Scott Clan Gathering 2014 - Scotland

River Tweed at Abbotsford House

It was very special to return to Scotland in June and attend a gathering of Scott Clan which was held between Bowhill House, the Borders home to the Chief of Clan Scott, Duke Richard Scott and Abbotsford House, historic home of Sir Walter Scott.

Desk and Study Where Sir Walter Scott Did Much of His Writing.

Abbotsford Historic Home of Sir Walter Scott

Abbotsford being newly restored with the addition of an interpretative centre and the conversion of a family wing into accommodation has put the operation on the tourist radar once again as a top literary mecca and now, a wedding venue.

Hope Scott Wing

The accommodation wing was added to the historic house by Sir Walter's granddaughter, and is now called the Hope Scott Wing.


It was a very special opportunity to stay in the Hope Scott Wing, along with other members of Clan Scott Society.

The Sir Walter Scott room at Bowhill House

Bowhill House

Events included two days of touring Scott Country in the Scottish Borders, with knowledgeable guides and special events and dinners hosted at both Bowhill and Abbotsford.

Tours of both houses - real treasure houses - set in the countryside, remains a major highlight.

With Scotts in attendance from around the world, it was a reminder how Scotland remains an important ancestral connection for many Scottish families no matter how many generations ago their ancestors left to pursue new opportunities in distant lands.

To be warmly welcomed back to an area that remains so rich in ancestral area for Scotts was much appreciated.

Bowhill House

Clans 2014! - An International Gathering of Clans - July 11 - 13, 2014

Stirling, Scotland  

AFTER A LONG ANTICIPATION, IT IS OFFICIAL: Stirling Council has  followed on to EventScotland's recent announcement of funding for  Scotland's 2014 Year of Homecoming with a huge announcement of their  own: Stirling will host an international gathering of clans, proposed  for 11 - 13 July 2014 to coincide with the Sekonda Stirling Highland Games.  The 2014 clan gathering is envisioned to take place across a number  of venues in Stirling, and is planned to feature:     

* Clans Village     

* Cavalcade procession between the Clan Village and the Castle     

* Entertainment on the Esplanade     

* A program of musical and other cultural events in other key venues  From the looks of it, things are going to be absolutely hopping in  Scotland in 2014, especially in Stirling. In addition to all of the  regular cultural and entertainment events in the area, and in  addition to Clans 2014 International Clan Gathering, Stirling Council  plans to add the following events in 2014:     

* A packed Bannockburn 700 Weekend, featuring re-enactments, the  official opening of the National Trust for Scotland's new Visiter Centre     

* A potential youth arts festival and schools event     

* A "Stirling Tastes Good" food and drink festival in September     

* A potential angling festival Of course, the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs has already  committed host to a 2nd International Clan Convention to conduct the  global business of the Clans, in 2014, most likely also in Stirling  and well coordinated with Clans 2014, Bannockburn 700 etc. COSCA and  Standing Council will partner in America to ensure that American  Scots are well integrated into all of the 2014 events, especially the  Clan Convention.  This is going to be fun. Stay tuned for more info as it becomes  available. Buy more luggage. Go here to take a peek at Stirling Council's excellent 2014 website: 

 http://www.stirling2014.co.uk/ 

Yours, aye!  - Susan L. McIntosh, President

Research Your Nova Scotia Family Tree

The Research Your Nova Scotia Family Tree site has an innovative approach to showing geographically the concentrations for surnames within the province (in orange) - with an overlay of the local historical organizations/museums (in blue) which helps researchers in locating resources that could be of assistance to the search.

The example shown is for the Scott family name.


Check it out at: Research Your Nova Scotia Family Tree

Sir Walter Scott -- Clan Scott Celebrates His Birthday

Every August 15, Clan Scott celebrates the birthday of one of the more illustrious members, Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). Widely recognized today at having created the historical novel as a literary genre - in his own day he was widely regarded for all forms of literature that he created: poetry, biography, criticism, and history.

An active lawyer who held important judicial positions in Scottish society it appears that there was a concern that his day job should not be overshadowed by his growing fame as a novelist and thus he wrote with a pen name as "the author of Waverley" despite wide public knowledge of the true identity of the author.

He achieved a worldwide readership at a time that this was rare, and was knighted as a baronet in 1819.

Clan Scott Society Gathering 2009

Check out the new site at Homecoming Scotland 2009 specifically for
Clan Scott Society Gathering 2009

Clan Scott Society Gathering - 2009 - Bowhill - Scotland

New items were recently added to the schedule of events.

The following item is now showing in the calendar of events:

Sunday 27 Sept 2009 11.30
Open Air Ecumenical Service - admission free (collection)
Above St Marys Loch

as well details regarding an event the same afternoon is now more complete

Sun 27 Sept 2009 1pm Walks round Estate,
display of Buccleuch Fox Hounds, Ox roast BBQ to bid farewell to the Scotts.
- £10 location - Bowhill Courtyard

Booking for this event can be made through the booking site
http://www.thebooth.co.uk/

Ticket Booking Update

The ticket booking system for Clan Scott Gathering being held at Bowhill House and Country Estate in September 2009 is now working well. Instructions on the Bowhill site provide directions to type in the term Clan Scott in the search box at the top of the page above the map of Scotland at the ticket site.
http://www.thebooth.co.uk/

This will produce the full list of events. This method is much easier to access than the method I had listed (below) last evening. Some of these events are free to overseas members of Clan Scott Society and they are listed among the ticketed items so be sure to check out the way to register for the free events, by email if you qualify. The events and email address is listed in the blog entry below.

Booking of Clan Scott Events Has Begun

The registration for the various limited enrollment events at the Clan Scott Gathering in Scotland this Sept has begun. For more information get the full list of events at the Bowhill site
http://www.bowhill.org/public/news/homecoming20091

Actual booking of the events is through a private ticket selling site that has other Scottish events listed. Using Clan Scott in the search box at the top above the map of Scotland will sort the events involved. If you don't sort them you need to know the name of the venue for each event to find each of the Clan Scott events. Each venue is listed in the drop down menu. Most of the events are listed under Bowhill House - Bowhill Estate or Bowhill Theatre, but other events are listed under three other venues called

1. Marketplace, Selkirk Events;
2. Victoria Hall, Selkirk Events and
3. Abbotsford House, Melrose, Borders

Just do the search for Clan Scott on the registration site and everything will nicely sort as a list of events.

One item requires no registration. A free will offering will be received at the service.

Sun Sept 27, 2009 11.30 am Open Air Ecumenical Service - Above St Marys Loch

As well some events are free to overseas Clan Scott members but are listed with a price on the ticket site. Rather than buying a ticket for those events you should request a free ticket if you are an overseas member of the Clan Scott Society. For these free events you can contact the organizers with your Clan Scott Society membership number at the email address below.

Wednesday September 23, 2009 7:30 pm
Welcome with traditional music and light supper for overseas guests - location: County Hotel, Selkirk
Free to overseas Clan Scott members on application to bht@buccleuch.com
Tickets limited to 50 people

Saturday September 26, 2009 10 am - 4 pm
Tented Village: local crafts, Genealogy, Clan Parade, Storytelling, Re-enactment of Carterhaugh Ba’ Game and much more
£10 per car, Free for overseas Clan Scott members on application to to bht@buccleuch.com
- location Bowhill Gardens and Estate

Other events that require advance tickets are handled through
https://www.thebooth.co.uk/
They are listed by venue but most will sort in a list type Clan Scott in the search box at the top of page above the map of Scotland. This is an easy route to see all the events Otherwise if can't find an event try looking under each venue. The actual venue title is listed below in red. These include:

Thursday September 24, 2009 10am-5pm
Bus Tour of Scott Country - visits to Abbotsford, Melrose, Aikwood Tower and Dryburg
£10, including light lunch of local produce.
- location: Around the Scottish Borders
Is listed under Marketplace, Selkirk Events

Thursday September 24, 2009 7:30 pm - also on other evenings as well.
Theatre Performance The Ragged Lion presented by Rowan Tree Theatre Company
£10 (numbers limited to 70)
- location: Bowhill Theatre
listed under Bowhill Theatre, Selkirk, Borders
Friday September 25, 2009 2-5 pm

Tours of Bowhill House - Bowhill House and tea with 10th Duke of Buccleuch. 4 tours with tickets limited to 20 per tour.
£15 (80 tickets in total) Timed Tickets
- location: Bowhill House
listed under Bowhill House, Selkirk Events
called Bowhill House Tour

Friday September 25 1:30-4:30
Ranger led tours of Bowhill Woodlands. 3 tours with tickets limited to 40 per tour
£5 (120 tickets in total) Timed Tickets
- location: Bowhill Country Estate
listed under Bowhill House, Selkirk, Borders
event is called Ranger led tours of Bowhill Grounds & Gardens

Friday September 25 7 pm
Reception Dinner at Abbotsford for overseas guests
£50 Limited to 40
Abbotsford House, Melrose. Transport provided to and from Selkirk
listed under Abbotsford House, Melrose, Borders

Friday September 25 7:30 pm
Concert and Ceilidh Dancing, singing, entertainment.
£25
- location: Victoria Hall, Selkirk
listed under Victoria Hall, Selkirk Events
event is called Scottish Concert and Ceilidh

Saturday September 26, 2009 10 am - 4 pm
Tented Village: local crafts, Genealogy, Clan Parade, Storytelling, Re-enactment of Carterhaugh Ba’ Game and much more
£10 per car, Free for overseas Clan Scott members on application to to bht@buccleuch.com
- location Bowhill Gardens and Estate
listed under Bowhill Estate, Selkirk Events
called Tented Village
Note- as mentioned above, this is listed as a ticketed event on the ticket agency site but is free for overseas members of Clan Scott Society so request tickets directly by email, if this applies to you.

Saturday September 26, 2009 7:30 pm
Evening Concert with SCOCHA – traditional Scottish folk rock band
£10
- location Bowhill Gardens
listed under Bowhill Estate, Selkirk, Borders

Sunday September 27, 2009 1 pm
Walks round Estate, display of Buccleuch Fox Hounds, Ox roast BBQ to bid farewell to the Scotts. For Scott Clan members.
£10
- location Bowhill Courtyard
listed under - Bowhill House, Selkirk Events
called Barbeque to say farewell to the Scotts