Scottish Tour Guide's Blog » Dunfermline

King Robert the Bruce of Scotland

catswhiskers — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:05:01 +0000

Robert the Bruce Statue, Stirling

This evening, I am focusing one of Scotland’s key historical figures, namely King Robert the Bruce. The ‘Bruce’ was an instrumental figure in securing Scotland’s independence from England during medieval times and his legacy and ‘presence’ is encountered in course of various tours ranging from the Borders to Stirling. Here is a summary the life of Robert the Bruce:

Private Tour Scotland

catswhiskers — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:20:45 +0000

This morning, I collected guests from Caledonian Hilton, Edinburgh and then proceeded as follows:

First to Dunfermline Abbey Church whose foundation dates from 1072. This is an interesting site comprising (a) the ruined Abbey (b) ruined former Royal Palace (c) the Abbey Church which is an active place of worship (Presbyterian) and location of burial of Scotland’s King Robert The Bruce (14th C). Effectively, this site was the capital of Scotland until 1603 when King James VI of Scotland moved to London to become King of England as well. We viewed all the principal aspects and availed of the scenic views towards the Firth of Forth.

Borders Tour, Scotland

catswhiskers — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 21:02:58 +0000

This morning we departed our Dunfermline lodgings at 9.00am and then drove for about 45 mins to Rosslyn Chapel, about 7 miles south of Edinburgh. This small church dates from the 15th century and took 40 years to complete. It is famous for (a) quality and intensity of the stone carvings which adorn the interior and (b) connection with Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. Latter has been double edged in that visitor numbers have multiplied since release of film and book swamping facilities at the Chapel whilst on the plus side the increased revenue has proved of great help in funding the on-going repair and remediation work.

Central Scotland Tour

catswhiskers — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:53:30 +0000

Bannockburn Battlefield, Scotland

This morning, we departed our Stirling lodgings and proceeded as follows:

First to Bannockburn to visit the site of the famous 1314 battle where Robert the Bruce defeated a superior English army and this secured Scotland’s independence through to creation of the United Kingdom in 1707.

Touring Scotland

catswhiskers — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:13:19 +0000

This morning, I collected guests from Cameron House, Loch Lomond and then proceeded as follows:

Drove to Stirling in central Scotland. Prime objective here was the famous castle. We visited all the key sites including Great Hall, chapel, kitchens and weaving.

Entrance to Stirling Castle, Scotland

Visit Dunfermline Abbey, Visit Scotland

catswhiskers — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:29:56 +0000

Dunfermline Abbey, Dunfermline, Scotland

This evening, I am focusing on the ancient and historic, Dunfermline Abbey which is located in S.E.Scotland and not far from Edinburgh. Prior to 1603 ( when the Scottish royal court moved to London) the Abbey and nearby Palace was a very important power centre in Scotland. However, after departure of the Royal Family, the Palace was left to decay. Post Reformation, the nave of the church continued in use a a parish church and therefore survived. In the 19th century the present parish church was added to the east of the Old Church.

Dunfermline Abbey, Scotland

admin — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:33:00 +0000

This evening, I am posting information on Dunfermline Abbey. The Abbey and surrounding ruins are all that remain of a Benedictine Abbey founded by Queen Margaret in the 11th century. The foundations of the original church are under the present nave built in the Romanesque style by David I. King Robert the Bruce is buried inside, his remains being found during building work in the 19th century.

Outside the east gable is located the Shrine of Queen Margaret, a place of pilgrimage since medieval times and nearby are the remains of the other monastic buildings, including the large refectory and the ruin of the Royal Palace.

Dunfermline means ‘”fortress by the crooked stream”. It is conveniently located just north of Edinburgh and well placed for the Fife tourist route. However, from my experience, tour buses rarely visit so the Abbey and environs tend only to be patronised by private visitors which means that less hustle and bustle than nearby Edinburgh. With the right visibility, i.e.no rain, views are stunning and offer good photo opportunities. Nearby is the Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum.

To sum up, Dunfermline is sidelined from the main tourist trail but benefits from just that. There is a wealth of history and heritage here dating back almost one thousand years and to cap it the Abbey Church holds the remains of King Robert the Bruce, the victor at Bannockburn and who established a royal lineage from which the current British royal family can trace its provenance.

Not to be overlooked on a Scotland tour. You might even encounter the local peacock which acts as a modern-day guardian!

Dunfermline Abbey Church Tour

admin — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:22:00 +0000

This evening I am presenting some images of a recent visit to Dunfermline Abbey Church, located in the Royal Burgh of Dunfermline, Scotland.

The current church was built in 1818-21 by William Burn. It is situated on the site of the ruined former Abbey.

The Church is significant in that it houses the burial place of King Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) who founded the Stewart dynasty and whose name is commemorated atop the the church tower. Bruce’s descendants include all British monarchs since 1603.

This church is well worth a visit because of (a) its elevation affords superb views on a clear day (b) it is close the ruins of the Royal Palace and (b) a Benedictine Monastery. Of course there are many other reasons for a visit to historic Dunfermline ( including Andrew Carnegie’s Birthplace) not least of which is proximity to Edinburgh.

James Bryden Ancestry Tour Dunfermline

admin — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 11:55:00 +0000

This afternoon I am posting an image of a memorial from Glasgow’s Southern Necropolis. This is unusual because it includes reference to a couple who appear to have died in Dunfermline which is in the east of Scotland, near Edinburgh.

The inscription simply records the passing of:

James Bryden
Jane Bryden, wife of James.

No dates or ages are given.

Judging by the sequence on the memorial, the Brydens appear to have died sometime between 1874 and 1898.