Living history characters can be used in as many ways as you have the imagination.

Here are some recent examples of Mercat's living history characters in action ......

Visitors to Duart Castle on the island of Mull this summer had the privilege of a guided tour from Mr Newman, personal valet to Sir Fitzroy McLean who began the restoration of the castle in 1910. Mr Newman was ably assisted by Jane, housemaid in the castle.

 

No less a personage that King Charles II welcomed visitors to Scone Palace this July and engaged visitors with an entertaining account of the preparations for his coronation there in 1651. We are not sure who was the prouder - the King himself or the Palace peacocks!

Provand's Lordship is the oldest house in Glasgow. It celebrated a Family Fun Day in July and Mercat Tours contributed to its success. 'Brother Michael', a local monk, dispensed medical advice of the medieval variety - leeches and all: ugh! The photograph shows a poor visitor having his headache removed with a drill. Not surprisingly, not many visitors volunteered for one of Brother Michael's treatments.

Then there was the launch of a new website before a distinguished legal audience at Edinburgh Castle. It enjoyed a visitation from The President of the Court of Session, Judge George Lockhart, who proceeded to bemoan his dastardly murder…

The National Library of Scotland recently celebrated a bequest of letters between Lord Byron and Lady Hamilton, and papers belonging to the Scottish explorer, David Livingstone. Mercat Tours brought these characters to life for the media event.

Guided tours, demonstrations, dramatic monologues: Mercat Tours uses these techniques and others to bring a place, an episode, an issue, a period, a person alive.