Perthshire History

Sir Walter Scott, that fervent Borderer, yet said: "If an intelligent stranger were asked to describe the most varied and most beautiful province in Scotland, it is probable that he would name the County of Perth." The present day visitor would find no fault with that statement. By any standards Perthshire is one of the truly great old counties of Scotland.

The Perthshire Book This collection of essays is the story of Perthshire, in the heart of Scotland, where many of her greatest treasures are to be found. The whole district resonates with history, folklore and incident; it was the birthplace of Rob Roy and also inspired some of Sir Walter Scott's finest work. Perthshire Books.

Along the A9: The Great North Road A book packed with sepia and black and white photos and postcards of communities on and close to the A9 corridor, from Luncarty to Drumochtar. Enhanced by informative but economical text, this book will be a source of nostalgia and interest for anyone who has lived in Perthshire, or used the A9 for excursions north.

Fife, Perthshire and Angus (Exploring Scotland's Heritage S.) This book provides an introduction to the archaeological heritage of Perthshire, Fife and Angus, The details are filled in by a gazetteer of the most interesting and best preserved monuments, and aim to encourage the reader to explore further using the full-colour section on full day excursions. This volume details skilfully carved Pictish cross-slabs, great abbeys and castles, and the imposing Scottish Cathedrals of Arbroath and St Andrews, together with The Royal Palace Of Falkland. Examples of rural architecture are also documented. Perthshire Books.

Routes, Roads, Regiments and Rebellions: A Brief History of the Life and Work of General George Wade (1673-1748) the Father of the Military Roads in Scotland (Lesser Known Heroes) A Brief History of the Life and Work of General George Wade (1673-1748) the Father of the Military Roads in Scotland.

Atholl and Gowrie: A Historical Guide (Birlinn Historical Guides) This guide shows an archaeological range from neolithic cairns to medieval palaces, from industrial workers' cottages to Roman fortresses. A gazetteer combines with the narrative to produce a history of North Perthshire on the boundary of Highland and Lowland. Perthshire Books.

Fife and Perthshire: Including Kinross (Pevensey Guide S.) This guide covers a varied landscape area that is accessible to the highly populated Central Lowlands of Scotland, including the great cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Human endeavour, coupled with a proud colourful heritage, is evident everywhere, in the pretty and historic coastal towns such as St Andrews, in the rolling Lomond Hills and scenic Loch Leven, and, moving further north towards the higher ground, in the mountainous areas around Pitlochry, where the autumn colours have to be seen to be believed. Visits to the area are addictive, causing many to return again and again to the ancient "kingdoms" of Fife and Perth, legendary birthplace of the heartland of Scotland, for further exploration and pleasure.

Perthshire in History and Legend Exploring some of the stories about Perthshire, this book contains not only the well known stories such as Robert The Bruce founding a chapel at Strathfillan after Bannockburn, but tales of the prophecies of the Lady of Lawers, and the pistols of Doune made entirely of horseshoe nails. Perthshire Books.

Century in Atholl, A: Old Photographs from Blair Castle

The Tree Collector: The Life and Explorations of David Douglas David Douglas of Scone, Perthshire, was one of the most important botanical collectors there has ever been. Thanks to his heroic and often unimaginably arduous explorations, during which he collected and discovered over 200 species, our forests and gardens are immeasurably richer. Not only is the Douglas fir named after him, but also many of our most established conifers, like the Sitka spruce, Grand and Noble firs and the Monterey pine were introduced to Britain by him.

Old Auchterarder, Blackford and Braco:
With Aberuthven, Gask and Gleneagles

Red Sky at Night: Autobiography This work looks at the daily life of John Barrington, a shepherd to over 750 Blackface ewes who graze near some of Britain's most beautiful hills overlooking Loch Katrine. Perthshire Books.

Chiefs of Clan Donnachaidh 1275 1749 and the Highlanders at Bonnockburn the Highlanders at Bannockburn.

Dunkeld Bridge. Thomas Telford's Finest Highland Bridge, a new book by Christopher R. Ford. Thomas Telford Books.

Perthshire and Kinross-shire's Lost Railways

Stanley: From Arkwright Village to Commuter Suburb 1784-2003 Tracing the evolution of the village of Stanley from being an important cotton mill and community to a growing commuter satellite of Perth. Perthshire Books.

The Atholl Collection Catalogue: 300 Years of Scottish Music and Poetry First time this irreplaceable collection of books and manuscripts on Scottish and Gaelic music has been made available. Perthshire Books.

The Rob Roy Way: From Drymen to Pitlochry This long-distance walk from Drymen to Pitlochry was developed by Rucksack Readers in partnership with walking enthusiasts. It runs for 79 miles (126 km) along some of Scotland's finest lochs and glens, using historic footpaths, a cycle route, forest tracks and some minor road. Many places are linked with Scotland's most famous outlaw, Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734). Perthshire Books.

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay: Reinvestigating the Tay Bridge Disaster of 1879 The book describes in great detail the events leading up to he Tay bridge disaster of 1879. The subsequent public Inquiry provides the answers to why the disaster occurred, which the author provides in the form of extracts from the main witnesses. The reinvestigation confirms their cncluisons that the bridge was badly designed, built and maintained. The book concludes by examining the aftermath and modern disasters which show the importance of forensic methods in understanding them, and learning the lessons so as to prevent further accidents.

The Dambuilders: Power from the Glens In the 30 years between the end of World War II and 1975, the construction schemes of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board changed the face of the Scottish Highlands and brought electricity to almost the whole of the country north of the Highland Line. Nothing on such a scale had been attempted before, and the "schemes", as they were called, symbolized far more than huge devices for the generation of electricity. Fired by the idealism of Tom Johnston, the Board's founder, the schemes brought regeneration and hope. This book is a vivid account of the schemes and includes eyewitness stories from many of the workers - from dam builders, engineers, tunnel tigers, linemen - who made the electrification of the Highlands a reality and now, often for the first time, tell what it was like. The names of the schemes - Loch Sloy, Glen Shira, Tummel-Garry, the Conon Valley, Glen Affric, Strathfarrar-Kilmorack, Glenmoriston-Garry, Shin, Breadalbane, Ben Cruachan - are vivid in the memories of all who worked on them, in an epic of hard physical labour in a beautiful landscape. By the time the last scheme was opened in Foyers in 1975, the engineers commissioned by the Board had built some 50 major dams and power stations, almost 200 miles of tunnel, 400 miles of road and over 20,000 miles of power line. The Board had to overcome adverse weather and thrawn geology, as well as political opposition. At the peak of construction the workforce numbered around 12,000 and included men from Ireland and many parts of Europe as well as indigenous Scots. They are all proud of what they achieved.

The Railways of Upper Strathearn,Crieff - Balquidder When a journey by motor car along the A85 from Comrie to Crieff occupies a mere 10 minutes, it is difficult to imagine the tremendous enthusiasm with which the people of Comrie welcomed the arrival in 1893 of the branch line from Crieff. Comrie, along with the other villages in Upper Strathearn between Crieff and Lochearnhead, had been steadily increasing in size and prosperity in the second half of the 19th century but still depended on stagecoaches and general carriers for communication with the outside world. Perthshire Books.

Close-up on Coupar Angus: A Social History of the Town from the Reformation to the Year 2000 History of the Town from the Reformation to the Year 2000. A social history of the east Perthshire town of Coupar Angus from the Reformation to the year 2000. The book contains many nostalgic black and white photographs and illustrative document reproduction.

Perth and Kinross: The Big Country A wide-ranging review of the history, geography, landscape, flora and fauna of Perthshire and Kinross-shire comprising the old counties of Perth and Kinross. Contemporary issues, including the local economy, are also surveyed. Perthshire Books.

Life in Forestry John McEwen, Based on tape recordings, the life of the land reform activist, and author of "Who Owns Scotland?".

Taking the Temperature: An Account of the Operation of the Meteorological Office Climatological Station at Forgandenny 1968-2001 The Operation of the Meteorological Office Climatological Station at Forgandenny 1968-2001. "Taking the Temperature" is a record of the weather station at Forgandenny over the last thirty three years. These records have appeared monthly in the "Perthshire Advertiser", and still do, and this compilation of the records is due to the diligence and careful record keeping of Norman Pedgrift. The book has records of previous Perth weather from the 19th century, gives a snapshot of the freezing weather of 1918, showing the Tay with ice floes floating down the river, and is interspersed with photographs, showing all the variations of weather. There are detailed annual charts showing temperature, rainfall, days with snow, frost and wind. Is Perth getting warmer each year, are winters less cold, is it wetter ? Now is your chance to find out.

Enjoying Perthshire A personal tour through Perthshire hills, woods, waterfalls, bird haunts and moorland tracks, with illustrations and maps. Perthshire Books.

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