Stonehaven Local Customs

The splendid granite built Tullich Tower sits alone high on a tree clad hill. It used to be a fine restaurant and small hotel known locally as the Fairy Castle because of its proprietors. Sadly today it is now a private residence as bigger tourist class hotels have now taken over the market for restaraunts and hotels. Tourism keeps changing so maybe this lovely little castle will once again be open to the public = I do hope so!!

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The interior of the Chaple is very beautiful with its marble inlaid walls and story telling stained glass windows depicting Scottish Saints. The pews don't face the Altar as in most Chaples but sit side on facing each other. In past days when the College was home to boys studying for the Priesthood, the Chaple was an important part of their studies. Mass was attended twice each day & the boys sat in the Pews according to their House & Year. The most important (older classes) sat in the front & the boys were seated ranked backwards. Misbehaviour was punished by seating offenders in the back pews, so an older boy who had done something wrong would be very visiable & shamefully seated beside the little ones.

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While visiting the Museum I heard the sound of a piper and asked the guide what was going on - we had noticed a lot of cars parked around the front of the college but had seen nobody about. The guide told us if we wanted to see the Church we would have to wait as a group of Eagle Scouts, ex pats from U.S.A.. were inside with their families for a presentation of the equivelant of the UK Scouts top award. Their final project for the merit badge was cleaning the Statue in the Church grounds and replanting the flowers - we had to wait a long time as the piper I heard playing had just disappeared after pipeing the Scouts into Church to start their ceremony.