From Stowe to Stewe in the Curve of a Pen

Old handwriting can be difficult to read (although studies show that those of us who spend hours pouring over old documents trying to decipher what has been written are better at memory retention than those who don't). Penmanship was only available to the educated - clergy or teachers, usually. And in those days, uniformity was more important than legibility. Don't despair. Here are a couple of websites to assist with "cracking the code" on Scottish Handwriting.

http://www.scottishhandwriting.com/

You can also find a wealth of information on the Scotland's People website under the tab "Help & Resources" In the drop down box on the right, you will find a link to getting help with deciphering Scottish Handwriting.

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

Happy Searching!