The Hamiltons – who built Kinneil House – are one of Scotland’s greatest families. A new BBC documentary has traced the family’s story – including its links with Kinneil – as part of a series on Scottish history. You can watch the programme “Scotland’s Clans – Clan Hamilton – Grand Designs” on BBC iPlayer until 8.29 p.m. on Monday, November 9. Watch online or download and watch over the next 30 days on your home PC. The programme was shot at Kinneil House and across Scotland.

http://bbc.co.uk/i/ntlhz/

THE two-disc DVD set, featuring the new Bo’ness Fair documentary, "The Best Day Of The Year", and historic archive footage of the Fair, is back on sale at Kinneil Museum.

The film, premiered at the Hippodrome Cinema in May, has proved to be a popular gift item for local people – quickly selling out from local outlets.

Kinneil Museum, run by Falkirk Council, is open throughout the year, from Monday to Saturday, from 12.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. As well as a small retail area, the Museum features artefacts, displays and an audio-visual presentation. Admission is free. Telephone 01506 778530.

* The Museum also has a range of Christmas gifts for sale – including festive hampers.

KAIYA Gilbert, aged 5, from Grahamsdyke Place, Bo’ness, won the prize for the best dressed youngster at the annual Kinneil House Hallowe’en open day this year.

The Friends of Kinneil charity asked younger visitors to come along in fancy dress to the open afternoon yesterday (Saturday). Kaiya wowed management committee members with her scary vampire outfit. She scoops a book token.

A Friends’ spokesman said: “We’d like to thank everyone who dressed up for the Hallowe’en open day. They made Kinneil House – with its very own ghost – even more spooky than normal! It was hard to pick a winner, but Kaiya was particularly memorable. We hope she gets a nice book to read with the voucher.”

Hundreds attended the Hallowe’en open day. Kinneil House will be open for more free days from next Spring. Keep visiting this website for dates and details.

Kinneil Estate in Bo’ness is a magical place. Please help us promote this spectacular parkland by taking part in our art and photography competition.

All you have to do is take a photograph or paint or draw a picture showcasing part of the estate. It could be a building, a parkland scene (like the one by 2007 winner Chloe Nash, above right), animals in the estate or people.

The only stipulation is that it must have been painted, drawn or photographed in the formal public park and woodland that forms Kinneil Estate.

The entry is open to adults and children.

THE PRIZES INCLUDE:

• An original framed water colour of Kinneil Estate by local artist Guthrie Pollock
• Family pass to visit Edinburgh Castle (donated by Historic Scotland)
• Bo’ness Toy Shop Gift Vouchers
• Inkspot and Silverleaf Bookseller Gift Vouchers
• Kinneil T-shirts
• and much more.

RULES AND DETAILS

There are adult, primary and secondary school age sections for photographs, paintings/drawn pictures. (adult entrants will be from the age 18 upwards). All photos, paintings and pictures must be taken, painted or drawn in the grounds of Kinneil House and Estate within the last five years. The entrant must have taken the picture and hold the copyright (or be the original artist).

Where digital prints are submitted, access to the original file may be required for winning entries. (If possible, supply any digital files on CD along with hard copy prints.) Prints can be colour or black and white and up to 12” x 8” in size.Each print/picture should be marked on the back

with:

• The print title and location
• The category being entered – adult/primary/secondary
• your full name;
• your address/contact telephone number;
• your age (if 18 or under).

In addition, please fill out the entry form and enclose this with your pictures.

FREE TO ENTER

There is no charge to enter the competition and you can enter as many times as you’d like. Prints will not be returned unless requested and sufficient postage is included with the submission. Prizes will be awarded for the best entries.

The Friends of Kinneil reserves the right to exhibit entries after the competition – or allow the press to print entries to publicise the competition. However you retain the overall copyright in your entry. Entry is open to anyone – except members of the Friends of Kinneil Management Committee, staff of Historic Scotland and Falkirk Council and their immediate families.

JUDGING / CLOSING DATE

Winners will be notified within four weeks of the closing date – November 10^th 2009 There will be prizes for the best photographs and pictures in each section and awards for runners-up. Awards will be presented at a special ceremony on the 4^th December 2009.

• Download the entry form and full details here (Word doc)
• Or download the form in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF)

 Address your entries to: Images of Kinneil contest, Maria Ford 16, Craigallan Park, Bo’ness,  EH51 9QYAlternatively hand them in to the above address. 

Alternatively you can leave entries at Kinneil Museum, Kinneil Estate, Bo’ness; the Museum is open between 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Saturday. If you have any queries about the competition please email: info@kinneil.org.uk  – or call 01506 510629.

Good luck!

A HAUNTED house is opening its doors to the public … for this year’s Hallowe’en.

Historic Kinneil House in Bo’ness – which boasts its own “White Lady”
– will provide free access to visitors on Saturday, October 31, from
12 noon to 3 p.m. (last admission 2.30 p.m.)

The charity The Friends of Kinneil has joined forces with Historic
Scotland to run the free open afternoon.

Youngsters are being encouraged to come along in fancy dress – with
the best getting a book token. Last year hundreds of visitors came
through the doors. Full details are available online at
www.kinneil.org.uk

The imposing mansion, within the beautiful Kinneil Estate, is said to
be haunted by the ghost of Lady Alice Lilbourne, who fell to her death
from one of the building’s top-floor windows.

Bruce Henderson, the chairman of The Friends of Kinneil, said: “Lady
Lilbourne was the wife of a Cromwellian General who was stationed at
Kinneil House in the mid 17th century. The story goes that the
marriage was not a happy one, and Lady Alice was locked into an attic
room overlooking the rocky ravine and burn. In desperation, she flung
herself out of the window to her death on the rocks almost 200 feet
below. Ever since, the White Lady has been said to haunt the house and
its grounds.”

He added: “We don’t know if she will make an appearance this
Hallowe’en, but we’re sure lots of people will want to come along and
see if they bump into her!”

Mr Henderson said volunteer guides would be getting into the “spirit”
of things. “I hope young visitors will also join in the fun by donning
fancy dress. We’re giving a prize to the best dressed visitor.
However, we must stress that anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an
adult to gain access.”

The neighbouring Kinneil Museum – run by Falkirk Council – will also
be open. The museum provides an audio visual show on the history of
Kinneil House and the surrounding Kinneil Estate, which also features
a medieval church, a Roman fortlet and a cottage used by inventor
James Watt.
For many, however, the potential to see a ghost will be one of the
main attractions this Hallowe’en.

The writer Maria Edgeworth visited Kinneil and the last occupants of
the house – the philosopher Dugald Stewart and his wife – in June
1823.
She wrote: “Mrs. Stewart told us this morning that there were plenty
of ghosts at our service belonging to Kinneil House. One in
particular, Lady Lilbourne, who is often seen all in white, as a ghost
should be, and with white wings, fluttering on the top of the castle,
from whence she leaps into the sea – a prodigious leap of three or
four hundred yards, nothing for a well-bred ghost. At other times she
wears boots, and stumps up and down stairs in them, and across
passages, and through bedchambers, frightening ladies’ maids and
others.”

* The volunteers from Friends of Kinneil are organising the Hallowe’en
open afternoon as part of “CSV Make a Difference Day” – a national
initiative which encourages people across the country to take part in
local initiatives. To find out more visit www.csv.org.uk/difference

ABOUT KINNEIL HOUSE

Kinneil House dates back to the 15th century and was once a popular
home for the Dukes of Hamilton. The building was re-modelled in the
1540s and transformed into a stately home in the 1660s.

Demolition was halted in 1936, when renaissance wall paintings – said
to be amongst the finest in Scotland – were discovered and the
property was put into the care of the Ministry of Works, now Historic
Scotland.

For the past two decades, access to the house has been limited.
However, Historic Scotland is now working with The Friends of Kinneil
group to increase the number of public openings.

To find out more about the House and its surrounding estate, visit
www.kinneil.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Kinneil House and Estate is just off the A993 – the main road
through Bo’ness in central Scotland. For location information visit
www.kinneil.org.uk/map

2. Kinneil House is only during special open days. However,
neighbouring Kinneil Museum, run by Falkirk Council, is open to the
public throughout the year. The Museum is normally open Monday to
Saturday from 12.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The surrounding
Kinneil Estate features remains of the Antonine Wall and is part of
the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site.

3. Kinneil House is one of 345 outstanding historic properties and
sites in the care of Historic Scotland. These include some of the
leading tourism attractions in the country, including Stirling,
Edinburgh and Urquhart Castles, Fort George, Linlithgow Palace, the
Border Abbeys, and Skara Brae. Find out more by visiting
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

To find out more about Kinneil’s ghost, visit our special page at www.kinneil.org.uk/ghost

KINNEIL’s home to bats – and the odd ghost. As we prepare to open up Kinneil House for Hallowe’en (open 12 to 3 p.m. Saturday, October 31) tell us which bits are scary to you.

KINNEIL Estate’s annual heritage day – with a pirate theme – takes place on Sunday, September 20.

The fun starts at 12 noon with a four-hour, free opening of Kinneil House, organised by The Friends of Kinneil and Historic Scotland (last admission 3.30 p.m.)

The Heritage Day gets fully underway with a formal opening at 1 p.m. and will run until 5 p.m. Pirates will perform in the main arena, there will be swash buckling storytelling, face painting, a charity market and lots more to enjoy. The event also marks the end of this year’s Big Roman Week: you’ll be able to try out Roman activities within Kinneil Museum and enjoy the Italian Market too.

TIMETABLE for KINNEIL HERITAGE DAY, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2009

12 noon Kinneil House opens for free tours (last admission 3.30 p.m.) – part of Doors Open Days in Falkirk District.

12.30 p.m. Kinneil Museum opens (closes 4 p.m.) Roman themed activities for youngsters on offer - part of the Big Roman Week.

1 p.m. Heritage Day formally opens. This year’s main theme is Pirates! Look out for:

• Pirates go walkabout;
• Fun for kids – workshops, face-painting, pirate-themed activities;
• Inflatables;
• Swash-buckling storytelling from Falkirk Council’s library service;
• Central FM’s roadshow;
• Archery demonstrations from Falkirk Company of Archers;
• ‘Saltire Falconry’ birds of prey; and
• Charity Market and Italian Market

3.30 p.m. Last admission to Kinneil House – arrive early to avoid the rush.

4.00 p.m. Kinneil Museum closes

5 p.m. Heritage Day ends.

• Download the flyer for the event here (PDF)
• or check out all the details on the Falkirk Council website.

See our Attractions page for more information on Kinneil House and Museum.

To mark the September birthday of Emperor Antoninus Pius – who built his Roman frontier from Bo’ness to Old Kilpatrick in Central Scotland -  we’ve organised a series of events to celebrate our rich Roman heritage.

The Big Roman Week includes attractions within Kinneil Estate.

Throughout the week (September 14 to 20) there will be special activities for children in Kinneil Museum. You’ll be able to play Roman board games or design your own personalised Roman coin. Suitable for children aged 5 to 12 years. All children must be accompanied by a supervising adult.

Kinneil Museum is in Kinneil Estate, Bo’ness. The Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 12.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (and on Sunday, September 20, for Kinneil Heritage Day). Admission free.

The Big Roman Week has been organised by The Friends of Kinneil in conjunction with Falkirk Council, Town Centre Management and Bo’ness Community Council.

AS part of the Big Roman Week celebrations – to celebrate Bo’ness and its Roman roots – the Italians are coming to town.

An Italian Market will be held in Bo’ness Town Centre on Saturday, September 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Market will also be at the Kinneil Heritage Day in Kinneil Estate on Sunday, September 20, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Delicious food products will be on offer, including Parma Ham, Salami, Italian cheeses, olives and olive oils, italian sweets and ice cream, nuts, dried fruits, breads, cakes and more!

Download the poster here (PDF)

The Big Roman Week has been organised by The Friends of Kinneil in conjunction with Falkirk Council, Town Centre Management and Bo’ness Community Council.

THE Friends of Kinneil is working with a range of partners to run a Big Roman Week to mark the birthday of Emperor Antoninus Pius – who built his Roman frontier (a World Heritage Site) through Kinneil and Bo’ness. An Italian Market, talks and other events are planned. The 2009 Week runs from September 14 to 20.

ALL WEEK – Discover Roman artefacts in Kinneil Museum, Kinneil Estate, Bo’ness. During The Big Roman Week: special activities for  children. Play Roman board games or design your own personalised Roman coin. Suitable for children aged 5 to 12 years. All children must be accompanied by a supervisory adult. Museum open Monday to Saturday from 12.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. (and on Sunday, September 20, for Kinneil Heritage Day). Free.

ALL WEEK – SHOP LIKE ROMANS: Discover Italian and Roman themed products across shops in historic Bo’ness Town Centre.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 – FILM: The Antonine Wall (silent),  introduced by archaeologist Geoff Bailey. Hippodrome Cinema, Hope Street, Bo’ness. Film starts at 11 a.m. Cafe opens at 10.30 a.m. Tickets £4.75 (inc. refreshments). Box Office 01324 506850. www.falkirk.gov.uk/hippodrome.*

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 – TALK: The Bridgeness Slab. Find out about Bo’ness Community Council’s plans to bring a full-size replica of the Bridgeness Slab – one of the best Roman relics in Britain – to the town.  Bo’ness Library (upstairs), Scotland’s Close, Bo’ness. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Free. In association with the National Museums of Scotland and The Friends of Kinneil.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 – ITALIAN MARKET: Sample the fare of  modern-day Romans on Emperor Antoninus Pius’s birthday. Bo’ness Town  Centre, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. In association with Bo’ness Town Centre Management.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 – FILM: Spartacus (PG). Stanley Kubrick’s epic (3 hrs) Roman movie. Starring Kirk Douglas. Hippodrome Cinema, Hope Street, Bo’ness. Film starts 2.30 p.m. Ticket price £5 (conc. £3.75). Box Office 01324 506850. www.falkirk.gov.uk/hippodrome.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 – KINNEIL HERITAGE DAY, Kinneil Estate, Bo’ness. Visit Kinneil Museum to find out about the Romans and see the Italian Market in the Estate. Historic Kinneil House (on the line of the Roman Antonine Wall) will also be open until 4 p.m. Plus lots of other family fun. Event runs from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. See a full timetable here.

The Big Roman Week has been organised by The Friends of Kinneil in conjunction with Falkirk Council, Town Centre Management and Bo’ness Community Council.

Download a flyer for the event here (PDF)

Click the map below to see all the locations for the Big Roman Week. * You can buy tickets for the Hippodrome direct from the venue – or by phone or in person from the Steeple Box Office in Falkirk.