Gladstone's Land

Edimburgo / Regno Unito

Gladstone's Land is a surviving 17th-century high-tenement house situated in the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. It has been restored and furnished by the National Trust for Scotland, and is operated as a popular tourist attraction. The "Land" was originally built in 1550, but was bought and redeveloped in 1617 by a prosperous Edinburgh merchant and burgess, Thomas Gledstanes, and his wife, Bessie Cunningham. The work was completed in 1620. Its prominent siting and the extent of its accommodation mark out the affluence of its mercantile owner. However, not only did Gledstanes reside there, he let out parts of the building to an assortment of tenants of different social classes . Thus the restored building allows an insight into varieties of Edinburgh life of the period. The cramped conditions of the Old Town, and the physical size of the lot, meant that the house could only be extended in depth or in height. As a result, the house is six storeys tall.In 1934, the building was condemned and scheduled for demolition, until it was rescued by the National Trust for Scotland. Under the auspices of the Trust, restoration of the building was carried out by the architect, Sir Frank Mears, in consultation with the Ancient Monuments Department of the Ministry of Works in Edinburgh. Original renaissance painted ceilings were uncovered in the process. Today the restored premises offer a glimpse of 17th-century life, with open fires, lack of running water, and period decoration and furniture. At ground level, there is an arcade frontage and reconstructed shop booth, complete with replicas of 17th-century wares. This would originally have provided shelter for the merchant's customers. On the left of the building, a curved stone forestair with iron railings leads from the street to a door at 1st floor level. The sign above the entrance to the building displays the date 1617 and a gilt-copper hawk with outstretched wings. Although not an original feature, the significance of this is that the name "Gledstanes" is derived from the Scots word "gled" meaning a kite or hawk.By the late-18th century, Edinburgh's Old Town was no longer a fashionable address. Increasing pressures from population growth encouraged the flight of the affluent from cramped conditions to the developing New Town. Today, visitors to the city can contrast Gladstone's Land to the Trust's restored example of a New Town residence, The Georgian House, at No. 7 Charlotte Square.

Forestry Commission

Edimburgo / Regno Unito

The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for the management of publicly owned forests, and the regulation of both public and private forestry, in England. It was formerly also responsible for Forestry in Wales and Scotland, however on 1 April 2013 Forestry Commission Wales merged with other agencies to become Natural Resources Wales, whilst two new bodies were established in Scotland on 1 April 2019. The commission was set up in 1919 to expand Britain's forests and woodland after depletion during the First World War. To do this, the commission bought large amounts of former agricultural land, eventually becoming the largest land owner in Britain. The Commission is divided into three divisions: Forestry England, Forestry Commission and Forest Research.Over time the purpose of the Commission broadened to include many other activities beyond timber production. One major activity is scientific research, some of which is carried out in research forests across Britain. Recreation is also important, with several outdoor activities being actively promoted. Protecting and improving biodiversity across England's forests are also part of the Forestry Commission's remit. The Commission received criticism for its reliance on conifers, particularly the uniform appearance of conifer forests and concerns over a lack of biodiversity. Protests from the general public and conservation groups accompanied attempts to privatise the organisation in 1993 and 2010.

Historic Scotland

Edimburgo / Regno Unito

Historic Scotland è stata un'agenzia esecutiva del Governo scozzese, responsabile dei monumenti storici in Scozia ed attiva fino al 2015. Il sito web dice: Essa ha la responsabilità diretta di mantenere e prendersi cura di oltre 360 monumenti, circa un quarto dei quali sono sorvegliati e prevedono il pagamento di un biglietto di ingresso. L'iscrizione è disponibile e rinnovabile ogni anno. Ai possessori viene dato accesso gratuito a tutti beni e ai siti sia in Inghilterra che in Galles . Si può richiedere anche l'iscrizione a vita. Questa agenzia si occupa anche della pubblicazione di una rivista trimestrale e di molte guide e manuali, in collaborazione con HMSO o società di pubblicazione private.

Northern Lighthouse Board

Edimburgo / Regno Unito

Northern Lighthouse Board , abbreviato NLB, è l'autorità generale per i fari e gli ausili alla navigazione competente per la Scozia e l'Isola di Man. Il NLB gestisce 208 fari principali, 34 fanali, 165 boe, 27 radiofari ed altri servizi di ausilio alla navigazione.

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum

Edimburgo / Regno Unito

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. The regiment, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army. The regiment is currently based at Leuchars Station, as part of the Scottish 51st Infantry Brigade.