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01/12/2010
To help get you in the festive mood we have scoured our eclectic collections to bring you a selection of our best winter images.
Clear winter skies allow the RCAHMS aerial photography team to capture spectacular imagery of Scotland blanketed in snow, from picking out the intricate patterns of the terraced gardens of Drummond Castle in Perthshire, to identifying the earthwork remains of Woden Law hill fort in low oblique light.
RCAHMS field surveyors have recorded a great many churches and religious monuments over the past hundred years creating a fascinating collection which captures the intricacies of religious architecture and iconography, including beautiful examples of stained glass windows and stone carvings.
Our collections also contain a number of rare or unusual images relating to the holiday season, ranging from a Christmas tree balanced in the building site of Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks to a selection of Christmas cards drawn by renowned architects and archaeologists. At the same time, a fascinating glimpse of Scottish winters past is offered by Victorian and early twentieth century imagery drawn from our private photograph album collections.









SC 503637
Oblique aerial view of Strathdon Parish Church in the snow, from North North-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES



SC 529451
Perspective drawing looking down on the ice rink at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
© Courtesy of HES (Records of Dunn and Findlay, architects, Edinburgh, Scotland)





SC 533391
Oblique aerial view centred on the village of New Lanark in the snow, taken from the South South-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES


SC 621612
Oblique aerial view of Strathspey under flood water and snow, taken from the South South West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 621671
Oblique aerial view of Strathdon Parish Church and Doune of Invernochty in the snow, from West North-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES





SC 679813
View of Ratho Church with Christmas Tree.
© Courtesy of HES (Tom and Sybil Gray Collection)


SC 765972
View of Gordonstoun House internal court in the snow, from South East
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 771070
Christmas card drawn by Brian Hope-Taylor. Signed: 'BHT'
© Courtesy of HES (Papers of Brian Hope-Taylor, archaeologist, Cambridge, England)





SC 800045
Oblique aerial view centred on Kildrummy Castle in the snow , taken from the South South-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES



SC 949575
Oblique aerial view of Drummond Castle in the snow, taken from the South South-East, taken in 1996.
© Crown Copyright: HES






DP 001122
Design for decorative motif showing trumpeting angel at Nethergate, Dundee.
© Courtesy of HES (Records of Scott Morton and Company, woodwork designers, Edinburgh, Scotland)

DP 005561
View of woman in front of snow covered tree, Inchrye Abbey
© Courtesy of HES (Inchrye Abbey album)







DP 007030
Detail of West stain glass window, showing the Nativity Scene, at the Kirk of St Nicholas, Aberdeen.
© Crown Copyright: HES


DP 009791
View of East stained glass window, showing St Michael by Louis Tiffany in memory of Percy Forbes Leith 1900, at St Peter's Church, Fyvie.
© Crown Copyright: HES





DP 011735
Stained glass windows depicting the shepherds at the manger, designed by R Anning Bell executed by J & W Guthrie, at Elder Memorial Chapel, Western Infirmary.
© Crown Copyright: HES


SC 1044404
Ground floor, dining-room, detail of stained glass showing Autumn and Winter at 25 Learmonth Terrace, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS

SC 1056981
Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks Other Ranks' Mess (Block B) View of building under construction with Christmas tree.
© Copyright: Sir Basil Spence Archive. Courtesy of HES.





SC 1064652
Christmas Card drawn by Jack Coia showing Jack Coia behind the wheel of a car and family looking on.
© Jaqueline Coia

SC 1072287
Oblique aerial view centred on the remains of Woden Law Fort with cord rig adjacent in the snow, taken from the East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 027661
View of stained glass window at the South end of East Cults Parish Church.
© Crown Copyright: HES






DP 042371
Detail of carved angel at The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, St Andrews.
© Crown Copyright: HES



SC 1119006
Oblique aerial view of Schiehallion in the snow, taken from the East North East.
© Crown Copyright: HES





DP 052142
Detail of the East Gable stained glass window, showing the Nativity Scene by Gordon Webster, in the Chancel at Symington Parish Church.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 055139
General oblique aerial view centred on the snow-covered village of Salsburgh, taken from the West South-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 055178
Oblique aerial view centred on the mill village New Lanark in the snow, taken from the South-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 055191
General oblique aerial view looking over the village of Newbigging towards snow-covered Tinto, taken from the North North-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES





DP 062294
Detail of stained glass window, showing the Nativity Scene, on North wall at Ballantrae Parish Church.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 064533
1st floor, stained glass window showing the 'The Nativity' at Irvine Old Parish Church, Kirkgate.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 070847
View of a group of curling players, possibly in the Stanley area.
© Courtesy of HES (The Stanley Album)

SC 1166692
Christmas card designed by Sir Basil Spence.
© Copyright: Sir Basil Spence Archive. Courtesy of HES.





DP 075143
View from the South of Craigievar Castle, Aberdeenshire, in the snow.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1198082
Brae of Monzie, oblique aerial view, taken from the West, centred on the snow-covered remains of a farmstead, enclosure and building.
© Crown Copyright: HES







DP 089474
Seven photographs taken while on a skiing holiday in France.
© Courtesy of HES (Miss Pearson's Annan Album)

DP 089523
View of ward decorated for Christmas with patients and staff at Bruntsfield Hospital. Bruntsfield 1933, PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM No.174: Un-named album.
© RCAHMS

DP 089524
View of two children with a snowman in garden. Page 18/8 PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 34: 16 LEAMINGTON TERRACE, MATHER FAMILY ALBUM
© RCAHMS





DP 089563
View of ward decorated for Christmas with patients and staff at Bruntsfield Hospital. Bruntsfield 1932, PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM No.174: Un-named album
© RCAHMS

DP 089567
Postcard showing people skating on an outdoor ice rink. Titled 'Patinage a Villars' Page 20/3.PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 130: MARSHALL ALBUM III
© RCAHMS

DP 107960
View of woman driving horse-drawn sledge probably in the grounds of St Fort House.
© Courtesy of HES (St Fort Album)

SC 503637
Oblique aerial view of Strathdon Parish Church in the snow, from North North-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 529451
Perspective drawing looking down on the ice rink at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.
© Courtesy of HES (Records of Dunn and Findlay, architects, Edinburgh, Scotland)

SC 533391
Oblique aerial view centred on the village of New Lanark in the snow, taken from the South South-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 621612
Oblique aerial view of Strathspey under flood water and snow, taken from the South South West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 621671
Oblique aerial view of Strathdon Parish Church and Doune of Invernochty in the snow, from West North-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 679813
View of Ratho Church with Christmas Tree.
© Courtesy of HES (Tom and Sybil Gray Collection)

SC 765972
View of Gordonstoun House internal court in the snow, from South East
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 771070
Christmas card drawn by Brian Hope-Taylor. Signed: 'BHT'
© Courtesy of HES (Papers of Brian Hope-Taylor, archaeologist, Cambridge, England)

SC 800045
Oblique aerial view centred on Kildrummy Castle in the snow , taken from the South South-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 949575
Oblique aerial view of Drummond Castle in the snow, taken from the South South-East, taken in 1996.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 001122
Design for decorative motif showing trumpeting angel at Nethergate, Dundee.
© Courtesy of HES (Records of Scott Morton and Company, woodwork designers, Edinburgh, Scotland)

DP 005561
View of woman in front of snow covered tree, Inchrye Abbey
© Courtesy of HES (Inchrye Abbey album)

DP 007030
Detail of West stain glass window, showing the Nativity Scene, at the Kirk of St Nicholas, Aberdeen.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 009791
View of East stained glass window, showing St Michael by Louis Tiffany in memory of Percy Forbes Leith 1900, at St Peter's Church, Fyvie.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 011735
Stained glass windows depicting the shepherds at the manger, designed by R Anning Bell executed by J & W Guthrie, at Elder Memorial Chapel, Western Infirmary.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1044404
Ground floor, dining-room, detail of stained glass showing Autumn and Winter at 25 Learmonth Terrace, Edinburgh.
© RCAHMS

SC 1056981
Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks Other Ranks' Mess (Block B) View of building under construction with Christmas tree.
© Copyright: Sir Basil Spence Archive. Courtesy of HES.

SC 1064652
Christmas Card drawn by Jack Coia showing Jack Coia behind the wheel of a car and family looking on.
© Jaqueline Coia

SC 1072287
Oblique aerial view centred on the remains of Woden Law Fort with cord rig adjacent in the snow, taken from the East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 027661
View of stained glass window at the South end of East Cults Parish Church.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 042371
Detail of carved angel at The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, St Andrews.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1119006
Oblique aerial view of Schiehallion in the snow, taken from the East North East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 052142
Detail of the East Gable stained glass window, showing the Nativity Scene by Gordon Webster, in the Chancel at Symington Parish Church.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 055139
General oblique aerial view centred on the snow-covered village of Salsburgh, taken from the West South-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 055178
Oblique aerial view centred on the mill village New Lanark in the snow, taken from the South-West.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 055191
General oblique aerial view looking over the village of Newbigging towards snow-covered Tinto, taken from the North North-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 062294
Detail of stained glass window, showing the Nativity Scene, on North wall at Ballantrae Parish Church.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 064533
1st floor, stained glass window showing the 'The Nativity' at Irvine Old Parish Church, Kirkgate.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 070847
View of a group of curling players, possibly in the Stanley area.
© Courtesy of HES (The Stanley Album)

SC 1166692
Christmas card designed by Sir Basil Spence.
© Copyright: Sir Basil Spence Archive. Courtesy of HES.

DP 075143
View from the South of Craigievar Castle, Aberdeenshire, in the snow.
© Crown Copyright: HES

SC 1198082
Brae of Monzie, oblique aerial view, taken from the West, centred on the snow-covered remains of a farmstead, enclosure and building.
© Crown Copyright: HES

DP 089474
Seven photographs taken while on a skiing holiday in France.
© Courtesy of HES (Miss Pearson's Annan Album)

DP 089523
View of ward decorated for Christmas with patients and staff at Bruntsfield Hospital. Bruntsfield 1933, PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM No.174: Un-named album.
© RCAHMS

DP 089524
View of two children with a snowman in garden. Page 18/8 PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 34: 16 LEAMINGTON TERRACE, MATHER FAMILY ALBUM
© RCAHMS

DP 089563
View of ward decorated for Christmas with patients and staff at Bruntsfield Hospital. Bruntsfield 1932, PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM No.174: Un-named album
© RCAHMS

DP 089567
Postcard showing people skating on an outdoor ice rink. Titled 'Patinage a Villars' Page 20/3.PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 130: MARSHALL ALBUM III
© RCAHMS

DP 107960
View of woman driving horse-drawn sledge probably in the grounds of St Fort House.
© Courtesy of HES (St Fort Album)