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January 25, 2008

Arts and Crafts in the Shetlands

Shetland Jewellery
Arts/Crafts Premises
Kenneth Rae
Soundside
ZE2 9LQ Weisdale

Destination: Central Mainland

Shetland Wool Carpeting Ltd
Arts/Crafts Premises
Tommy Irvine
Tamara Longwell
ZE2 9HG Cunningsburgh

Destination: South Mainland

Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com

Outher websites: Cruise Tour Planners

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January 23, 2008

BEST ENGLAND ITINERARY 10 DAYS

ENGLAND LUXURY SELF DRIVE

Drive down a highway in a Mini Cooper Convertible or take to a winding mountain road in a sleek Jaguar. Whether it’s browsing the antique or craft shops, ambling along the cobbled pedestrian areas, or hiring a small boat and drifting along the river, there are many things to do in England. To make these luxury vacations even more enticing, the specialists at Lynott Tours have put together this wonderful collection of extraordinary hotels and inns.

Day 1 – ROCHESTER/CANTERBURY Travel to Rochester, once of the home of Dickens. The city’s Victorian High Street glows with the sights and sounds of a scene of more than a century ago. You wander the streets of the charming village to enjoy the spirit of the past that is recreated here. Continue on to the lovely old city of Canterbury. In the early evening, you may attend “Evensong” at the majestic Canterbury Cathedral, immortalized since the days of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Dating back to the 1830s, Abbots Barton Hotel is set within two acres of tranquil gardens, a short walk from the town centre.

Day 2 – AVEBURY/BATH Visit Avebury. Not as well known as Stonehenge, it is the largest and most impressive of the great stone circles of the Bronze Age. Today you travel to Bath, the most elegant of cities, with its World Heritage Sites. Leigh Park Hotel & Vineyard is a classical Georgian Country House hotel set in five acres of landscaped gardens with its own walled garden and vineyard, overlooking the picturesque Wiltshire Downs.

Day 3 – BRISTOL/PLYMOUTH/DEVON This morning, after a drive to admire the rugged beauty of Cheddar Gorge, continue on to Glastonbury, the legendary burial site of King Arthur, with its Abbey ruins. From here, drive into Devon by the wild and rugged Dartmoor National Park, and to the historic naval port of Plymouth, where the Mayflower set sail. The boggy moorland of Dartmoor contrasts with the genteel towns of the coastal areas. “The Remains of the Day” was filmed at Powderham Castle, Devon, and Corsham Court in Devon.

Day 4 – CORNISH EXCURSION Enjoy a delightful day touring this beautiful area and rugged coastline of Cornwall where the melodic voices of fishermen singing sea shanties still reverberate around quaint fishing villages. Visit the artists’ colony of St. Ives, Land’s End, and St. Michael’s Mount near Penzance. At this point you are standing on the most westerly point of the English mainland. St. Ives is also the home of the Tate Gallery, that offers a unique introduction to modern art, and the stunning Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Day 5 – COTSWOLDS Half the joy of antique buying comes from the thrill of discovery. Experience it for yourself in the Cotswolds. Set amidst the honey colored stone villages are many small and interesting outlets. Visit Burford, which specializes in hunting and sporting antiques, an example of the diversity of the area. The market town of Stow on the Wold is your Cotswolds hotel - home for the night. The Grapevine Hotel is a 17th-century townhouse hotel with a country house feel .

Day 6 – OXFORD/BLENHEIM PALACE Once in Oxford, wander around Oxford’s famous college quads, which have provided inspiration to the likes of Lewis Carroll and J.R.R. Tolkien, and set locations for Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter. Visit Blenheim Palace, residence of the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Winston Churchill, his cousin. It is the greatest building of the English Baroque style. Linton Lodge is an Edwardian townhouse set in 11/2 acres of gardens. Facilities available include fine dining in the oak paneled restaurant, croquet lawn and a 9-hole putting green.

Day 7 – YORKSHIRE DALES/CASTLE HOWARD You explore the gentle Yorkshire Dales, with their many hues of green. Lush farmland and stone walls blend into an area of unique contrasts and beauty. Travel to Haworth where the Bronte Parsonage stands. This is where Emily wrote Wuthering Heights – you may still feel the presence in the moors of Heathcliff and Catherine. There are miniature books that the sisters made as children, tiny slippers, and manuscripts and drawings. You visit Castle Howard, containing many treasures, and known as the setting for “Brideshead”. Stay at Middlethorpe Hall, a William III country house, close to the city, set in 20 acres of its own gardens and parkland. Built in 1699, it was once the home of the famous diarist, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. The gardens and parkland have also been restored and include ha ha’s, a white garden, a walled garden, and a small lake.

Day 8 – DISCOVER YORK/SHOPPING Visit York, another great city dating back to the Romans and Vikings, with its stately Minster and narrow streets. The finest feature of York Minster is the rose window commemorating the end of the War of the Roses. You shop in the medieval Shambles, the shopping district with streets so narrow that the buildings on both sides of the streets nearly touch.

Day 9 – ANCIENT LINCOLN/ CAMBRIDGE The old Roman city of Lincoln boasts a Normal Cathedral, built in 1072 and now one of the finest medieval buildings in Europe. Cambridge is next. The Romans used Cambridge as an inland port. In 1068, William the Conqueror built a castle here. Cambridge has a wealth of historic buildings, and much of its charm lies in winding back streets and passages. You take a walk among the “Backs”, the Mathematical Bridge and venerable colleges, or take a scenic punt or gentle gondola cruise along the river Cam.

Day 10 – HOMEWARD OR ASK US FOR OTHER GREAT IDEAS TO EXTEND YOUR TRIP.

Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com >

Outher websites: Cruise Tour Planners

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January 17, 2008

BEST WALES ITIENARARY

Wales Discovered - 7 day tour
See the most awesome castles of North and South Wales, including the largest and most spectacular, Caerphilly Castle. Take time to enjoy the inspiring beauty of Snowdonia National Park. See England's famous sights on your return to London.
Day 1. Chepstow - Tintern Abbey - Caerphilly (overnight South Wales)
Day 2. Brecon Beacons - Powis Castle - Mountain tour (overnight Mid Wales - Lake Vyrnwy)
Day 3. Harlech Castle - Portmeirion - Betws Y Coed (overnight North Wales - Lake Vyrnwy)
Day 4. Conwy Castle - Bodnant Gardens (overnight North Wales - Empire)
Day 5. Snowdonia National Park - Beaumaris Castle (overnight North Wales - Empire)
Day 6. Peak District National Park - Chatsworth (overnight Cotswold - Elms)
Day 7. Cotswold Touring - Blenheim Palace - Oxford (return London - Cranley)

Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com >

Outher websites: Cruise Tour Planners

from http://www.last-names.net/Articles/Scottish-Names.asp

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January 16, 2008

Scottish Last Names

Thinking About Scottish Surnames
– Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA (Scot)

Millions of North Americans are descended from Scottish ancestors. To search successfully for their roots, they need a good foundation of information, including an understanding of the derivation and distribution of Scottish surnames.

The Basics of Scottish Surname Derivation
Scottish names derive from patronymics (e.g., Robertson), occupations (Burgess), local features or places (Guthrie), and nicknames (Inglis, meaning English). Patronymic names make up a large proportion of Scottish surnames, and use of them lingered in parts of the Highlands well into the 1800s. As for occupational names, only a few spring from Gaelic origins. As for nicknames, not all "Mac" names indicate a clan affiliation, and many fewer of these remain in use today than have existed in the past.

With Scottish surnames, it is worth remembering that the border with England in no way prevented names from crossing over, and that people moved constantly between Ireland and Scotland. Roots of some Scottish surnames can be traced to the followers of William the Conqueror, to Norse and Flemish origins (present-day Belgium), and to several other countries of Europe.

Surname Variations in Research Materials
Looking up surnames is almost irresistible; we come across a book about surnames, and we look up a few. How many of us then try to find the name in other surname books or take time to determine the perspective or purpose of the compilers, and then stop to consider the relevance of the information to our own research?

Here are some examples in the form of brief summaries of what can be found for three names in two reference works.

From Black, George F. The Surnames of Scotland. Edinburgh: Birlinn, 1999 (first published by the New York Public Library, 1946).

Irvine: of territorial origin, Irving in Dumfriesshire and Irvine in Ayrshire; the Dumfriesshire parish was the chief source of the name; the charter of the Barony of Drum dates from1324; an offshoot of the Aberdeenshire family appears in Shetland in the mid-1500s; in Northern Ireland, the name has become confused with the Irish Erwin. (p. 378)
Blackhall: from the lands of Blackhall in the regality of Garioch, Aberdeenshire; hereditary coroners and foresters for the earldom of the Garioch from before 1400; family declined in the 1600s, and their lands and offices were acquired by the Burnetts. (p. 79)

McPhee: one of the oldest personal names; the home of the clan was probably the island of Colonsay; in Gaelic, it is MacDhubhshith, meaning "black one of peace"; a family in South Uist were known as "black fairy" apparently for their knowledge of the fairies. (p. 493)

From Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Glasgow: HarperCollins, 1995.

Irvine: one and the same as Irving; from the place in Ayrshire, meaning green water (from the Brittonic ir afon); widespread in Scotland since the late Medieval period; The Irvines of Drum were the most important landed family of the name; at some point it migrated to Ireland. (p. 156)
Blackhall: no listing

McPhee: a form of MacDhubhshith which means "son of the Black Fairy"; established in South Uist and Colonsay; the MacPhees were record keepers to the Lords of the Isles; their chief was murdered in 1623, and the clan dispersed; many of this name were tinkers roving the fringes of the Highlands. (p. 231)

If nothing else, these variations show that acceptance of the explanation in one reference book is unwise, and that there are hazards in attempting to interpret and explain origins of surnames. In this example, both Black and Dorward caution against relying upon simple definitions and provide information on early written references. Black did extensive research into the earliest written forms of surnames and briefly notes the type of record, the date, and the place for many. He also lists variations (there are forty-five for Irvine). Dorward offers early historical references as well.

Personal Research Tips
If there is good reason to be skeptical about what books have to say, there is, also, a good deal to be gained by carrying out personal surname research. This is especially helpful when the proverbial roadblock appears, as it no doubt will. Names can be uncommon in one place and common in another, or common at one time and uncommon at another. Early on, it is advisable to investigate distribution, both in Scotland as a whole, and in the geographic area where research is concentrated. The various indexes to Scottish parish registers are readily accessible and are ideal tools for such an exercise.

It is also helpful to learn something about variations and changes in names and how they came about. For example, some parishes had very few surnames amongst the inhabitants; Gaelic names were translated and anglicized; the "Mac" was dropped from many names; and some Gaelic names disappeared when families moved to the Lowlands and chose something else. Careful study of local documents such as church registers will help in following the changes.

For example, the village of Findochty in Banffshire had, among 182 families, just four surnames: Flett, Sutherland, Smith, and Campbell (Black, Surnames of Scotland, p. xxxii). There were not a lot of forenames either, so many people bore the same name. To cope with the confusion, the inhabitants invented nicknames ("to-names") or, in a written record, inserted the name of a wife or parent to distinguish one from another. In some fishing villages, the name of the fisherman's boat would be added to his name.

In Argyllshire among the changes recorded for Gaelic names include McIlvernock changing to Graham and McNewcater to Walker (Glasgow and West of Scotland FHS, Argyll People, 1999, p.25). Looking only for alternate spellings is of no help in a case like this. Gaelic was declining in use, and a local official faced with writing difficult names in a register or minute book opted for something simpler.

With respect to Scottish names, the most common questions by those inexperienced in genealogical research are about clans and tartans. Many people assume that if their name is Scottish, they must have both, and it must be easy to look it up in a book. Septs (an Irish term meaning "division") of clans are fewer in number than many books describe, and not every family has a tartan associated with it. A good place to begin looking for more information is the Collins Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia (George Way and P. Squire, HarperCollins, 1994).

Editor’s Note: For more information on this topic, see the book Your Scottish Ancestry: A Guide for North Americans. It is one of today's product specials and is on sale for $15.95.

Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA (Scot) has been researching her British ancestry for twenty-five years. She began lecturing in 1984 and has operated Interlink Bookshop and Genealogical Services since 1988. She is the author of Your Scottish Ancestry: A Guide for North Americans and Your English Ancestry: A Guide for North Americans.

Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com >

Outher websites: Cruise Tour Planners

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January 14, 2008

Shetland Museums Scotland

Bod of Gremista, Gremista, Lerwick
Tommy Watt
Lower Hillhead
ZE1 0EL Lerwick, shetland.museum@zetnet.co.uk

Destination: Lerwick

Shetland Crofthouse Museum, Dunrossness
Tommy Watt
Lower Hillhead Lerwick
ZE1 0EL Dunrossness, shetland.museum@zetnet.co.uk

Destination: Lerwick

Shetland Museum and Archives, Lerwick
Museum
Tommy Watt
Hay's Dock
ZE1 0WP Lerwick, info@shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk

Destination: Lerwick

Shetland Textile Working Museum
Museum
Custodian
Weisdale Mill
ZE2 9LW Weisdale

Destination: Central Mainland

Tangwick Haa Museum
Museum
Ann Irvine
Eshaness
ZE2 9RS Shetland

Destination: North Mainland

Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com

Outher websites: Cruise Tour Planners

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January 07, 2008

BEST SCOTLAND ITINERARY 1 WEEK

Scotland Discovered - 7 day tour
This tour will give you a chance to explore the Isle of Skye, see the sublime mountains cloaked in mists. See lochs, castles set in stunning scenery. Visit St Andrews, the home of golf and see the university once attended by the two Prince's William and Harry.
Day 1. Leave Edinburgh - Stirling Castle - Kilchurn Castle (overnight Oban)
Day 2. Camelot - Kilmartin Glen - Ancient tombs (overnight Argyll - Enmore)
Day 3. Glen Coe - Fort William - Glen Finnian (overnight Skye - Cullin Hills)
Day 4. Isle of Skye - Old Man of Storr - Fairy Glen (overnight Skye - Cullin Hills)
Day 5. Eilean Donan Castle - Loch Ness - Highlands (overnight Highlands - Isles of Glencoe)
Day 6. Grampian Mountains - Ruthven - Atholl (overnight Pitlochry - Atholl Palace)
Day 7. Dunkeld - Kingdom of Fife - St Andrews (overnight Edinburgh Bonham)

Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com >

Outher websites: Cruise Tour Planners

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January 03, 2008

BEST ENGLAND ITINERARY 1 WEEK

England Explored - 7 day tour
Explore England in more depth. Seven days gives you enough time to see the wide variety of landscapes and experience regional culture. You will discover ever changing scenery, palaces, ancient Cathedral cities and delightful villages. A nation of quirks, that's best enjoyed over afternoon teas in an English country garden or over a pint of beer in a quiet country pub, preferably in an oddly named village.

Day 1. Stonehenge - Winchester - Bath ( overnight Bath Pear Tree)
Day 2. Cotswolds - Oxford - Blenheim Palace ( overnight Cotswold Swan at Bibury)
Day 3. Peak District National Park - Lake district ( overnight Lakes - Dale Head)
Day 4. Lakes touring - The Gondola boat - Gardens ( overnight Lakes -Dale Head)
Day 5. Yorkshire Dales - Fountains Abbey - Castle Howard ( overnight York Monk Fryston )
Day 6. Discover York - Shopping - York Minster ( overnight York Monk Fryston )
Day 7. Ancient Lincoln - Cambridge city ( return to London )

Ellen McNulty is President of www.lynotttours.com >

Outher websites: Cruise Tour Planners