Top 100 objects

Browse key artefacts from our properties across the country.

Displaying 1-20 of 98

Pig iron ingot

An iron ‘pig’ or ingot made at Invergarry Furnace.

Object number BON019

Time Period: 18th century, Modern

Property Information: Bonawe Iron Furnace

Object type: Ingot

Cross - MacMillan's Cross

Alexander MacMillan worked for Alexander MacDonald, Lord of the Isles, as the keeper of Castle Sween.

Object number KLM038

Time Period: Medieval

Property Information: Kilmory Chapel

Object type: Cross

Urinal

Long before there were en-suite bathrooms, there were urinals like this one.

Object number MEL440

Time Period: Late medieval, Medieval

Property Information: Melrose Abbey

Object type: Pot

Pirlie pig

A pirlie pig is a medieval version of today’s piggy bank.

Object number MEL469

Time Period: Late medieval, Medieval

Property Information: Melrose Abbey

Object type: Money collection box/Collection box

Ink pot

Monks at Arbroath Abbey likely used this rare ink pot dating from the 1400s.

Object number ARB066

Time Period: Late medieval, Medieval

Property Information: Arbroath Abbey

Object type: Ink pot

Cresset lamp

Inchmahome Priory would once have been bathed in a soft glow by lamps such as this one.

Object number INCM015

Time Period: Medieval

Property Information: Inchmahome Priory

Object type: Lamp

Bone gaming counter

This bone object is thought to be a playing piece from a Viking board game called Hnefatafl.

Object number DIRL018

Time Period: Early medieval, Medieval

Property Information: Dirleton Castle

Object type: Gaming counter

Portrait of Admiral Duncan 1st Viscount Duncan of Camperdown

Admiral Duncan (1731–1804) led the British fleet to victory against the Dutch at Camperdown in 1797.

Object number TRH038

Time Period: 18th century, Modern

Property Information: Trinity House

Object type: Painting

Portrait of Peter Wood

Peter Wood (1749–1826) was a central figure in the whaling industry.

Object number TRH045

Time Period: Modern

Property Information: Trinity House

Object type: Painting

Portrait of James VI

This early portrait of James VI was likely painted at the time the Scottish court and Denmark began to negotiate an alliance by marriage.

Object number EDIN038

Time Period: 16th century, Post-medieval

Property Information: Edinburgh Castle

Object type: Painting

Ballot box

Tropical tamarind seeds were used with this mahogany ballot box to cast votes at Trinity House.

Object number TRH062

Time Period: 18th century, Modern

Property Information: Trinity House

Object type: Ballot box

Backstaff

Sailors could tell the latitude of their ship at sea using a backstaff – also known as a Davis quadrant.

Object number TRH326

Time Period: 18th century, Modern

Property Information: Trinity House

Object type: Backstaff

Lighthouse model - Bell rock

Bell Rock Lighthouse in miniature.

Object number TRH335

Time Period: Modern

Property Information: Trinity House

Object type: Model

Ship model - Whaling ship Raith

The Raith was one of the ships owned by Peter Wood (1749–1826), a central figure in the whaling industry.

Object number TRH382

Time Period: 19th century, Modern

Property Information: Trinity House

Object type: Ship model

Gargoyle

Known as Angus, this gargoyle once acted as a spout to direct rainwater from the roof of Caerlaverock Castle.

Object number CAER/o/1

Time Period: Medieval

Property Information: Caerlaverock Castle

Object type: Gargoyle/Drainage spout

Font panel

The slight curve to the back of this medieval panel from Crossraguel Abbey suggests that it was a section of a baptismal font.

Object number CGL/o/1

Time Period: Medieval

Property Information: Crossraguel Abbey

Object type: Font

Beads

These beads may have been used as a necklace more than 4,500 years ago.

Object number SKB055

Time Period: Neolithic, Prehistoric

Property Information: Skara Brae

Object type: Bead

Trebuchet ball

This heavy ball was made to be hurled at a castle’s defences from a siege machine known as a trebuchet.

Object number BTH/o/39

Time Period: Medieval

Property Information: Bothwell Castle

Object type: Trebuchet ball

Barrow

A large coke barrow used at Biggar Gasworks, South Lanarkshire, in the mid-20th century.

Object number BG.02.18

Time Period: Modern

Property Information: Biggar Gasworks

Object type: Barrow

Toy soldiers and horses

These wooden toy soldiers and horses were found hidden below flooring at Stirling Castle.

Object number E362

Time Period: Modern

Property Information: Stirling Castle

Object type: Toy

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