Author Archives: justmovingaround

Glamis castle

2017 By in History, Sightseeing Tags: ,

Glamis? A thought? The first association by anybody, who coped with obligatory stuff in international literature while at school, will be with William Shakespeare and his prominent work ‘Macbeth’. The plot is somewhat fictional. But, there was indeed a king of Scots with the name of Duncan (or in Gaelic: Donnchad mac Crinain) and a king of Scots with the name Macbeth (in Gaelic: Mac Bethad mac Findlaích). Macbeth succeeded Duncan at the Scottish throne. King Duncan died however on a battlefield (in August 1040) and not like in Shakespeare’s drama plot murdered in his sleep by his successor in the Glamis castle.

But in fact, there is a castle in Glamis that in past times before it was rebuilt in XVII and XVIII centuries was a fortress worthy of kings. The castle was built in the late XIV century as the seat of the 1st Thane of Glamis, John Lyon, a nobleman of the French or Norman origin, who married a daughter of a Scottish king.

The castle replaced a hunting lodge. As king Duncan died in 1040, it was even not possible for him to ever visit the Glamis castle. But who cares. According to Shakespeare king Duncan was murdered by Macbeth, Thane of Glamis while staying the night in the Glamis castle. Period.

Glamis castle

The very view onto the Glamis castle as it looks like today.

It is not allowed to take photos of the interiors. Many of its chambers are indeed very impressive and simultaneously home like.

In present times, the place is mostly known as the birthplace of the Queen Mother (who died 2002), the mother to Queen Elisabeth II, the current British and Commonwealth monarch. The Queen Mother was born Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, the fourth daughter and altogether the ninth child to the Scottish Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. His family seat has traditionally been the Glamis castle. The Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne are in the straight line descendants of John Lyon, who was given Glamis by a Scottish king. Elizabeth married the famous Bertie, the Duke of York (the second son of the British King). For her husband’s elder brother abdicated for an ‘unroyal’ love, she became the Queen Consort (the King’s wife). Remember the film ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010) with Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter?

While writing this entry, I was wondering why a daughter of a Scottish Earl, whose title was given through ages unbroken from father to son, had a maiden name consisting of the parts Bowes and Lyon. Unlike in the case of titles given to male heads of the family (here among others Strathmore and Kinghorne) that could have just been granted by a king, a sudden change of the last name of a noble house seemed to be rather unusual. And it was indeed. One of the Earls married a certain Mary Eleanor Bowes, a very affluent businessman’s daughter. In his will, her father, who made his money on mining, stipulated a condition for the bequest. If she was to marry and inherit the money, her future husband was supposed to accept her last name as his own. To meet the condition, the Earl had to ask the English Parliament for permission, which he was finally given. The family last name changed from Lyon to Lyon Bowes. Thank to this Lady and her bequest, the castle and its surroundings could have been generously reshaped.

Glamis castle
Glamis castle
Glamis castle

The royal mementos displayed in the Glamis castle.

On our journey to Scotland, we stopped only for a short visit to the castle. For it is forbidden to make shots of the interiors (the only exception is the room with the royal mementos), we quite quickly went through all chambers that are open to tourists. On our way, we were told stories of ghosts that haunt in the castle. One of them was a child of the family, who was born mutilated, finally bricked up in one of the castle chambers. The other one was a family member (nicknamed Earl Beardie), who was supposed to sell his soul to a devil so that he can play cards till doomsday, with the devil himself. Both stories are not confirmed. But there is also a story of one of the family members, a certain Lady Janet, who was burned at stake for witchcraft. Lady Janet, the wife to one of the Lords of the Lyon family, is, however, a real and confirmed historical figure. She was indeed burned at stake, but rather for political reasons and revenge on her family. The final order was given by James V of Scotland, father to Mary, Queen of Scots, otherwise known as Mary Stewart.

About HISTORY OF SCOTLAND
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Glamis castle

Still on half-timbered houses in Northern France

2017 By in History Tags: , , , , , , ,

Half-timbered houses in France | Fachwerkhäuser in Frankreich | Maisons à colombages en France | Domy szachulcowe we Francji | フランスの木骨造の家 | 法国的木筋房屋 | 프랑스의 반목조 주택

Half-timbering technique was a popular method to build houses in medieval and early modern times in Northern Europe, including regions such as Denmark, England, Scotland, Germany (formerly including Prussia), parts of France, and Switzerland.

Houses were constructed by first installing timber frames as the primary structural element. The spaces between the timber (often referred to as posts or beams) were then filled with various materials such as wattle and daub, stones, or bricks, which provided insulation and stability. Half-timbered buildings were often ornamented with intricate carvings or brightly painted, adding to their aesthetic appeal.

In medieval towns, to maximize housing space along narrow streets, many houses featured overhanging upper floors extending beyond the ground floor. These overhangs are known as ‘jetties.’ Jettied houses were not only a space-saving solution but also a status symbol in some regions. The design helped protect the lower parts of the building from the elements and allowed for more space on the upper floors. It’s important to note that this technique also had practical implications in terms of taxation, as taxes were often based on the ground floor’s footprint.

Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France
Half-timbered houses in Northern France

The streets of historic towns in Northern France are a mixture of different architecture styles, reflecting their rich past and the impacts of various events, such as fires or war damage. In some cases, these towns have preserved their original architecture, while in others, buildings have been carefully rebuilt to mirror their historical appearance.

On pictures above you can see three main characteristics: grey sandstone bricks, slate roofs that sometimes cover also part of facades at upper floors and half-timbered walls with timber frames painted mostly in blue, red and green. Grey sandstone is locally sourced and very durable. Slate is a common roofing material in this region, known for its longevity and resistance to harsh weather. Interestingly, in some buildings, slate is also used to cover parts of the facades, especially on upper floors. The half-timbering technique, where the timber frames are left exposed and filled with other materials, is a prominent feature. In Northern France, these timber frames are often painted in vibrant colors like blue, red, and green, adding a lively contrast to the otherwise muted tones of the stone and slate.

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Still on half-timbered houses in Northern France

Pierogi

2017 By in Lifestyle Tags: , , , , , ,

Pierogi (Polish dumplings) belong to the top dishes of the Polish cuisine. If you visit Poland they should be on the must-try list together with bigos (cabbage stew >>>), żurek (sour rye soup >>>), schabowy (pork chop) and flaczki (chitlings). (The latter although their Polish version is quite a tasty one belong however to dishes that would not be touched by many people of some other cultures).

JMA_Pierogi_02

Pierogi backed served with cream.

Pierogi is a kind of dumplings made of dough pockets (no leaven used) wrapped around a filling cooked in boiling water, baked or fried (on a pan with only little oil). The filling may be of different kinds like fruit, cottage cheese, sauerkraut with forest mushrooms, ground meat, etc. They may be eaten as an appetizer, main course or dessert. A portion you can see in the picture above would be sufficient for many as the main dish (so do not exaggerate when ordering).

JMA_Pierogi_01

Pierogi filled with sauerkraut cooked with forest mushrooms. In Poland, they are often served during Christmas or sometimes Easter time as a fasting dish. Thus they are edible for a vegetarian. 

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Pierogi