Brian Kerr

@jamesbriankerr.bsky.social

Hiberno-Scottish Glaswegian in Surrey. Archaeologist, medieval & post-medieval, buildings, with a niche specialism in the salvage of recently-burnt royal palaces. Formerly at English Heritage and Historic England. He/him

This is St Anthony’s RC church in Govan, designed in a Byzantine style by John Honeyman, built 1877-8. I like the delicate use of red sandstone courses. My grandad was baptised here, and would have attended until he abandoned Catholicism for socialism.

St Antony’s RC church in Govan. The blonde sandstone building is decorated with blind arcading above the main entrance, now obscured with green netting for safety reasons. Thin red sandstone courses are used to give the banded appearance characteristic of Roman masonry.

The purpose of yesterday’s trip to Wemyss Bay was to catch a ferry to Bute so that I could revisit the amazing Rothesay Castle. This makes an excellent and cost-effective day-trip from Glasgow, using Scotrail and CalMac. If you get the chance, do it.

A view of the main entrance to Rothesay Castle. The original gate was massively extended outwards in the 15th-16th century to create a fine new suite of accommodation. The use of red sandstone marks the 19th century restoration work by that inveterate castle rebuilder the 3rd Marquess of Bute.A view of the interior of Rothesay Castle from the gatehouse. The surviving building had a chapel on its first floor, the altar end marked by pairs of large traceried windows in the north and south walls. The west end of the building is missing.A view of the Gatehouse, the circular enclosure wall of c. 1200, and the surviving circular mural tower added in the 13th century. The castle is surrounded by a wet moat.A particularly exciting feature is that the curtain wall was heightened in the 15th-16th century when the Gatehouse was rebuilt and extended. This has preserved the original crenellations, with the crenels infilled using a darker stone rubble contrasting with the lighter ashlar masonry of the earlier curtain wall.

Perhaps we can stop being so parochial about Starmer's trip to Washington now. It was a failure. We are in a battle against fascism. And every decision we make is judged by whether it assisted or opposed it.

“Experts are part of this winning formula. It is their knowledge that English Heritage, and other organisations, rely on when designing an experience […] or updating displays to reflect contemporary concerns.” www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Guardian view on English Heritage: don’t take glorious days out for granted | Editorial

Editorial: Cuts could jeopardise the quality of the experience at the charity’s castles and ruins

theguardian.com