The History of Scottish Christmas: Druids, Romans & Vikings (Scottish Folklore)

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  • Опубліковано 25 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 108

  • @elle7938
    @elle7938 11 місяців тому +5

    Your channel, (and Julie fowlis’s music) has helped me so much with reconnecting to my Scottish culture. I can feel these stories in me like remembering a once forgotten memory. Thank you so much for sharing our stories. You’re keeping us alive.

  • @userunknownx
    @userunknownx Рік тому +12

    It is difficult to make hard headed closed minded individuals understand that most every culture celebrated the solstice before Christianity existed, and you do a most wonderful job of doing so.
    I raise a glass of good fortune to you in the spirit of the New Year!

  • @kevinmikkola7396
    @kevinmikkola7396 Рік тому +8

    I'm a Canadian with Finnish/Scottish ancestory. For some reason I was only every focused on Finnish mythology and folklore. And then your video popped up on my feed. Now I want to learn everything I can on Scottish mythology and folklore. Thanks for your video and I am now a subscriber.

  • @secretgardentribe9220
    @secretgardentribe9220 Рік тому +5

    I have always wondered why Hogmanay is more prominent in Scotland, whereas in England it is Christmas that is more prominent. Thank you very much.

  • @edamamame4U
    @edamamame4U Рік тому +8

    This was fascinating--I love learning about my ancestors. I was so fortunate to be able to enjoy the Hogmany festivities when I used to live and study in Scotland. It was so hauntingly beautiful to parade through the streets of Edinburgh with thousands of other people carrying torches. I remember that some of the Jarl Squads from Shetlandcame that year and kicked the festivies off by burning a "small Viking galley." I'm hoping to make it to Up Helly Aa in Shetland in the future. In the meantime, I'll just have to celebrate some of my favourite Scotish festivities back in the U.S. until I can visit family and friends in Scotland again.

  • @natalieb.1254
    @natalieb.1254 Рік тому +20

    My father emigrated with my grandparents to America in 1952. In our family, we spent Christmas with my mother's people and New Years Eve with my father's. I loved visiting my Dah building a bonfire & telling tales because he was born on the Orkney Islands. Now as an adult, I've worked every Christmas, unphased by the traditions but before going to work in NYE I spend the time making steak pie & black bun; going first footing after closing our restaurant-bar with my friends. Singing the full song of Auld Lang Syne, which has always shocked me since childhood that folks in America don't know all the words. Quite the identity crisis to have been raised in the American South, by a black mother and a Scottish-born father ....but have more traditions from both to be so different from the "culture" here.

    • @elihyland4781
      @elihyland4781 11 місяців тому +1

      I really enjoyed your story 🙌

    • @hArtyTruffle
      @hArtyTruffle 7 місяців тому

      My maternal ancestors came from the Orkneys. Hail sister 🍻

    • @rogerkirk4759
      @rogerkirk4759 14 днів тому +1

      Where are you from? I grew up in north Alabama and so many of my family traditions are similar to the Scottish traditions of Hogmanay and Yule. We, have, to this day, a giant bonfire on new years and throw balls of cloths soaked in kerosene. It’s a beautiful and peaceful scene. We also had “old Christmas “ which is January 6 and is simply a carols service in a dark church with candlelight and somber reverence followed by a loud and joyful meal.

  • @charlotteillustration5778
    @charlotteillustration5778 Рік тому +8

    Thank you, that was fascinating. I have always wondered why Hogmanay was so much more important in Scotland than in England, coming to the conclusion that it was simply the need to party in the midst of a long Scottish winter, but your explanation makes far more sense!

  • @jackpayne4658
    @jackpayne4658 Рік тому +21

    A wonderful potted history, as we've come to expect here. Any mention of the Scottish Reformation makes me think of John Knox, with his impressive Druidic beard, and his book 'The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women'. That's a memorable title - John Knox clearly had a high opinion of his own righteousness, and a low one of women in general. I don't think I would have liked him very much, despite the fine beard.

  • @alia7368
    @alia7368 12 днів тому +1

    Thank you. My grandfather was born in Stromness and eventually moved to America in the 1950s. We had our own traditions past on by him and my Nan (who was Glaswegian) which was harmlessly different from the other American families we knew but I had never heard much discussed about Scotland at the end of the 19th century. Which is to say, the folklores my Dah shared with us and the sort of rituals he introduced us to were no different from the Irish who came over a generation before he had. My father had said when he and his siblings grew up in America they were the family that didn't celebrate Christmas in the traditional fashion until Charlie Brown aired on the tele, but they were the "crazy family" that went all out for New Years Eve with Dah's massive bonfire in the backyard, and Nan's huge feast with preparing for First Footin' through the town.

  • @noreenclark2568
    @noreenclark2568 Рік тому +4

    I always wondered why we celebrated New year as opposed to Christmas now I know. I enjoyed listening to the history about the festival's of Pagan people, and Druids of long ago. Thanks so much for telling us. Have a Guid Hogmanay and hope the New year is prosperous.for you 🥃

  • @Davlavi
    @Davlavi Рік тому +5

    Did not know it was such a difference in traditions.

  • @lauradavison4044
    @lauradavison4044 Рік тому +2

    Very interesting for someone from Newcastle upon Tyne. A lot of traditions we celebrate here near the border.

  • @madmark1957
    @madmark1957 11 місяців тому +2

    Interesting. I am Scottish, born and bred, although I now live in the USA. I lived in Scotland (various parts) for the first 55 years of my life. I am in my mid 60s, and my mother told me that when she was a little girl living in the north east there were no Christmas presents, but rather there were New Year presents. I don't think she knew the history of that tradition but it was interesting to get an idea of why that would have been the case. I love history and there are indicators of ancient history all over Scotland in the place names, the structures and traditions of the past. I look forward to seeing more of your videos.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  11 місяців тому

      My grand parents never celebrated Christmas or gave presents when they were young and often worked Christmas day. New year was always the time they celebrated. Thanks for watching.

  • @jared1870
    @jared1870 Рік тому +7

    Thank you once again for another dive into Scottish traditions. I think I prefer the celebration of the Daft Days, which I am doing now.

  • @Timetraveler1111MN
    @Timetraveler1111MN Рік тому +3

    What do absolutely great video you put together I’m sure you put a lot of work into it. I love the imagery. I would love to be able to make video like this myself. I got to visit with three of the sacred sites you listen to videos daddy’s going to Callanish and many others during my celtic Shaman , Isn’t trip. I just wanted to say hi to barely hear you turn my volume up on my Earbus hoping that would work.

  • @michaelmacewen
    @michaelmacewen Рік тому +3

    The tales of old Scottland are cryptic yet wonderful. Thank you for sharing them with us.

  • @darcichambers6184
    @darcichambers6184 Рік тому +3

    Thanks so much for sharing this. I'm third generation Scottish-America, meaning it was my Great Grandparents who immigrated over here. I always wanted to know more about Scottish history, religion, and lore. My father wasn't interested in his ancestry one bit and could never help. I now love finding videos like this to share with the rest of the family.

  • @michaelrooney1454
    @michaelrooney1454 Рік тому +3

    Cracking video. Really enjoyed it as I'm settling down for the night 😊

  • @mudotter
    @mudotter 21 день тому +1

    That kind of explains the creation of Robbie Burns Day too? One more way to celebrate midwinter? Pockets of us celebrate that in North America and it's an evening I especially enjoy.

  • @mikepaz8385
    @mikepaz8385 Рік тому +3

    Very interesting! This is all new information to me. Thank you!

  • @dietrichess9997
    @dietrichess9997 Рік тому +3

    Thank you! I'll be looking into Hogmanay now!

  • @sandyschipper1400
    @sandyschipper1400 Рік тому +2

    This was a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable presentation. I am of Scotch-Irish and Scandinavian decent. Happy New Year or whatever you celebrate! 🎉

  • @adoxartist1258
    @adoxartist1258 Рік тому +4

    Oooh! Bonus material! Thanks for this info. I would love a series on ancient pagan rites, celebrations, and beliefs, if you wish to make it. Happy 2024! Love from Mississippi.

  • @taylorstagg9548
    @taylorstagg9548 Рік тому +1

    One of yt’s best channels… hands dewn

  • @ragnarironspear1791
    @ragnarironspear1791 Рік тому +5

    Brilliant channel

  • @authormichellefranklin
    @authormichellefranklin Рік тому +5

    One thing to remember: the ritual of mistletoe being cut by the Druids comes from Pliny, so we're not sure how accurate that is.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому +3

      You are very correct, I was going to include a section on pliny, but it ran on for too long haha. There is so much discussion about the accuracy and reliability of his writings, that I find facinating, some of Pliny's works seem to correlate with other works of the times and would to many seem accurate, but then there is just obvious fiction, which has no place in his writting. either way, he is an interesting character. The connection to mistletoe, is mentioned in a few other sources. So that seems to be true, although the ritual and how it occurred is pure Pliny. Thanks for watching

    • @authormichellefranklin
      @authormichellefranklin Рік тому +2

      @@LiathWolf Great stuff! If you haven't read it yet, I recommend Blood and Mistletoe by Professor Ronald Hutton.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому +1

      @@authormichellefranklin I will check it out thanks

  • @marbethnix
    @marbethnix Рік тому +3

    Happy New Year to you and thank you for all the wonderful old stories 🎉❤

  • @connorricketts1323
    @connorricketts1323 Рік тому +7

    Thank you for a another great story love this channel and love folklore and mythology and thank you for great info

  • @joshmofromkokomo
    @joshmofromkokomo Рік тому +5

    I so enjoy your channel! Thank you!

  • @sarahoakes5843
    @sarahoakes5843 Рік тому +2

    always love these videos, this one was fascinating

  • @heatherstorm2483
    @heatherstorm2483 5 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for this excellent explanation, a lot of a-ha moments in here.

  • @JanetCaterina
    @JanetCaterina Рік тому +4

    Thank you, Scottish history as such was never taught to us. The personification of Old Man Winter does seem to be close to our modern Santa Claus, whose origins have remained hidden.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому

      Unfortunately, its not really taught in Scotland either, at least that was the case while I was at school.

    • @MrChristianDT
      @MrChristianDT Рік тому +1

      It appears to be correct. The Germans, for a time, were also using a King Bread ritual to choose someone to stand in as "King of Christmas" & it's not hard to imagine a deity referred to as Allfather to be repurposed into Father Christmas. They just properly Christianized the concept later by reassociating him with a Saint. In fact, on Christmas Eve, Germans have Krampusnacht, where they chase off the evil spirit Krampus from going after the children & the English observed the Anglo-Saxons having a Modersnacht (Mother's Night) on that same day. And, the modern German word for Christmas incorporates the known Pagan German word for sacred ground or temple.

  • @melissa9375
    @melissa9375 Рік тому +1

    Excellent cultural history! Thank you.

  • @shaunathornton8032
    @shaunathornton8032 Рік тому +3

    Well I'm Scots-Irish and American, but my husband and I are celebrating Christmas at New Years this year. Very interesting history, thank-you!

    • @MrChristianDT
      @MrChristianDT Рік тому +1

      Funny enough, Scots-Irish are neither Scottish nor Irish, but they came from the borderland region of England between Scotland & Wales. They were well aware of the fact that they were mixed with all the different cultures of England- thus giving themselves the name Scots-Irish in the US- & seem to have also quickly forgotten where they originally came from within a few generations, leading to many just identifying as Irish, Scottish or both over English.

  • @resourcedragon
    @resourcedragon Рік тому +4

    As someone else pointed out (might have been Bruce Fummey), the fact that the Scottish reformers had to have such severe penalties for people who celebrated Yule or Christmas suggests that a lot of people _did_ want to celebrate it. The ban on Christmas was not popular.
    When I listen to Scottish mythology I get the strong feeling that many Scots never really relinquished their pagan beliefs, there was a Christian overlay but what a lot of people believed deep down was pagan.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  11 місяців тому +1

      I think you correct and that how I tend to see Scotland and its people aswell.

  • @garyfrancis6193
    @garyfrancis6193 Рік тому +5

    I wonder if Sol Invictus replaced Jupiter as King of the gods in the Roman pantheon?

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому +1

      In some souces I found, Sol invictus replaces Jupiter, but in others it was merely a different name for jupiter, who was known to some as the unconquered or invincible Jupiter. Thanks for watching

    • @garyfrancis6193
      @garyfrancis6193 Рік тому +1

      @@LiathWolf Jupiter is really a combination of the the words Jove and pater ( father) . So it meant God the father.

  • @CptEtgar
    @CptEtgar Рік тому +1

    Thanks!

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  11 місяців тому +1

      Thank you very much for the donation. Best wishes for the new year

  • @hArtyTruffle
    @hArtyTruffle 7 місяців тому +1

    Thanks for this one 🍻

  • @samanthab1923
    @samanthab1923 Рік тому +1

    I think it’s all the plaid. Very festive 🎅🎄

  • @joannecassidy533
    @joannecassidy533 Рік тому +3

    ❤hawesome video

  • @garyfrancis6193
    @garyfrancis6193 Рік тому +4

    What does “Liath Wolf”mean?

  • @Game_Hero
    @Game_Hero Рік тому +2

    Astérix references are always appreciated

  • @garyfrancis6193
    @garyfrancis6193 Рік тому +3

    So is Yul = Jol as a time of feasting related to the word “ jolly”?

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому +2

      Thats a great point, I never thought about that. It very well could be connected and seems to come from the same root Norse word.

    • @garyfrancis6193
      @garyfrancis6193 Рік тому +1

      @@LiathWolf This is my job. I could tell you things about English you aren’t aware of but very common.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому +4

      @@garyfrancis6193 I will admit my knowledge on norse and even english etymology is far from vast, but I do always love learning about the history of words and language.

  • @jeannedouglas9912
    @jeannedouglas9912 Рік тому +1

    Thanks

  • @kathleenogrady8459
    @kathleenogrady8459 11 місяців тому +1

    Hi. BC Canada here. At the end you say something like 'Slan jova'.... what does it mean and how do you spell it? Gaelic?
    Does it mean farewell?

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  11 місяців тому

      Its traditional Scottish Gaelic, Spelt "Slàinte mhath" commonly used as a toast when raising a glass. It translates to Good health. hope that helps

    • @kathleenogrady8459
      @kathleenogrady8459 11 місяців тому +1

      @@LiathWolf Thanks for that. And for this: After watching your Samhain video, about the Seonaidh, water spirit I was inspired, since the spell was only done on the Isle of Lewis. My mother's family is Nichol, from Lewis. And I am Nichol by blood.
      The spell is for plenty of seaweed for the gardens. I live on the West Coast on the ocean. Malaspina Strait to be exact. So I cast ale (beer) into the sea for the water spirit and added the salmon and the seals as well. Then one builds a fire, drinks the rest of the ale, and sleeps on the beach! Great spellwork! Really resonated here on the West Coast, I can tell you.🐟🦭🐳
      Love your stories.

  • @davidcraddock8329
    @davidcraddock8329 Рік тому +3

    interesting

  • @raiseyourworld5324
    @raiseyourworld5324 Рік тому

    Apart from the druids sacrificing people, an excellent synopsis. thank you :-)

  • @myrdin90studentofhistory81
    @myrdin90studentofhistory81 9 місяців тому +1

    Isn't Jolnir a name for Thor?

  • @bennybaker4926
    @bennybaker4926 Рік тому +4

    Hooray for the Scots!!!

  • @wildmareproductions
    @wildmareproductions 11 місяців тому

    My great grandmothers maiden name was McTigrit or McTigert...is a common name or familiar?

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  11 місяців тому

      I know the name McTigrit, but I can say its very common at least not where I live, I am fairly sure it is a Scottish name, but honestly I don't know much about the history of the name, If you do find out I would love to know. Thanks for watching.

  • @XenobiaWinterWolfMoon
    @XenobiaWinterWolfMoon Рік тому +2

    Hogmany this word calls up a feeling of whimsy

  • @grahamfleming8139
    @grahamfleming8139 12 днів тому +1

    The sun will come back
    Bliadhna mhath ur!😅

  • @mtbalpinecounty
    @mtbalpinecounty 11 місяців тому +1

    💪

  • @belindawilson1350
    @belindawilson1350 7 місяців тому +1

    Slàinte Mhath

  • @ThomSimmons
    @ThomSimmons Рік тому +4

    This makes way too many assumptions about the solstice. Archaeology and historical literature all suggest that to the Celts, the moon phases were far more important than the solstices.

    • @umwha
      @umwha Рік тому +6

      What about the stone and wood henges? Also, the moon phases, while certainly used to conveniently mark time, have no correlation to the seasons , so some level of seasonal consciousness would be necessary by ancient celts, no?

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому +4

      In many ways you are right, the Celtic people were very much concerened with and connected to the lunar calendar and circle. Yet there is also substantial evidence that they held the solstice in high regard aswell.

    • @umwha
      @umwha Рік тому +1

      @@LiathWolf Yeah, I mean, they couldnt fail to notice winter exists, and winter is characterised by longer nights. They would vaguely guess there is a 'darkest period'. Highly consequential for survival. Perhpas their 12 days of celebration show that perhaps they didn't (originally) know the precise date, but did guess the fortnight period.

  • @ripme6616
    @ripme6616 Рік тому

    Parliament can only become government with the eradication of trial by jury of one's peers
    A celebration in Law
    Predating the roman war machine 16:39

  • @jamesdouglas7345
    @jamesdouglas7345 9 днів тому +1

    Kinda sad

  • @rebeccagolder5235
    @rebeccagolder5235 10 днів тому +1

    Lang may yer lum reek

  • @alexblue6991
    @alexblue6991 Рік тому +1

    Not many true Scottish people left in Scotland

  • @Painting-Moor
    @Painting-Moor Рік тому +1

    Original Scott's and Druids are Moorish people.

  • @MichaelK.-xl2qk
    @MichaelK.-xl2qk 11 місяців тому

    How come you forgot to mention the Jews? After all, the reason Christmas was banned was because the Protestants began to imagine that they were Old Testament Jews, since that was the obvious "Biblical" way to be anti-Catholic. The fact that you could tell this story without that fact shows how repressed the truth is.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  11 місяців тому

      I have always thought that in general, the Reformers argued that salvation in Christianity was a completed status based on faith in Jesus alone and not a process that could involve good works, as in the Catholic view.

    • @MichaelK.-xl2qk
      @MichaelK.-xl2qk 11 місяців тому

      @@LiathWolf But that's based on a corrupt theology alien to the Orthodox view of salvation held by the Apostles and Church Fathers. Because it relies on the imputation of an alien righteousness on to the sinner by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ as a payment for the sins of those who believe in Him. The problem here is that you have Jesus Christ, who is God, being sacrificed to pay a debt to God the Father, as if God's honour cannot be satisfied without the shedding of blood, in some infantile feudal gangster way. And this is clearly in principle a contradiction of everything Jesus actually taught in the Gospel; and it poses the question of God having two opposing wills ! One God wants to see Man in hell, and the other one wants to save him, but the man is essentially unchanged and remains sinful, but gets a free pass by irrational belief in blood magic according to his wicked pagan laws. You see, the Western Christian tradition reverts to paganism as a result of the penal atonement theology development expounded by Anselm of Canterbury. It's just a warped way of altering Christianity to fit the conditions of feudal era, and it makes God roughly equivalent to the Devil. The Protestants, having already accepted this Papal heresy as a basic assumption, and knowing nothing about Greek, just carried the error to its logjcal conclusion: salvation was a completed transaction on the ledger books of God, hence the alien controlled Catholc Church was unnecessarily imposing itself by pretending there was anything left to do. One was saved because of one's theological beliefs. And coveniently, now the Tribe can reassert its pagan right to determine the religious life of the people. And the tribe of course recognizes the premise of human sacrifice as perfectly valid, as well as superstitious legslism. So why not just assume the attitude of Jewish rabbis toward the Catholic Church, but with certian messianic assumptions?

    • @MichaelK.-xl2qk
      @MichaelK.-xl2qk 11 місяців тому

      @@LiathWolfWhen Scotland was Jewish book review:
      ua-cam.com/video/OPhx19XHyuU/v-deo.htmlsi=spDtdKggJUFbolDz

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  10 місяців тому

      @@MichaelK.-xl2qk Thats probably quite true, I am not stating if one or the other is correct, but merely stating their beliefs as they believe it. It was never intended to be a philosophical religious argument on the orthodoxy of Christianity.

    • @MichaelK.-xl2qk
      @MichaelK.-xl2qk 10 місяців тому

      @@LiathWolf I appreciate your viewpoint. Yet, from the perspective of the history of the Jews in Scotland and their prominent position in the upper class, it seems worthwhile to try and tell the story of how their beliefs and.preferences helped to shape the celebration of Christmas in Scotland. Namely, to try and stamp it out and turn it into just another day to make money.

  • @JCOwens-zq6fd
    @JCOwens-zq6fd Рік тому +1

    Xmas has always historically been on January 7th for actual Christians. Its only the 25th for Western Schematics that followed Rome when it left in 1054AD. It was Rome that moved it over top of Saturnalia.

    • @KebaRPG
      @KebaRPG Рік тому +5

      Old Calendar (Julian) Orthodox Christmas falls on December 25th by the Julian Calendar reckoning. It is merely by coincidence Old Calendar December 25th now falls on January 7th by the Modern Calendar (Gregorian) due to Modern Calendar adjusting for the drift of the Solstice a couple weeks over the last couple Millenia. The switch to having Christmas being celebrated on December 25th a few days after the First Day of the Solstice happened Centuries before the Great Schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Greek (Hellenes) Orthodox Church. Also Yule and Saturnalia both covered time frames that extended beyond the Nativity and Christmas Season which the Roman Catholic Church still celebrates from December 25th to January 7th (or closest Sunday after) most years.
      If you truly want to go that route of Christmas was changed; then you should acknowledge for Earliest First to Fourth Century Christians often celebrated the Nativity closer to Early Spring and Pascha in Mid to Late Spring where conflicts were arising on which Days were Feast and Fast due to overlaps of Greater Lent and Christmas Season.

    • @MrChristianDT
      @MrChristianDT Рік тому

      I've also heard the theory that the Roman economy began to crash when all the old pagan holidays were out, so they wanted to try to fix it by reorganizing, but if the Christians were doing stuff before then & Roman Pagans continued to exist for a while after, that probably isn't sensible.

  • @thehighpriestess978
    @thehighpriestess978 Рік тому +1

    Is this a real person speaking, or a bot that was given the voice of someone TRYING to sound like Sean Connery? I want to watch but the voice does not sound right, or Scottish for that matter.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  Рік тому +3

      yep its definitely my voice and I am definitely from Scotland haha

    • @thehighpriestess978
      @thehighpriestess978 11 місяців тому

      @@LiathWolf Are ya noo? Recently ,like? I'm in Ireland, my sister in Inverness for 25 years, and many friends between here and there. I can not place your accent. And truly tis a strange way of speaking you have, your oratory skills and cadence is off, although I have heard that before, as if it is meant to be the correct way for public speaking. If that is the case, I can assure you it is not.

    • @LiathWolf
      @LiathWolf  11 місяців тому

      @@thehighpriestess978 na min been here for ages lik, hiv ay bed here n probably ay wis will. Cana ging fu doric lik, or nae body wid hae a clue. So am stuck spikin a bit weird anoo but ill get better. 😂

  • @toker6664
    @toker6664 Рік тому

    Romans didn't get to Scotland

    • @GenerationX1984
      @GenerationX1984 Рік тому +6

      They built Hadrians Wall. Hadrian was one of the few emperors in his time who wasn't keen on expanding the empire any further.

    • @toker6664
      @toker6664 Рік тому

      @@GenerationX1984 more is was pointless then lack of expanding, the Romans tried many times to take Scotland, think of Scotland as a cold desolate Afghanistan, they couldn't ever hold it

    • @sandraroy6674
      @sandraroy6674 Рік тому +1

      Rubbish, absolute rubbish. The Romans built some of the best roads and small bridges in Scotland. They marched soldiers 10 abreast in rows of 10 = 100. As a result the roads were around 12 feet wide. Instead of going around a hill they went straight ahead thus having a direct route to their destinations. They built walls to keep the Highlanders out , and failed miserably at conquering the north of Scotland and left.