Blood, Sweat, Tears and Democracy...

I received the ballot papers for my postal vote today, and managed to give myself a paper cut whilst opening the envelope.  Considering the number of unfortunates (especially women and campaigners for Universal Suffrage) who've suffered and died through the centuries in the pursuit of democracy, I think I've escaped rather lightly.

I tried to post a link to the SNP 'It's Time' video for the benefit of Bellakara and any other curious onlookers, but alas, my IT skills failed me.  While eating our dinner, we thought up some more potential spoofs. 

Such as the 'Kelvinside' version, where a smart business-woman type trots to the top of Ben Nevis, clears her throat, and says in a very polite, beseeching upper-class Scots voice, "Eh, excuse me...  Scotland...  Hello?  Hello? Can you hear me?" 

Or the Ford Keirnan version, where his bit-part actor character keeps asking the director questions like, "And you want me to shout 'Scotland' when I reach the top?  Right, right...."  Pause....  "Are you sure 'Scotland's the right word?  Would something like 'Freedom' no be better?"

Enough of that.  Let's get back to Caerlaverock Castle.

Caerlaverock's a castle in three parts.  I have no photos of the first castle - I told a white lie when I said there were no midges when we went to Dumfries & Galloway.  Caerlaverock was the inevitable exception to the rule.  It's set in an area of marshland - midge heaven - and it was a nice still evening when we went there, so I was bitten to bits.  

The first castle lies in woodland and consists only of earthworks.  It was excavated recently, and dates were obtained that placed it in the early 13th century AD.  Around fifty years later, it was abandoned and construction began on the second of the two castles.  

Of the remains that survive, the external curtain walls are of late 13th/early 14th century date, with a 15th/16th range on the west side, and a much later 17th century range on the east side, the 'Nithsdale Lodging'.  The castle was associated with the Maxwell family, whose arms are commemorated in the carved panel of a stag below:-
 

 

Here's my attempt at an 'arty' photo - here, you can just see the top of the 13th/14th century Murdoch's Tower with the West Range to the right, as seen through one of the ground floor windows of the Nithsdale Lodging:-
 

And a more detailed look of Murdoch's Tower:-
 

Caerlaverock Castle was besieged by the English in 1300, in an event immortalised in a contemporary account written in French by one of the besieging army.  Various siege engines were employed, and eventually the castle fell.  Lord Maxwell's defending force suffered mixed fortunes: some were allowed to go free, others were hanged from the battlements.

The castle then remained in English hands until 1312, when the then-keeper, Sir Eustace Maxwell decided to throw in his lot with the Scots (yes, in the intervening period the Maxwells had turned their back on their treasonous ways and once again pledged their loyalty to Edward I...).  The castle was besieged again, but this time, the Scots held out.  On Robert the Bruce's orders, the castle was demolished, so it could no longer be held by an invading force against the Scots.  It was subsequently rebuilt in the early 14th century.

That's what I like about medieval history.  So much shady manouvring and double-dealings on the part of anyone and everyone, from the kings down to the lowest barons...

For my final photograph, here's a replica trebuchet:-
 

 

Blood, Sweat, Tears and Democracy...

I received the ballot papers for my postal vote today, and managed to give myself a paper cut whilst opening the envelope.  Considering the number of unfortunates (especially women and campaigners for Universal Suffrage) who've suffered and died through the centuries in the pursuit of democracy, I think I've escaped rather lightly.

I tried to post a link to the SNP 'It's Time' video for the benefit of Bellakara and any other curious onlookers, but alas, my IT skills failed me.  While eating our dinner, we thought up some more potential spoofs. 

Such as the 'Kelvinside' version, where a smart business-woman type trots to the top of Ben Nevis, clears her throat, and says in a very polite, beseeching upper-class Scots voice, "Eh, excuse me...  Scotland...  Hello?  Hello? Can you hear me?" 

Or the Ford Keirnan version, where his bit-part actor character keeps asking the director questions like, "And you want me to shout 'Scotland' when I reach the top?  Right, right...."  Pause....  "Are you sure 'Scotland's the right word?  Would something like 'Freedom' no be better?"

Enough of that.  Let's get back to Caerlaverock Castle.

Caerlaverock's a castle in three parts.  I have no photos of the first castle - I told a white lie when I said there were no midges when we went to Dumfries & Galloway.  Caerlaverock was the inevitable exception to the rule.  It's set in an area of marshland - midge heaven - and it was a nice still evening when we went there, so I was bitten to bits.  

The first castle lies in woodland and consists only of earthworks.  It was excavated recently, and dates were obtained that placed it in the early 13th century AD.  Around fifty years later, it was abandoned and construction began on the second of the two castles.  

Of the remains that survive, the external curtain walls are of late 13th/early 14th century date, with a 15th/16th range on the west side, and a much later 17th century range on the east side, the 'Nithsdale Lodging'.  The castle was associated with the Maxwell family, whose arms are commemorated in the carved panel of a stag below:-
 

 

Here's my attempt at an 'arty' photo - here, you can just see the top of the 13th/14th century Murdoch's Tower with the West Range to the right, as seen through one of the ground floor windows of the Nithsdale Lodging:-
 

And a more detailed look of Murdoch's Tower:-
 

Caerlaverock Castle was besieged by the English in 1300, in an event immortalised in a contemporary account written in French by one of the besieging army.  Various siege engines were employed, and eventually the castle fell.  Lord Maxwell's defending force suffered mixed fortunes: some were allowed to go free, others were hanged from the battlements.

The castle then remained in English hands until 1312, when the then-keeper, Sir Eustace Maxwell decided to throw in his lot with the Scots (yes, in the intervening period the Maxwells had turned their back on their treasonous ways and once again pledged their loyalty to Edward I...).  The castle was besieged again, but this time, the Scots held out.  On Robert the Bruce's orders, the castle was demolished, so it could no longer be held by an invading force against the Scots.  It was subsequently rebuilt in the early 14th century.

That's what I like about medieval history.  So much shady manouvring and double-dealings on the part of anyone and everyone, from the kings down to the lowest barons...

For my final photograph, here's a replica trebuchet:-