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Title: PAGEANT OF INVERNESS

Reference number: 6761

Date: 1951

Director: filmed by James S. Nairn

Sound: silent

Original format: 16mm

Colour: bw

Fiction: Non-Fiction

Running time: 20.32 mins

Description: A dramatised pageant depicting the history of the burgh of Inverness, held at the Ness Islands pavilion in 1951.

Credits: ph. James S. Nairn

Shotlist: shots of pipe band marching and playing - title - Photography - James S. Nairn - When Inverness first appeared on the page of history nearly 1,400 years ago. She was the capital of Northern Pictland and was ruled by the powerful Pictish, King Brude. gvs of pageant setting, in pavilion on Ness Islands, Inverness - shots of narrator on castle battlements and gvs seated crowd watching - young boy in kilt walks to centre of arena (1.24) TIME A.D.565 - KING BRUDE'S CASTLE AT INVERNESS - young boy ascends stage and pulls aside curtain - boy sits to side and watches scene with actors in period costume, probably depicting the conversion of King Bridei to Christianity by St. Columba (3.36) TIME A.D. 1040 - MACBETH'S CASTLE AT INVERNESS - scenes of Macbeth and the three witches, Lady Macbeth - shot of crowd (4.39) TIME A.D. 1179 - KING WILLIAM THE LION VISITS INVERNESS - re-enactment of the English king and his retinue arriving to grant the Inverness royal burgh charter (5.54) TIME A.D. 1233 - THE BLACK FRIERS LAY THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THEIR NEW CHURCH - brief shot of monks (6.10) TIME A.D. 1236 - KING ALEXANDER II HOLDS A JUSTICE COURT - re-enactment of same, herald and guards, citizens being tried before king seated on throne (7.53) TIME A.D. 1249 - THE CRUSADERS - Crusaders on horseback saying goodbye to their wives (8.47) TIME A.D. 1297 - WARS OF INDEPENDENCE - fighting scenes, bodies being carried away (9.12) TIME A.D. 1312 - KING ROBERT THE BRUCE HOLDS PARLIAMENT TO RATIFY TREATY OF NORWAY - shots of guests arriving at parliament (9.58) TIME A.D. 1562 - MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS - shot of crowd - queen and retinue arrive on horseback - queen sits in court, sends armed soldiers off, watches dancing display - wide shot of crowd - soldiers return with prisoners, queen and courtiers leave stage (13.15) TIME A.D. 1591 - THE GOLDEN CHARTER - re-enactment of the granting of a royal charter by James VI (14.00) TIME A.D. 1644 - THE HOME GUARD (17th Century Fashion) - parade of old men and boys with agricultural implements as weapons (14.35) TIME A.D. 1650 - THE CIVIL WAR AND THE CAPTURE OF THE MARQUIS OF MONTROSE - re-enactment of the capture of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (15.30) TIME A.D. 1661 - RACE MEETING AT DALNEIGH - re-enactment of games and displays at the first public race meeting at Inverness after the restoration of the monarchy - gvs of crowd - the race winner is borne aloft (18.37) TIME - MIDNIGHT - THE TORCH DANCE - women with torches dance into arena, men juggle with torches - young boy in kilt leaves arena - shot of narrator and cross on battlements - THE END (20.32)