Exploring Scotland's history and culture

Ahead of St Andrews Day on 30 November, Doreen and Dee from Fife u3a's Scottish Heritage group talk about the fascinating things they've learnt as a result of the group.

The group at Rosslyn Chapel.

Fife u3a's Scottish Heritage group was proposed and started by an experienced u3a member, Lillian, a few years ago. It has gone from strength to strength. A second group has just been set up and had its first visit in our ancient capital of Scotland, Dunfermline.

We see Scottish Heritage as a legacy of our history, land, industry, culture and people. For our group that means we are interested in any aspect of life In Scotland; the past, the here and now, and looking to the future. The group meets once a month from September to June - meaning we have ten events each year. There are fifteen members of the group who, on joining, each agreed to take turns arranging a visit or giving a presentation, singly or jointly with another member. All members are very supportive of each other. There is real camaraderie within the group and a wide variety of subjects covered.

Our very first event was to a newly set up salt producer – re-establishing a long abandoned tradition of obtaining salt from sea water in the village of St Monans. 

We learn something new every time we have an event! Here are some of things we've done recently:

• We visited Newbattle Abbey in Dalkeith which is now a college. It was originally set up to retrain military personnel returning from the Second World War. This is interesting in itself, but in addition, it had incredible interiors featuring original moulded ceilings and wonderful carved wooden fire surrounds. Part of the original Medieval Cistercian Monastery kitchen still remains, which was later converted into a private chapel for the Kerr family.
• Member Fiona gave a talk on The Free Gardeners, a group of forward-thinking individuals in Dunfermline, Fife who set up a friendly society of artisan working gardeners to support each other in times of illness, unemployment, or death. The Dunfermline Lodge of the Ancient Order of Free Gardeners was one of the earliest and most distinguished lodges in Scotland, officially recorded in 1716. It was notable for its openness to nobility and professionals, making it socially prestigious.
• On one of our historical walks down the Royal Mile in Edinburgh we discovered an unexpected treasure in Canongate Churchyard. We come across the grave stone of Agnes Maclehose, referred to by Robert Burns as Clarinda, on whom he based his 1791 song "Ae Fond Kiss'.
• We visited Balgownie Farm, a working beef and cereal farm where we learned about the impact of taxation, US tariffs and Brexit in addition to animal welfare! As well as meeting a herd of Highlands Cows up close and personal, we were surprised and, some of us delighted, to be able to climb on board a tractor.
• We saw the magnificent Kelpies, a pair of 30 metre-high horse head sculptures.
• Today’s meeting was on the topic of 'Pumps, Plagues and Precipitation: Public Water Services in Scotland.' It prompted one member to quip “We are cover everything from Castles to Sewers!'

  

  The group with the iconic Kelpies statues.

St Andrew’s Day on 30 November is celebrated with traditional music, ceilidh dancing, food, and school and community events such as Storytelling and History talks or exhibitions about St Andrew, Scotland’s patron saint. Iconic sites like Edinburgh Castle are illuminated in blue to mark the occasion and many places offer free or discounted entry to heritage sites and museums on the day.

The town of St Andrews in Fife has The Big Hoolie, a full day of celebration. It begins with a Community Market followed by an outdoor Ceilidh with live music and then a Torchlight procession through the town to the shore. It finishes with a dramatic fireworks display.

Some of our group members say they celebrate with traditional haggis, neeps and tatties for supper. One member went so far as to persuade a London restaurant to indulge her with this speciality when once away from home on the 30th!

We have members who are very well versed in the history of both our local area and Scotland as a whole. We thought we knew quite a lot, but since joining this group we find there are so many more very interesting stories of the past which we should all appreciate, investigate and pass on.