Stirling Council demolishes 117 year old Christie Clock Tower

This one has caused a bit of anger in Stirling. Citing structural concerns, the local council has destroyed the 117 year old Christie Clock Tower, built to commemorate a former provost of the royal burgh, in an overnight operation beyond the gaze of the public. It's possible the council might have been asleep for 117 years, and hence why they haven't previously addressed the issue.

The council noted the following in comments made to the BBC:

"Contractors tried valiantly for five hours to remove the crown of this well-loved landmark but, unfortunately, due to the lack of stability within the clock structure, the pillar also had to be removed from site.

"Sections of the clock have been removed intact and all stonework associated with the clock tower has been removed from site and stored to allow further investigation and work."

"Repair work on the base will commence over the next two weeks and we will shortly begin a review of a restoration project on the pillar, crown and clock."

The full story is available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66695251

Chris

Order Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors in the UK at https://bit.ly/BelfastAncestors. Also available - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors Through Land Records, Sharing Your Family History Online, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed), and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - to purchase, please visit https://bit.ly/ChrisPatonPSbooks. For purchase in tthe USA visit https://www.penandswordbooks.com. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, on Threads at @scottishgenesblog and via Mastodon at https://mastodon.scot/@ScottishGENES.

Ettrick Shepherd's gravestone flattened by Borders Council

A fairly shocking story from the Borders. The grave of one of Scotland's most famous poets, James Hogg, also known as the Ettrick Shepherd, has been toppled over by Borders Council, alongside 47 other headstones in the parish churchyard for Ettrick and Buccleuch, which it stated to be unsafe. The number is believed to be about a third in total of all stones in the graveyard. The story is covered by the Southern Reporter at https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/people/villagers-anger-ettrick-shepherd-james-hoggs-headstone-laid-flat-council-workers-2448326.

In the paper's story Borders Council states that it only carried out its actions after speaking to the local community council, but it has prompted a great deal of anger. The Council added "We understand plans are now being progressed in the local community to reinstate the memorial". It is not clear what actions the Council itself will take to contribute to this, or for the reinstatement of the other 47 stones levelled by it.

To see how it was previously displayed, visit https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/112351026/james-hogg and https://canmore.org.uk/site/296978/ettrick-parish-church-of-ettrick-and-buccleuch-james-hoggs-grave.

Perhaps those we elect into office should take better care of our national heritage?

(With thanks to @BordersJourneys)

Chris

You can pre-order my new book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet, at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scottish2 (out April). Also available, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Irish1 and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at http://bit.ly/ChrisPaton-Scotland1. Further news published daily on The Scottish GENES Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.