On Walkabout

I don't often get sent out on site visits these days, which is fine by me.  I'm not really very enamoured with grubbing around in the mud while the rain pours endlessly down.  But I do enjoy my historic building recording, and today I went to Fife with instructions to survey a 19th century house. 

This was my view from the 'office' this morning.  I've been introduced to the concept of the 'feral' building over the last couple of days, but our structure was beyond feral.  It was positively decomposed.  I had to fight my way past trees and shrubs, wading through thickets of raspberries and brambles, and there was a dismembered and rather rotten piano kicking around the interior.

It was a cold day, but very rewarding.  We completed our mission, and took lots of photographs and copious notes.  After that, we paid a quick visit to a ruined church at Crombie.

This had some fascinating gravestones, including a few 18th century examples and this 19th century table-tomb.

After that, we headed back into the warm for quick coffee and a chance to thaw out.  Our destination was Culross, a picturesque little town on the north bank of the Forth.  It reminds me a bit of Portmeirion - it's quaint and very pretty.  Unlike Portmeirion, the structures here are original, and not imported on to the site.  But whether it properly reflects a true vision of how the average Scots town looked in the late 16th or 18th century is debateable.  I like to think it conveys at least an impression of the Scottish past, even if it's a bit clean, tidy and colourful.

Culross helps to demonstrate how a lot of Scottish towns have changed in the last few centuries.  Most of their town centres would have looked something like this (the feature with the unicorn is the market cross) with lots of piecemeal development, before an influx of wealth in the 19th century led to radical rebuilding programmes influenced by the Classical tradition.  Culross fell into decline and never enjoyed this Classical remodelling.  The result is a 'traditional' Scots town which is well worth a visit. 

It's back in the office tomorrow.  I've a report to write.

On Walkabout

I don't often get sent out on site visits these days, which is fine by me.  I'm not really very enamoured with grubbing around in the mud while the rain pours endlessly down.  But I do enjoy my historic building recording, and today I went to Fife with instructions to survey a 19th century house. 

This was my view from the 'office' this morning.  I've been introduced to the concept of the 'feral' building over the last couple of days, but our structure was beyond feral.  It was positively decomposed.  I had to fight my way past trees and shrubs, wading through thickets of raspberries and brambles, and there was a dismembered and rather rotten piano kicking around the interior.

It was a cold day, but very rewarding.  We completed our mission, and took lots of photographs and copious notes.  After that, we paid a quick visit to a ruined church at Crombie.

This had some fascinating gravestones, including a few 18th century examples and this 19th century table-tomb.

After that, we headed back into the warm for quick coffee and a chance to thaw out.  Our destination was Culross, a picturesque little town on the north bank of the Forth.  It reminds me a bit of Portmeirion - it's quaint and very pretty.  Unlike Portmeirion, the structures here are original, and not imported on to the site.  But whether it properly reflects a true vision of how the average Scots town looked in the late 16th or 18th century is debateable.  I like to think it conveys at least an impression of the Scottish past, even if it's a bit clean, tidy and colourful.

Culross helps to demonstrate how a lot of Scottish towns have changed in the last few centuries.  Most of their town centres would have looked something like this (the feature with the unicorn is the market cross) with lots of piecemeal development, before an influx of wealth in the 19th century led to radical rebuilding programmes influenced by the Classical tradition.  Culross fell into decline and never enjoyed this Classical remodelling.  The result is a 'traditional' Scots town which is well worth a visit. 

It's back in the office tomorrow.  I've a report to write.