Our Latest News

Thanks for checking out the latest news from the Bannockburn House Trust. Here you will find the latest blogs from the gardening, history and operations teams and any news updates for the project. We encourage our volunteers to write blogs for the website and would be delighted to hear from you if you volunteer and would like to write a blog for us. Email [email protected].

Garden Blog

THE BRUTALITY AND RUTHLESSNESS OF NATURE

by marketing | October 21, 2021 | Gardens, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Here's the latest apiary blog from our head beekeeper Ilona Shilliday: It’s now October and preparations for winter have been underway both inside and outside the hives. Unfortunately one of our smaller colonies died of starvation. Despite reducing the...

PAINTED LADIES SUNBATHING

by marketing | September 30, 2021 | Gardens, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

With the wetter and colder months approaching, we caught up with Margaret Pollock to find out what's happening in the Bannockburn House garden: We have been lucky with our butterfly population this summer. The hot and relatively dry months have produced a...

OUR FIRST BATCH OF BANNOCKBURN HOUSE HONEY

by marketing | September 7, 2021 | Gardens, Latest News, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

It has been six months since we started beekeeping at Bannockburn House and here's Ilona Shilliday to report on our progress: The end of the beekeeping year approaches and with it our first 6 months of beekeeping at Bannockburn House. The honey crop has been...

SEEING THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT

by marketing | September 1, 2021 | Events, Gardens, Latest News | 0 Comments

The grounds of Bannockburn House were transformed into an open-air art gallery and studio recently, with hands-on creative fun for families. The free event, organised by Vantage Points (Bannockburn and the Eastern Stirling Creative network) and Scene Stirling, gave...

SEASON OF MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS

by marketing | August 30, 2021 | Gardens, Latest News | 0 Comments

Gardener Margaret Pollock reflects on the changing seasons: The recent morning mists and heavy overnight dewfall are a sure sign that we are in early autumn. Farmers are bringing in their crops and as I was leaving Bannockburn House the other day, I noticed a...

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

by marketing | August 3, 2021 | Gardens, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Wetter weather is on its way and it's welcome news for the Bannockburn House gardening team, as Margaret Pollock explains: At last the rain has come and the long, hot days of high Summer have gone - for the time being, hopefully! This warmest period of the year...

A WALK ON THE WILDSIDE

by marketing | June 25, 2021 | Gardens, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

June's in full bloom, so here's our gardener Margaret to tell you a little bit about wildflowers: What a beautiful...

GET BANNOCK MAKING TO MARK BATTLE’S ANNIVERSARY

by marketing | June 14, 2021 | Events, Gardens, Latest News, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Bannockburn House will host the last in a series of three cook-along sessions on Wednesday 23 June, when the team will be whipping up some Bannocks to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. Head Gardener Kate White and Project Support Manager Sheila Taylor...

RHUBARB RUMINATIONS

by marketing | May 25, 2021 | Gardens, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Well if there is one thing that has been loving all this wet weather, it's the Bannockburn House garden as Margaret Pollock explains: May is named after the Roman goddess of Springtime, Maia. To be outdoors in May is to witness a transformation. Each day is full of...

GREEN FINGERED PLAN FOR CHILDREN’S GARDENING WEEK

by marketing | May 17, 2021 | Gardens, Latest News | 0 Comments

To celebrate Children’s Gardening Week (29 May - 6 June) Bannockburn House is giving away over 75 mini growing kits to local childminders and nurseries. Local nurseries will be given fruit and veg packs, including strawberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry, parsley,...

History Blog

SNIPPETS FROM HISTORY

by marketing | September 13, 2021 | History, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Our History Tours are back up and running and our volunteers' research into the rich history of Bannockburn House continues apace, as volunteer Helen explains: History volunteer Hugh McCusker discovered that Bannockburn House's first resident, Sir Hugh Paterson I, had...

YOUNGSTERS DIG DEEP INTO HOUSE’S HISTORY

by marketing | August 20, 2021 | Events, History, Latest News | 0 Comments

A team of budding young archaeologists set about cleaning their latest finds at Bannockburn House on Saturday (14 August), under the watchful eye of local expert Colin Davenport. The hoard, discovered in a Victorian midden (or dump) in the grounds of the seventeenth...

MAKING BOREDOM HISTORY

by marketing | June 3, 2021 | History, Uncategorized, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

It's been a year like no other, but Bannockburn House History group have busted boredom in lockdown with their regular Monday online meets. History volunteer Helen Rudland said: "When lockdown happened in March 2020 we switched to Zoom meetings. This...

CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

by marketing | March 26, 2021 | History, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

To mark Women's History month, history volunteer Anne Monaghan shares the stories of three women who worked at Bannockburn House in the first part of the 20th century: MARY WINTER Mary was a table maid at Bannockburn House in 1911 and 'lived in'. Born in...

JACOBITE JANUARY

by marketing | January 22, 2021 | History, Latest News | 0 Comments

Nearly 2,000 people tuned into our Big Jacobite Afternoon Lecture on Facebook on Sunday. The free virtual event, held on the 17th of January to coincide with the 275th anniversary of the Battle of Falkirk Muir, featured six local experts including Stirling Council...

HOGMANAY TRADITIONS

by marketing | December 22, 2020 | History, Latest News, Uncategorized, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

History group volunteer Anne Monaghan discusses Hogmanay traditions as we wave goodbye to 2020 and look forward to 2021: Who remembers when Hogmanay involved “First Footing” and all the preparations done before that First Foot could be welcomed in? Nowadays...

MARKING 60 YEARS SINCE THE MITCHELL AUCTION

by marketing | October 27, 2020 | History, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Volunteer Hugh McCusker reflects on 60 years since a major three day auction at Bannockburn House: This month saw the 60th anniversary of a major three day sale at Bannockburn House. The accumulated contents left in trust to Miss Annie Mitchell by her father, and...

Bannockburn House & its links with Stan Laurel . . .

by admin | January 22, 2019 | History, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Stan & Ollie Movie Cold, dark months Now that the glitz and overindulgence of the festive period is well behind us, we turn our attention to the cold, dark months that are always present during the first part of the new year. Movie Awards Season ...

Voices from the Past

by admin | July 26, 2018 | Gardens, History, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

What an exciting time we have been having recently In the last three weeks we have been visited by two former gardeners who were employed (not simultaneously) by Miss Mitchell in the 1950’s. It is so important for us when we make contact with people who have been...

The Auld Alliance still lives!

by admin | July 26, 2018 | History, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

Descendants of Sir Hugh Paterson visit Bannockburn House after 350 years Isabelle Chardon and her husband Guy from France visited on a glorious sunny day in June (2018). Isabelle is a descendent of Sir Hugh Paterson (find out more about the house history here) who...

Events Blog

SEEING THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINT

by marketing | September 1, 2021 | Events, Gardens, Latest News | 0 Comments

ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS TO HAVE PORTRAITS UNVEILED AT BATTLE HQ

by marketing | September 1, 2021 | Events, Latest News | 0 Comments

An army of dedicated volunteers, who’ve helped breathe life back into Bonnie Prince Charlie’s former battle HQ, are set to be immortalised in a series of fine art photographs. The photography exhibition, which opens at Bannockburn House on 4 September, is the...

YOUNGSTERS DIG DEEP INTO HOUSE’S HISTORY

by marketing | August 20, 2021 | Events, History, Latest News | 0 Comments

FIRST WEDDING AT BANNOCKBURN HOUSE IN NEARLY 80 YEARS

by marketing | August 18, 2021 | Events, Latest News | 0 Comments

Community owned Bannockburn House hosted its first wedding in nearly 80 years on Friday (13 August). Cumbernauld couple Robert Vance and Erin Conner tied the knot in the mansion’s grand Laigh Hall, which boasts a stunning ornate ceiling rose by the same...

CREATIVE FUN FOR FAMILIES AT BANNOCKBURN HOUSE

by marketing | August 11, 2021 | Events, Latest News | 0 Comments

Join Vantage Points for some family friendly fun at Bannockburn House on Sunday 22 August, 12-5pm. The event will offer an opportunity to view the first public exhibition of artwork by Bannockburn and Eastern Stirling’s creative network. The showcase will include...

GET BANNOCK MAKING TO MARK BATTLE’S ANNIVERSARY

by marketing | June 14, 2021 | Events, Gardens, Latest News, Volunteer Blog | 0 Comments

WE’RE DISHING UP MORE COOK-ALONG FUN

by marketing | May 10, 2021 | Events, Latest News | 0 Comments

Our popular cook-along sessions are back for 2021! After a successful pilot during Forth Valley Food Festival last October, we have secured funding from Scotland Loves Local to run three more online sessions this year; with free ingredient packs for locals joining in...

PUTTING BANNOCKBURN AND THE EASTERN VILLAGES ON THE MAP

by marketing | February 2, 2021 | Events, Latest News | 0 Comments

Bannockburn House has teamed up with national wildlife charity Froglife to create a tapestry map depicting local heritage: from landscapes and habitats, to wildlife and buildings. Ross Caldwell, Events Manager for Bannockburn House said: “We’ll be delivering...

HOUSE HOSTS FIRST MAJOR ART EXHIBITION

by marketing | December 3, 2020 | Events, Latest News | 0 Comments

To mark Bannockburn House’s first major art installation, TRANSPARENCy, we caught up with the ten local artists involved to find out more about their artwork: Organised by Gossip Collective, the contemporary art exhibition was the brainchild of visual artist Lesley...

Historic House to Host Scotland’s Frontline Festival

by marketing | November 24, 2020 | Events, Latest News | 0 Comments

St Andrew’s Day preparations are well under way at Bannockburn House. The community owned historic 17th century mansion is preparing to host a virtual fundraising gig on Monday 30 November featuring some of Scotland’s best-known bands, including Wet, Wet, Wet, Bay...