Halloween: Sports and Spooks in the Statistical Accounts Halloween is approaching and the nights are drawing in. So this is the perfect time to discover some spooky stories and supernatural superstitions reported in the Statistical Accounts of Scotland. …Continue reading →

When is a hill a hill? Mapping, “occular inspection” and the problem of standardisation in Robert Douglas’s General View of the Agriculture in the Counties of Roxburgh and Selkirk In October 1795, Sir John Sinclair asked Rev. Robert Douglas of Galashiels to “assist the Board of Agriculture” by updating and republishing the County Surveys of Roxburghshire and Selkirkshire. Sinclair …Continue reading →

Lasswade: a green retreat from Edinburgh Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the Lothian Family History Society, who meet just outside Edinburgh in the Lasswade Centre. It was a lovely opportunity to meet some of …Continue reading →

Statistical Accounts Online Service Redevelopment Christmas is coming and, while the goose is getting fat, the Edina elves will be sharing some of the festive traditions described in the accounts on twitter and Facebook. As …Continue reading →

Finding Deaf Lives in the Statistical Accounts of Scotland, 1791-1845 ‘As recently as the 1970s, deaf history did not exist,’ writes John Vickery Van Cleve (Deaf History Unveiled, 2002), pointing out how, until recently, the history of deaf people and …Continue reading →

(VIDEO) Back to the Statistical Future A few weeks ago, we took the Statistical Accounts to the Edinburgh Fringe as part of the Beltane network’s Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas. Board member Helen Aiton and EDINA’s Nicola Osborne wrote and presented …Continue reading →

Of Pibrochs and Preachers: Music and Folk Culture in the Old Statistical Accounts Perhaps particularly in a post-Christian society it is stereotypes we live with, rather than the nuanced reality of religion. Listening to the thoughts of ministers by reading the Old Statistical …Continue reading →

Statistical Accounts at the Fringe: Back to the Statistical Future As always, August in Edinburgh is abuzz with lots of exciting theatre and shows. We were delighted to have the opportunity to present our own show again this year, once more …Continue reading →

More of Sinclair’s Questions Discovered The first blog about the Statistical Accounts of Scotland service described how in May 1790, Sir John Sinclair wrote to every Church of Scotland Minister in each of the 938 …Continue reading →

County Surveys Project Launches Online Bibliographic Tool We are pleased to report that the County Surveys of Great Britain 1793 – 1817 project, which is related to the Statistical Accounts, has now released an online bibliographic search …Continue reading →