Mondynes April Report
In March, go upstairs at Stonehaven Library (open Tue 9-6, Wed 9-5, Fri 9-5 & Sat 10-2) and see OLD and NEW (to me!) information, which, looked at with “fresh eyes” – says there also was a Roman Marching Camp built at Fordoun in 84 AD, when the Romans came to Kincardineshire:-
- NEW Jarvise, THE 1890s local expert, writes that the Fordoun Marching Camp exists.
- NEW The Bervie Water was a line of lochs & bogs & a major ancient tribal boundary
- NEW In North Britain, the Romans “Created a Desert & Called it Peace”
- NEW The 1757 Bertram Map forgery caused bad & “GOOD” data to be rejected.
Local Kincardineshire folk have, all along, maintained that the Marching Camp existed.
Added to the other evidence from
- William Roy’s Great Map of Scotland shows Roman sites which he does not mention!
- A letter and map, written by the Rev James Leslie on the 26th March 1799, and IS THE KEY SOURCE KEY DOCUMENT.
- The 1860s Ordnance Survey testimony by Kincardineshire locals.
Plus :– The undefended Milltimber Roman Camp found during the building of the AWPR
View Transport Scotland + highway through history + pages 86 – 96
The video shows a road – straight over the north of Knock Hill – just as the Romans built them!
STORM BABET AND THE BERVIE WATER
During storm Babet the old turnpike Bridge of Mondynes, as the photo shows, had one arch blocked by four large tree trunks and snagged branches – a full tree coming – the bridge would have been a dam.
Scottish Government policy encourages riparian tree growth, and when bridges are involved, this is a nonsense and has to be changed.
SAVING LIVES with Polymers in Action
Here at Thistle.uk.com, we specialise in providing innovative solutions to “problems” using thermoset polymers for oilfield applications and special rubber belting & tracks, so, when we saw that the central reservation signs were of very poor design relative to their function, as well as being vociferous in asking for sign alteration from BEAR & Transport Scotland (whom we know and respect), we looked at what we would propose ourselves, being on the point of making a costed proposal, when they indicated that they had a new version to trial. “Our” old steel posted version had been destroyed at least nine times and, right here, there was a major accident waiting to happen. I have already reported that the new version had been knocked down to 45 degrees, and, after waiting a week or so for it to be “fixed”, late one night I went to it and was able to straighten it up – as good as new. The cost of the alteration was already saved.
A few days ago, Bingo, exactly the same, the sign, still visible doing its job, was at 45 degrees to the north, having been hit again. This time, with my best head torch and at midnight, when traffic was almost zero, I went to take a closer, analytical, look with a designer’s eye:-
The top back of the sign was badly scuffed – the sign had in fact been knocked down the full 90 degrees and had bounced back. This is due to the careful design of the base polymer portion. It bulbous nature is such that there is enough “give” so that the plastic deforms instead of breaking. More than that, when I pulled the sign up firmly, the plastic responded by returning to its original dimensions. Very clever, and something I had not thought about in my own proposals. It will not survive if the tyre goes over it, but there is a good chance it can “recover” from most head-on impacts – and I guess the miscreants who “hit” it are not aware of how lucky they are! We spoke to just one of the nine who “hit” the steel version. She ended immobile in the north bound lanes. The truck bearing down on her was able to stop and the driver helped push her car, (a right-off), off the road. She reckoned she was very lucky!
The new sign calls itself and “I-sign” and says its maker is Pudsey Diamond – it is clever!
PS Do call into the Stonehaven Library for my “show” commemorating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the BBC on the 18th of October 1922.
For a holiday destination. try – HMS UNICORN IN DUNDEE
It is easy to get to – train & bus take you to the centre of the city with no parking worries, & is open 10.00am – 4.00pm Tue – Sun and gives just a hint of life in the early 1800s. To our eyes horrendous, but, then, state of the art stuff. They have an exhibition featuring the “engineering” of Robert Sepping, the ship’s designer. The design of “wooden” ships in the UK was an evolving and innovative process. It was by staying one step ahead of the “opposition” in ship (and armament design – think the Falkirk carronade cannons) technology, as well as the ability of the UK’s seamen – that the UK’s ships were able to prevail.
A career in the navy as an officer was considered a great prospect even during the Napoleonic wars. In Flitting the Flakes, the diary of Dr James Badenach of Whiteriggs, we see his two sons went off to the navy – to war, and so far as we know, did not return, and yet, for, say Admiral Duff at Fetteresso (his father had 30 children!), the Royal Navy was a route to recognition and prosperity. It is the poor folk, the likes of the fishers of Johnshaven, who were press-ganged, who were drawing the short straw – the ships became like prisons for
the crews.
Do consider Dundee for a day out. There is the Quay Restaurant close by the Unicorn with excellent fare, and the City and V & A Museums, the Discovery, plus perhaps a walk over the Tay bridge – plenty to do.
By car, city centre parking can be an issue. I recommend visiting the University Of Dundee Botanic Gardens on the Perth Road, (with a restaurant for refreshments) and to take in the City Centre, park at the Tesco supermarket, well priced groceries and petrol, and three hours parking – time for a quick look at the Unicorn too.
God is with us – UKRAINE!
This flag is of a banner design received from Ukraine showing the country’s emblems. It includes a sword & rifle and the exhortation “God is with us – UKRAINE!” They deserve both God’s support & ours. Putin has & is using the methods of Stalin & Hitler.
We, here in the “Celtic” world, have closer ties with Ukraine than you think. The first Irish histories claim that Scythians (from the Ukraine areas) in the mists of time, came, via Spain, to be established in Ireland and brought the King & High King system of ruling. The Declaration Of Arbroath (do see the new exhibion at Arbroath Abbey), Scotland’s foundation charter, says a further group of Scythians, coming later on the same errand to Ireland, were directed from Ireland, on to our lands. They, with superior weaponry, took over as rulers but GIVING WOMEN much MORE INFLUENCE THAN NORMAL. It all sound pre-eminence, and then lost it.
This further, and last, group of Scythians, coming to Ireland on the same errand, were directed from Ireland to our lands. We now know they were called, by the Greeks, the Suarmatae and had always given women influence and the female lineage a vital role in determining who achieved “ruler” status – they certainly thought women worth listening to! Just what our Caledonian & Pictish ancestors did way back when!
Fighting Fascists, Ukraine needs God’s & our help now!
Fred’s Flags – & Dragons
This is the Year of the Dragon and at Bridge of Mondynes I regularly fly the Dragon.
There is an excellent flag display, and, for those who “know” Grassic Gibbon’s “Scots Quair” – and, (ladies especially) it paints an interesting picture of our land as it was – they will be aware that, folklore then maintained that, way back in the mists of time, a fearsome beast haunted our locale. The landless knight who destroyed it was granted the lands around, and the myth maintains that, 800 years ago, that is how the original Arbuthnott came to be granted the lordship here. A lovely story, and the dragon you now see, right here at Bridge of Mondynes, is a reminder – though this dragon, flying on high – is still safely tethered.
Another “myth” mentioned is how the primitive inhabitants had to flee from the invading Romans – and this is not far fetched at all, and a remarkable example of “folk memory” retaining true events – over millenia. I don’t know, yet lake pollen analysis in Aberdeenshire (and also, more surprisingly, in Fife) just after, as near as can be determied, 84 AD (when the Romans under Agricola came here, won a huge victory and pillaged the land) – regrowth of trees showed that the growing of crops was dramatically reduced – so the land ahd been denuded of people.
More generally, especially before 1747, when the law in the United Kingdom was changed to forbid the carrying of pistols, swords and arms of all kinds, Highland Clansmen felt “entitled” to “lift” (their neutral term for stealing) Lowlanders cattle – they maintained that, in times past, they had held the Lowlands , and were forceably deprived. In particular I cannot understand how, in the USA, old UK legal precedent says our forefears were free to carry arms. From 1747 that was not true, and the changes made then to “feudal priviledge” were the start of huge improvements in the life of all local folk – for even lords (with their followers) had been foced to follow their superiors into wars – whether they wished to or not. And this had applied even here, for in Dunnottar Castle is a list of the tenants of the Lord Marischal who were required, in 1651 – 52, to help defend the castle for King Charles – they all, even Ogilvie the commander, had little say & no thanks.
“Food for thought”