NEWS

The extremely rare parasitic flower Toothwort was thought to have disappeared from the glen, having last been spotted 10 years ago. Completely lacking in chlorophyll, and with leaves reduced to scales, these pale plants survive by living off Elm and Hazel roots.

Mr Lindsay Mackinlay, National Trust for Scotland Nature Conservation Adviser, said:

“This is a really exciting find. For years, we have kept an eye out for this species but with no joy, then when we were wandering down one of the paths checking the condition of the woodland, there it was, happily growing feet from one of our footpaths!”

The work of Trust ecologists has also uncovered a thriving new colony of another uncommon flower, the Meadow Saxifrage, at House of the Binns. This beautiful, elegant flower used to be very widespread in the countryside but has disappeared from large areas of central Scotland. Flowering at the moment, it can be seen ornamenting the grounds around the tower.

Lindsay Mackinlay added: “Part of the work of the National Trust for Scotland is to protect our wild flowers. It’s always great when we find new areas for uncommon and beautiful plants and we make sure our management tries to conserve them into the future.”

Toothwort, Lathraea squamaria, is a rare flower which parasites on the roots of Hazels and Elms. Its leaves are reduced to scales and it has no chlorophyll like most other plants, hence their pale colour. Toothworts are rare in Scotland.

Meadow saxifrage, Saxifraga granulata, is an increasingly rare flower of lowland grasslands, which flowers between April and June.

At the historic Kellie Castle in Fife, which was once home to sculptor Huw Lorimer, the charity is laying on a workshop for members of the public. Led by acclaimed artist Kenny Munro, he will guide attendees in the creation of a unique clay sculpture. It costs £30 for the event and booking is essential – call 0844 4932184 or visit www.nts.org/events.

The public event concludes a series of education sculpture days which take place at the castle from 29 until 31 May. Third and fourth year pupils from Bell Baxter High School, Waid Academy and Madras College will take part in workshops as part of their Standard Grade art course.

Sandra Morrison, Learning Manager (Events) said:

“The young people get so much out of this project, you can see their confidence grow as they get to grips with the concept of 3 dimensional work. It is very rewarding and appropriate that an organisation that has in its care a vast collection of artwork is still inspiring and encouraging new and young artists.

“However, it’s not just about the young, learning within the National Trust for Scotland is for everyone. On Saturday 2 June the opportunity is there for adults to explore their ideas through clay whilst taking time to enjoy and learn about the work of Hew Lorimer and enjoy the relaxed surroundings of Kellie Castle and garden.”

Kellie Castle near Pittenweem is a stunning castle, dating from the 14th century, and was once the home of the Earls of Kellie, as well as the Lorimers. It boasts a beautiful garden and is renowned for its organic produce.

Dating from around 800AD, the stones tend to be associated with early Christian crosses – of which there is one on Canna. They are usually found at the foot or side of the crosses. Examples are well-known in Ireland, but experts say that this is Scotland’s first example.

The stone, which was chanced upon in Canna’s old graveyard by the conservation charity’s farm manager Geraldine MacKinnon, is approximately 25cm in diameter and is marked with a clearly engraved early Christian cross.

After alerting property manager Stewart Connor who made contact with the Trust’s Head of Archaeology, Stewart then discovered that the stone fits exactly into a large rectangular stone with worn hole which was located at base of the Canna cross.

Stewart said:

“When Geraldine notified me of the stone in the graveyard we spotted the un-familiar outline of a Christian cross as the light hit the stone. We knew right away that it was important and immediately reported the find to our archaeology team. We knew of the importance of bullaun stones and that it could be a really significant find. Our head of archaeology confirmed a possible link to the stone at the cross and I was so excited that I went back out at 9pm that night to check whether it fitted the stone with the hole and it did. The whole community is really excited by the find, which is really significant for the island and potentially, for Scotland too.”

Head of archaeology for the National Trust for Scotland Derek Alexander said:

“This is an amazing find. Bullaun stones tend to be found close to early Christian crosses in Ireland, but this is the first find in Scotland. Often it is usually the socket stones or the dished depressions that are found but there are some examples with the circular rotating stones on the isle of Inishmurray, Co. Sligo. They are usually associated with holes or worn patches in the ground, as it’s believed that the convention was for these stones to be turned multiple times by worshippers when either prayer for or possibly cursing someone. It was very exciting when Stewart sent me the photo of the two stones fitted together.

“Canna has a long and fascinating history, and this find just tells us even more about the treasure trove that we have in the Trust’s care. However, it is also a hugely important find for Scotland, adding more to our knowledge of this distant period in our nation’s past. It will be interesting to see if more bullaun stones emerge around Scotland.”

Dr Katherine Forsyth, a leading expert in the history and culture of the Celtic-speaking peoples in the first millennium AD, based at the University of Glasgow said:

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the first pictures of this beautiful stone. What an amazing find! Stones like this are found in Ireland, where they are known as ‘cursing stones’, but this is the first to be discovered in Scotland. They date from the early Christian period but have continued to be used by pilgrims up to modern times. Traditionally, the pilgrim would recite a prayer while turning the stone clockwise, wearing a depression or hole in the stone underneath. These bowl-shaped lower stones have been found elsewhere in Scotland, including on Canna, but this is the first time a top stone has been found. This exciting find provides important new insight into religious art and practice in early Scotland and demonstrates just how much there is still to be discovered out there.”

The Island of Canna is in the Inner Hebrides has been inhabited for thousands of years. In the early-Christian period, it belonged to the monastery on Iona. There are a number of archaeological remains on the island dating from this period, including a series of highly decorated cross shafts and the wonderfully located hermitage site, ‘Sgur na Ban Naiomh’.

The island was gifted to the National Trust for Scotland in 1981 by Gaelic scholar John Lorne Campbell who would have been fascinated by the recent discovery. As well as its rich cultural heritage, the island is renowned for its seabirds and boasts puffins, razorbills and Max shearwaters. There are also sea eagles and golden eagles.