Heritage and Retro

Heritage

Barnton Bunker in Corstorphine Hill, Clermiston, Edinburgh, Scotland.

The underground Cold War nuclear bunker being used by Army regiments
Army regiments have applied to train in the Cold War nuclear bunker
Lily Shanagher

In the present day, Halloween is largely used as an excuse to whip out your best fancy dress costume and eat lots of sweets. However, in ancient Scotland the festival represented not only a significant milestone in the year relating to the harvest but also the time of year when the veil between the world of the living and the world of spirits such as demons, spirits and witches was at its thinnest. As such, this was when the Celts would take action to ward off the evil which threatened them and their land.

Story of Scotland's 'witches' revealed in book by pair who won pardon

Drumsheugh Baths in Dean Village is one of the buildings chosen by architecture critic Robin Ward in his new book, The Pocket Guide to Edinburgh's Best Buildings.

11 of Edinburgh's lesser-seen architectural gems, as chosen by critic

The fallen Aberlemno III stone surrounded by its protective box

The Picts: Call for 'full and open' investigation into toppled stone

Princes Street at night

I feel Princes Street is less of a zombie thoroughfare now Gaby Soutar

A mourning ring engraved with 19th Century Scottish geologist Hugh Miller's name and the date of his birth and death

19th century ring linked to Scottish geologist found on African beach
Artefact may have belonged to daughter and been lost while she or her children were travelling between UK and Australia

The romantic Scottish riverside hotel opening after £2.5m makeover

Glenfinnan Monument at the head of Loch Shiel, where clansmen gathered to pledge allegiance to Bonnie Prince Charlie ahead of the 1745 Jacobite rising, is among attractions which enjoyed a rise in visitors last year.

The heritage sites across Scotland where visitor numbers are booming

Tom Cooper, of Glengarry Community Development Trust, with the cabins set in the woods.

'Cabin fever' as Highland community opens up holiday huts in the woods

The 128-year-old historic tall ship undergoing £1.8m restoration

Crannogs contain some of the best preserved evidence for life in the past in Scotland, and an upcoming underwater excavation of Loch Achilty crannog funded by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland could reveal more about medieval Highlanders. PIC: Andy Hickie.

Underwater dig to trace ancient loch dwellers in the Highlands

John Bayne, joint managing director at Bayne’s The Family Bakers, which has just opened its 70th outlet, on the outskirts of Perth. Picture: Sandy Young Photography

Double milestone: Fife baker Bayne's grows into 70-strong chain in its 70th year

John's Coffee House and Tavern has re-opened almost in exactly the same spot where it stood for 200 years. The popular premises could be found in Parliament Close, with the tavern captured in the top right hand corner of this painting of late 18th Century scenes. PIC: Contributed.

17th Century Edinburgh tavern revives with help of stiff drink of old
The Cauld Cock and Feather is making a comeback in the Old Town.
Alison Campsie

The Cockburn Association campaigned against a previous plan to drive a motorway through Edinburgh's Meadows (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell)

How Edinburgh was saved from Meadows motorway and other catastrophes Stephen Jardine

Dr James Naismith, the Canadian-born inventor of basketball, who is being reclaimed as Scottish.

The inventor of basketball who is being reclaimed as Scottish

An artist's impression of the Elgol Dinosaur by Maija Karala.

Dinosaur that roamed 166 million years ago found on Scottish island

The Aberlemno 3 Pictish stone, which had been housed in a protective box, was blown over causing extensive damage

Damage to one of 'most beautiful' carved stones in UK is heartbreaking Scotsman comment

The Roman brooch found deep in the foundations of an Iron Age settlement. The item was buried in the 2nd Century AD. PIC: GUARD Archaeology.

Rare Roman brooch buried in Scotland may have been 'battle trophy'

Craig Easton, Historic Environment Scotland craft fellow blacksmith

'At risk' register to highlight heritage skills at risk of dying out

Puzzles

Quick CrosswordTo test and hone your word skills

SudokuThe ultimate logic-based numbers game

WordwheelPit yourself against the clock with our simple anagram game

Retro

17 Edinburgh buildings that were razed to the ground
Edinburgh has long been considered among the most beautiful cities in the world – and deservedly so.
Gary Flockhart

The Yamaha multi-disc player has a feature that allows you to eject the tray and change four of the discs while the fifth keeps playing. Picture: Scott Reid

Yamaha’s unique CD player has a feature that let’s you party like it’s 1999

Take a look through our photo gallery for a nostalgic trip back to Edinburgh in 1995.

Edinburgh life in 1995 captured in fascinating photos

James May, former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter and all-round quite interesting and not-at-all-dull bloke.

James May has made being dull cool and I've joined his band of merry 'dullsters'

CDs are a lot less fiddly and longer playing than vinyl records: just pop in the tray and press play. Picture: Scott Reid

The vinyl revival is dead: Why buying CDs makes much more sense

Watch: Veteran Glasgow Subway carriages reinvented at their new homes

Exterior of legendary seafood restaurant Skippers bistro in Dock Place, Leith, September 1992.

17 long lost restaurants which are much missed by locals

The Jesus and Mary Chain: East Kilbride’s finest pairing of brothers William and Jim Reid.

Flashback: 12 best photos of great Scottish bands from '60s to '90s

HP Sauce is named after the Houses of Parliament and displays a picture of the London landmark on its label.

Brown sauce or ketchup? There's no debate and one brand comes out on top

17 photos taking you back to Edinburgh in 1990 (Part 1)

More Scottish Heritage and Retro

The Aberlemno 3, which dates from the 9th Century, before it blew over in the wind. PIC: CC.

1,200-year-old Pictish stone 'massively damaged' as wind blows it over

Portrait of Lewis Black, who arrived in Montrose from Brazil in 1836. PIC: AngusAlive

The enslaved boy from Brazil who lived free in a small Scottish town

Hot Tottie Sauna in Luss

Sauna by Scottish loch that got locals hot under collar is approved

Road to the ferry at Lochboisdale, South Uist.

Scottish island 'appalled' at ferry losses as holiday season looms

Men from the night shift at the Ferranti factory enjoy an early morning pint of beer at The Cavern pub in Leith, November 1981, following the introduction of early morning opening.

10 nostalgic pictures showing life in Edinburgh pubs in the 80s

One of a pair of unicorn sculptures in Edinburgh that will have their missing horns restored to their former glory

Unicorn sculptures on Royal Mile to have missing horns restored

Charles Gascoigne was a Scottish industrialist.

The statue of forgotten Scottish industrialist in occupied Ukraine

A still from the Cinema Sgìre project which recorded life in the Outer Hebrides in the 1970s. A collection of more than 100 videotapes filmed by residents has now been digitised and preserved by National Library of Scotland.

Fading films of life in the Outer Hebrides in the 1970s revived

Druids were a shared feature of ancient Celtic culture that has been revived in more recent times (Picture: Joseph Martin Kronheim, 1868)

How 'Celts' struggled throughout history to become a political force Ian Stewart

Edinburgh skyline

The architecture fan who compiled list of Edinburgh's best buildings

Hugo relaxes in one of his favourite spots in Edinburgh's West End. Soon, there will a statue to forever remember him in the neighbourhood where he made many friends. PIC: Contributed.

Hugo the charismatic West End cat to be remembered with statue

Dr Sarah Laurenson, of National Museums Scotland, with some of the items in the national collection to have their Gaelic origins retold and reinforced. PIC: Duncan McGlynn

Gaelic origins of 100 museum objects to 'set record straight'

Ravenscraig Castle in Kirkcaldy. Picture: Scott Louden

The 565-year-old castle to reopen more than 3 years after being shut

Pączki, Polish filled doughnuts, are the top treat served on Fat Thursday.

When is Fat Thursday 2025 and how do you pronounce it?

Cause of Waverley paddle steamer crash that injured 24 aboard revealed

Diver Graeme Bruce, of Easdale Island, retrieves a piece of Bell's Pottery from the wreck of the SS Eagle off the coast at Lamlash Bay, Arran. PIC: Naomi Watson.

'Euphoria' as lost shipwreck off Scottish island reveals itself

The sun rises behind the Calanais Standing Stones on the Isle Of Lewis. PIC: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The £5k residency at Scottish isle stones during major lunar event

A welcome, cheery shelter from the elements was a welcome retreat during a long wait for a bus on Skye.

'I visited 40 Scottish islands over 18 months - this is what I saw'

A painting by the artist Alexander Nasmyth of portrait of a gentleman. Picture: Roseberys/PA Wire

The family heirlooms from Antiques Roadshow expert's stately home up for auction

James I and VI, a man born into trauma who peacefully, relatively speaking, expanded the Stuart dynasty across the land.

Life and loves of Scotland's 'gay' king born to Mary, Queen of Scots