Dundee

Alex and I spent our 11th anniversary in Dundee as neither of us knew the city. These are a few of the pics taken during the trip. We’d definitely go back. Very clean and a wonderful place for lovers of history.

 

Views from the Hotel.

This is the North Carr Lightship; “North Carr was built in Glasgow by A. & J. Inglis Ltd in 1932.”

The pointed church spire to the left of centre, behind the pale blue Holiday Inn Express [HIE], is Meadowside St. Paul’s Church. The building on the corner opposite the HIE is 40 Dock street, which site has a history as a brass foundry.

McManus Gallery.

The outside of the McManus Gallery. The statue here is of Robert Burns and the inscription reads,

“THOU LING’RING STAR WITH LESS’NING RAY

THAT LOV’ST TO GREET THE EARLY MORN

AGAIN THOU USHER’ST IN THE DAY

MY MARY FROM MY SOUL WAS TORN

BURNS

INAUGURATED 16TH OCTOBER 1880″

This statue is of Queen Victoria. It’s inscribed,

“VICTORIA R. I.

1897

DIAMOND JUBILEE”

Random Scottish History’s Illustrator, Alex, with Oor Wullie. Next to him is written,

“Tae Rabbie Burns.

You up there are a hero o’ mine.

The jeenyass who wrote ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

But ‘Ae Fond Kiss turned Primrose’s head,

And she caught me by the skail bike shed.

So when I get oot o’ her hug.

My pea-shooter’s going tae ping yer lug!

Wullie.”

The West Spire Muses. Information sign reads,

“The West Spire Muses

Looking up through the skylight you can get a closer view of the statues of the West Spire.

We cannot be certain who sculpted them but believe they were created by James Frank Redfern (1838-1876). He was one of the favourite sculptors employed by the architect of this building George Gilbert Scott.

The States were included in Scott’s earliest drawings for the Albert Institute and all were installed by 1867.

Eight statues surround the spire. Sculpted in clay, they were cast in lead and symbolise the Muses. They highlight the building’s original purpose as an Institute for Literature, Science and Art – containing a Library, Museum and Art Gallery.

The Muses all carry symbolic objects. From the far left you can see:

A Rock – emblem of Science and Geology

A Harp – symbolising Music and Literature

An Artist’s Palette – for Art and Painting

The Globe – representing Science and Geography

On the far side of the building are figures holding:

A Compass – symbolising Science and Mathematics

A Mallet – representing Art, Architecture and Stone Carving

A Star Globe – emblematic of Science and Astronomy

The figure shown on the left is perhaps the most interesting of all, as she carries a model of the Albert Institute itself.”

The Jubilee Windows within the McManus Gallery. Top left is of Sir Walter Scott, top right, Robert Burns, bottom left, Sir Henry Raeburn, and bottom right, James Watt.

Nice wee elements of the Gallery’s architecture.

These are a couple of the multitude of artworks on show at the McManus Gallery. This one is ‘The Tay Bridge from my Studio Window‘ by James McIntosh Patrick (1948).

This is ‘Moorland and Mist‘ by Peter Graham (1893)

 

The Howff

The Howff Cemetery. Sign reads,

“THE HOWFF

GARDENS OF THE GREY FRIARS MONASTERY

DESTROYED 1547-8

GRANTED TO THE TOWN AS A PLACE OF BURIAL

BY MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS 1564

USED BY THE INCORPORATED TRADES

AS MEETING PLACE OF HOWFF TILL 1776

SEPULTURE DISCONTINUED 1857″

 

Magdalen Green Bandstand

I don’t remember if we passed by the Magdalen Green Bandstand but this one would appear to be its miniature counterpart. We managed to miss the Lemmings statues nearby.

 

St Mark’s, Gate Church

This church must have struck me as it’s one of only a few I took pictures of in Dundee. This is St. Mark’s, also known as the Gate Church.

 

St. Mary’s Church

St. Mary’s Church is quite the imposing building.

 

St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral

This is St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral with a statue of Admiral Adam Duncan of Camperdown on which is inscribed,

“ADAM DUNCAN

1734-1804″

 

Verdant Works

We didn’t make it in to experience the Verdant Works‘ operations, regardless of a friend of our’s in Perth being a re-enactor there… We felt bad about that.

 

Miscellaneous Seen While Out and About

Herre we have the Dundee Dragon Sculpture by Tony Morrow.

Desperate Dan with Dawg and Minnie the Minx following behind with a catapult.

The Optical Express building was the headquarters for the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee.

Old S & D Properties Group building at 30 Meadowside, almost on the corner of Panmure St. The building on the corner Is the Chamber East building next to the Brewdog bar.

I’m sorry for the glare here. This is the Caird Hall, Dundee’s Concert Hall, in the City Square.

Dundee City Council building in the City Square, to the right of the Caird Hall.

The Auld Tram is a cute way to grab a bite on the go on Commercial St. in Dundee’s city centre.

The crown of the building on the left is that of Boyles Solicitors at 15 Albert Sq. That on the right is that above the Direct Lettings on the corner of Meadowside and Commercial St.

This is the High School of Dundee.

The is the entrance to the Canadian Trust Ltd. It’s located opposite The Howff cemetery on Meadowside.

These are a fairly picturesque set of stairs located at the end of Parker St. that lead up to the Barrack Rd.

There’s a fair amount of old and interesting architecture throughout Dundee.

We appreciated the sentiment of this picture spied in a shop window.

 

Daytrip to Perth

This is the very picturesque St. Leonard’s in the Fields Church, Marshall Pl., Perth.

Finally, I felt I had to take a picture of the Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society headquarters at King’s Pl., Perth.