Pagan Temple

In the 1700s, one of the Earl’s of Fife decided that, not content with having grapes and pineapples in his vinery, hosting high society bal masquės, working off hangovers fishin’ and shootin’, and having a specimen of every known tree on his lands, what he really needed was a pagan temple on the hill opposite Duff House.  To improve the skyline. 

The Christian community of the time raised objections, that the Masques were ungodly – possibly sour grapes due to not receiving an invitation.  Or greenhouse envy.  Ironically, a few years ago, the ‘piskies raised a similar complaint about witchy Hallowe’en decorations in a shop window on High Street.  Is it all just a cosmic bal masquės, merry-go-rounding us through time? 

The Temple of Venus folly was built in the 1700s, and towers over the town to this day.  It used to contain a statue of the goddess herself, but now it contains weeds and the odd empty crisp packet.  It is up the Hill of Doune.  (Never gets old).

I mention this as on Friday morning, post-ironing, about to have a cup of tea and a sit-down, while wearing some ‘do-not-go-outside-dressed-like-this’ clothes, (long dress, long johns and a baggy jumper), someone knocked at my front door.  Thinking it was the postman with the George MacDonald books I had ordered, I opened it with casual abandon.

It was a couple from New Zealand, who were on their ancestral trail, and the gentleman’s ancestor used to live in my house.  Of course, I invited them in, and gave them the house tour. 

Looking out of a top window, I said,

‘That’s the Temple of Venus, your ancestor would have seen that same skyline every morning.  Amazing to think of that’.

Just as well it wasn’t today, can’t see a thing for haar.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g1076908-d24822183-Reviews-Temple_Of_Venus-Macduff_Aberdeenshire_Scotland.html

https://banffmacduffheritagetrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/MapofDuffHouse.pdf

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