Charity set to take over Inverness' oldest church
The church was put up for sale in 2022.The mound on which the Old High was constructed is believed to be the site where Irish missionary St Columba converted King Brude to Christianity in 565.The saint is also linked to the mythology of the Loch Ness Monster.An account of the missionary's life thought to have been written in the 7th Century tells of him encountering a strange beast in the River Ness.The oldest part of the Old High was used as a prison after Bonnie Prince Charlie's defeat at Culloden, and captured Jacobites were executed in the church grounds.This connection with Culloden has led to the church featuring as a stop on local walking tours, and made it of interest to Outlander fans.The TV hit, based on the books of author Diana Gabaldon, follows the adventures of World War Two nurse Claire, played by Caitriona Balfe, and Sam Heughan's 18th Century Jacobite Highlander Jamie Fraser.
A bell believed to have been rung daily for more than 300 years forms part of the sale.The curfew bell dates back to 1703 when Queen Anne - the last Stuart monarch - was on the British throne.According to the Church of Scotland it was originally rung at 17:00 to signal a night-time curfew before a later tradition started for ringing it at 20:00.The bell is listed in the sales schedule for the Old High, and the new owner would take responsibility for it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
25 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Vinnie Jones: People need to stop sticking their noses into countryside affairs
Vinnie Jones, the footballer turned actor, has struck out at people who 'stick their noses in and try to destroy' the countryside. Jones spoke about the importance of gamekeepers, whom he said 'are an integral part of rural land management'. His comments were reported in the Farmers Guardian after he attended Game Fair at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire in July. A supporter of field sports, Jones said he saw himself as 'a British conservationist' and wanted to 'protect our way of life for future generations, not least of all for my two grandsons'. In 2023, he starred in the series Vinnie Jones in the Country, on the Discovery+ channel, where he took on 2,000 acres of West Sussex countryside and a host of overambitious farmyard build projects. His comments come as the Government tightened rules on shotgun ownership. The changes, announced earlier this year, were brought into force on Tuesday. At the time of the consultation in February, it was reported by The Telegraph that Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, was making the changes in response to a shooting in Plymouth four years ago. Applicants for shotgun certificates now need two referees who have known the applicant for more than two years. Previously they only needed one. The changes by the Home Office bring shotguns into line with other firearms. Police will also be urged to speak to family members before granting firearms licences to ensure the applicant is not a domestic violence risk. The National Gamekeepers Association, a charity Jones serves as patron of, described the changes as risking 'creating further delays and burdens for applicants, particularly those in rural communities where access to referees can be limited'. Livia Brynin, the firearms adviser for the organisation, said: 'Shotguns are vital tools in countryside management, conservation and pest control.' She added: 'We support effective regulation. But regulation must be proportionate, practical, and based on real-world risks, not public relations optics or misunderstood narratives. 'We'll continue to work with government and police to ensure that firearms licencing policy is both safe and fair.' Jones, speaking in 2017 to Shooting UK, revealed that his father had run game shoots in Hertfordshire for 35 years, with Jones involved 'at an early age'. He added: 'My perfect day would be to get up early, get the hide out, shoot pigeons all day, bagging 200, then go lamping all night and get half a dozen foxes.' Jones has previously fallen foul of shotgun laws, when his own shotguns were taken away from him by the police in 2013, following an air rage outburst where he shouted 'I can get you murdered, I can get the whole crew murdered' at passengers. He subsequently had the firearms returned and has run shoots of his own. Speaking to Farmers Guardian, he said 'We have to trust the people that know what they are talking about in the countryside. We do not need one or two people letting us down. That is very important.' Jones is known for his portrayal of tough guys in films and recently appeared in the Guy Ritchie Netflix series The Gentlemen where he played gamekeeper Geoff Seacombe.
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
How the Royal Albert Hall was saved by the rave: KATIE HIND
It's the quintessentially British music venue known best for being home to the Proms, that summer-long series of daily classical music concerts. Rich in royal history having been dedicated by Queen Victoria to her late beloved husband back in 1871, the Royal Albert Hall has hosted performances by some of the world's leading artists over the past century and a half. The Grade I-listed building on the edge of Hyde Park, with its distinctive glass and wrought-iron dome roofing, stages more than 390 shows a year in the main auditorium, including classical, rock and pop concerts. It also hosts ballet, opera, film screenings with live orchestral accompaniment, sporting extravaganzas, school and community events, awards ceremonies and charity performances and banquets. Now, following financial problems that at times threatened its very future as an arts venue, it is opening its doors to a radically new musical genre – dance DJs are battling it out to secure coveted slots which sell out to ravers of all ages. Few would have predicted that legendary DJ Pete Tong, who hosted a sell-out gig there back in May, and urban music pioneer Trevor Nelson, whose soul music Christmas special is also immensely popular, would have proved such a success. Meanwhile, Manchester's Hacienda nightclub icon Graeme Park and the Ministry of Sound entertainment brand have also held hugely innovative nights at the Albert Hall recently. The scale of the transformation in the Hall's fortunes brought about by these acts has prompted the music industry to joke that the Royal Albert Hall has been 'saved by the rave'. One insider says: 'Who would have thought that these DJs would be the saviours of a venue as steeped in history as the Albert Hall, that something so much more modern and less traditional would come to its rescue.' It was respected music industry manager Neale Easterby who helped to bring Trevor Nelson's sell-out shows to what would once have been considered an unlikely venue. 'To be inside the building when Trevor, or indeed when any of the DJs is putting on one of their nights is an amazing experience,' Easterby told the Mail. 'You get the experience of being inside not just one of Britain's most iconic venues, but one of the finest venues in the world. At the same time you get to hear fantastic orchestras performing with brilliant vocalists, helping to breathe new life into already classic tracks. 'It's an infectious mix. And seeing a younger, more diverse audience get to appreciate not just the music, but come to visibly enjoy being inside the Albert Hall is a wonderful sight.' The Hall's financial troubles began in earnest after it was hit hard by the Covid pandemic. It was forced to furlough 80 per cent of its staff and cancel hundreds of performances. The venue lost around £27 million in income and had to refund around £7.5 million in ticket sales. Some feared that it might never be the same again. But post-pandemic the Albert Hall's dance music revolution has been at the heart of its return to economic viability. 'It is surreal and inspiring to come into such a historical place doing what we are doing,' says Tong, of his now regular Ibiza Classics nights at the Hall. 'It isn't a nightclub, so you treat it in a different way.' That has included drafting in the Albert Hall's official organist Anna Lapwood, who has become something of a classical music sensation in her own right. She described her performance at one of Tong's sell-out shows there as 'the greatest day of my life' in a post on social media site TikTok, where she has 1.4 million followers. The 30-year-old, awarded an MBE for services to music, has also described the 'electric energy' inside the Hall, saying: 'You feel the audience's excitement bouncing off the walls, and the organ just amplifies that connection.' Only last month, she closed the Ministry of Sound's sell-out takeover of the Hall, with what Lapwood now says was the 'mash-up to end all mash-ups', which included a reworking of dance act Faithless's hit Insomnia on the venue's beautiful organ, which – at the time it was built – was the largest musical instrument in the world and described as 'the voice of Jupiter'.Trevor Nelson first staged his Soul Christmas extravaganza at the Albert Hall in 2019, with special guests performing re-imagined Soul and R'n'B tracks, with help from the incomparable BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Troy Miller. The festive night was an instant success but has gone on to even greater heights in the aftermath of the pandemic, seeing artists such as Roachford and Corinne Bailey Rae perform. He has also hosted a sell-out Windrush 75th anniversary event there and curated the BBC Concert Orchestra's Sunday night Proms extravaganza, which sees classic Motown and soul tracks given a new lease of life. Nelson describes the Albert Hall as a 'magical' venue. 'Every time I walk inside I think exactly the same thing: incredible vibes,' he says. Another remarkable success at the venue has been the sell-out Haçienda Classical nights put on by Graeme Park alongside musical director Tim Crooks, at which tracks made famous at the legendary Manchester nightclub are given a rebirth by the Manchester Camerata orchestra. Each Hacienda night has been a sell-out. The sight of ravers, who first danced to house music classics such as the seminal Strings Of Life by Rhythim and Show Me Love by Robin S in the 1980s and early 90s, rising from their seats and dancing like teenagers rather than people in their 50s and 60s, is a joy to behold. Hacienda Classic nights have also seen the likes of Happy Monday's star Bez and Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook grace the stage. Much of the credit for the Albert Hall's success with its dance music events can be attributed to its CEO James Ainscough, who returned as chief executive having previously been finance director, in 2023, following a spell as CEO of charity Help Musicians. 'We want to have our doors as wide open as we did in the 1960s when we had early gigs by The Beatles, the Stones, The Yardbirds, Cream, Pink Floyd,' says Ainscough. 'We want to make sure the door's wide open to a full array of artists and a full array of audiences. 'Whatever the genre, age, ethnicity or anything else of the artist, we want to make sure everybody feels we've got something for them. 'We're not going to have less classical music, or fewer legends, there's room for everyone here. We're going to make sure that every single person fancies at least one night at the Royal Albert Hall each year.' The enthusiasm for change is of course welcomed by all, but you just can't help but wonder just what Queen Victoria would make of her precious building being the new home of rave.
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
Why is Myleene Klass' secret feud with ex-pals Rochelle Humes & Frankie Bridge so bad that ITV were forced to step in?
MYLEENE Klass is involved in a secret feud with two members of the Saturdays — both former clients of her bodyguard ex-husband, pals claim. It is the latest twist in the toxic infidelity feud between Myleene and Graham Quinn which has rocked the showbiz world. 9 Myleene, 47, yesterday doubled down on her bombshell claims that Quinn, 51, once cheated on her with an unnamed celeb pal. The former Hear'Say singer warned: 'I have the receipts.' Pals say there are also simmering tensions between Myleene and ex-Saturdays stars Rochelle Humes and Frankie Bridge, who all work at ITV. Frankie yesterday sparked frenzied speculation by posting a cryptic video, saying somebody was 'dead to me'. Rochelle and Frankie, both 36, worked with Quinn when he was the pop band's bodyguard, and pals say the two women are no longer close. Following Myleene's infidelity claim this week, This Morning star Rochelle shared a cosy snap with Quinn, along with her hubby Marvin Humes — another of his ex-clients. It was, pals say, 'game over' for Rochelle and Myleene. They were all once close, with Loose Women hosts Myleene and Frankie attending Rochelle's hen do in 2012. However, Rochelle and Frankie are said to have snubbed each other at this year's Wimbledon — with sources blaming friction at ITV. Meanwhile, Frankie and Myleene have not appeared on Loose Women together since an 'awkward' episode last December. The pair are said to have history. In 2013, soon after Myleene's divorce from Quinn, guests at the Glamour Women of the Year awards saw her storm over to Frankie after believing she had been blanked. A source said: 'Myleene had not long divorced Graham and when she saw Frankie, she believed she had blanked her. Myleene seemed to take that as Frankie taking sides with Graham because of their working relationship. 'She was very open with guests that she wasn't happy about it and stormed over to have it out with Frankie. It was all very awkward and very public — it was the talk of the evening.' Their apparently icy relationship is believed to have spilled on to Loose Women. A TV insider told The Sun: 'The girls used to be really close, but it appears obvious their differences are making it hard for them to move past the friction. 'There was talk backstage at Loose Women that Frankie and Myleene said they weren't keen to appear on the same panel. 'But over Christmas, because of people being on holiday, they were drafted on to the same episode. 'It appeared to be awkward and they seemed to be interacting as little as possible.' ITV bosses are also said to be keen to avoid run-ins between former childhood pals Rochelle and Frankie. The source added: 'They don't seem to be getting on and that's making things more complicated for bookers who are keen to keep everyone happy. 'They've been competing since they were 12 when they joined S Club Juniors and now it appears they're competing for top jobs on ITV. While Rochelle rose in the ranks to present This Morning, her appearances have become few and far between since other famous faces have been brought in. 'Meanwhile Frankie has been a regular panellist on Loose Women since 2020 and has the ear of ITV producers who she's become close friends with. Now ITV bosses do everything they can to avoid awkward run-ins. If Rochelle is on This Morning and has to pass over to Frankie on Loose Women, it's kept as brief as possible.' For Myleene, turning 47 this year appeared to mark a new beginning — with the Classic FM DJ saying she is 'no longer scared' to be disliked. Her new carefree attitude led to her explosive interview on Paul Brunson's podcast when she recalled the moment she caught Quinn cheating with a celeb at her own birthday party. Myleene would not name the female involved but claimed she built her career off a 'family brand'. She said: 'I walked in on him with a famous person on my birthday on a balcony. 'It was in my house. It was my party. They weren't having sex, but they were unzipping each other.' After whipping up a social media storm, Myleene yesterday posted a new Instagram story, insisting she would not be silenced. Quoting the Bible, she wrote: 'And the truth will set you free' John 8.32,' adding 'and then some'. She also posted: 'Wow. What a week it's been! 'All this to say, at 47, I've finally found my voice and it's clear, unapologetic and brutally honest. To those that fear its truth, you probably have reason to — I have receipts. To those that need to hear it, I've got you and I fully intend to continue using it to change the laws and legislation that neglect women and children in this country and around the world.' Meanwhile, Frankie posted a TikTok video of her own. She is seen drinking from a wine glass with Avril Lavigne's What the Hell playing, and writes: 'You're so quiet… thanks, you said something five years ago and I've just realised you're actually dead to me. Takes me a while, but once you're dead, you're dead. #capricorn.' 9 9 9 Those close to Frankie insisted the post was not aimed at Myleene and there was no issue between them. But those on the inside at ITV disagree Our source added: 'Myleene's outburst has really set the cat amongst the pigeons. 'It's the talk of the industry and now those awkward moments are making more sense. 'Both Myleene and Frankie are making pointed statements — and it's left everyone pointing fingers.' Myleene has two kids, Ava and Hero, with Quinn who she divorced in 2013 just six months after marrying. He had refused to sign a pre-nuptial agreement. Rochelle has maintained a close friendship with Quinn, who was Marvin's usher at their wedding and was previously tour manager for his band JLS. Rochelle was last pictured with Myleene in 2019. Rochelle and Frankie still follow each other on Instagram, but there appears to have been no interaction between them since 2022. They grew up in the spotlight together — from childhood pals who performed in S Club Juniors to businesswomen and mums with a combined fortune of £17million. They spent seven successful years with The Saturdays, alongside fellow bandmates Mollie King, Una Healy and Vanessa White. But when they were both guests recently in a hospitality suite at Wimbledon, they kept their distance. An insider told The Sun: 'They sat on opposite sides of the suite and kept to themselves. It seemed a shame because having the two girls from The Saturdays together for a mini-reunion was exciting for everyone there.' It seems to have dashed hopes of the band reuniting on stage. Mum-of-two Frankie, married to ex-football ace Wayne Bridge, has said: 'I don't think there will be [a reunion]. Never say never. . . but I'd feel a bit old and a bit silly.' Mum-of-three Rochelle has also been less than enthusiastic about the prospect, saying: 'We've not had a conversation about [a reunion]. I just can't imagine doing that again. My kids are my number one. Everything has to fit around them.' 9 9
