Maxwelton Chapel was built in 1868 and stands in the grounds of Maxwelton House. The estate is now chiefly known for its association with the song 'Annie Laurie'. The house was owned by the Laurie family for many generations. Annie of that ilk lived from 1682 to 1763, the song celebrates a romance one William Douglas had with her.
The chapel was built in memory of John Minet Laurie The last page in this collection of photographs, which have been taken from the area around the upper Annan Water across to Scaur Water, takes you westwards to Scaur water. First there are some photos of the lesser known Morton Castle which lies east of the famous Drumlanrig Castle. Maxwelton Chapel lies near Moniaive, which village receives the Scaur water as it runs to join the Nith. Up this valley lie the four Striding Arches that the landscape artist Andy Goldsworth has installed near to where he has lived for many decades.
The small lake that lies next to Maxwelton Chapel
A black-faced ewe is backed by Morton Castle which lies just to the north east of
Thornhill, and across the valley from Drumlanrig Castle
Morton Castle sits on a small promontory into this artificial loch. The good defensive position seems...
...to have been the site of the castle since about the year 1300. It had been largely abandoned by 1715
A rally for peace was promoted here by the Allanton Peace Sanctuary in the winter of 2003...
...a small, happy, cold group, dazzled by horizontal sun
Across the Nith a more famous castle - Drumlanrig
Drumlanrig castle lies just behind these trees which protect its dog cemetery
Also well protected by the castle are the red squirrels
Above, a squirrel teaches itself to open a good food supply. To the right, a poser. Below, the colour can appear muted, similar to a grey squirrel - however, a brightness of the paws and checks remains.
Andy Goldsworthy lives by Moniaive and his works of landscape art adorn Scaur Water in many places. Particularly notable are the four Striding Arches erected early this century to symbolise the migration of Scotts to various parts of the world. This photo shows the Byre Arch, there are similar arches at the far end of the journeys in Canada and Australia
The arch curves into a byre linking the inside to the wider world - a symbol for the migrations
Inside the building it drops to the floor, from where migrants came
These blocks have no mortar or metal holding them together
Gentle undulations highlighted in the Nith valley; the sheep are given ten foot shadows as the winter sun sets
Information plaque beside The Byre
One person's weeds are another's glory. A field of dandelions
The view of Moniaive from the hill that leads over to Tynron
Trailers...
The next Picture Posting
page is to take you back to Vietnam and the Province of Hà Giang in the north of the country.
The next page
of the Mosaic Section is to be headed 'First Step'.
Or go to the contents Go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. of the Mosaic Section.
The last page's photos came from the area around
To very different small religious buildings in Luang Prabang, Laos
To a much bigger castle, that of Edinburgh 
...guide to this site