Books
At Elgin Museum, we stock a range of books, cards and postcards relating to Moray and the Museum’s Collections.
Details of a selection of books available is included below. At this time, we are not able to offer a true online shop experience due to impacts this has on aspects of our charity status. If you are interested in purchasing any of the books listed below, please contact us.
We are happy to post items Worldwide – please contact us and we can calculate shipping options for you.
A-Z of Elgin: Places – People – History by Jenny Main
£14.00
With a history stretching back well over 1000 years, there is no shortage of things of interest in the town of Elgin in the northeast of Scotland, past and present. A wealth of history and stories of people, ghosts and witches exists among the old closes, grand mansions, Pictish carved stones and medieval stonework. Modern developments include major engineering projects throughout the townand the new building for the University of the Highlands. Long established manufacturers export high-quality food, cashmere garments and whiskey to exclusive outlets as well as worldwide, while leisure and sporting activities are well catered for. An A-Z of this busy growing town is well over due. This fascinating A-Z tour of Elgin’s history is fully illustrated and will appeal to all those with an interest in this town in Moray.
A Wee Guide To Scottish History by Martin Coventry
£2.50
Scottish history is peppered with dark deeds, desperate battles, struggles against vastly superior forces, a few notable heroes, and many notorious villains. With photos and maps, this concise “wee guide” describes the key events and people that shaped Scotland, as well as a gazetteer of more than 200 sites to visit.
Amber: Tears of the Gods by Neil D. L. Clark
£7.50
This beautifully illustrated survey encompasses the ancient forty million year old forests of the Jurassic, the palaces of European Royal families, the strange and superstitious practices of the Scottish Highlands and the modern palaeontologist discovering insects new to science. Neil Clark’s book is written for collectors, scientists and those simply wishing to better understand and appreciate the wonderful artefacts and curiosities that have been created from the ‘tears of the gods’.
Beasts Before Us by Elsa Panciroli: The Untold Story of Mammal Origins and Evolution
£15.00
Darkness Visible: the Sculptor’s Cave, Covesea, from the Bronze Age to the Picts by Ian Armit & Lindsey Büster
£25.00
Darkness Visible tells the story of one of the most enigmatic prehistoric sites in Britain. Excavated in the 1920s and 1970s, new analysis of the archive has revealed a complex history of funerary and ritual activity from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman Iron Age. Using innovative methods and new techniques, this volume re-examines the results of earlier excavations and places the site in its wider British and European context.
Duffus, Spynie and Hopeman: Millennium 2000
£6.00
A collection of thoughts, memories and facts from the people of Duffus, Spynie and Hopeman, mainly from the last century of this Millennium.
Elgin Academy 1801 – 2001, compiled by Richard Bennett
£4.00
Forgotten, hidden and lost: unearthing Moray’s archaeology
£5.00
Proceedings of the Elgin Museum archaeology conference 2017, with contributions from speakers and field trips.
Fossils Alive! by Nigel Trewin
£15.00
Garmouth and Kingston: A brief history by Robert Wallen
£20.00
Garmouth, and the closely related settlement of Kingston, may seem, now, very much to be in a backwater. However, the two villages have overtime been influenced by, and have influenced, political, social, technical and economic developments in Scotland, across Britain and beyond.
Hugh Miller by Michael A. Taylor
£12.99
Born in Cromarty in 1802, Hugh Miller, self-educated stonemason turned bank worker, rose to become editor of The Witness newspaper. Scathing, ironic, lyrical and penetrating by turns, he condemned injustice and abuse wherever he saw them, attacked the Highland Clearances, and supported the freedom of the Church of Scotland. Miller’s writings on making the best of one’s life inspired Scots from John Muir to Andrew Carnegie. A fine geologist, Miller brought many to the joys of science, helping to convince worried Victorians that geology was not unchristian.
This biography, quoting generous chunks of Miller himself, covers the full range of Miller, from stonemason, through geologist and editor, to husband and father. It reveals the man whom his contemporaries respected, in all his consistency, integrity and independence, with a surprising new assessment of his tragic suicide in 1856.
Mammal Atlas of North East Scotland and the Cairngorms by Nick Littlewood, Paul Chapman, Ian Francis, Glenn Roberts, Annie Robinson & Konstantinos Sideris
£15.00
This fully illustrated Atlas presents data collected for the North East Scotland and Cairngorms Mammal Atlas project and covers the period 1960 to 2015. It is the most comprehensive description to date of the distribution of terrestrial mammals in the region. The project, initiated in 2013, encouraged mammal recording among a wide range of people, from those who had never before submitted a mammal sighting, through to experience biological recorders. The resulting data are depicted in distribution maps for 43 mammal species over two different time classes, 1960 to 2000 and 2001 to 2015. The book also includes informative chapters on mammal habitats, species conservation and analysis of distribution patterns.
Moray Geology: past, present future
£6.00
Proceedings of a conference on the history of Elgin Museum, the fossils and geology of the Moray area, 2015. This event followed on from the 2007 “sand to Sea” geology conference, and marked the completion of a year-long project, supported financially by the Scottish Government’s Recognition Fund, to reorganise and catalogue the Recognized Collection of fossils housed within Elgin Museum. The conference was aimed at anyone with an interest in geology, paleontology and other related subjects. The proceedings provide the details of the talks, reception and field trip.
Moray Coast from Cullen to Culbin by Jenny Main
£10.00
Pictish Brooches and Pictish Hens: status and currency in Early Scotland by Cathy Swift
£6.00
In this lecture, evidence of literary and legal texts written in Old Gaidlig and Old Irish are quarried to provide descriptions of the style of early medieval brooches of Northern Britain and Ireland, their locations on the body, and the status of the individuals wearing them as well as outlining evidence for the employment and status of the craftsmen who made them.
Place, Space and Odyssey: exploring the future of early medieval sculpture by Sally M. Foster
£6.00
Dr Sally Foster delivered the annual academic lecture for Groam House Museum on 4th May 2001. Dr Foster explores the debate surrounding where sculpture should be preserved and the issues that stem from the practice of retaining it in situ or in association with its historical find spot.
Pot luck: cooking and recipes from the past by Jo Lawrie
£3.50
Did you know that the Romans ate stuffed dormice? What do you think were good table manners at a medieval banquet? Find out how to cook a “tarte hid with jewels” and how to preserve food the way it was done in prehistoric times. Pot Luck tells the fascinating story of how cooking methods, tastes and table manners have changed from prehistoric times to the Victorian era and gives plenty of authentic recipes for you to try for yourself.
Provincial Silversmiths of Moray and their Marks by G P Moss
£4.00
Scottish Gold: Fruit of the Nation by Neil D. L. Clark
£7.50
This is the first truly comprehensive survey of gold exploitation and use in Scotland. As the images show, goldsmithing continues to thrive as a vital and creative craft industry in modern Scotland while looking at the historical aspects of the subject from earliest prehistory to the present day.
Scottish provincial silver: an introduction by Elleke Cooper
£1.00
Speybuilt: story of a forgotten industry by Jim Skelton
£19.99
Speybuilt reveals the history of how the best timber from the great forests of Speyside was used to build over 80,000 tons of shipping
The Elgin Reptiles by Elgin Museum Geology Group and Mike Benton
£5.00 (A5) £10 (A4 / larger print)
The Elgin Reptiles booklet, first written in 1977, has been updated by the Geology Group in conjunction with the original author, Professor Mike Benton from the University of Bristol. The 56-page booklet gives the geological and historical context of the Permian and Triassic animals that once inhabited the local area. It includes new drawings by palaeo-artist Jim Robins, supported by body plans and a ‘little known fact box’ for each animal. There is a glossary for ready reference, plus a geological timeline, with additional information and signposting to the scientific literature for those who want to know more. The booklet is aimed at anyone interested in our fascinating heritage – both animal and human – and the recent scientific developments that have led to the re-evaluation of many of the fossils. The booklet has been produced with support from the John Ellerman Foundation, in partnership with National Museums Scotland.
The Pictish and Early Medieval Carved Stones in Elgin Museum
CURRENTLY OUT OF STOCK
This volume is a catalogue of the Pictish and early medieval carved stones on display and in the collection Elgin Museum, of stones found from Kinneddar, Burghead and Dandaleith.
The Travellers Joy: The Story of the Morayshire Railway by John Ross
£10.00
Victorian Elgin, Mary Byatt
£14.99
Women of Moray by Susan Bennett, Jenny Main, Anne Oliver, Janet Trythall, Mary Byatt
£14.50
Discover Flaming Janet, James IV’s mistress; Elsie Watson, who rode solo across South Africa on a motorcycle in 1912; the Queen’s Nurse in Foula and Fair Isle in the 1920s; the spymaster of Albanian agents during the Second World War; the Traveller born in the bow-tent, and more!
The book captures the tales of over 70 women whose lives have made an impact on history both in Scotland and abroad. It sheds light on their misfortunes, prejudice and abuse, and shows how these challenges have been overcome. Women of Moray is a unique glimpse into the history of the region, looking at women marginalised, forgotten and usually uncelebrated across the centuries. For the historian, the genealogist and the general reader, this is a book that will deepen your understanding of history.
