Jack Vettriano

One of Fife's most successful artists in recent times is Jack Vettriano. Born in St Andrews (as Jack Hoggan, 1951), he was raised in the industrial seaside town of Methil and began his working life in a coal mine as an apprentice engineer. He later moved into white-collar jobs and took up painting as a hobby when his girlfriend bought him a set of watercolours for his 21st birthday. Upon moving from Fife to Edinburgh, he began his quest to launch an artistic career and took the surname Vettriano - a variation of his mother's maiden name.

Kirkcaldy Galleries arranged to host an exhibition of Vettriano's early work, a major coup for the excellent council-owned complex, which also includes the town museum and library. Being situated next to the railway station on the East Coast Main Line can't have done any harm to the visitor numbers. After Covid-induced delays, the extravaganza was ready to roll this summer and the planned run extended into the autumn. My mum and sister had already visited and were full of praise for the artwork on display. I had resolved to check it out some weeks previously and finally found the time during my October break. Nicole had taken our German guest Hella out for the day and I hopped on the X27 bus to Kirkcaldy, taking a couple of library books due for return. Upon arrival, I was collared by a representative of the homeless charity Shelter. They were doing market research and asking people to try out and comment on their new smartphone app. A £5 gift card was thrown in as a sweetener and I was happy to oblige. Job done, I took my books into the library. The building opened in 1925 and also includes a café and PC suite, in addition to the aforementioned facilities. It's a welcoming community hub with a charming mix of old and new but I still can't believe they ripped out the high wooden shelving units in the lending library and replaced them with puny plastic stands. Not a good look in my opinion. More open plan, yes, but the former warren of nooks and crannies was exactly what I loved about the old design. Every bit as intriguing as the historic Carnegie Library in Dunfermline. The volume of books must surely have decreased too. Libraries have always moved with the times but I think they've gone a step too far here. The museum is superb and I highly recommend a visit. The story of Kirkcaldy is relayed through a wide variety of objects and detailed information panels. You can find out what the Prime Gilt Box was. I poked my head into a couple of rooms before heading upstairs to the art galleries.

The ticket price for the Vettriano exhibition was £8.50. I would assume the proceeds are split between the venue, artist and owners of the paintings. The gift shop will be a nice little earner but perhaps the serious money is made through sales of original artwork and reproductions. I noticed a few pieces in the foyer available to those prepared to part with three grand. After watching a video interview with Jack, I proceeded into the first gallery, where a dozen paintings were signed under his real name of Hoggan. After receiving the set of paints for his birthday, Vettriano borrowed books from the local library in an attempt to teach himself some rudimentary art skills. He began - as many do, I suppose - by copying works he admired. The room contained his pastiches of old masters, impressionists and surrealists, as well as paintings influenced by Scottish artists. Vettriano has never worked from life. Since becoming established, he uses photographs of carefully posed models with selected props, costumes and backdrops. In his early days, he relied upon postcards and pages from art books and auction catalogues. One of the paintings came with the attached guilty confession that he failed to return the borrowed book with the Rembrandt image inside. His final creation as Jack Hoggan was based on the Oyster Gatherers by John Singer Sargent. Jack was so pleased with the result, he knew he wanted to make it as a professional artist, but also realised he needed to find his own unique style. After a rejection from Edinburgh Art School (letter on display), a turning point came when the newly-christened Vettriano submitted two paintings to the Royal Society for Art's annual summer exhibition in 1988. He also firmed up his ideas for subject matter, derived from a lifelong obsession with women and his romantic melancholic view of days gone by. His success at the RSA event led to further interest and the critics began to take notice.

The second and third galleries took the viewer through Vettriano's burgeoning professional career in the 1990s. Jack was now in a position to use his Georgian townhouse as a stage set for his models. The final painting was the only one to be created after the year 2000. Long Time Gone (pictured right) was completed in 2006 and features Methil Power Station - a dominant coastal landmark in Jack's home town. The plant was demolished in 2011 and I used to have a nice view of the chimneys when watching Cowdenbeath play matches against East Fife. I enjoyed the chronological arrangement of the exhibition and more than a few of the paintings caught my eye. I finished my tour around 12pm, just as the place was becoming quite busy. With only three days left to run, the event was no doubt pulling in people (like me) who had promised to attend and were now getting round to it. A new Vettriano work, fresh from the easel, will set you back between £50,000 and £200,000. Jack apparently earns half a million a year in print royalties and has homes in Kirkcaldy, London and France. The Singing Butler sold for £750,000 in 2004 - a canvas rejected by the RSA years beforehand. Clearly a local boy made good.

Tiny Cathedral City

According to royal charter, Scotland now has eight cities. If you apply the cathedral theory, the small Angus settlement of Brechin makes the cut, despite having just 7000 inhabitants. The football team is named Brechin City and I have visited many times as a supporter of Cowdenbeath. Today I would be following a walking route I had devised to take in some of Brechin's history, beginning at the old railway station and finishing at the cathedral.

I dropped Nicole off at Abertay University in Dundee (my alma mater) and continued up the A90 to Brechin. I parked near the the impressive Caledonian Railway Station, now the base of a heritage railway. My dad and I did the 4-mile trip to Bridge of Dun a few years back and it was a pleasant trundle through the Angus countryside. The grand House of Dun - owned by the National Trust - was marketed in the railway literature as an attraction to visit but the mansion stood a mile distant from the station and Dad wasn't physically capable of this walk. We therefore had a brief look around Bridge of Dun Station before the locomotive was turned around, ready to take us back to Brechin. The line traversed by the Caledonian Heritage Railway once connected to the high-speed Perth to Aberdeen route that avoided the slower coastal option through Dundee. The two main lines to the Granite City met north of Montrose but came under the scrutiny of Richard Beeching in the 1960s and only one would survive the axe. The old Caledonian route carried its last passenger train in 1967, although freight continued between Perth and Forfar until 1982 and a goods-only stub to Brechin was left in place at the other end of this once grand transport corridor. This arrangement ceased in 1981 and Brechin was snipped off the national rail network. A group of enthusiasts came together in an attempt to save the line as far as Bridge of Dun, which they believed would make an excellent heritage railway. Permission was quickly granted to run trains within the limits of Brechin Station and in 1993, the group were in a position to launch passenger services along the full stretch. The railway currently operates a regular weekend timetable in July and August and special kiddie-friendly journeys are scheduled to depart in the run-up to Christmas this year, adopting the theme of the popular Polar Express animated movie. Seasonal family events bring a great deal of revenue to heritage operations up and down the land, which must be especially welcome after the enforced spells of closure due to Covid. A platform café trades at Brechin from Wednesday to Sunday, which didn't suit me as I happened to be there on a Tuesday! It would certainly have been nice to have a closer look at the station. However, I made up for this by walking over a bridge which gave me a fantastic view of the terminus and assembled rolling stock.

Between the station site and the elevated Park Road, stood an abandoned building within a large plot of land, now heavily overgrown. The entrance gate was blocked to the passer-by but, from my position on the pavement, I was able to look through a couple of holes in the boundary wall (probably old windows) and gaze over the vegetation towards the historic structure. Unfortunately the glare of the sun was right in my face, rendering any attempt to take a photograph completely useless. It was a drop of several feet to the ground on the other side and I noticed a couple of stepladders lying around in the undergrowth. It looked as if someone had been in for an explore and had deposited the necessary hardware to escape. I wasn't about to try this in full view of the surrounding residents. Besides, some protective gear would have been required. Subsequent research revealed the building to be an old granary. A local newspaper report from 2021 stated that plans had been drawn up to erect a care home upon the site. An interesting little nugget to discover before my walk had even started. I followed a path that paralleled the railway for 200 yards before crossing over at an authorised point (an antique Caledonian sign urged pedestrians to stop, look and listen). I then hooked up with the trackbed of another railway that served Brechin. The line to Forfar curved around the edge of town and opened in 1895 - a relative newcomer. It was never a success and remained purely a local concern, serving only remote locations like Tannadice (the village, not the football stadium) on the way to the county town of Forfar. Passenger traffic was withdrawn in 1952 and goods services ceased in 1967. I would be following the old line - now repurposed as a nature trail - to the point where the town bypass severed the tracks. I passed through a pleasant patch of woodland and encountered the Glencadam whisky distillery. Established in 1825, Glencadam is the only remaining distillery in Angus. All malt whisky produced north of Dundee is classified as a "Highland" spirit. I could see racks of casks through the mesh fence and I hadn't been aware of Brechin's role in whisky production. An older operation, dating from 1820, distilled within living memory. North Port closed in 1983.

The town's railway heritage didn't end with the line I was walking upon. A branch diverged northwards to the small village of Edzell - a popular holiday destination in late Victorian times. The line opened in 1896 and had just one intermediate station, at Inchbare. By the 1920s there were eight daily return passenger services but this petered out in the early 30s. An attempt was made in 1938 to revive the railway as a serious proposition but this bore no fruit and passenger trains were withdrawn the same year. A light goods link remained in place and traffic served RAF Edzell - later leased to the US military. The branch closed permanently in 1964, surely one of Scotland's least known railways. Brechin once had two breweries and four textile mills but this industry has all gone and the main road has avoided the town since 1976. New housing has sprung up across the old railway trackbed in a couple of locations, forcing me to take a detour through residential streets before rejoining the path. There have been few serious proposals to reinstate any of the closed Angus lines and this one would appear to have little chance of making a comeback. Eventually the path came to an end by a field near the A90 and I began working my way back towards the town centre, passing the modern high school and navigating through a handful of streets with some fine houses. Back on the main drag, I cut down High Street (which isn't the main thoroughfare for vehicles) and grabbed a bridie and chocolate slice from a local bakery. I took my lunch into the grounds of the cathedral and found a wooden bench. The compact site contains a graveyard, the church and a curious round tower. The autumn colours were starting to display and it was a peaceful spot, although a rambling group did wander through. Nicole and I once called here while out and about in Angus and we were able to look inside the cathedral. That wasn't possible today as the final service was held last year. After 800 years of ecclesiastical service, the future of the building remains uncertain. Apparently a debt of £170,000 was cleared by the sale of the adjacent manse but the Church of Scotland aren't prepared to maintain the cathedral for the depleted congregation. The closure coincided with the 800-year anniversary and the church authorities made the (perfectly valid point) that - despite the rich history of the building - it counts for little in terms of worship without the presence of a lively bunch of attendees. The cathedral must surely be A-listed and the challenge will be to find a use for such a large space with high running costs.

The 106-feet tall round tower - built around AD 1000 - is one of only two such structures in Scotland, the other being in Abernethy, Perthshire. Constructed in Irish style and capped with a hexagonal spire, the elaborate doorway is well above ground level. The tower was a place of safekeeping for precious manuscripts and relics belonging to the monastery. The quality of the masonry is superior to all but a very few of the Irish examples. The tower is seven storeys high, but there are windows only on the third, fourth and top floors. It has been attached to Brechin Cathedral since 1806 and can only be viewed from the outside. I left the historic site and took a wander down to Skinner's Burn, which flows into the River South Esk. There were several locals out for a stroll here. Brechin Castle stands upon the Dalhousie Estate, bounded by the two watercourses, but I wasn't able to see the building due to the high wall and thick woodland beyond. Apparently the castle is only open to the public on a handful of occasions per year. Something to watch out for, as photographs revealed the baronial mansion to be a spectacular sight. I found an estate agent's website offering the place for the princely sum of £3 million. I don't play the lottery, so I guess I'll have to remain content with my two-bedroomed semi.

Fair Forfar town

The traditional county town of Angus is Forfar. I've been there many times for football matches and Nicole and I have passed through on occasion. I decided to conduct a proper exploration of the town and its history when Nicole was travelling up to Dundee to attend her part-time university course. I dropped her off then drove 12 miles up the A90, passing my old student accommodation (at 50 Forfar Road) as I navigated my way northwards through the city. I parked at Forfar Loch Country Park and began my day with a 2.5-mile stroll around the water's perimeter, now a fraction of its original size. The loch was partially drained in the late 1700s to allow the town to expand westwards

It was a pleasant wander, although the grey skies presented limited opportunities for photos. I passed the tidy grounds of Strathmore Rugby Club and Forfar West End Junior Football Club. Note - junior football in Scotland is played by men and refers to regional sides, as opposed to members of the Scottish Football League. Forfar Athletic play nationally and have achieved a fair bit of success over the years. They play at Station Park but - ironically - no supporters have alighted here in decades as the town's extensive network of passenger railways had been wiped out by the 1960s, including the high-speed Caledonian route from Perth to Aberdeen. This joined the present East Coast Main Line north of Montrose but two trunk railways to the Granite City were deemed unviable in 1967, although freight continued between Perth and Forfar until 1982. The branch to Kirriemuir closed to passengers in 1952 and freight traffic ceased in the mid-60s. The direct route northwards from Dundee to Forfar followed a similar pattern of closure, as did the line that looped from Forfar to Brechin. The first railway to reach Forfar opened way back in 1839, linking the town to Arbroath. The Caledonian company leased a section of this track in their drive to reach Aberdeen. Local services between Arbroath and Forfar ground to a halt in 1955. A sad but familiar tale. These closures condemned the county town to exist within a rail desert. Frustratingly, the final freight connection could have been repurposed had the operation lasted a few more years, as the public and political mood became increasingly protective of railways towards the end of that decade.

The entrance to the country park is just a short walk from the town centre and I left the car there and reached the busy junction of High Street and Castle Street. The Town and County Hall is located here. The impressive neoclassical building dates from 1788 and a major extension was completed in 1824. Municipal administration was moved to new premises in 1975 but the old town hall continued to function as a civic meeting place. It was a short walk along to the Meffan Institute, which houses an art gallery and the town museum. Paintings by Fife wildlife artist Derek Robertson were on display, mostly for sale. Coincidentally, a selection of his bird artwork is currently hanging in the community gallery at Dunfermline Carnegie Library and we visited just a couple of weeks ago. Derek is based in Balmerino and has been exhibited all over the world. The prices of the paintings today ranged from £380 to £4950 - slightly above my budget. Almost all the artwork featured birds, either overtly or in the background. That's a thumbs up from me. The museum aims to tell the story of the people from the Royal Burgh of Forfar and wider County of Angus, from Neolithic times to the 20th century. I was most impressed with the selection of Pictish stones. Many have been found in this area and they give a vital insight to an age before history was written down. The Kirriemuir Stone (pictured below) is decorated on both faces. The cross on the front is adorned with a woven interlace pattern and an eagle-headed figure stands above each arm. Two robed men carrying books are depicted below. The Picts are thought to descend from an amalgamation of tribes around the 3rd century. They had expert knowledge of metalworking and appreciated the medicinal properties of plants. Crops and cattle were farmed. The symbols left behind give vital clues to Pictish culture.

A highly significant (and tiny) artefact on display was the South Leckaway Anglo Saxon horse harness fitting. This object was found by a local heritage group during a field walking expedition. Made of gilded copper alloy, it dates from AD 550 - 600 and the design shows an animal. The find was of great importance to archaeologists because it is one of just a handful of 6th-century Anglo Saxon metalwork discovered north of the River Forth. It is also the only example of a harness fitting from this period to be found in the whole of Scotland. In another glass case, my eye was caught by a Bronze Age urn. They were placed upside down in the grave, sometimes with personal effects included. I also admired the remains of the Goosecroft Logboat, dug up by local workmen in 1952. Scooped from a single oak tree, the vessel has been carbon dated to around 1090 AD. As stated previously, Forfar Loch once covered a far larger territory and it is reckoned that logboats would have been a regular sight. Forfar developed into a market town but the loss of the burgh records in 1660 - burned by Cromwell's troops in revenge for supporting King Charles I - means that educated guesses must be taken about growth prior to this incident. A walk-through exhibit named The Vennel recreates a slice of commercial activity from the past. The mock cobbled street features the premises of a shoemaker, clockmaker, weaver, confectioner and baker. Forfar weavers were known for producing a thick cloth called Osnaburg. It was fashioned from linen fibres and shipped to America to clothe slaves. The town had four clock and watchmakers by the middle of the 19th century and it was interesting to learn about these industries of the past. The information about the death of Queen Victoria provoked a wry smile as the impact paralleled much of what we have just experienced with the passing of Queen Elizabeth. The text stated most people in 1901 had never known any other monarch and there was great shock when news of Victoria's death broke. The display featured a poster that would have been pinned to the town hall to inform residents of the end of an era.

Having a personal interest in the shameful treatment of women accused of witchcraft, I was drawn to the installation showing a scene from the Forfar Witch Trials. It is reckoned the town was involved in the witch hunts of 1628-1630 but no documentation from this period has survived. What does still exist from this period is a torture instrument known as the branks. An iron band fitted around the head and a metal projection went into the mouth. A chain could be attached to the wall and the purpose of the branks was presumably to prevent accused witches from uttering curses. Forfar was the only Angus burgh to execute convicted witches. Over 40 suspects were imprisoned between 1661 and 1663. They were kept awake and denied lighting and warmth. Many were prodded by pins in an attempt to locate the supposed witch mark, indeed the infamous witch prodder John Kincaid was brought all the way from Tranent to perform this gruesome task. If found guilty, the women were usually strangled then burned in a tar barrel. The final execution took place in 1642 when Helen Guthrie was condemned. The Forfar Witch Trials were finally over. The situation was replicated all over Scotland and the appalling injustice is finally being recognised as a national scandal. The museum walls projected beautiful examples of antique town and county maps. I love looking at old cartography and it allows us to see exactly how society was physically laid out in times before photography existed, or was in its infancy. It had been an educational visit but lunchtime was approaching and I decided to sample a local delicacy known across the land. The Forfar bridie. A legendary meat pasty that contains minced beef or stewed steak.

Said to have been invented by a Forfar baker in the 1850s, the bridie is now a Scottish institution and the Forfar variety is traditionally encased within shortcrust pastry. A famous purveyor of this delicacy is Saddlers Bakery, located on the High Street. I had eaten Saddler's produce many times at Station Park during the football half-time interval but today was my first visit to the actual shop. I ordered two bridies at the takeaway counter (one for Nicole to consume on the way home) and treated myself to a couple of sweet things for dessert. Saddler's has a tea room through the back and the business will hopefully maintain a presence in Forfar for many years to come. I wandered up to Reid Park - via the narrow Osnaburg Street, built in 1783 - and ate my lunch before mounting an assault on Balmashanner Hill. The bandstand in Reid Park was erected in 1900 and there is also an ornate fountain, now purely decorative. The park is named after local sweetmaker Peter Reid (1803-1897), who built a successful business empire and donated almost his entire fortune of £25,000 (around £3 million today) to the town that helped create his wealth. A gateway at the top of the park provides access to the grand war memorial on the hill summit. A panoramic view of Strathmore Valley is available and it's well worth making the short hike up from the town centre. I walked back down to the car and headed along the road to Dundee. A great day out in Forfar. Towns with a senior football side became known across the UK in the days when the Saturday results were read out on TV and radio. Did the much-quoted East Fife 4 Forfar 5 ever happen though?