A Choice Sampling at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland

Some of Livingston history centers around Linlithgow Palace - Alexander, first Earl of Livingston had as his royal responsibility to maintain this palace for King James the 6th as his summer residence. This was a sugar spun fairy castle as castles go in rough and tumble Scotland. Enough to make one wonder if the Countess Livingston did have truck with Midsummer Fairies as the Presbyter of Linlithgow was want to charge in that fateful summer of 1602.

The downward spiral of the Livingstons accelerates.

That next-to-last photo I consider quite a scoop which I doubt can be duplicated as the seal was found in an old file cabinet where it lay in a brown paper bag since the dismantelling of the Livingston Chapel and the removal of the Earl and his Countess's remains for safe keeping.

(1)The beautiful "pond" built for royal 
entertainments as viewed from the 
highest tower.

(2)The exterior old front wall where 
the draw bridge fit into the wall and 
the winding road lead to the edge of 
the moat.

(3)The great banquet hall with 
a fire place the size of my condo with 
the edge of the musician's gallery seen.

(4)The back of the castle's church 
where until recently the ruins of 
the Livingston burial chapel stood.

(5)The disturbed soil outside the 
Alexander I chapel where the bones of 
some poor Livingston lie scattered on 
the surface,

(6)The lead seal of Alexander's coffin 
showing the marriage of the house of 
Callendar and Livingston mounted on the 
coat of arms with Linlithgow tree in the 
center per the Lyon Register.  I consider
this photo quite a scoop.

(7)The Livingston/Callendar Coat 
of Arms as seen in the armory at the royal 
palace in Edinburgh.

And Now A Bit of Airth Castle

Susan and I stayed overnight at Airth Castle. I selected a dungeon room under the nearest tower that had beautiful view of the moat as well as a few inches of green sward above the moat.

Seriously, the suite could not have 
been more comfortable but Susan elected 
to move across the wabe to the more 
modern motel as the stuffed armor's 
borne weapons tended to give her nighttime 
discomfort.

Please use the BACK button to return to your calling page.