Woodwork
It is often assumed that Scotland in the later Mediæval period was a virtually treeless place because so much timber was being imported from Scandinavia, Poland and Russia. However, there would have been a practical reason for this as trees in Scotland grow about 7 times faster than trees in Sweden, resulting in softer, less dense timber which would be more prone to warping.
So, when thin, fine grained boards were needed for doors, windows and wall panelling, it was to the eastern Baltic that Scots merchants turned. Ready-cut planks, known as Eastland board was imported from Riga, Memel and Konigsberg, perhaps having been grown in Ukraine or Belarus.
The 1559 inventory of the castle of Sanquhar-Hamilton in Ayr makes several references to Norwegian pine and Baltic pine, and in one item mention is made of it being transported from Edinburgh. Sadly, that castle was swept away a long time ago. But we are fortunate in having 16th c. wood panelling associated with Baltersan (and probably Crossraguel Abbey) in the safe custody of the Trustees of Loudoun Hall, Ayr and at Rozelle House, Ayr. These were rescued from a farm steading near Baltersan around 1900 by the Ayr architect, James A. Morris. One set can be seen in the Home page Flash sequence. This may depict John Kennedy and his wife in one panel while another shows a man surrounded by strange creatures which could have been inspired by fanciful carvings on misericords in Crossraguel Abbey. The panels are not in their original frame.
Two-thirds of another set of three is shown above. These may have been taken from the abbey by John Kennedy in the late 16th c. after all, he removed the great bronze bell and in later years his widow refused to return it! The left panel shows a snake with a goatee beard and horn, proffering a fruit. The leaves are those of the tomato plant, known in the 16th c. as the love apple; doubtless an allusion to the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
Commissioned woodwork
Baltersan was the work of individual craft people with a passion for their pursuits. That can be achieved again, adding to the castle's charm by employing people like John Donaldson who appears on the Home page Flash sequence and cabinet-makers Kath and Trish, seen in the picture above.