''Cencrastus'' was a magazine devoted to Scottish and international

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

arts The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...

and affairs, founded after the Referendum of 1979 by students, mainly of

Scottish literature Scottish literature is literature written in Scotland or by List of Scottish writers, Scottish writers. It includes works in Scottish English, English, Scottish Gaelic language, Scottish Gaelic, Scots language, Scots, Brythonic languages, Bryth ...

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...

, and with support from

Cairns Craig Robert Cairns Craig (born 16 February 1949) is a Scottish literary scholar, specialising in Scottish and modernist literature. He has been Glucksman Professor of Irish and Scottish Studies at the University of Aberdeen since 2005. Before that, ...

, then a lecturer in the English Department, with the express intention of perpetuating the devolution debate. It was published three times a year. Its founders were Christine Bold, John Burns,

Bill Findlay Bill Findlay (29 October 1913 – 28 May 1986) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He played as a rover and was sometimes pushed forward where he was a handy ...

, Sheila G. Hearn, Glen Murray and Raymond J. Ross. Editors included Glen Murray (1981–1982), Sheila G. Hearn (1982–1984), Geoff Parker (1984–1986) and Cairns Craig (1987). Raymond Ross was publisher and editor of the magazine for nearly 20 years (1987–2006). Latterly the magazine was published with the help of a grant from the

Scottish Arts Council The Scottish Arts Council ( gd, Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba, sco, Scots Airts Cooncil) was a Scottish public body responsible for the funding, development and promotion of the arts in Scotland. The Council primarily distributed funding from the ...

. It ceased publication in 2006. Contributors included

Christopher Harvie Professor Christopher Harvie (born 21 September 1944, Motherwell) is a Scottish historian and a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Mid Scotland and Fife from 2007 to 2011. Before his e ...

, Duncan Macmillan,

Stephen Maxwell Stephen Maxwell (11 October 1942 – 24 April 2012) was a Scottish nationalist politician and intellectual and, from the 1980s, a leading figure in the Scottish voluntary sector. Early life Born in 1942 in Edinburgh to a Scottish medical fa ...

Brian Holton Brian John Holton (born November 29, 1959) is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from 1985 to 1990. He was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 World Series winners, notching a save i ...

, Craig Beveridge, Ronald Turnbull, Colin McArthur, Randall Stevenson, Glenda Norquay, Jim Gilchrist,

Freddie Anderson Freddie Anderson (11 September 1922 – 10 December 2001) was an Irish writer, playwright, author, poet and socialist, born in Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland, who became an influential figure in left wing culture and folk music scene in Glasg ...

and Fred Johnston ''Cencrastus'' is one of the cultural and political magazines researched by the Scottish Magazines Network.

References

* Records deposited in National Library of Scotland GB233/Acc.11509, Acc.10396 and Acc.12644 1979 establishments in Scotland 2006 disestablishments in Scotland Triannual magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct political magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in Scotland Magazines established in 1979 Magazines disestablished in 2006 Politics of Scotland Political magazines published in Scotland {{Europe-poli-mag-stub