Why Elgin, Scotland?
Why write a book set in a small town in remote northern Scotland? Well sometimes, it’s the little “unknown” places that have the best stories. Elgin, Scotland, is a great example. This is the kind of place most tourists pass by when visiting big-ticket northern Scottish sights like Culloden Battlefield, the Isle of Skye, or Loch Ness.
Elgin Cathedral grounds
Fascinating stories of history were buried in Elgin after the destruction of its premier landmark, the ancient cathedral once known as The Lantern of the North. The massive medieval edifice was just a few broken walls surrounded by jumbled piles of debris. In 1824, local shoemaker John Shanks was appointed the keeper of Elgin Cathedral’s ruins and he began the herculean task of clearing rubble. The story, according to local history:
With his own hands, John removed 3000 barrowfuls of rubbish, laid bare the foundations of the pillars, …the altar and the steps at the West Gate. In doing so he uncovered many tombs and ornaments buried deep within the rubbish.
Never mind that shoemaker John Shanks was sixty-six years-old when his assignment began. Local legend says he alone carted away tons of stone from the site.
John Shanks. The man who both unburied Elgin Cathedral and was buried in Elgin Cathedral
From this dubious history, we carved a historical romance—The Scottish Ruin Keeper—weaving the official record with local lore and inventing characters and events along the way. A young worker who does most of the heavy lifting in the ruin, then falls in love with Shank’s beautiful granddaughter? A pond where the people of Elgin drowned suspected witches…some of whom might still be haunting the site? A visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert? Each suggested by history, then seasoned with fantasy and romance.
Saved by Shanks: Ancient carved figures uncovered at Elgin Cathedral
Today’s Elgin is a pleasant town forty miles east of Inverness and home to 25,000 people. This being Scotland, you can tour a handful of local whisky distilleries here. Visitors also browse for top-quality cashmere at Johnstons Mill, and explore the oldest museum in Scotland—a key setting in The Scottish Ruin Keeper.
Yet another reason to visit Elgin
But the most compelling reason to visit Elgin is to tour the atmospheric ruins of its cathedral. The site is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, now that John Shanks is no longer on the job. This is a place to stroll and imagine. Although in ruins, enough of the cathedral remains to suggest what once stood here: tall towers and massive pillars, carved stone tombs of knights, and a unique octagonal chapter house.
The vaulted ceiling of Elgin Cathedral’s chapter house
If you’re planning a trip to Scotland, no doubt you will visit the county’s iconic sights. But don’t overlook the lesser-known places like Elgin where fascinating stories lie just beneath the surface.
The Scottish Ruin Keeper by Deb Hosey White is available on Amazon and booksellers everywhere.
Deb Hosey White is an executive management consultant with over thirty years experience working for Fortune 1000 companies. She is the author of Pink Slips and Parting Gifts, a workplace novel based upon those experiences. With English ancestors on both sides of her family, Deb is a serious Anglophile and an avid traveler.
David Stewart White began his adventures in family travel as a child when he lived in Paris and traveled throughout Europe. He is the author of Let's Take the Kids to London His travel articles have appeared in the Washington Post, the Charlotte Observer, Examiner.com, AAA World Magazine, and in numerous travel websites and online magazines.
Beyond Downton Abbey — A Guide to 25 Great Houses was their first collaborative travel writing effort. They followed up with Beyond Downton Abbey Volume 2 to tell the stories of another group of great homes in Britain.
www.beyonddowntonabbey.com/
