Tullibody Old Kirk & Maiden’s Grave Stone – Tullibody, Clackmannanshire

The roofless ruin of this Old Kirk in Tullibody, Clackmannanshire, is now a scheduled monument. It was founded in 1149, however, various sources note there were earlier churches on this site and it’s thought that there was a Kirk here from the end of the fourth century. This existing structure has been rebuilt a couple of times, first in the 16th century then again in 1760.

French troops removed the roof of the Kirk to build a bridge over the River Devon after Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange destroyed the Tullibody Bridge to prevent them from retreating to Stirling at the end of 1560. Sir William was a Scottish Politician and Soldier who initially fought for the Scottish Reformation. He eventually vowed his allegiance to Mary Queen of Scots, became her champion during times of need and held Edinburgh Castle on her behalf from 1568 to 1573. Following the abdication of the Queen, the Marian Civil War ensued and Edinburgh Castle was eventually surrendered by the ‘Queens Men’ on May 28th 1573 when Kirkcaldy was taken prisoner and held at Holyroodhouse. Great efforts were made to save him from reprisal of his enemies, but they were all in vain. John Knox had prophesied that he would be hanged and so Sir William was taken and hanged at the Cross in Edinburgh on 3rd August 1573.

As it had become dilapidated, the Old Kirk was again renovated in 1760 with the bellcote being added in 1772, then latterly, the western windows and a south porch in the 1800’s. In 1904, St Serf’s Parish Church was built to the north of the Old Kirk which sadly thereafter, became disused.

There are many interesting grave stones and slabs to look at and ponder within the grounds of Tullibody Old Kirk but none more so than the ‘Maiden’s Stone’ and the story of forbidden love and tragedy woven around it.

The ‘Stone’ is an ancient sarcophagus, topped with what remains of a coping stone lid. It’s said that this is was the coffin of Martha Wishart, the maid of Myretoun. In 1450, Martha, a beautiful maiden and only daughter of wealthy landowner, the Laird of Myretoun, fell prey to the young and very handsome local priest, Peter Beaton. He seduced her while she fell in love with him. On hearing the news she was pregnant, Beaton abandoned her to her shame. The unscrupulous and ambitious priest had toyed with her heart for access to her family connections. His sights were on rising through the ranks of the community and the church. Martha kept her pregnancy secret from those outside the family, languishing and dying of a broken heart before her child was born. On her deathbed, she requested her parents place her grave by the door of the Kirk so each time the priest entered he would be required to walk past her. Beaton blocked up the Kirk’s north door following Martha’s internment, establishing a new entryway through a south door in order to avoid passing her grave. Soon, the locals knew the truth and Beaton was shunned by the community he’d contrived to become such a lofty member off. The Abbot of Cambuskenneth heard of Beaton’s transgressions and it’s said that the news of his errant behaviour reached as far as the Vatican. One day however, Beaton simply disappeared, a story circulating that he had wandered off, a madman. Or, had he instead met vengeance in the form of a grieving Father?

19th Aug 2025 0

Tomb of Robert Munro Ferguson – Kirkcaldy, Fife

In an overgrown tangle of trees on a hill in the Raith Estate, on the outskirts of Kirkcaldy, there’s a long forgotten tomb. This is a place only visited by the occasional dog walker and teenagers searching for a bit of woodland adventure. Millie didn’t care that it took a while to find the location and what a magnificent resting place this would have been, once upon a time, when it overlooked Raith Lake and the surrounding rolling hills.

This is the Tomb of Lieutenant Robert Munro Ferguson, an officer of the 79th Regiment of Foot who became Colonel of his Regiment, commanding from 1835 to 1841. He was born on 20th August 1802, grew up in Muirton in Fife then went on to study in Edinburgh. Robert was the son of Ronald Craufurd Ferguson (also Colonel of the 79th from 1821 to 1841) and was appointed commanding officer with the rank of lieutenant-colonel on 13 March 1835, thus commanding in the regiment under his Father. The regiment had been serving in Canada but returned to Scotland in 1836.

On retiring from the army, Robert got into politics and became Liberal MP for Kirkcaldy Burghs from 1841 to 1862. He wholeheartedly supported the Liberal agenda, wanted electoral reform, male suffrage and the secret ballot, supported triennial fixed parliaments, voted for revision of Corn Laws and income tax. He also voted for universal, free schooling. Robert was re-elected unopposed at 4 consecutive general elections.

On 17th May 1859 he married Emma Elizabeth Mandeville at Westminster in London and they went on to have six children together: Ronald Craufurd, Alice Edwina, Emma Valentine, Hector, Robert Harry & Edith Isabel. In 1864 Robert inherited the baronies of Novar in Ross and Muirton on condition of adding ‘Munro’ to his surname. He died on 28 November 1868 and was laid to rest here.

The slab from the top of his tomb now lies unceremoniously, toppled to one side and the inscription around its rim reads: Robert Munro Ferguson of Raith & Novar. Lieutenant Colonel of the 79th Highlanders. Born 20th Aug 1802, Died 27th November 1868, Succourer Of Many.

His daughter, Emma Valentine, also held her father’s liberal views, was in favour of women’s suffrage and is known to have created a leaflet entitled ‘Union of Practical Suffragists within the the Women’s Liberal Federation’. In 1890 she became engaged to Scottish born politician, Richard Burdon, Viscount Haldane, but for reasons I haven’t been able to ascertain, she broke off the engagement. Sadly, Emma died at the age of 34 years and was laid to rest here alongside her Father. The beautifully intricate, now broken cross lying in pieces on the slope was in memoriam of her as the base bears her name. The inscription around her grave is still legible and says: Valentine. Born Feb 14 1863. Died Sep 14 1897. Until The Day Dawn.

22nd Jul 2025 0

Chanonry Point Lighthouse (Rubha na Cananaich) – Black Isle

On my first trip around Scotland’s North Coast in the van, the first lighthouse on my itinerary was here at Chanonry Point. It’s one of over 200 that are located around Scotland’s wild and sometimes unforgiving coastline. Operated and maintained by the Northern Lighthouse Board they warn ships of dangerous waters and provide safe passage.

Chanonry Lighthouse is situated on the Black Isle, south of Rosemarkie, where the Moray Firth narrows between Chanonry Point and Fort George. Standing only 13 meters high, this lighthouse was designed by Alan Stevenson (1807-1865), who was also the engineer responsible for the building of the Scotland’s tallest lighthouse in the Herbrides, Skerryvore Lighthouse, in 1844, where it marks an extensive rocky reef. The establishment of a lighthouse here at Chanonry Point was first proposed in 1834 but not approved by the Commissioners of Lighthouses until 1843. It cost £3,570 (quite a handsome amount at that time) and the light first shone out to sea on 15th May 1846.

This was originally a ‘one man station’, a remote, lonely and hard existence. The keeper was required to keep a night-time watch in the lightroom to ensure the light flashed correctly, while during the day, he was expected to clean, paint (if necessary) and keep the premises tidy. The light here was eventually automated in 1984 and the former keeper’s cottages and outbuildings were sold and are now privately owned. They certainly could do with a lick of paint now!

The Lighhouse Stevensons Legacy – for over a hundred and fifty years, Robert Stevenson and his descendants designed most of Scotland’s lighthouses. The Stevenson family constructed wonders of engineering which have withstood time and the harsh Scottish elements. It’s said that Robert Stevenson’s talented literary grandson, Robert Louis Stevenson, took inspiration for his books ‘Kidnapped’ and ‘Treasure Island’ from visits to remote lighthouses with his Father and Grandfather.

12th Jul 2025 0

Dunino Den – Fife

As I wandered into the grove beyond Dunino church, sunlight danced through the leaves of the trees surrounding Dunino Den, obscuring my vision. With a sudden fluttering of birds around me, I felt that there was indeed a supernatural atmosphere about this place. It’s said to be haunted by fairies, steeped in Celtic legend and a site of pagan worship that continues to attract pilgrims today. The fabled ‘Altar Stone’ sits up high, overlooking a burn running through the narrow gully below. A small, circular well worn into the rock here is rumoured to have once been used by Druids in their rituals of human sacrifice. Near the well, is a carved footprint, suggesting this was once a place of great significance. Carved footprints were used in Neolithic times, during inauguration rituals where our ancient chieftains would place a foot in such grooves and swear oaths to protect their people and lands. This would suggest that kings from our pre-history might once have been crowned here.

Steps lead down into the Den, to a Wheelhead Cross, ancient symbols and a mysterious face all carved in to the rock. Here, modern day worshippers now leave offerings, believing this place to be a portal to the otherworld. Ribbons flutter from the trees, messages for loved ones, since departed, are stuffed into cracks in the rock and coins left in crevices. Beware! It’s said that removing anything from this place will bring bad luck.

Legend tells of a visitor who came to Dunino Church and having followed the path through the woods to the altar stone, he saw an enchanting hamlet on the other side of the gully. The cottages were thatched and swathed in rambling roses. An old man in knee breeches and a woman in a long gown, stood at the entrance to one of the houses while a blacksmith leant on his hammer outside his workshop. A year later, the visitor returned, this time with a companion to whom he had recounted his story. They arrived at the Den to find the cottages gone and nothing but trees on the other side. It is said that a collection of cottages and a smithy once existed on the land there, but they had been demolished long, long ago….

“Come Faeries, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame!” – W B Yeats

19th Mar 2025 0

Modifying the Van

My car was becoming much too cramped for a rapidly growing Millie so I decided that a van would be the perfect alternative, not just for Millie, but something that I’d always wanted and better suited for my outdoor activities. I looked at several vans and settled on a Renault Trafic then got to work adapting it to suit. My Dad was 91 at the time and as a retired carpenter, relished having a new project to get his hands on, albeit at a much slower pace in keeping with his age and hampered mobility.

1st steps – after removing the bulkhead and ripping out the filthy and broken 5mm plywood lining, I gave the van a thorough cleaning. As ventilation is paramount, fitting an air vent was the first item to be addressed. I have to say, it was probably the most stressful part of the whole exercise. Cutting a hole in a perfectly good, solid roof was nerve-wracking and absolutely had to be done right first time. After much ‘debate’ and a wee bit of swearing about measurements my Dad and I settled on drilling numerous small holes around the circumference of the area to be removed. Fortunately, the perforated area popped out easily with a quick thump from a hammer. A heavy duty file and the sander removed and smoothed the rough edges then the area was primed with rustproof paint. The vent fitted perfectly, was screwed into place and the rim, inside & out sealed with silicone to make it watertight.

Insulation – I fitted sound deadening mats which were stuck to all flat areas around the interior to reduce vibration and noise. Then, all the cavities, recesses on the walls and ceiling were filled with loft insulation, the whole lot covered over with insulating foil and fastened into place with foil tape. Ridges on the floor were filled with strips of insulating bubble foil then covered over with radiator reflective foil. (I found that using carpet adhesive spray to hold everything in place as you work, keeps all in situ as you go along).

Strapping and fitting the new ply lining – The ply flooring went down first (10mm thick, cut to shape plywood, using self tapping screws – countersunk). Then, as luck would have it my brother arrived from NZ, got his sleeves rolled up and with my Dad, set about installing the strapping for fixing the plywood lining to the inside of the van. The strapping is made up of cut to size, 40mm x 20mm battens. Using truss head, self tapping screws for better hold, 5mm ply for the ceiling was fitted into place. Lastly the walls went in (10mm cut to shape ply, fastened with countersunk self tapping screws) also acting as additional support for the ceiling. Once checked to ensure they were tight, all countersunk screws were covered over with wood filler then sanded for a good finish.

Flooring – PVA glue was painted all over the floor to seal the wood, then once dry, flock-backed vinyl flooring was cut and fitted using, again, carpet adhesive spray.

The Fixtures – my Dad made a 1950’s style mini kitchen unit using leftover wood from the battens for its frame and plywood off-cuts for the facing. It has inner shelving so affords plenty of space to store groceries, cooking equipment , utensils, plates & mugs, etc. There’s also a pull-out chopping board. The counter top of the unit had been the top of my Great Aunt’s teak dressing table which I’d been storing in my loft for a very long time and in reality, was a piece of furniture I was never going to use. I think it looks superb and I hope she wouldn’t have minded. A circular hole was cut in the left end of the counter top which my Portmerion bowl and ewer fits into nicely. The pull out sofa bed, I made using battens and 10mm x 70mm cut to length wood for the interlocking slats. The bed ends were done with more plywood. There’s ample space underneath the bed for storage where I use laundry baskets for some sort of semblance. A double foam mattress was cut to size (I found that a serrated bread knife worked best for this job) and I used 2 x king size mattress protectors as covering for the pieces needed. The bed is super comfortable, by the way!

Electrics – I studied several tutorial videos with the intention of installing leisure batteries. While I’m confident in my woodworking abilities, I cannot say the same when it comes to anything to do with electricity. In the end I shelved the idea of fitting leisure batteries and went with a much more simple option. My lighting, magnetic touch lights, is rechargeable and this can be done from the van’s 12V socket. To be honest that’s all that’s required. I have a rechargeable lamp which is only ever used as back-up and I cook with a portable gas stove. I did invest in a portable power station, however, it’s only required if I need to use my hairdryer, to perhaps recharge my in-car DVD player or charge up my mobile phone if I’ve forgotten to plug it into the 12V socket while driving. For me, keeping it simple works best.

Other Items – The most useful item I purchased was a Porta Potti. Not having to desperately find a place ‘to go’ or not having to trudge to campsite toilets during the night (especially if it’s raining) is nothing short of bliss. If you have space for it, definitely buy one. A rechargeable camping shower was a gift from my Son, so if I haven’t been for a cold water swim or need to wash my hair, then it’s certainly a great little item.

Reading this back, it all sounds so incredibly straight forward. However, if you’re going to modify your own van, bear in mind there are always going to be challenges in a project like this so be sure to plan everything out and take your time, especially in making sure your measurements are correct. Mistakes can be costly.

23rd Feb 2025 0