Guidebook published for Inverness Town House
A guidebook, which gives a flavour of the history and culture of Inverness Town House, was published this week by The Highland Council.
The 32-page colour publication will complement guided tours of the historic civic building which are due to begin later this year with a fuller programme in 2009. The Council is currently in discussion with the Highlands of Scotland Tour Guides Association about running a programme of pilot tours. The guidebook is available at a cost of £2.75 from Inverness Service Point.
Leading visitors around the Town House, the guidebook depicts examples of some of the many interesting artworks on display, including one of the oldest paintings on show - from the mid 16th century, ‘The Holy Family’ from the Central Italian School. Paintings of the Jacobite legends - Flora MacDonald and Prince Charles Edward Stuart - hang in the Town House Chamber, and throughout the hall and chamber are portraits and sculptures of former provosts and notable members of Inverness society.
A variety of topics touched upon within the guide include a brief history of the town house building and its stained glass windows, the Mercat Cross and Clach-na-Cuddainn Stone, Coats of Arms, standards and colours, and swords allegedly wielded at the battles of Sheriffmuir in 1715 and Culloden in 1746.
The only known time that a British Cabinet meeting was held outside of London in 1921 is recorded within the guidebook. Copies of the signatures of those present at the cabinet meeting are framed in the Town House Chamber. The first meeting of the Cabinet of the Scottish Government in the Highlands in August 2008 is also marked within the book.
Provost Jimmy Gray, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee said: “We have a fantastic wealth of heritage and culture within the Town House and this new guidebook will help staff and members to share information on the history and artefacts with our visitors. I am looking forward to the guided tours that are being organised and the guidebook will be a perfect complement to these.”
The guidebook is an update of an information leaflet about the Town House previously available from Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. The new guide incorporates some of the photographs taken by local photographer Ewen Weatherspoon for the Council’s Highland history and culture website www.ambaile.org.uk.
The Am Baile website also provides on-line 3600 tours of the staircase, hall and chamber within Inverness Town House. On-line visitors can click and drag on the 3600 images and then choose ‘hotspots’ to view in more detail items that interest them within the Town House. A full collection of artwork and items of interest about the Town House are listed on Am Baile with detailed information on their historical background.
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