As part of this weeks Daily Post Photographic Challenge – Circle – I’m posting two photos of the Tyndall-Bruce Monument on Blackhill, in the Lomond Hills.
This interesting structure was built to commemorate the life of Onesiphorus Tyndall-Bruce, who married Margaret Stewart Hamilton Bruce (the then Hereditary Keeper of Falkland Palace), in 1828. Having accrued quite substantial debts earlier in his life through gambling, marriage appears to have had a good affect on Onesiphorus. He turned his life around, and in the end had enough money to rebuild Falkland House in 1839 (which is now a private school), and to have Falkland Parish Church built. The first photo shows the circular shape of the outside of the monument, the second photo has been taken looking directly upwards from within the tower.
Now I will know what is it, if I see it, what a strange shape, wonder if it means anything !
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is an odd shape Lynne, a wee bit like an inverted Olympic Torch! But I don’t think they had them in Victorian times! Lol! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Its a great talking point though, whatever it is mean to be 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gorgeous !!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Tiffany 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
my pleasure :)x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Certainly a strange design for a monument to someone’s life. There’s got to be a story there!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m sure a writer could come up with a great tale about his life, with a name like Onesiphorus, he’s just got to have an interesting life!! It was his wife who had the monument built.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Yeah; it’s an amazing name, and one I’d never seen before. I do have to wonder what was going through her mind when she decided that a circular brick chimney-like tower was an appropriate monument for him.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol!!! A Victorian style crematorium perhaps!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that second shot of the circling bricks!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Laura 🙂 It’s one of the advantages of carrying a tripod with you whilst out walking, the exposure time on the photo was nearly 2 seconds!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely shots – never seen this before! *Adds to list of places to visit*
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Anabel 🙂 I’m not surprised that you’ve not seen this one before, it appears that a fair number of people in Glenrothes (3 miles away) don’t know of its existence!! If you need directions, just give me a shout – there are some beautiful views from the monument 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely warm coloured stone in this unusual building 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s an iron stained sandstone that is creating the yellow/orange colouration of the rock, Gilly 🙂
The actual inside is fairly dark, I used a longish exposure to capture the natural colours of the rock.
LikeLike
It was covered in scaffolding when I was there last Easter so I will need to take a trip back and stick my head (and camera!) inside!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was surprised to see it open inside too Karen, it was closed up on my two previous visits!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome interior shot, so well framed!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you WM 🙂
LikeLike
That is the most interesting building or tower ever! Love the history as well!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Lynz 🙂 We are quite lucky in the UK, many folk in Victorian times built monuments and follys, some to remember other people by, and others just for the hell of it! 🙂
And many of these structures come in all sorts of shapes and sizes 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love seeing these monuments or follys and we don’t have much over this way! So it is really interesting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow… when you stare into the black circle… it almost looks as if it is moving. Well done!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Tori 🙂
I hadn’t noticed the optical illusion affect until you pointed it out! I feel almost seasick staring at it now! LOL!! 🙂 🙂
LikeLike
Onesiphorus. What an extraordinary name and I see the name means ‘bringing profit’ or ‘useful’. Clearly he didn’t know that when he acquired debts through gambling. I am glad he turned his life around. Bet Margaret told him she is going to divorce him. LOL!
It’s a lovely tower and I love the stone setting. Great shots as usual Andy and thanks for sharing. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Sophia 🙂
It is amazing (he says tongue in cheek) how many wives turn their husbands around!!! Lol! 🙂 And it’s so often that way around, not the husbands correcting the wives misdemeanours!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Totally amazing Andy and well, it couldn’t be any other way. I guess most of us women folk were just made perfect in that way. 😆 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL!!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
hahahahaha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great photos, Andy! Love the internal shot, though it makes me feel a bit dizzy! Onesiphorus is a magnificent name. I’m intrigued by that and also the shape of the monument. I seem to remember there’s a statue of him in Falkland.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Jo 🙂
He has got an amazing name, with a name like that he would have had to have had a fairly colourful life! Lol!!! The shape is fairly unusual, it was his wife that had the monument built, maybe she was trying to tell us all something about him, but god knows what!! Lol!! 🙂
You’re right about the statue of him in the village, I think its in the parish church grounds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Two simply excellent photographs. I am thinking that standing inside at night and looking up would allow for some focused star watching. Just beautiful and always a bonus to get the background and history of a place with the photography. Thank you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you JoHanna 🙂 It would be a great place for doing some serious star watching, if we get some clear skies, something of which seems to be decidedly lacking at the moment! LOL! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not to be confused with the usually sunny high desert here, and incredible star gazing at night. Currently experiencing El Nino gray sky rainy weather. Not complaining though as we really need the rain.
All my best to you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I imagine living in a desert like region must be amazing JoHanna, and I can see why you would really appreciate the rain 🙂
I think most people in the UK are now longing for a wee bit of desert like conditions here, it’s been a very wet last couple of months!
LikeLike
Great pictures. 🙂 I love the shot inside the tower.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Louise 🙂 It did make a more interesting photo than I was expecting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very unusual monument. I wonder if that reflected something personal about the man?
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is unusual in it’s shape and a fair number of people have questioned whether that reflects on Onesiphorus himself, I’ve not been able to find out anything for sure – I’m definitely open to any ideas Amanda 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perhaps it was just whimsy or they achieved their aim of keeping everyone guessing…..
LikeLiked by 1 person
They certainly have kept many wordpress folk guessing!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
How interesting! Great shot from the inside…fascinating brick work and a monument that’s stood the test of time & the elements. Wonderfully insightful blog!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Helen 🙂 It is an interesting monument, and it’s about 1 mile from the house where Onesiphorus and his good wife lived!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had no idea. Thank you so much for your very enjoyable and informative blog! We holidayed in Scotland from time to time, mainly Ayrshire & Edinburgh…such a beautiful country and people. Fond memories of both. Have a great weekend & stay warm!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Helen for your kind comments about the blog 🙂
And I’m really pleased to hear how much you like Scotland, it is truly a wonderful place to live 🙂
Hope that you have had a wonderful weekend too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are most welcome. Have an awesome week ahead 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank’s Helen 🙂 And I hope your week is going well too!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
An interesting structure, Andy, almost like some kind of chimney or funnel. I also found the man’s name intriguing, and rather funny, if I’m honest. It’s one I’ve never heard before. Is it a typically Scottish one? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t think Onesiphorus is Scottish Millie! LOL!
I think he originally came from the Gloucester area 🙂
LikeLike