Clan Scott Gathering & Muster of the Clans -1

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Its all happening here in the Scottish Borders, the guest houses have filled up this week with numbers of overseas visitors beyond expectations, already today I have chatted with visitors from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and at least half a dozen states of the USA. It appears that visitors to events earlier in Homecoming Scotland 2009 went back home with good reports and now all their friends are coming to see their Scottish roots.
This display in a local newsagent's window shows two new tartans, Guardian of Scotland and Guardian of Scotland Dress, which bring together the colours of Bruce and of Wallace, and were registered with the Scottish Tartans Authority in December 2008. But on with the photos:-

Two buses are ready to leave Selkirk Square for a tour of Scott Country. Let's join one of the buses.

Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch and 12th Duke of Queensberry KBE, DL, and Chief of Clan Scott, welcomes passengers aboard the Scott Country bus tour.

First call was at Harden House, which has been a Scott household for many generations. The Scotts of Harden have been a well known Scottish Borders family since mediaeval times. There was a mediaeval peel tower here which was replaced by a seventeenth century house, this view shows the new frontage after the house was extended during the nineteenth century.

Lord and Lady Polwarth were waiting to welcome their guests. I worked with Lord Polwarth in the Scottish courts when he was known as Andrew Hepburne-Scott, before he inherited his father's title. He can trace his ancestry back through direct male line to Uchtred Fitz-Scott (Uchtredus Filius Scoti) who was known to have lived during the reigns of King Alexander I and King David I in the early twelfth century.

Viewing Harden House from the lawn on the east side we can see the gable end of the seventeenth century house on left (south) and the Victorian extension on right (north).

The south facing view from the terrace of Harden House

A view from the south showing the south wall of Harden House.
More to follow shortly.