ASVA E-ZINE

Welcome to the April 2024 edition of the ASVA E-Zine

asva.co.uk [email protected] 07458 306982

Massacre, uprising and rebellious Royals remembered at National Library

January 2015

One of the most chilling documents in the entire annals of Scottish history – the handwritten order for the massacre of Glencoe – is a centrepiece of a new exhibition marking the 300th anniversary of the 1715 Jacobite uprising.

On a bleak February day in 1692, 38 MacDonalds were slaughtered because of their suspected Jacobite sympathies by Government soldiers who had earlier accepted the MacDonalds' hospitality. Some 40 women and children later died from exposure in freezing conditions after their homes were burned to the ground.

This treacherous chapter in a bloody 50-year struggle to re-establish the Stuart monarchy is told in the exhibition Game of Crowns which opened last month at the National Library of Scotland. It explains a turbulent period of British history through its key characters and, in the process, brings alive the dynastic, political and religious wrangling within a network of royal families, fed by the Catholic and Protestant sympathies of the time.

The MacDonalds' "crime" was that they had been slow to swear allegiance to new Protestant monarchs William and Mary who had deposed the Catholic James Vll (James ll of England) The original document from 322 years ago will be able to be viewed in the exhibition. It opens with the simple command: "You are hereby ordered to fall upon the rebells, the McDonalds of Glenco, and putt all to the sword under seventy."

"You can't get much closer to history than this," said Robert Betteridge, the curator who has worked on Game of Crowns. "Visitors to the exhibition will be able to see a document that was written over 300 years ago in conditions of absolute secrecy and then passed on to the people who were to carry out the massacre. It was a deed so shocking in its execution that it has remained strong in the memory of generations of Scots."

Large parts of Scotland remained sympathetic to the Jacobite cause in the years after the massacre and the fuse for the uprising was lit in 1714. That was when the German-born George 1 was chosen to rule over Britain in preference to James Edward Stuart, the son of James Vll, who many saw as the rightful heir to the throne.

James – known to history as the Old Pretender – had spent all his life in exile abroad. In September 1715 his standard was raised by the Earl of Mar at Braemar. The Jacobite uprising was born and sympathisers, in England as well as Scotland, rallied to the cause.

The exhibition tells the story through original letters from some of the key figures involved, contemporary manuscripts, books, maps, portraits and songs. The Scots folk singer Sheena Wellington has recorded a number of Jacobite and Government songs which will be able to be heard in the exhibition to help people travel back in time.

"Most people will know bits and pieces of the history but may be less familiar with the full story," said Robert. "Many people may think about it as Jacobite Highlanders against the English but it is much more complicated than that. What we hope to do is paint a picture of what Scotland was like at this time."

There are a number of fun elements to the exhibition. Letters between Jacobite leaders were often written in code to prevent them being read if they fell into enemy hands. Visitors will be able to see how this was done and interact with other types of code. There will also be an opportunity to play a card game, featuring the key figures in the story.

"If the Crown had passed down the Stuart line, there would only have been two monarchs in James's lifetime. In reality there were seven. It truly was a Game of Crowns," said Robert.
The exhibition takes the story right up to the second Jacobite uprising of 1745 when James's son, Bonnie Prince Charlie, repeated his father's attempt to win back the Crown.

It features generous loans from the Royal Collections, National Museums of Scotland, National Records of Scotland and Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

Game of Crowns: The 1715 Jacobite Rising runs until 10 May 2015 at the National Library of Scotland and entry is free.

« back

Member News

People’s Palace launches ‘last chance to see’ campaign, before closing for major refurbishment
People are being encouraged to visit the People’s Palace, Glasgow before it closes on Sunday 14 April for major refurbishment. Funding secured from The National Lottery Heritage Fund means the next stage of a transformational project can begin, which will completely reimagine and restore the much-loved museum and Winter Gardens glasshouse.
Read more »

Whisky Distilling has Officially Returned to Leith
The UK’s first vertical distillery, Port of Leith, has officially started production in a milestone moment for the more than £12m, decade-long project officially marking the return of whisky distilling to Leith.
Read more »

Kelpies to be Mane Attraction as Tenth Anniversary Celebrations Revealed
One of Scotland’s top visitor attractions, The Helix, Home of The Kelpies, together with Falkirk Council and Scottish Canals, has announced plans for a special one-of-a-kind event to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the iconic sculptures, Kelpies 10, which will take place on Saturday 27 April 2024.
Read more »

Scotland’s only circular castle, Rothesay Castle re-opens to visitors
Scotland’s only circular castle, Rothesay Castle, has re-opened to visitors after essential conservation work.
Read more »

Conifox Adventure Park set to give away 36,000 Mini Chocolate Eggs at Easter Event
Edinburgh’s Conifox Adventure Park is set to host its annual Easter Festival, promising hopping good fun for the whole family. And what’s more, the team will be giving away over 36,000 mini easter eggs over the course of the event.
Read more »

Glasgow’s Oldest House Reopens on Good Friday
Provand’s Lordship, the oldest house in Glasgow, will reopen on Friday 29 March 2024, the charity Glasgow Life has confirmed.
Read more »

The Macallan Collaborates with Cirque Du Soleil to Launch an Exclusive Sensory Experience to Mark 200 Years Young
To commemorate The Macallan’s 200th anniversary, the whisky brand has come together with Cirque du Soleil to create a bespoke, theatrical experience.
Read more »

Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World
The invention of photography transformed the world, with the explosion of photographic experimentation in the mid-19th century coinciding with the rapid growth of cities across the globe.
Read more »

Royal Research Ship Discovery critical works thanks to National Heritage Memorial Fund support
Dundee Heritage Trust has received £1.4million from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF) to help save the Royal Research Ship Discovery. The Trust has announced that urgent conservation works are set to begin on the Royal Research Ship in February 2024.
Read more »

Iconic Image of Liner Goes from Pub Wall to Floor Show
A striking image that was the toast of regulars at a St Andrews pub for decades is to resurface elsewhere in the town.
Read more »

Epic 356-mile run around Scotland’s botanic gardens to save the world’s plants
Mountainous terrain, unpredictable weather and clouds of midges are all in a day’s work at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), as staff member George Sherriffs prepares for his new, ultra-marathon challenge - running an incredible 356 miles over eight days to help save the world’s plants.
Read more »

Discovering Degas – The Burrell Collection Announces First International, Ticketed Exhibition at the Reimagined Museum
A new blockbuster exhibition showcasing Sir William Burrell’s complete collection of prized works by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (1834-1917) will open at The Burrell Collection on Friday 24 May 2024, announced Glasgow Life, the charity who delivers culture and sport in the city.
Read more »

Aberdeen Science Centre is Walking on Sunshine After Receiving More Than £37,000 in Funding for Rooftop Solar Panels
Aberdeen Science Centre has been awarded more than £37,000 in funding to install rooftop solar panels, which will see the centre benefit from improved energy efficiency and a reduction in its energy bills.
Read more »

WWII Plane Propellor Discovery on Arran Sparks Investigation for National Trust For Scotland
The discovery of a propellor blade in a remote part of Arran, thought to be from a World War II plane, has sparked an investigation for the National Trust for Scotland as it tries to identify its origin.
Read more »