Most of the presentations since October 2020 can now be found on the Society's YouTube channel

2024/25 Programme

May 31st 2024 was the Society's 50th birthday.  Plans are being made for a year-long programme of walks, talks, events and activities to celebrate.

 

Competition Rules 

• The competition is open to anyone who lives in the Strathspey, Moray &
Badenoch area. You may enter any number of poems on any subject of ‘Poetry of
the Spey’. The poems should be in either English or Scots.
• Closing date and time for all entries is midnight on Friday 6th December, 2024.
• Poems should be of no more than 40 lines (excluding title) and your own original
work (no translations).
• Entry Fee for Open Competition is £3 per poem. This should be paid in cash at
The Hub, 2 High Street, Grantown-on-Spey or by cheque or bank transfer to The
Grantown Society.
Royal Bank of Scotland Sort Code 83-22-19 Account Number 00139104
• Please submit a covering sheet with your poems, noting the following:
1) Your name and address
2) Title/s of poem
3) Date and method of payment.
• Poems must not have won a prize in any other competition or have been
published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online at the
time of the closing date. Entrants must notify the organisers promptly of any
change in circumstances that occurs after the date of entry.
• One poem per A4 sheet in black 12 point font. Poems will be judged
anonymously and must NOT include the poet's name or any other distinguishing
mark.
• No alterations may be made once an entry has been received.
• Copyright remains with the author but The Grantown Society reserves the right to
publish winning poems when announcing the results.
• The judge's decision is final. Neither the judges nor the organisers will enter into
any correspondence. Entry implies acceptance of all the rules and failure to
comply will result in disqualification.
• Prize winners will be notified individually on or before 17th January 2025
• Winners will be asked to submit electronic copies of their poems. The results of
the competition with copies of the poems will be published on the Grantown
website as soon as possible after the award ceremonies.
• The competition organisers reserve the right to change the judges if necessary.

Coming Events


• The competition is open to anyone who lives in the Strathspey, Moray &
Badenoch area. You may enter any number of poems on any subject of ‘Poetry of
the Spey’. The poems should be in either English or Scots.
• Closing date and time for all entries is midnight on Friday 6th December, 2024.
• Poems should be of no more than 40 lines (excluding title) and your own original
work (no translations).
• Entry Fee for Open Competition is £3 per poem. This should be paid in cash at
The Hub, 2 High Street, Grantown-on-Spey or by cheque or bank transfer to The
Grantown Society.
Royal Bank of Scotland Sort Code 83-22-19 Account Number 00139104
• Please submit a covering sheet with your poems, noting the following:
1) Your name and address
2) Title/s of poem
3) Date and method of payment.
• Poems must not have won a prize in any other competition or have been
published, self-published or accepted for publication in print or online at the
time of the closing date. Entrants must notify the organisers promptly of any
change in circumstances that occurs after the date of entry.
• One poem per A4 sheet in black 12 point font. Poems will be judged
anonymously and must NOT include the poet's name or any other distinguishing
mark.
• No alterations may be made once an entry has been received.
• Copyright remains with the author but The Grantown Society reserves the right to
publish winning poems when announcing the results.
• The judge's decision is final. Neither the judges nor the organisers will enter into
any correspondence. Entry implies acceptance of all the rules and failure to
comply will result in disqualification.
• Prize winners will be notified individually on or before 17th January 2025
• Winners will be asked to submit electronic copies of their poems. The results of
the competition with copies of the poems will be published on the Grantown
website as soon as possible after the award ceremonies.
• The competition organisers reserve the right to change the judges if necessary.

November 15th The Picts in Strathspey a presentation from Prof. Gordon Noble
November 19th to 23rd:  International Week leading to Holodomor Day:  Poland, Grantown, Ukraine links - an exhibition and a chance to sign our international album and include recopies from around the world.
November 30th and December 1st Grantown Does Christmas
January 17th: The Enigma of Abbe Peter Grant (and his role in the purchase of paintings for Castle Grant)  Researched and presented by Eileen Stewart
February 21st:  Who owns Strathspey a presentation by Will Anderson, Seafieldd and Strathspey Estates.
March 21st - Gone Fishing - back soon
April 12th, 13th:  Festival of Cycling

Past Events

October 18th Poetry of the Spey an illustrated poetic journey
October  4th:  Concert in Grant House for residents and guests
October  3rd : National Poetry Day 
September 26th - 29th: Fiddle Festival (for more information click here)
       recital, concert, ceilidh, workshops, competitions, walks, picnic
June 16th Guided walk around local places of military interest (2pm outside the Legion)
June 12th Excursion to Inverness: "Behind the Radar", Fort George and the Highlanders' Museum. (phone 07962035902 or email jennysteven@icloud.com)
June 7th "The Regiments of Strathspey" from the Picts to D-        Day 7.30 Royal British Legion in the Square.  Steve Goodall
June 2nd Guided walk around the Square
May 31st Dinner in the Grant Arms

   2023/24

March 15th  Lynemacgregor, Ballieward and Camerory: John Halliday
February 16th   The Grants in the Jacobite Rebellions
January   The Picts in Strathspey: Gordon Noble. Replaced, because of bad weather, by a Society presentation on the Picts which can now be found on our videos page.  Gordon Noble will come on the 15th of November.
November The Grantown Music Scene
October "50 Years Not Out"  The Society Story
September The Entrepreneurial Macgregors

2022/23

September Fiddler of Strathspey Festival
March Strathspey's War Graves
February The History of Football in Grantown
January Ballintomb - Strathspey's most historic site
November Alex Ledingham - Grantown's Photographic Artist
October "Look, Duck, Vanish - a re-assessment of the Grantown and Strathspey Home Guard
September Grantown's Industrial Past

2021/22

May  Green Health Week Grantown Society Guided Walks  
March  Tours and trails Forum
February  Royal Connections
January   Mollusc of the glen
November  "The Cairn in its historic setting".  [Alternative title -"What lies beneath?"]
Gordon and Macphail will provide a presentation on our newest distillery and archaeological survey resultsand members of the Society will provide information on some of the background to brewing and distilling in Strathspey and point out some of the important features of the area from retting ponds to fishing pools and hostelries to hangings.  As further background those interested may like to review "A Virtual Heritage Round of Brewers, Distillers and Purveyors of Fine Drink " to be found here on our walks pages.
October  "In the days of the Burgh Council". 
"The Good Old Days" ... or were they. This open meeting is an opportunity to talk about and comment on the services and facilities of Grantown during much of last century when local management was in the hands of the Burgh Council: from street lighting to new housing; waste disposal to public spaces, council offices and the burgh yard. Memories and reminiscences will be evoked and contributions will be very welcome on and before the evening.
September "The Ian Charles"
The story of the birth and growth of Grantown's (now former) local cottage hospital. 

2020/21

March  "Brewers, Distillers and Purveyors of Fine Drink"  Virtual Heritage Walk meeting by Zoom  
February  "Health and Welfare Heritage walk"  7.15 for 7.30 Digital: Members' Meeting by Zoom  
January   "A Walk in the Woods" Digital: Members' Meeting by Zoom  
2020/21 Winter Programme December Update
We look forward in 2021 to holding our regular monthly meetings once again in the Grant Arms.  However, we have no idea yet when that will be.  In the meantime we are, instead, running a series of specially created powerpoint presentations by Zoom.  We aim to present these on the third Friday of each month (January to March).  Invitations will be sent out to members.  These virtual meetings are free, as were our regular meetings previously. 
November   The Music of Strathspey  Digital: Members' Meeting by Zoom  (invitation will be sent to members)
October  The Grant Raid on Elgin Digital: Members' Meeting by Zoom
The 2020 Fiddler of Strathspey Festival as such is cancelled.  Nevertheless it is hoped to provide a celebration of community and culture to recognise the great strengths of the community and the generous work done during lock down.
The 2020 Fiddler of Strathspey Festival  is under review because of the current crisis.  However, if we have the all clear we will need something to brighten the world and cheer us all up. 
On Saturday and Sunday mornings  there will be musical rambles. In the afternoon we plan to have music in the High Street and Square to celebrate "Totally Locally" and the regeneration of our community.  On Saturday evening there will be music in the park - Grant Park opposite the Craiglynne and beside the Skating Pond. That will be the venue on Sunday afternoon for a picnic in the park with traditional music.
This year's fiddle compettions will unfortunately be cancelled but we shall have a music/artand craft competition!  This will take the form of a "cardboard orchestra".  Individuals and groups are invited to make and decorate musical instruments out of cardboard (either 2D or better 3D) and we shall endeavour to display them in local shops where they will be judged on festival Saturday.  


Currently there are plans for a possible River Spey Festival as part of the 2020 Year of Coasts and Waters.  This will include the Fiddler of Strathspey and numerous musical and other events.
Note:  The current health crisis may well mean the cancellation of these events.
CANCELLED

2019/20

March 2020
We are working on a programme of talks for the 20/21 season some of which may well be on-line.
Postponed due to pandemic
"The Grant Raid on Elgin"  - commemorating the events of March 1820
Celebrating the 200th anniversary of the last time "the fiery cross was raised in the Highlands" (figuratively at least)

February  "Then and Now"  - based on modern views and old postcards. Grantown has a rich heritage in the form of postcards, left by many local and national photographers .These help tell a fascinating tale of Grantown's past and development.
January "Inverallan Church Past and Present" 
From the first church at Old Inverallan to the first building in Grantown and then the magnificent Seafield Memorial Church, there is a long and interesting story.  Dr Steele, from his research,  will present the story of the latter building.

   

November "Timber Floating" 
The transport of timber by water was a saga in the history of more than one river.  The roads were, of course, little better than rough, rutted tracks and transport was consequently slow and and costly.  Transport by water was relatively cheap, simple and swift.
In the middle of the 18th century the Spey, 95 miles from its source to the Moray Firth, was of considerable importance commercially, and timber floating created work for a large number of men. 
One of the most famous of the floater was Alastair Grant Mor, the Laird's champion, painted by Richard Waitt as one of the iconic Grant pictures.
October "The Regality of Grant" 
In a charter of 1694, their Majesties King William and Queen Mary ordained that, "the town formerly called Castletown of Freuquhie, now and in all time to come to be called the Town and Burgh of Grant, and to be the principal burgh of regality, a market cross to be erected therein and proclamations to be made thereat ...... 
Wrong-doers might have been tied to the cross and scourged by the hangman. For example we know from the Regality Court books that in 1703 three women were charged with the crime of "conveying aquavite clandestinely to prisoners in Castle Grant, who drank to such excess that they died."  The women were tied to the Regality Cross at Grantown, their bodies made  bare from the belt upwards, and scourged with cords by the hangman, each receiving thirty stripes."
September Lynbreck Croft
Lynn Cassells and Sandra Baer bought Lynbreck Croft in March 2016. With no farming background, they set about building a new farm business where people, wildlife, farm animals and nature live and work in harmony to build soil, increase biodiversity and produce nutrient dense healthy food. In their own words they "farm to be wild" and are passionate about helping reconnect people to land they live in and the food they eat

2018/19

Bridge over the East End Burn looking along Castle Road

June Fiddler of Strathspey Festival
April Fairs, Festivals and Bazaars
March Highland Textiles - visit to Newtonmore
March Strathspey Farmers' Club
February Grantown East End
This part of Grantown was, through the decades home of a great many worthies and the source of many tales.  It was the territory of the East Enders whose clan lands ran from the Court House to the last houses at the end of what is now Castle Road East. Of the youngsters one author wrote, “Our sports were generally held on the street, shinty and football played between the end houses and the Court House.  Marbles. Skipping. Bonnettie and lots of other games would be indulged in.  Dogs and Hares. Hide & seek through the Back yards and gardens all going well until some man or woman would make an appearance raging on us for the noise we made.  …… On Saturdays and School holidays with barrows and bags some of the boys would go down to the Spey for sand for the use of our Mothers in scrubbing the floor…….” Reports such as this, stories of residents gone but not forgotten and memories of times gone by are the source of the February Society talk. Grant Arms Hotel
January The A 939   
Through the Eastern Highlands there are a great many main and minor roads, roads old and new; trails, tracks, drove roads, thieves roads, smugglers trails – military roads, parliamentary and statute roads, estate and church roads and all have legends, stories to tell, scenes to admire and interesting places to visit. The A 939 and its associated military road from Royal Deeside to the Moray Firth as well as being one of Scotland’s valued scenic routes it is almost certainly one of the most historic. January’s presentation is a selection, a mere taster, along the route running from Braemar to Nairn and Inverness across some of Scotland’s most beautiful scenery. Grant Arms Hotel -  7.30pm.
November Strathspey Farmers’ Club
October Ballindalloch Castle
September  AGM and Place Names around Grantown

2017/18

July - October Richard Waitt Exhibition at Grantown Museum
June Fiddler of Strathspey Festival
April Castles of Strathspey
March Sgt John Minnery
February The Kompagni Ligne (hosted talk)
January Grantown on Glass
November The Square and Castle Road
October 250 years of Grantown Grammar 
September Conference - Joint with Museum - Richard Waitt