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Shopping
========
Major Shopping Centres:
Buchanan Galleries, Central Glasgow
http://www.buchanangalleries.co.uk/
Braehead, about 5 miles west of Central Glasgow
http://www.braehead.co.uk/
The Gyle, western outskirts of Edinburgh
http://www.gyleshopping.co.uk/
McArthurGlen, Livingston
Desginer outlets, discount prices
http://www.mcarthurglen.com/centres/home.cfm?centre=livingston
Stirling Thistle Centre, Scotland's first covered shopping centre
unfortunately no website
Falkirk Howgate
no website
For general high street everyday shopping (ie food, electrical
goods, clothes etc) I can highly recommend the site Price Offers
http://www.priceoffers.co.uk/
It lists special offers from about 100 high street shops, including
major supermarkets, electrical retailers, clothes shops etc and allows
you to search for special offers, buy one get one free, etc. They also
tell you when the offers expire.
Finance
=======
http://www.financescotland.com/
Banks
-----
Bank of Scotland http://www.bankofscotland.co.uk/
Royal Bank of Scotland http://www.rbos.co.uk/
Clydesdale Bank http://www.cbonline.co.uk/
Insurance/Assurance
-------------------
CGU Group http://www.cgugroup.com/
Scottish Amicable http://www.scottishamicable.com/
Scottish Provident http://www.scotprov.co.uk/
Scottish Widows http://www.scottishlife.co.uk/
Standard Life http://www.standardlife.com/
Utilities
=========
British Energy http://www.british-energy.com/
Scottish Hydro Electric http://www.hydro.co.uk/
ScottishPower http://www.scottishpower.co.uk/
ScottishTelecom http://www.scottishtelecom.com/
The Scottish Water and Sewerage Customers Council
http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/
[1.15] Getting a job in Scotland
Printed media
=============
The Scotsman and The Herald carry job adverts most days, although
Friday is the best day for both. The Scotsman has an Edinburgh bias
to the jobs in it, the Herald a Glasgow bias. However, sometimes jobs
in Edinburgh are only advertised in the Herald. I've also seen
Highland jobs only advertised in the Herald. Best to get both if
you're not fussy about location. If you live outside Scotland, the
best paper with a UK wide circulation and with a focus on Scottish
jobs is Scotland on Sunday. Can't say much about the journalism though,
after all it is from the Andrew Neil propaganda machine.
The Scotsman is at
http://www.scotsman.com/
The Herald is at
http://www.theherald.co.uk/
Scotland on Sunday is at
http://www.scotlandonsunday.com/
Online resources
================
Note: Many of the on-line resources are biased towards computing jobs.
There are two newsgroups
news:scot.jobs - Jobs wanted and offered in Scotland.
news:uk.jobs.offered - jobs in UK (covers Scotland but heavily dominated
by jobs in England)
The Software Academy, mailto:software.academy@scotent.co.uk, is a
Scottish Enterprise venture to provide support and advice on
recruitment and skills projects including: assistance with the
recruitment process, Training Needs Analysis and access to the
Graduates into Software programme.
Job metasearch
--------------
http://www.jobs.co.uk/
Meta search incorporating jobsearch and others. Potentially a great
(although rather obvious) idea but has some way to go to be a useful
search as there are limited search options and the integration
between the jobs.co.uk site and the others is very lacking in places.
One day they may all get their collective acts together and create a
common API which produces something useful.
Jobsite
-------
Similar to Jobserve although some jobs may appear on one and not the other.
Send an e-mail to mailto:jobsite@jobsite.co.uk or visit their website at
http://www.jobsite.co.uk/
Tel: 01243 641141
Very flexible search which actually seems to work, unlike many other sites.
Highly recommended.
Jobserve
--------
Jobserve allows to to filter jobs by location so you can receive a mail
whenever a job in Scotland comes up which matches your criteria (e.g.
technical skills) For more information about JobServe, please send a
blank e-mail to mailto:help@jobserve.com or visit their website at
http://www.jobserve.com/
Unfortunately, you can't filter by salary so you often get back a load
of irrelevant dross. Unfortunately also only agencies can use the service.
This means that vacancies with many smaller companies are not to be found
here as such companies cannot afford the 30% of first year's salary which
agencies charge, often for a few hours work (not bad work if you can get
it!). This is the original online job matching service and it shows. It
doesn't look like they've updated their search facilities since launching
in 1994, c'mon guys when is the salary filter going to arrive?
Website is noted as PANTS here:
http://www.siliconglen.com/usability/jobserve.html
techjobscotland
---------------
Launched in November 2002, http://www.techjobscotland.com/ is an
independent recruitment website focussing on technology jobs within
Scotland.
Scottish Appointments
---------------------
http://www.scottishappointments.com/
One of the most flexible searches going, highly recommended.
Monster
-------
http://www.monster.co.uk/
Apparantly the market leader, although unfortunately they can't email
you the actual details of jobs which match your requirements!
TotalJobs
---------
http://www.totaljobs.co.uk/
IC Scottish Recruitment
-----------------------
http://www.icscottishrecruitment.co.uk/
Search by salary doesn't work
One of the worst job websites for usability
Website is noted as PANTS here:
http://www.siliconglen.com/usability/icscottish.html
Scotland online
---------------
http://www.recruitment.scotland.net/
Scottish IT Jobs
----------------
http://www.ScottishITjobs.com/
Jobs in Academia
----------------
For jobs in academic circles
http://www.jobs.ac.uk/
http://www.AcademicCareers.com/
S1 Jobs
-------
http://www.s1jobs.com/
Allows filtering by salary (hooray)
The Appointments Section
------------------------
http://www.taps.com/
Workshop
--------
http://www.workshop.co.uk/ - Recruitment for IT Professionals
ScotlandJobs
------------
http://www.scotlandjobs.com/ - Domain available
http://www.movejobs.com/ - Domain also available
Agencies
--------
http://www.best-people.co.uk/ Best People
http://www.careercare.com/ CareerCare
http://www.computerpeople.co.uk/ Computer People
http://www.direct-resources.co.uk/ Direct Resources
http://www.elan.co.uk/ Elan
http://www.mcg.co.uk/ Melville Craig Group
http://www.portalrecruitment.co.uk/ Portal Recruitment
http://www.search.co.uk/ Search
Search are Scotland's largest independent recruitment Agency and have
the largest online database of jobs covering Scotland.
http://www.tps.co.uk/ Technology Project Services
http://www.workweb.co.uk/ Workweb
e-mail lists
------------
mailto:firsttuesdayjobs@egroups.com
Rules and regulations
=====================
If you are not a European Union citizen, then there are complex
laws around obtaining a work permit and residency or being a student.
You are strongly advised to consult the British Embassy or Consulate
in your country for official advice. There is some information at
from the Home Office http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/
entitled "Naturalisation as a British Citizen - A guide for applicants"
which should help. See also
http://194.203.40.90/default.asp?pageid=1558
and
http://britain-info.org/
regarding immigration rules to the UK
Wishlist
--------
What I'd like from a job site:
Can email me jobs on a daily basis which match my requirements
Said jobs can be from both agencies and employers
Can filter this list by location and Scotland is not treated as one area.
Can filter the list by salary to eliminate junior jobs I did 10 years ago.
Can meta-search multiple sites so I don't get the same jobs twice.
Can also filter jobs by keyword to exclude ones without flexi-time.
Jobs locations are described accurately (e.g. Dunfermline is not Edinburgh)
Can easily filter out jobs where wearing a tie is mandatory.
If anyone can implement the above, perhaps we could work together to launch
my domain movejobs.com as a useful service to frustrated job seekers?
[1.16] Scottish Yellow Pages
Scotland.org - the first and only public-sector sanctioned yellow
pages of Scotland
http://www.scotland.org/
there is also a "white pages" service from this address
businesses can also be found in
http://www.yell.co.uk/
"Yellow Pages" is a registered trademark of BT in the United Kingdom
See also Scottish entries in
http://www.ukdirectory.com/
For tourism, see
http://www.visitscotland.com/
The US gateway for Scottish Tourism is at
http://www.toscotland.com/
[1.17] Scottish White Pages
The original Scottish White Pages "E-mailing Scotland" is
available at
http://www.scotweb.co.uk/ScotEmail/
[1.18] Getting Scottish addresses and phone numbers
If you have an incomplete address and want the full address, there
is a lookup service for all UK addresses available at
http://www.afd.co.uk/
For "Yellow Pages" information, see [1.16]
For "White Pages" information, try
http://www.192.com/
once you have the postcode, you can get a local map via
http://www.multimap.com/ (see [14.5])
To locate people, try
http://www.whowhere.lycos.com/
[1.19] Buying a house, letting accommodation
Property websites
=================
Solicitors
----------
http://www.sspc.co.uk/
Essential viewing - select the local site for your area
Solicitors and Estate Agents
----------------------------
http://www.s1homes.com/
Scottish property and real estate throughout Central Scotland.
This site and the SSPC site have more listings for Scottish
properties than any of the sites below and both are well worth a look.
Mostly estate agents
--------------------
http://www.your-move.co.uk/
http://www.propertyfinder.co.uk/
http://www.propertywindow.com/
http://www.property.scotsman.com/
http://www.thehousehunter.com/
http://www.fish4.co.uk/
http://www.itlhomesearch.com/
http://www.assertahome.com/
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/
http://www.08004homes.com/
http://www.thepropertyguideonline.com/
Note that many of the above are dominated by purely estate agents and the
same property will likely appear on many of the above sites. Solicitors
tend to only put their properties in the SSPC guides, so there is minimal
overlap with other sites.
http://www.edinburghnews.com/
(Edinburgh Evening News, Edinburgh area only)
New Homes
---------
http://www.new-home-locations.net/
Essential viewing if you want a brand new house, the other sites and
publications are generally hopeless at distributing information on new
homes.
Lettings
--------
http://www.lettingweb.com/
Mortgages
=========
The following sites are good places to look for a mortgage
Easiest to use
--------------
http://www.moneyextra.com/ (personal favourite)
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/
http://www.ukmortgagesonline.com/
http://www.charcolonline.co.uk/
(the search engine behind Tesco Finance, Interactive Investor)
http://www.moneysupermarket.co.uk/
Also worth trying
-----------------
http://www.firstmortgage.co.uk/
http://www.yourmortgage.co.uk/
http://www.mortgageseekers.co.uk/
http://www.moneyfacts.co.uk/
(search has to be started from the beginning if you change anything)
Solicitors
==========
The majority of property in Scotland is sold through solicitors offering
an estate agency service. The Scottish Solicitors Property Centre site at
http://www.sspc.co.uk/
has links to the various local centres around Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow,
Tayside, Highlands, Perth, Aberdeen, etc) which cover properties for each
particular area. Each site has a convenient computerised matching service.
This system is really convenient but is so efficient it can lead to
a large number of people chasing after a small number of highly
desirable properties. You can sometimes pick up a bargain by specifying
you are interested in all areas.
Estate Agents
=============
If you want to use an Estate Agent, the group to contact for Edinburgh is
Real (Registered Estate Agents Ltd) mailto:REAL@iangrantcumming.co.uk
8 St Bernard's Crescent, Edinburgh, EH4 1NP
Tel: 0131 343 1997 or 0131 315 2424
Fax: 0131 332 9957
On the minus side, the REAL estate agent's guide is hopelessly disorganised
compared to the ESPC guide and is organised by agent rather than by area.
However, on the plus side if you persevere with it, you may pick up a
bargain just because properties take more effort to locate in it. See here for
more info on their guide:
http://www.netpropertyguide.com/
Solicitors have a particularly high market penetration in the cities, and
sell over 92% of Edinburgh properties for instance. However, in more rural
locations and in smaller towns, the balance is not so one sided and may be
around 50/50 split between estate agents and solicitors in these places.
Timber Frame Houses
-------------------
There is information on buying a timber frame house at
http://www.scotframe.co.uk/
[1.20] Women's issues
Engender
--------
http://www.engender.org.uk/
described as: "...a Scottish site for women.... Engender is our own
research and campaigning organisation for women in Scotland, committed to
greater visibility, influence and yes...power for women."
Quine
-----
http://www.quine.org.uk/
Quine Online - Scottish Women
Has everything from rape crisis centres to traditional quilting.
Lots of organisations have sites housed within this one.
Glasgow Women's Library
-----------------------
http://www.womens-library.org.uk/
mailto:gwl@womens-library.org.uk
[1.21] Community information
http://www.mbn.co.uk/ascc/
Association of Scottish Community Councils
To be on a community council, you generally need to be on the electoral
roll for that council's area. Because the electoral roll is compiled in
November, but the elections to the community council are in September,
this means you must have been living in the community council's area for
between 10 and 22 months in order to be eligible to stand.
http://www.slainte.napier.ac.uk/ISC3815
Scottish community information
[1.22] National holidays
The usual 8 Scottish holidays are:
1 Jan Ne'ers day (for traditions see [12.16], [12.17])
2 Jan Scottish New Year holiday
Good Friday
May day holiday (First Monday in May)
Spring Holiday (Last Monday in May)
August holiday (First Monday in August)
25 Dec Christmas day (for traditions see [12.15])
26 Dec Boxing day
These holidays differ from England as follows:
England gets Easter Monday instead of 2 Jan.
England's August holiday is at the end of August.
There are also "harmonised" Scotland holidays in which Scotland gets the
holidays listed above except the August holiday is the English one
rather than the Scottish one. Scottish School holidays are generally the
end of June to the middle of August; about 2-3 weeks ahead of the
holidays in England.
Scotland also has local holidays at various times of the year, (eg
September) and also trade fairs fortnight. Edinburgh's is the first
two weeks in July, Glasgow's is the 3rd and 4th weeks in July. Although
it is called trades fortnight, the first day of the fortnight is widely
taken as a local holiday across many businesses, particularly public
sector. During this time, local travel may operate a cut down timetable.
[1.23] Sheep
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/
Everything you ever wanted to know about breeds of Sheep. Common Scottish
types are Cheviot, Shetland, Boreray, Hebridean, Orkney, Scottish Blackface.
[1.24] City status
A city in Scotland is a city because it has a Royal Charter. Having a
cathedral or university does not make a town a city (although many cities
have one or the other) In England a cathedral may be sufficient, I'm not
sure. In the US, I believe it's simply by population. The OED gives a
definition of city which they claim is UK wide but I feel is wrong
regarding Scotland. After an extensive debate on this in August 1999
under the topic "Dunfermerline - city status?" on soc.culture.scottish
(find it on http://groups.google.com/), I wrote to the OED regarding
this and the term "High School" which I also felt to be wrong.
Oxford University Press wrote back to me and said:
"I agree with you that the definitions of 'High School' and 'city' may
be misleading in respect to Scotland, and we will consider revising
them at the earliest opportunity."
Inverness was awarded city status for the millenium, Stirling was awarded
city status for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.
The "modern" cities are Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee,
Inverness, Stirling (based largely on population and recent Royal charters).
Ancient cities include Dunblane and Dunfermline.
[2.1] Celtic background
It is incorrect to think of Scotland as a wholly Celtic country.
Since the first millennium BC, Scotland has been a place of multiple
languages and this tradition continues today. First of all it was
Pictish and British; then Gaelic, Norse and Scots came and today it's
English, Scots and Gaelic. Nearly all of Scotland was once Gaelic speaking
except Orkney, Shetland and Caithness which had a variety of Norse
until recent times and East Lothian which was settled by the Angles.
Galloway had a Gaelic community which became separated from the Gaelic
speaking Highlands and Gaelic was still in use until about the 17th
century in Galloway. Gaelic is a Celtic language, like Irish, Scots is
a Germanic language like English.
"Poets, scholars and writers in Lowland Scotland up until the 16th century
readily acknowledged Gaelic to be the true and original Scottish language.
As we know, though, it was an incomer just as much as Anglo-Saxon! For
Walter Kennedy 'it suld be al trew Scottis mennis lede': ('Flyting with
Dunbar' c.1500)"
section quoted from "Gaelic: a past and future prospect", Kenneth Mackinnon.
Other notable reads include anything by the late Prof Kenneth Jackson,
particularly "A Celtic Miscellany", any of John Prebble's books (eg "1000
years of Scottish History") or Nigel Tranter ("The Story of Scotland").
The book "The Lyon in Mourning" about the Jacobite uprising is online
here:
http://www.nls.uk/print/transcriptions/lyon/vol2/browse/
Particularly recommended is Michael Lynch's "Scotland: A new history"
ISBN 0712698930. 517 pages, published 8-October-1992. The
Michael Lynch book is particularly excellent - I have a copy myself and
it was also recommended by a friend with a degree in Scottish History.
Vast in scope with 25 chapters spanning 18 centuries, from the Picts to
the 1980s and aimed at the general reader. However, will miss out on
anything related to The Scottish Parliament. More info here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0712698930/scottishmusiccom
The author is Professor of History at Edinburgh University and
President of the Historical Association of Scotland.
For the most up to date recommended guide on Scottish History, take
a look at The Oxford Companion to Scottish History edited by
Michael Lynch. Hardcover - 758 pages, published October 2001.
The Oxford Companion to Scottish History has more than 170 expert
contributors. It interprets history broadly, including archaeology,
architecture, climate, culture, folk belief, geology, and the langauages
of Scotland. It covers more than 20 centuries of history, including
immigrants, migrants, and emigrants. It extends from Orkney and
Shetland to Galloway, the Western Isles to the Borders. It deals
extensively with Scots abroad, from Canada to Russia to New Zealand.
It includes entries on historical figures from Columba, Macbeth,
and William Wallace to James (Paraffin) Young. It covers Burns Clubs,
curling, and shinty. It ranges from clans to Clearances and Covenanters.
More information and related books at the following link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0192116967/scottishmusiccom
If you're interested in Celtic mythology, an excellent online reference
is at
http://irelandnow.com/ulstercycle/frame.htm
Book information
----------------
Get more information on the books listed here
via our books page in association with Amazon.
http://www.siliconglen.com/Scotland/books/amazon.html#[2.1]
[2.2] Celtic art and font links
Clip art etc
============
http://home.ctnet.com/drew/celthome.html
http://home.ctnet.com/drew/knotwork.html
http://home.pi.net/~siteklj/cornwall.htm
http://members.aol.com/Cyrion7/celtic/
http://members.aol.com/ragnarok/artype/celtic/
http://people.wiesbaden.netsurf.de/~kikita/
http://webclipart.miningco.com/msub6.htm
http://webclipart.miningco.com/library/weekly/aa020698.htm
http://wvnvm.wvnet.edu/~cna00104/
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/5872/graphics.html
http://www.dickalba.demon.co.uk/
http://www.iserv.net/~scottish/
http://www.ceolas.org/clipart.html
http://www.celticlady.com/
http://www.planet.net/celtart/
http://www.siliconglen.com/joscelin/
http://www.siliconglen.com/craig/gaidhlig.html
http://www.underbridge.com/market/walker/
http://www.highlandersoftware.com/
Fonts
=====
http://members.aol.com/ragnarok/artype/celtic/
http://www.celticvoice.com/readings/gaeil1.htm
http://www.evertype.com/
http://www.indirect.com/www/engard/runes/runefont.html
http://www.ragnarokpress.com/artype/celtic/
http://www.ragnarokpress.com/scriptorium/2faces.html
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~smacsuib/fonts/
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~bigted/celtica/
http://www.vintagetype.com/
http://yeats.csufresno.edu/GAELIC-L.HTML
FTP sites
---------
ftp://ftp.winsite.com/pub/pc/win3/fonts/
Newsgroups
----------
See also the newsgroup news:comp.fonts
Information on Celtic fonts
---------------------------
Gaelic script, is not based on Irish Uncial, but Irish miniscule,
8th century style. The Anglo-Saxon miniscule of the tenth is exactly
the same script, plus thorn, wyn and edh (as exemplified by the 9th-century
gloss to the Linsfarne Gospels), so much so that some academics argue
that Gaelic script is derived from Anglo-Saxon miniscule, rather than
the other way round. It's an old quibble, arising from the similarity
of these two scripts. If you are looking for a definition of Gaelic
script, either could serve as a source.
Gaelic script is characterised by a triangular letter A, and leans towards
Italic rather than the round upright majuscule, or uncial proper. The book
of Durrow is a particularly good reference source.
[2.3] The Celtic cross
It isn't Christian nor Celtic. The oldest examples of the "Celtic"
cross are those engraved or painted on flat pebbles, dating from
10,000 BC and found in a cave in the French Pyrenees. These "ancestor
stones" were believed to contain the spirits of the dead.
In Scotland, The stones at Callanish are laid in the shape of a
Celtic cross. Callanish also predates Christ. It is possible the
Christians took the cross symbol from the Celts or Megalithic peoples
but certainly not that the Celts took the symbol from the Christians.
Links
-----
Information on megalithic sites is available at
http://www.placedirectory.com/stones/stones1.htm
Callanish info at
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/2621/callanis.htm
[2.4] Postgraduate courses in Celtic studies
There are three Celtic departments in Scotland
Edinburgh University, Glasgow University and Aberdeen University
Edinburgh
---------
Dept of Celtic, The University of Edinburgh,
19/20 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD
Fax: 0131 650 6536
Tel: 0131 650 3622
contact: Professor William Gillies
http://www.arts.ed.ac.uk/celtic/
Degrees available:
PhD (min 3 years); MLitt (min two years); MSc/Diploma (one year/nine months)
Entrance qualifications for all three is a good Honours degree in Celtic
studies or a related or relevant discipline, but I understand each case is
considered on its individual merits.
The MSc/Diploma is based around a series of prescribed specialisms
including literary, linguistic and historical options of which
candidates choose one. There isn't much specific info on the content of
the other courses
The Dept of Celtic was founded in 1882 and is the oldest in Scotland.
Current members include Prof William Gillies (head of dept), Ronald
Black and Roibeart O Maolalaigh. Allan MacDonald also takes part in
teaching. Nerys Ann Jones, Kenneth MacKinnon and Cathair O Dochartaigh
are Honorary Fellows of the Faculty of Arts in the field of Celtic
Studies.
Aberdeen
--------
Roinn na Ceilteis / Celtic Dept
University of Aberdeen
Taylor Building
King's College
Old Aberdeen
AB9 2UB
Tel: 01224 272549
Fax: 01224 272562
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~lng014/celtic_dept/
Glasgow
-------
Roinn na Ceilteis / Celtic Dept
Glasgow University
Glaschu
G12 8QQ
Tel: 0141 339 8855
mailto:celtic@arts.gla.ac.uk
Cathair O'Dochartaigh is the head of department at Glasgow and
Thomas Clancy (British Academy Post-Doctoral fellow) teaches
there.
It is said that Aberdeen, then Edinburgh then Glasgow give their students
the best opportunities to leave as fluent Gaelic speakers. Edinburgh also
has the School of Scottish Studies which is the world centre for Scottish
ethnology, folklore, traditions, customs etc (covers the whole of
Scotland, not just the Highlands).
The School of Scottish Studies offers courses in ethnology and
has strong links with the Dept of Celtic (both part of Edinburgh
University)
http://www.pearl.arts.ed.ac.uk/SoSS/
mailto:Scottish.Studies@ed.ac.uk
There may eventually also be courses on offer at the
University of the Highlands and Islands
http://www.uhi.ac.uk/
There is also a Celtic studies dept at St Francis Xavier University,
Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Ken Nilsen teaches at St FX, used to teach in
the Boston area see Dr Ken Nilsen's homepage at
http://juliet.stfx.ca/~knilsen/
For info on summer courses in Nova Scotia, see
http://www.ceilidhtrail.com/
There is also a Masters program at U. of Wales, Cardiff in Welsh
Ethnology
Jordanhill offers courses for people wishing to become Gaelic teachers
Jordanhill College
45 Chamberlain Road
Glaschu
G13 1SP
Clydebank College also offers Gaelic courses
Clydebank College
Kilbowie Road
Clydebank
Siorramachd Dhun Breatann
G81 2AA
There are also Celtic Studies departments at Harvard College and Stonehill
College (in Easton, Massachusetts) and the University of California at
Berkeley. There is an Irish Studies Program at Boston College.
See also
--------
http://www.yahoo.co.uk/Social_Science/Celtic_Studies/
[2.5] The history of language in Scotland
In Britain (including Scotland), Brythonic Celtic predates Gaelic by
almost 1000 years or so. Being spoken from Kent up to Glasgow and
across to Wales. Some people even suggest that Brythonic was spoken in
Ireland before Gaelic, but this notion begs the question... Where did
Gaelic come from and when? But that's another story. Pictish (possibly
Celtic) would probably predate even brythonic.
As to Gaelic and English in Scotland, The Highlands of Scotland were
occupied by Picts and the Lowlands were occupied by Brythonic Celts.
The Romans occupying the Lowlands during this time and when the Romans
left in 407, they left a weak kingdom, but still brythonic. The Scots
(Gaelic speaking) extended their region of Dalriada into Argyllshire,
between 500 and 550. The Angles extended the Kingdom of Northumbria
into Lothian, Berwick, Selkirk, Peebles and Roxburgh. As far as I am
aware these areas are in present day Scotland. The Angles spoke a
dialect of what is know today as "Old English". The Angles moved into
this area about 540 -600, these are rough dates. As time went
on, Scotland was left with 4 distinct areas. Dalriada, Pictland,
Strathclyde and Lothian (Northumbria). In 625 the Northumbrian Kingdom
stretched from the Humber to the Forth and was ruled by Edwin. In 685
the Northumbrians decided to try and extend Northumbria into Pictland
and hence invaded the Picts, but this was a big mistake. The
Northumbrian army was defeated by the Picts and eventually Northumbria
lost supremacy to the Southern Saxons. (Also why RP is based on
Southern English and Not Northumbrian ???). The Picts became the
supreme overlords of the Scots in Dalriada and the Brythonic Celts in
Strathclyde.
About 785, Pictland started to receive attacks from bands of Norse
invaders and these lead to Pictish defeats and in the 830 (approx), the
Norse invaders made permanent settlements.
In 843 Dalriada threw off Pictish control, where upon the Scots King
Kenneth MacAlpine laid claim to the Pictish throne through the Celtic
law of Tanistry. Followed by the union of the Picts and the Scots. The
now "United Kingdom" tried to oust the Northumbrians from Lothian but
were unsuccessful. At this time the Norse people occupied the Western
Isles, Northern Isles and Caithness.
The Scots allied themselves to the English to get rid of the Norse
Invaders and sometimes allied themselves with the Norse to get rid of
the English.
It was not until 1018 that the Scots Kingdom managed to remove Lothian
from the hands of the Northumbrians and in 1034 the Scots, Angles,
British and Picts were a United Kingdom of Scotland.
As far as I am aware MacBeth was the last of the Gaelic Kings, and he
himself was followed by Malcolm, whose wife (an English lass) moved the
royal court to Edinburgh around about 1070. At this time many
persecuted English people moved into Lothian from England due to Norman
Conquest. The English who were persecuted in England flourished in
Scotland.
The real point of all the above is that English has been spoken since
the 6th Century in Scotland. Not all of it but quite a large piece.
Modern Scots dates back to the first Angle invasions at this time.
Incidentally whilst parts of Scotland were English speaking, parts of
England were still Celtic speaking eg West Yorkshire Kingdom of Elmet
and part of Cumbria.
To sum up English has been spoken for longer in Edinburgh than in Leeds.
Nick Higham has written an excellent book on the history of Northumbria.
(The Kingdom of Northumbria AD 350-1100)
[2.6] Celtic knotwork
Article by S Walker (mailto:swalker706@aol.com)
Celtic knots or Celtic interlace are ornamental patterns that first became
associated with Celtic people in the early Celtic Church where they were
used to decorate Bible manuscripts, monuments (notably Celtic crosses and
cross slabs) and jewellery. They probably were used in other media such as
wood carving and textiles but these have not survived.
Knotwork tradition in manuscript painting probably came to Ireland with
displaced Coptic monks from Egypt by way of St. Martins monastery at
Tours (in what is now France) in the 4th or 5th century. This is not a
settled issue as far as the art historians are concerned but the best
evidence I have seen points to Coptic prototypes. From Ireland the style
spread to Scotland (then Pictland and Dalriada), Wales and Northumbria and
with missionaries of the Celtic Church to Europe. Viking raiders later
appropriated some of the design concepts into a more chaotic style of
animal interlace.
Celtic knots are complete loops with no end or beginning. Celtic animal
interlace is similar in construction but the cords terminate in feet,
heads, tails etc. The animal designs are very much influenced by an older
Saxon tradition of abstract beast forms that when combined with the new
more sophisticated knotwork of the Celtic designers became known as
Hiberno-Saxon. A good Celtic artist will never end a strand that is not
stylised into a zoomorphic element or spiral. Rather pure knots should
always be unending. On this point of ornamental grammar you can
distinguish much that is made to look like Celtic design by designers who
do not really know the tradition. The Coptic examples of knotwork that
pre-date the early Irish work are consistent this way while the Roman and
Germanic examples of knotwork that sometimes are cited as possible sources
often have loose ends. The way that ribbons are coloured in some of the
early Irish work, particularly the BOOK OF DURROW is the same as the
Coptic preference and there is a parallel evolution in Moorish design.
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