Sunday, June 21, 2009

The Hearth


From the Studio 1913

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Seven Happy Days - 1914

The Lambs Play Alway

Seven Happy Days - 1914

Butterflies all blue

Seven Happy Days - 1914

Love's Golden Dream

Seven Happy Days - 1914

Piper rest, piper rest, ow a carol of the moon, piper, piper play your best, melt the sun into your tune.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Kircudbright - A Royal Burgh

Kircudbright - Introduction

Kircudbright - First page

Kircudbright - End page

Kircudbright - The Gates

The gates of this old 'Adams' style' house belonging to the late E. A. Hornwell whose art has captured the wonder of the woods and flower-decked bays outside the town. His forebears belonged to Kirkcudbright and although he was born in Australia he spent his life in the town and enhanced its reputation in the world of art. He died in 1933. His house and contents he gifted to the stewartry as a gallery and museum. 'Broughton House' dates from the 17th century.

Kircudbright - Down by the Harbour

This cottage is of great antiquity. One of its recent tenants was John Houston postman & weather prophet. Now occupied 1934 by W Stitt river pilot. The Mote Brae which looks down on it was the site of a ship building yard called The Old Yard Quay where Homer and James Campbell grandfather and granduncle of William Mac Kenzie bookseller (1934) built ships 100 years ago.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Her face was veiled with a veil of gauze but her feet were naked

Illustration for The Fisherman and His Soul by Oscar Wilde

Kircudbright - Osborne's Lane

Like many others this Close bears the name of its latest owner. Formerly it had doors at either end and a bakery in the Close sixty years ago.

Kircudbright - Gordon Anderson's Smithy

This smithy has been owned by Andersons for generations. This Close also contains the stable of the Selkirk Arms Hotel where Burns wrote the words of "Scots wha hae" report says.

Kircudbright - Market Close

This archway leads to the slaughterhouse. The corner stone in the form of a sculptured head originally came from Dundrennan Abbey.

Monday, March 23, 2009

A Spray of Wild Hemlock

Illustration for "The Fisherman and His Soul" by Oscar Wilde.

Kircudbright - McKeachie's Close

McKeachie's takes its name from the grandfather of the present owner Miss Wishart. The houses in the Close are the original building when Lord Kircudbright was proprietor and the house to the left of the archway was built on the site of his house.

Kircudbright - The washing day of old

Modern washing houses are certainly more convenient, but there is a certain charm in this method.

Kircudbright - Fisher's Close

Fisher's Close gets its name from one of the later owners of the houses. Formerly a sawmill called Payne's was situated in this close. Earlier it had the name of Gordon Hall.