Your history' battle commences

2 October 2006

This October sees children from all over Scotland embarking on a war of words to express their interest in their local Historic Scotland sites. In conjunction with the October Kids Go Free promotion, children are being asked to write about the site they gained free admission into, in a special competition called 'Your History!'  Entry forms will be handed out at over 70 Historic Scotland attractions across the country, and the winner from each region will win a special Historic Scotland prize.

To start our young writers off, the line 'I enjoyed being a 'kid go free' as this is what I got to see' is at the top of the entry form, the rest is up to their infinite creative talent! It can either be a short feature (200 words) or a poem, although we are aware that some of our attractions do have rather hard names to rhyme with!

As well as adding a bit of fun to a family day out, the competition is also being used as a way to encourage children to take a real interest in the history of their area as well as gain a sense of pride in it. It is hoped that if the historic attraction inspires the child to write about it, then it will also go some way to inspiring them to discover more about their country’s history and why it is so important.

Rebecca Hamilton from Historic Scotland said:

'This competition is a great opportunity for us to see our attractions through a child’s eyes. Our sites are hundreds, even thousands of years old, so anyone visiting them has to use their imagination to picture what they would have been like in the past. Children are often the most adept at doing this, creating their own stories and adding their own slant to Scottish history.

We are hoping children all over the country will enjoy taking part in the competition, and that the experience of writing about their local historic attractions will spark a desire to discover more and appreciate the importance of our historic past. Our aim is to get at least one short story or poem for every single one of our attractions!'

Notes for editors

• ‘Your History’ Competition entry forms will be available at the sites listed below.  Children must be under 16yrs. A winner will be chosen from each region and will win a special prize. For more information, contact 0131 668 8959.
• Closing date for entries is 1 November 2006.
• Historic Scotland has 345 outstanding historic properties and sites in its care. These include some of the leading tourism attractions in the country, including Edinburgh, Stirling, and Urquhart Castles, Fort George, Linlithgow Palace, the Border Abbeys, and Skara Brae.
• Historic Scotland Properties included in 'Your History' competition:
  

Dumfries and Galloway
Caerlaverock Castle
Cardoness Castle
Dundrennan Abbey
Glenluce Abbey
MacLellan's Castle
New Abbey Corn Mil
Sweetheart Abbe
Threave Castle
(Please note that Whithorn Priory and Museum are not included in the Kids Go Free promotion.)

Scottish Borders
Dryburgh Abbey                         
Hermitage Castle                                                                 
Jedburgh Abbey                         
Melrose Abbey                                                        
Smailholm Tower                                                     

Edinburgh and Lothians
Blackness Castle                                                     
Cairnpapple Hill
Craigmillar Castle                                                     
Crichton Castle
Dirleton Castle and Gardens                                     
Edinburgh Castle                                                     
Linlithgow Palace                                                     
Seton Collegiate Church
Tantallon Castle                         
Torphichen Preceptory
Trinity House, Leith
(Please note that the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Holyrood Abbey are not included in the Kids Go Free promotion.)

Glasgow, Clyde and Ayrshire
Bothwell Castle                                                        
Craignethan Castle                                                   
Crossraguel Abbey
Dumbarton Castle                                                    
Dundonald Castle
Glasgow Cathedral
Newark Castle
Rothesay Castle                                                      

Central and West
Argyll’s Lodging                                                       
Bonawe Historic Iron Furnace
Castle Campbell and Garden                                     
Doune Castle                                                           
Dunblane Cathedral
Dunstaffnage Castle and Chapel
Inchmahome Priory                                                  
Iona Abbey                                                              
Stirling Castle                                                          

Fife
Aberdour Castle and Gardens                                   
Dunfermline Abbey and Palace                                  
Inchcolm Abbey – charge for ferry crossing                
St Andrews Castle and Cathedral                              

Perthshire, Kinross and Angus
Arbroath Abbey                                                        
Edzell Castle and Garden                                         
Elcho Castle
Huntingtower Castle                                                 
Lochleven Castle                                                      
Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum

North and Grampian
Balvenie Castle
Corgarff Castle                                                         
Dallas Dhu Distillery                                                 
Elgin Cathedral                                                        
Fort George                                                             
Huntly Castle                                                           
Kildrummy Castle
Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse
Spynie Palace                                                         
Tolquohon Castle                                                     
Urquhart Castle                                                        

The Western Isles
The Blackhouse, Arnol                                             
Calanais Standing Stones and Visitor Centre
Kisimul Castle, Barr

Orkney
Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces
Broch of Gurness
Hackness Battery
Maeshowe                                                               
Skara Brae