above ground level. Remains of two huts where livestock could have been protected could also be seen. The rectangular stone structure built within the walls using the stone available, with its door and window, dates from the mediaeval period. A second island, Eilean na Mi-Chomhairle (the Island of Bad Council), is linked to Dun an Sticir (the Dun of the Skulker) by a causeway. Both Gaelic names suggest a darker and less peaceful era.
Barpa nam Feannag, ominously called ‘Cairn of the Hooded Crows’ in English, is both less accessible and less well known than Barpa Langass. Erskine Beveridge described it as ‘a long irregular mound of loose stones, lying approximately east and west’. He noted that this barp was higher and wider at the east end, suggesting that there may have once been a chamber there with a ‘large flat stone at the exterior base’ and a large rectangular opening presenting a sign of a possible entrance passage. He also recorded that the surface of the ground was excessively ‘pitted by many slight hollows’. The regularity, size and shape of these hollows suggests the original Neolithic structure, although he noted that none of the ‘upright boundary slabs’ so characteristic of such cairns remained.
The most famous Scottish glen is also one of its most dramatic, with forbidding mountains, thundering waterfalls and sparkling lochs. Internationally famous for its amazing landscape, its natural and cultural heritage; the scenery of Glencoe has been fashioned by millions of years of geological and geomorphologic processes is now regarded as some of the finest ‘wild’ landscape in Scotland. The drama is also reflected in Glencoe’s history, both real and imagined – myths, massacre and movies are all now part of the fabric of this magical, mysterious place. Walkers and climbers are drawn from all over the world to tackle its many mountaineering routes, including eight Munros, while animal-lovers come to catch a glimpse of Scottish wildlife including red deer, golden eagles and pine martens.
Founded in 1612 by James VI I, the King James Library is one of the jewels in the University's crown. The building itself was completed in 1643.
The abbey of Holyrood was founded in the twelfth century. During the late Middle Ages the monastery’s guest house gradually evolved into a royal residence. In the early 1500s King James IV ordered the creation of a new palace next to the original religious buildings. His son, James V (the father of Mary Queen of Scots), continued the building work, creating an impressive Renaissance residence. In May 1544 the English sacked both the palace and abbey. The Earl of Hertford, who commanded the English forces, boasted that he left Holyrood Abbey ‘wholly burnt and desolate’.
Take a tour! Recreating the Village Bay of St Kilda as it would have looked, enables a better understanding of how the island was and the way of life, around 1890. before the island was evacuated on 29 August 1930.
Abernethy Wee Big Dig (Tay Landscape Partnership)
Three things were at the top of the community’s wish list – a shop, a proper hall for activities, and a place to meet and socialise. Thus, the idea for An Crùbh was born. The journey to build An Crùbh began in 2011. We received generous support from The Big Lottery Fund, The Coastal Communities Fund, Highland Council, The Robertson Trust, HIE, Fearann Eilean Iarmain, Camuscross & Duisdale Initiative Fundraising Group and architects WT Architecture. The Common Grazings Shareholders were also very generous in their support of the project.
Aros is a popular visitor attraction and community cultural centre offering exhibitions, cinema, live music, comedy, dance, drama, theatre, galleries and workshops. With a family friendly restaurant, gift shop and children’s play areas.
Rising from the east shore of Loch Lomond to a height of 974m (3,193ft), Ben Lomond offers exhilarating walking and spectacular views across Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park. The Trust cares for almost 22km2 of land here, including the summits of Ben Lomond, Ptarmigan and Beinn Uird. The mountain is one of Scotland’s most popular hill walks, with over 30,000 people climbing to the summit each year. Ben Lomond is one of the Trust's 46 Munros and is the most southerly Munro in Scotland. Much of Ben Lomond is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for the range of upland habitats present from low to high altitude. The property is also tenanted as a sheep and cattle farm, and the Trust and tenant are working together to promote a balance between the grazing use and the needs of natural habitats and wildlife. The area has a rich cultural and archaeological heritage, which you can find out more about through a visit to Ardess Lodge and the Ardess Hidden History Trail.
The boundary markers seen on the hillside, originate after a Court action was finally settled in 1859, dividing the Commonty of Bennachie between nine local landowners. "Commonty" is land whose ownership is shared among more than one estate. Many people were allowed to take peat and turf from the commonty and to graze livestock there. As the individual boundaries of the landowners were not defined within the commonty, there was a widespread, but legally incorrect belief, that it was common land where anyone could build a house and farm the land. This belief led to the gradual development of the Bennachie Colony. However, the landowners saw this as an intrusion into their legal rights.
Site of Caen Highland Township, vacated as part of the 19th Century highland clearances
A former highland township. After the highland clearances 200 years ago just a few stones leave evidence of where life had been lived for thousands of years.
Clay Buildings of the Carse Buildings that were “made out of the ground upon which they stood” were once the most common vernacular structures in parts of Scotland. In the Carse of Gowrie, a substantial number of significant historical structures survive that demonstrate the local tradition of mass clay walls or mud-wall. For more information visit: http://www.taylp.org/historicbuildings/clay-buildings-of-the-carse/
18th-century fortified garrison and working army barracks, housing Highlanders' regimental museum.
At the southern end of the island you will find a monument to one of Berneray’s most notable sons, Giant Macaskill (Aonghas Mor MacAsgaill). Born in Berneray, he spent most of his life in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and he was said to be the world largest giant at a height of 7ft 9in.
Glenlivet is the glen in the Scottish Highlands through which the River Livet flows.
Glenshee Archaeology Project Reconstruction
Digital reconstruction of Pictish Buildings at Lair, Glenshee. Created in Unreal Engine.
Isle Martin (Eilean Mhàrtainn) is an uninhabited island in Loch Broom, on the west coast of Scotland. It is the closest Summer Isles to Ullapool and has been the site of a monastery, a herring curing station and a flour mill.
Beloved traditional and beautifully preserved, King's Theatre and bar hosts mainstream touring plays, NTS productions, ballet and pantomime. http://www.edtheatres.com/kings#
Unival, a small, roughly-built, square passage grave lies on an elevated plateau on the hill of the same name, and, as Beveridge noted, carries the Gaelic name, ‘Leacach an Tigh Chloiche’, or ‘place of slabs of the stone house’. Excavated by Sir Lindsay Scott during the 1930s, it was found to house a small slab-built cist about 0.5 metres high, in which was the skeleton of a young woman, together with the rib-bones of a younger person, who may have been buried earlier. Ian Armit noted that it appeared that burning charcoal had been tipped onto the skeleton a long time after its burial, suggesting visits to the tomb for ritual purposes other than burial. Amongst the numerous finds of local pottery, discovered by Scott, the rarest was an almost complete Grooved Ware bowl and fragments of a beaker. These were common to later Neolithic finds across the mainland, suggesting the tomb continued to be used for burials well into the Bronze Age.