Arthur's Seat (Tyler)
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
Arthur's Seat (Tyler)32 bar Strathspey for 2 Couples in a 4 Couple Set, devised by John Tyler, Published in Reels and Rainbows, The Gay Gordons 20th Anniversary Book.
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Dance Instruction Videos
Arthur's Seat (Tyler) - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Also see the dance Arthur's Seat (McConachie) by Jack McConachie.The hill known as Arthur's Seat lies within Holyrood Park in Edinburgh, Scotland, approximately one mile east of Edinburgh Castle. It reaches an elevation of 250.5 metres (822 feet) above sea level.
Arthur's Seat is the primary peak of a cluster of hills that formed as part of a volcanic system in the early Carboniferous period. Lava flows from around 341 to 335 million years ago have been identified within the structure of the hill. During the Quaternary period, glacial movements sculpted the terrain, particularly shaping the western cliff faces, and material was deposited eastwards to form the wave-tail of the hill known as the Salisbury Crags.
At the summit of Arthur's Seat and on a subsidiary ridge known as Crow Hill there exist the remnants of an Iron Age hill-fort. These spaces were likely occupied by the Celtic tribe known as the Votadini. In May 1590 a large bonfire was lit on the Salisbury Crags to mark the return of King James VI and his queen, Anna of Denmark. In 1836 a cave on the crags revealed a set of 17 miniature coffins of uncertain origin; the figures remain on display in the National Museum of Scotland.
Geologically, Arthur's Seat has been influential in the development of modern geology. James Hutton observed here that igneous and sedimentary rocks had formed at different times and by different processes, a finding that challenged the scientific thinking of his day. Because of its geological, botanical and zoological importance the hill and its surrounding area are designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The name "Arthur's Seat" is often linked to the legend of King Arthur, as are a number of similarly named hills across Britain. Folklore holds that on the slopes facing Holyrood young women on May Day would bathe their faces in dew gathered there, in the belief that it enhanced their beauty.
Today Arthur's Seat remains a popular destination for walkers. The ascent from the east via grassy slopes above Dunsapie Loch is one of the most accessible routes. From the summit panoramic views of Edinburgh, the Firth of Forth and beyond can be enjoyed.
Arthur's Seat - Information Video
Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, c. 2012
This page uses content under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, along with original copyrighted content and excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources.
Text from this original Arthur's Seat article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'Arthur's Seat (Tyler)' page