The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-10-25

CONVlVIAL CALEDONIA,
Some Curious Facts About the Inns and
Hotels of Scotland.

Hotels of Scotland.
Mr.. Robert Kempt has gathered
together many interesting historical
items and quaint anecdotes about the
inns and hotels of Scotland. 1t must
be confessed the historical side be-
gins very late, for in olden days inns
were practically unknown over the
border, travellers being received in
private houses as guests Conse-
quently there is no record of such
ancient hostelries as the Tabard in
Southwark, the Mermaid in Bread
street or the Blue Boar in Eastcheap.
When Defoe went to Scotland, he
had difficulty in finding an inn at
Aberdeen, and this in spite of royal
edict issued by James l in 1924, to
the effect that in all borough towns
where there was considerable traffic
hostelries should be established, but
these institutions did not flourish till
very much later. Mr.. Kempt gives
some amusing information as to the
pains and penalties enacted in the
fifteenth and seventeenth centuries
regarding the hours of closing, drunk
enness, etc. The inns of Aberdeen
are accorded whole chapter, for
there is much to say about those of
the last century. They practically
formed open clubs for the wits and
learned men of the hospitable city.
Over very modest repasts and pota-
tons grand symposia were held. The
philosophers lived low, but thought
and spoke high.
DR.. johnson seems to have appre-
ciated the Aberdeen inns. He found
them almost as congenial as his
haunts in Fleet street and certainly
far better than the Scottish houses
of entertainment. Among other in
teresting items Of information, Mr..
Kempt points out that whisky is a
comparatively modern beverage, and
that in olden days claret was almost /
as much drank as ale. The Regent
Albany is supposed to have made
claret popular. In 1880 red Gascony
wine sold in Aberdeen at sixpence a |
pint and later on claret and port
wine could be had at eighteen pence |
a bottle. Indeed claret and port in
those early days could be procured
cheaper in Scotland than in most
parts of England.
In the cities and countryside are
many inns with historical interests
attached to them. In the Invercauld
Arms hotel, Braemar, is the stone on
which the standard of Mar was raised
in 1745, the beginning of Prince Char
hes wild escapade. Other inns are
associated with names venerated in
Scottish history and literature. There
are many inns in the highlands
closely connected with Burns, the
Ettrick Shepherd, Sir Walter Scott
and other kindred giants of old.
Scott mentions that it used to be the
fashion to eat oysters in the Covenant
Close, Edinburgh, and Mr.. Kempt
has gathered together many details
as to this once fashionable form of
indulgence.
During the eighteenth century it
seems that the best society in the
Scottish capital, ladies and gentle
men, used to make parties at one of
the taverns in Aud Reekie, there to
partake of oysters and porter, end
ing up with brandy and rum punch,
with songs and dancing. Some Of |
these old Aberdeenian and Edinburgh |
inns were the ancient houses of noble |
families, great rambling buildings,
with many rooms, some of remarka-
bly, fine proportions. Even a few of |
the country inns were former man
sions of the lairds of the soil.-Ca- |
terer.