Scotland's Past - Web Resources

NATIONAL
	Historic Scotland
	Historic Scotland safeguards the nation's built heritage and promotes its understanding and enjoyment on behalf of Scottish Ministers. In our web site you can find information on more than 300 properties in our care and Scotland's listed buildings and scheduled ancient monuments. We also have resources for schools and details on technical conservation and research.
	Royal Commission on Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland
	The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) is responsible for recording, interpreting and collecting information about the built environment. This information, which relates to buildings, sites, and ancient monuments of archaeological, architectural and historical interest (including maritime sites and underwater constructions) is then made freely available to the public.
	Statistical Accounts of Scotland
	The two Statistical Accounts of Scotland, covering the 1790s and the 1830s, are among the best contemporary reports of life during the agricultural and industrial revolutions in Europe. Learn more about the area in which you or your ancestors have lived, or use this key source to study the emergence of the modern British State and the economic and social impact of the world's first industrial nation.
	History Scotland
	History Scotland is a bi-monthly magazine which introduces the general public to the highest quality of writing and new research by Scottish historians, archaeologists and heritage professionals.
	Council for Scottish Archaeology
	People draw on their diverse histories to make sense of the present and to build pathways into a liveable future. CSA works to secure Scotland's past for its future. The Council for Scottish Archaeology is a voluntary membership organisation which works to secure the archaeological heritage of Scotland for its people through education, promotion and support.
	National Trust for Scotland
	The National Trust for Scotland is the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to enjoy. With over 260,000 members it is the largest conservation charity in Scotland and it depends for its support on donations, legacies, grants and membership subscriptions.
	Pictavia
	Discover the story of Scotland's ancient Pictish tribes, a warrior people who lived in Scotland nearly two thousand years ago. In the early centuries of the 1st Millennium, settlers in Angus paid their homage to this unique part of the world, leaving for the wonder of future generations the mysterious Pictish stones, which to this day watch over the landscape. Pictavia is set in the beautiful countryside park at Brechin Castle Centre.
	Scottish Roots and Scotland on Film
	Let the BBC's Scotland on Film take you on an evocative journey through 20th Century Scottish life with film, radio and TV archives. Take your time to enjoy some memories from growing up, childhood games and schooldays, through working days, romance and more. You can also add your own thoughts to the forum and share some stories of your life in Scotland.
	Scottish Archive Network
	The Scottish Archive Network is a project whose partners are the National Archives of Scotland (NAS), the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), and the Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU). The project aims to revolutionise access to Scotland's archives by providing a single electronic catalogue to the holdings of more than 50 Scottish archives. To preserve fragile historical records and improve their accessibility SCAN digitises records on a huge scale.
	Archaeolink Prehistory Park
	Archaeolink is a multi award winning living history park and visitor attraction, with a central focus on education, participation and fun. Travel 10,000 years in one day from the Mesolithic to a Roman Marching Camp, with indoor and outdoor exhibitions, featuring hands on activities, workshops and guided tours everyday, Archaeolink is a dynamic historical experience for all the family. Situated in the beautiful countryside of Aberdeenshire in the shadow of the dramatic Bennachie mountain range, the park occupies a central location in the diverse archaeological landscape of North East Scotland.

MUSEUMS
	National Museums of Scotland
	NMS is Scotland’s national museum service. We care for many of Scotland’s museum collections of national and international importance, and present these to the public at our museums. Royal Museum,Edinburgh, houses international collections of decorative art, the natural world and science and industry. Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, presents the history of Scotland from its geological formation to the 20th. Century Museum of Flight, East Fortune Airfield, East Lothian, shows how flight has changed our world Museum of Scottish Country Life, Wester Kittochside, East Kilbride, explores Scottish rural life past and present Shambellie House Museum of Costume, New Abbey Dumfries, shows costume and textiles in a country house setting National War Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Castle, explores the Scottish experience of war and military service over the past 400 years Museum of Piping is a partnership between the National Museums of Scotland and the National Piping Centre.
	Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery

	Kilmartin House Museum
	There are more than 350 ancient monuments within a six-mile radius of the village of Kilmartin, Argyll: 150 of them are prehistoric. This extraordinary concentration and diversity of monuments distinguishes the Kilmartin valley as an area of outstanding archaeological importance. Kilmartin House is a world-class centre for archaeology and landscape interpretation which combines a Museum of Ancient Culture and a unique and vibrant visitor centre including intense audio-visual experience "The Valley of Ghosts".
	Marischal Museum

	Shetland Museum

	Böd of Gremista Museum

	Open Museum

	Biggar Museum Trust

	Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments

	Gallery of Modern Art


COMMERCIAL
	go further Scotland
	go further Scotland is based in Wester Ross in the North West Highlands of Scotland, one of the most scenic and unspoilt areas of Europe. Choose go further for guided rock climbing, mountaineering and walking, summer and winter. . small groups . no hidden extras . qualified, expert and local . a passion for Wester Ross and Skye . children go free with two paying adults
	Ron Allner Photography
	Many historical wildlife and scenic photographs for sale. The site also includes interesting information regarding the Glen Ogle area of Perthshire.
	Loch Tay Fish 'N' Trips
	Boating and fishing trips on the famous Loch Tay. Loch Tay is situated in the shadow of Ben Lawers (1214m) and is surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Stretching for 17 miles to reach Kenmore in the East, it gives you plenty of opportunities to take photographs, to bird watch, to fish or just to enjoy the view.
	Scottish Realms
	A portfolio of contemporary Scottish paintings and illustrations based on Scottish history, legend and mythology. As well as some of the more famous characters of Scottish history like Robert the Bruce and William Wallace, you'll find less well known individuals such as Earl Beardie and Thomas Weir. There are depictions of highland heroes like Rob Roy and Flora MacDonald, as well as a whole gallery devoted to Scottish saints, including Andrew the Apostle, Queen Margaret, Ninian of Whithorn and others.
	TradTunes
	TradTunes.com is the first music download venue to be dedicated to traditional, Celtic and roots music, and will truly launch the genre into the digital age. Visitors will have access to the largest resource of digital music ever made available for this genre.
	MusicScotland
	Over 3,000 Scottish music, Irish, Roots, World, Folk and Celtic music CD, DVD & video titles direct from Scotland.
	The Living Tradition
	This site is growing steadily and already is one of the largest sites covering mainly the Folk & Traditional Music of the British Isles, Ireland and what is often called 'Celtic' music. This site is provided by The Living Tradition magazine.
	Highlander Radio
	An internet only radio station broadcasting a wide range of Celtic music 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! From a lone piper playing amazing grace in the Highlands of Scotland, to the latest Celtic rock bands hailing from the green hills of the Emerald Island.
	Scottish Swords
	We are the Official Armourers to Earl Elgin, Clan Chief of the Bruce family and a direct descendant of King Robert the Bruce. We manufacture, in Britain, authentic replicas of the Great Swords of Robert the Bruce and William Wallace as well as other historically correct Scottish swords.
	Discover Loch Ness
	Tony Harmsworth, a visitor centre designer, naturalist, local historian and consultant to the tourist industry has long been aware that most visitors' first encounter with the Highlands usually lasts less than two days and is often a single morning or afternoon. Sometimes this is because they are unaware of the size of the Highlands, but more often it is because the visit is part of a wider tour of Europe or Britain and there is only so much time to fit in so many places. As an answer to this Tony developed a form of guided experience using only guides of the most exceptional quality and guiding himself three or four times per week.
	Cadadh
	Each doll is individually handmade in the village of Poolewe in the heart of the Scottish Highlands by doll artist Mary Buchanan. Mary has created a unique collection of limited edition artist dolls, to show how your ancestors may have dressed. Every detail has been carefully researched : handmade buttons from oak and birch, handspun bonnets, swords made by a Scottish armourer and each clan tartan has been specially dyed and woven to scale. Here is a unique opportunity to own a piece of your history. Càdadh is a gaelic word used to describe an old type of tartan. It is pronounced ka-doo.

LOCAL
	The Antonine Guard
	TAG is a registered Scottish Charity and is a member of N.A.R.E.S. Its main constitutional aim is to bring to wider public attention to Scotland's rich Roman cultural heritage, an aspect of the nation's history hither to much less well known than this richness would suggest and deserves.
	Clackmannanshire From Ice to Glass
	Clackmannanshire From Ice to Glass is a local history website for children. We hope it will be enjoyed by adults too! Clackmannanshire From Ice to Glass is the website of the book of the same name written by Jannette Archibald and the pupils of Primary 5 at St John's School, Alloa in 2000. The book was written for children so that they would find out how their great-grandparents and grandparents lived. In particular, looking at what they worked at, how they enjoyed themselves and how the town of Alloa became one of Scotland's first industrial towns. You will see why the smallest county in Scotland developed so many industries during the 19th century.
	The Arbroath Abbey Pageant Society
	The Arbroath Abbey Pageant Society was formed in 1947 to commemorate and educate people about the great historical event that took place within the walls of Arbroath Abbey upon the 6th of April 1320. The Society has for over 50 years given to countless thousands a memorable spectacle in the form of the famous Arbroath Abbey Pageant which recreates the events of 1320 on the spot where the signing took place.
	TAMH: Tayside - A Maritime History
	The story of Tayside and the sea. A database of over 6000 mariners and voyages (largely Dundee and Angus and some Fife and Perthshire) and 400 or so historical articles, mostly with photographs, many Victorian.

GENEALOGICAL
	Scottish Roots - Ancestral Research Service
	Scottish Roots is Scotland's foremost genealogical research service. Established in Edinburgh in 1984, we have undertaken over 11,000 investigations for customers from all over the world, including quite a few famous faces! Our researchers will provide you with detailed ancestral research searching only authentic records from Scotland's main record office, New Register House. Here we search birth, death and marriages certificates, census returns, parish registers and tombstone inscriptions.
	Scot Roots
	So you know names and dates for some Scottish ancestors. Would you like to put some flesh on the bones? OR Are you just starting with your search for family roots in Scotland? Try Scot Roots who are 'Working for Scotland's history and genealogy'.
	Scottish Family Research
	The Scottish Family Research website has been built as a resource for all those interested in scottish genealogy and tracing their Scottish ancestors and has been built by professional genealogists who understand the needs of both beginners and experienced researchers alike.
	www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
	A vast store of genealogical and historical information has now been made available online thanks to a major project by the General Register Office. Births and deaths, census returns from the nineteenth century and baptisms from between 1553 and 1854 are all available. Unfortunately there is a fairly large fee, the access fee is £6 for 30 'page credits' and this is only valid for 168 consecutive hours. There are some free features that are having a look at, however, searches will return the number of entries availlable for a particular name and there is also the usual section on 'famous Scots'.

SPECIAL INTEREST
	The Pictish Arts Society
	THE PICTS were the true ancestors of the Scottish nation - our indigenous people. While it is known that they lived in Scotland in the first millennium AD, and their territory was taken over by the Scots in the 9th century, little else is definite. What has mainly survived is the great heritage of their carved symbol stones which remain for us to study and cherish. The Pictish Arts Society forms a focus for study and discussion of all aspects of Pictish and Early Scottish history.
	The Scottish Crannog Centre
	A crannog is a type of ancient loch-dwelling found throughout Scotland and Ireland dating from 5,000 years ago. Many crannogs were built out in the water as defensive homesteads and represented symbols of power and wealth. The Scottish Crannog Centre features a unique reconstruction of an early Iron Age loch-dwelling, built by the Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology. This authentic recreation is based on the excavation evidence from the 2,600 year old site of 'Oakbank Crannog', one of the 18 crannogs preserved in Loch Tay, Scotland.
	Tain Through Time
	Tain Through Time opens the door to the history of Tain, an ancient royal burgh in the north of the Highlands of Scotland. It is set in a complex of three buildings in an atmospheric churchyard: a medieval collegiate church, a museum, and a visitor centre in an old schoolhouse, each of which offers a different perspective on Tain’s long and eventful past.
	Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland
	The Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland is concerned with the protection, preservation, study and appreciation of Scottish buildings. We have about 1500 members throughout Scotland and beyond, with six regional groups organising local activities and carrying out casework. We have three publications, the annual journal 'Architectural Heritage', the Magazine and the twice-yearly newsletter, 'AHSS News'. We have our own premises, providing offices and meeting rooms, the former Glasite Meeting House in the Edinburgh New Town.
	Lothene
	Lothene is an Edinburgh based group involved in researching and recreating aspects of life in Scotland in the 11th Century. The 11th Century was the period in which the present day boundaries of Scotland were established. Lothene (Lothian), which had previously been a part of Northumbria, was incorporated into the Kingdom of Scotland by King Duncan. This was also the time of Macbeth, Malcolm Canmore, and St Margaret, when Scotland changed from being a primarily Celtic society to one with wider European links. The population of Scotland was a mixture of Celts with Saxons in the South and Vikings in the North and West. The lives of ordinary people at this time were mainly based around agriculture and life on farms or in villages although traders brought luxury goods from as far afield as Byzantium, India and Africa.
	MacBraveHeart
	The MacBraveHeart web pages are dedicated to keeping alive the spirit of Braveheart, and to the interest in Scottish history and identity which Braveheart has helped awaken.
	John Muir Trust
	The John Muir Trust was formed in 1983 to protect and conserve wild places and to increase awareness and understanding of the value of such places. The Trust works closely with local communities. It believes that sustainable conservation can only be achieved by recognising special qualities of wild places and understanding the human factors and other aspects which contribute to the landscape we think of - and value - as wild.