Welcome to Stirling Archaeology’s ‘The Diary’ , a weekly summary of all the interesting history and archaeological things happening round Stirling, including some of my adventures which finishes with a very bad joke and a poem so make sure you read to the end!
If you have an event or a group you’d like to promote please get in contact.
Murray’s Meanders!
I am both elated and depressed….the Scotland football team but also the results of our excavation at the city wall where we confirmed that our lost bastion has walls and we also uncovered a bit of the watch house built to deter graverobbers in the 1820s!
With regard the Watch House it appears in one image from the Smith Museum: Robert Mitchell’s 1835 Old Kirkyard, in the top right hand corner, just before Cowane’s Hospital, the lost bastion is roughly where the tree is.
I’ll be exploring these discoveries in this forthcoming tour:
Stirling’s Dead Centre Exploring the Old Town Sunday, August 25 · 2 - 3:30pm
The City Heritage Trust is also keen to hear from you about
A Heritage Strategy for Stirling
There are two questionnaires: a quick 10-minute survey and an extended questionnaire, which has additional space to share ideas and thoughts.
The link to the community consultations is: www.stirlingcityheritagetrust.org/stirling-heritage-strategy
Stirling Field and Archaeological Society.
At the end of June we will be returning to Bannockburn House, from Sunday 23rd to Sunday 30th , to continue our investigation of the area adjacent to the early (possibly 16th Century!) mine shaft that we discovered last year. We will be looking at the route-way from the shaft to a nearby ‘coal road’ and for any associated structures. If you would like to take part there are opportunities for digging to remove vegetation and topsoil or, less demanding, opportunities for washing, identifying and recording finds.
Spaces are limited and must be booked by email to archeology@bannockburnhouse.scot, indicating whether you are interested in ‘digging’ or ‘washing’[or both], and which days you would like to attend.
Stirling District Tourism Events!
This wonderful organisation manage the Church of the Holy Rude and organise walks and lectures across the year…if you’ve not seen their website please have a look.
The two highlights are (ha ha) a walk with me on the Kings Knot and another tour of the old town cemetery!
Untying the King’s Knot Thursday, August 22 · 7 - 8pm
Stirling’s Dead Centre Exploring the Old Town Sunday, August 25 · 2 - 3:30pm
News from Stirling University
A wee free treat courtesy of Professor Richard Oram of this parish who gave this year’s Rhind Lectures for the society of Antiquaries of Scotland. An important exploration and discourse on Scotland’s climate history.
Memoria
An exhibition of photographic works, moving image, overpainted photographs and installations by Audrey Grant: Artist in Residence 2023-24, University of Stirling
https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/art-collection/
Pathfoot Building, University of Stirling
Saturday 25 May - Friday 9 August 2024
I finally made it to this and was greeted by a video featuring my voice talking about the Hermitage in the grounds of the University…well worth it.
News from the Smith Museum and Art Gallery.
Book lovers can learn something new about celebrated characters from classic fiction, in the final thought-provoking talk in the current series at The Smith.
Over the past few years, publishers have been growing more receptive to representing marginalised writers and characters of many kinds. As a result, neurodivergent people – and particularly autistic people – are becoming more frequently represented in novels. As speaker Jo Ross-Barrett will argue, they weren’t entirely absent in literature of the past, offering evidence to suggest that some classic characters may have been neurodivergent even before we had the words to describe them as such.
“Part of the allure of characters like Sherlock Holmes and Mr Darcy lies in the distinctive traits in their behaviour,” says Smith Director Caroline Mathers. “And however unusual they are, they ring true as believable people. It’s fascinating to consider that these traits may be linked to their being neurodivergent.”
The talk is on Wednesday 26 June, at The Smith art gallery and museum at Albert Place, Dumbarton Road. Admission is £5, or £3 for students with a valid student ID card. Doors open at 7pm, the talk starts at 7.30pm and lasts an hour.
Murray’s Books
My newest book written with my friend Jim Roche will be published at the end of June…signed copies are available from me!
The book charts 6000 years of conflict round Scotland’s bloodiest spot…yes you guessed it…Stirling! It costs £12.99 and is aimed at the general reader.
Joke and Poem!
A very old one today…what do you get if you cross a sheep and a kangaroo…a wooly jumper!
And the poem is Deacon Blue’s Dignity…..perhaps an unusual choice but read it and think about the boat…..do you think he get’s it in the end? Apparently in Scotland this determines if you are a pessimist or an optimist…..I was always sure he got but after the football I’m not so sure.
There's a man I meet walks up our street
He's a worker for the council
Has been twenty years
And he takes no lip off nobody
And litter off the gutter
Puts it in a bag
And never thinks to mutter
And he packs his lunch in a "sunblest" bag
The children call him "bogie"
He never lets on
But I know cause he once told me
He let me know a secret about the money in his kitty
He's gonna buy a dinghy
Gonna call her dignity
And I'll sail her up the west coast
Through villages and towns
I'll be on my holidays
They'll be doing their rounds
They'll ask me how I got her I'll say "I saved my money"
They'll say isn't she pretty that ship called dignity
And I'm telling this story
In a faraway scene
Sipping down raki
And reading Maynard Keynes
And I'm thinking about home and all that means
And a place in the winter for dignity
And I'll sail her up the west coast
Through villages and towns
I'll be on my holidays
They'll be doing their rounds
They'll ask me how I got her I'll say "I saved my money"
They'll say isn't she pretty that ship called dignity
Set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, yeah
Set it up again, set it up again, set it up again, set it up again
Set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, set it up, yeah
Set it up again, set it up again, set it up again, set it up again
And I'm thinking about home
And I'm thinking about faith
And I'm thinking about work
And I'm thinking how good it would be
To be here some day
On a ship called dignity
A ship called dignity
That ship
Thank you Murray.