Life of the House

Journal

Chronicles, ceremonies, publications and restorations — the contemporary life of a centuries-old institution.

Courtesies between houses · MMXXVI

An encounter with the heir of a sovereign line

The House of Slains was received by the heir of a sovereign line, within the discreet setting proper to such relations. It publishes neither the circumstances, nor the interlocutors, nor the substance: no public ceremony, no communiqué. From this exchange the House draws no claim — it confers neither rank nor prerogative, and binds in no way the house that received it. It keeps the memory of it, and the gratitude.

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A second courtesy with a reigning crown

A year after the first, the House was honoured with a second exchange with a reigning crown. Like the one before it, the encounter was held in the reserve proper to such occasions. Nothing of it is published: such is the rule the House imposes upon itself when discretion belongs to others than itself. An ancient house is measured also by the courtesies it receives — and by those it knows how to keep silent.

A first encounter with a reigning crown

The first of these courtesies brought the House of Slains close to a reigning crown. It was held without public ceremony or communiqué, according to the usage that governs relations between ancient houses. It says only that a lordship born upon the cliffs of the North Sea continues, seven centuries after its founding, to speak the common language of courtesy, of memory and of mutual respect.

interior of a majestic royal hall with tall windows casting dramatic shadows on dark wood and gold accents — Ceremonies — 14 October MMXXIV

Restoration of the North Tower Archives

The North Tower of the castle has undergone a restoration campaign for its ancient archives, in partnership with the University of Aberdeen.

close-up of an old parchment document with elegant calligraphy and a red wax seal on a dark stone surface — Ceremonies — 02 September MMXXIV

The Renaissance of the Orders: St. John's Day Ceremony

Seven new admissions took place during the annual St. John's Day ceremony, celebrated according to the ritual established in MCMXXIV.

sunlight streaming through a grand library with floor to ceiling bookshelves and ladders in a historic building — Publications — 21 July MMXXIV

Publication of the Annals of the House — Volume XII

The twelfth volume of the Annals offers an unprecedented study on the role of Clan Hay during the Scottish Reformation.

a prestigious academic conference room with dark leather chairs and a speaker at a wooden podium under warm lighting — Lectures — 18 May MMXXIV

Aberdeen Lecture: peerage and heritage in the 21st century

The Grand Chancellor delivered a notable address on the place of centuries-old institutions in modernity.

Memory is the vigilant guardian of sovereignty; the indissoluble bond between our glorious past and our future.

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