June 2024 Visit to Broughty Ferry Castle
On 10th June we spent a morning looking round this fascinating building and contemplating its many incarnations. Originally a tower house, it was for many years a ruin. The prospect of a Russian incursion around 1860 led to its fortification, and its defences were repeatedly strengthened in response to subsequent threats until the end of WWII. We lingered contentedly in the Castle’s excellent museum and delightful art gallery, while enjoying spectacular views across the Tay.
Visit to HMS Unicorn
On 9th May we visited the frigate HMS Unicorn in Dundee. Built in the 1820s, but then mothballed, it soon found itself superseded by steel vessels. Fortunately, the ship survived thanks to its later role as a training ship. Today it provides a fascinating picture of life aboard a frigate in the early 19th century. Here is just one extraordinary fact of the many we gleaned: children were employed on the lower deck to carry ammunition in battle because they were small enough to move without stooping!
If you have never seen the Unicorn, you would be well-advised to visit it soon, as a major overhaul is planned in the years to come.