On Sunday it was still in the 90s and we had breakfast at Copper Kettle. Lincoln's game today was at noon and again he was great. Went to the "Beach restaurant" as Gus calls Clare and Don's, then went home to watch "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" which Gus had just finished. He was so excited and sat right up under me, cuddling me the entire film (and keeping me awake as I dozed off a few times).
made by Gus at school
Monday I said an early goodbye to Lincoln then Laura and I walked Gus to school. Laura took Ray and me to lunch at Cava then we headed to the First Class Lounge of Virgin Atlantic for our flight to London. My super travel guide husband had somehow obtained us 2 Upper Class seats one-way to London for TEN DOLLARS!!! We had a snack of Salmon Bruschetta then our entrees--I had the salmon. The flight was great along with the food. Just wish I had asked for more pillows as I usually sleep on a "tower" of them and lying so flat got my sinuses going.
Tuesday morning we landed early and continued on to the Underground tube which was very very crowded and took us to London's King's Cross.
Platform 9 3/4 with its Super long line--we were the only ones here in 2001. Now you have a 2 hour wait to have your photo taken here.
Wednesday we had breakfast at Wetherspoons at Waverley then picked up our rental car. Very nice caar, but they really should give you at least a manual for it so that when warning lights go off, you have some idea of what's happening. Evidently there is a Lane Drift Warning Symbol that will go off over and over again until you turn it off. Who knows what's happening with the Tire Pressure symbols, but the tires are fine. It would also help if Ray would give his navigator a crash course in how to read his strange way of doing maps--otherwise she might advise him to turn left when right would've been MUCH more efficient.
Found a possible reason that Scottish people roll their R's--driving on cobblestone roads! Haha It was so funny that our GPS voice--which is our regular GPS-- that we brought with us and programmed with maps for the UK-- seemed to be trying to speak with a British accent! She kept saying "Pock Place" when she meant Park Place.
We headed for Midhope Castle, but the Farm Shop where you get your pass was hopelessly crowded with a long long line so we passed.
Next stop was Kilconquhar, where it is said may be the birthplace of one of the lines of Scott families that moved to America and may be my line. Kilconquhar is a lovely little town.
This is Colinsburgh Town Hall on the way to Kilconquhar
Knockers Cottage, where a Miss Wimbush lived in the 19th c.
drive towards the church
The Milestone in front of the church is one of the proper old milestones of Fife with the distances marked in eighths of a mile and Very precise.
The Kinneuchar Inn (a pub) from the 18th c. is across from the church.
Witches were drowned in the loch behind the church at one time. Now they have curling there when it is frozen.
Kilconquhar (pronounced "Kin-uck-ar") was the seat of the Culdee Church and the first
mention appears in 1177 along with a chapel. It started off with a nave and chancel.
It was said to have had an earthen floor, no heating, and the main part
would have been a large open space. The congregation would bring their own stools or benches and the galleries were accessed by ladder. The only people with seats would be the great
and the good. The Elder’s seats had a
lock and key to the door. Fishermen and
tenants would be allocated seating.
Services were long, and sometimes 2 or 3 sermons were preached. This caused the congregation to be restless
and moving in and out of the building and at times inattentive. The Elders were expected to keep order and in
1649 records suggest they were policing the galleries checking on those who did
not pay attention, made a noise, or left before the sermon, and admonishing the
offenders.
Old records of Kilconquhar show the 1835 male head of a family was John Scott, court cases of John Scott v. Archibald Scott in 1772, Archibald Scott of Rossie, Patrick Kerr v. Archibald Scott in 1782, and a Count Patrick Leslie (possibly Isabel’s father? B. 1733 Cameron, Fife and d. 1815). In Statistical Acct of Old Scotland from 1792, in Kilconquhar, there were 13 landowners, 1 writer,, 11 merchants 20 farmers, 10 innkeepers and brewers, 8 smiths, 89 weavers, 23 tailors, 18 masons, 21 sailors, 3 butchers, 12 gardeners, 46 shoemakers, 8 bakers, 4 flax-dressers, 2 coopers, 2 millers, 6 saddlers, 1 clerk, and 2 tanners.
My ancestors were Robert Scott 2 June 1748 Kingsbarns or Kilconquhar-1807 PA, m. to Isabel Leslie 1750 Kingbarns—1836 Kingsbarns. Robert’s father was Alexander Scott b. 1715 or 1720 23 Feb in Kilconquhar, m. to Rachel Rob 1720-1791 04 May, both in Kilconquhar.
My 7th GGF, Alexander Scott b. 1720/15 Kilconquhar d. 1787 in Scotland or New Hampshire, m.
Rachel Rob 1720 Kilconquhar d. 1791 Kilconquhar.
HIS son, Robert Scott 1748 Kingsbarns or
Kilconquhar d. 1807 Pigeon Crk, PA was my 6th GGF. He was born in 1748 in Kingsbarns and he lived here with his wife, Isabel Leslie. One source says he was a weaver from Pitmilly, Kingsbarns. They had sons James in 1776, Atchibald in 1778, William in 1784, and Robert in 1786.
There was a John Scott who, in Sept 1797, was on the Clock & Watch List and living at Balboothie in Kilconquhar.
Two more recent Scotts were preachers in the area--one a Rev. Alexander Scott who died in 1842 and Adam Scott who was in Earlsferry in 1835.
Nearby is the lonely Lady's Tower.
My 8th Great Grandfather was John Scott who was born at Aldunie Cabrach in 1682 and died in Clackmannan in 1752. It is said that he lived in a cottage just outside of town on Lookaboutye Brae and I found a possible cottage on Google, but with the day getting long and still pouring rain, we gave up.
Main Street in Clackmannan
Got to the hotel--Premier Inn Sterling South--and had dinner at the Pirnhall Inn/Brewer's Fayre. I had Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas then a Lemon Tart which was heavenly.
