Public invited to Book of Deer event at Pluscarden Abbey
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THE public are being invited to an event in Moray that will celebrate the Book of Deer's return to the north-east of Scotland.
The Book of Deer is a 10th century book, which some believe to be Scotland's oldest surviving manuscript.
It contains some of the first recorded Scottish Gaelic writings.
The book is returning to the north-east – on a three-month loan from the University of Cambridge this summer - for the first time in more than 1000 years, to be put on display in Aberdeen Art Gallery.
Community heritage group The Book of Deer Project secured £128,588 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to bring the book – which needs 24-hour protection – north.
To celebrate its return a series of cultural events have been set up across the north-east.
In Moray, there will be an event at Pluscarden Abbey on Saturday, April 30, at which Richard Ingham, visiting professor of saxophone at Aberdeen University's music department, and his five-person band Strangeness and Charm will play a special suite of music.
The music consists of 12 songs which are inspired by the book itself, the monastery and the local working community of the time.
The event begins at 3pm and will last between 45 minutes and an hour, with all 12 songs played in succession.
Tickets, which cost £10, can be bought at www.eventbrite.com or by ringing Tim Griffith on 07788415378.
There is seating for around 200 people so places are limited.
Everyone who attends will be able pick up a complementary copy of the music they hear on the day.
If any profit is made from the event then it will be donated to charity.
A archaeological dig in Aberdeenshire at Deer Abbey started this week, with an open day being held on Saturday, April 23 with re-enactors from History Matters.
