The Legend Saltire

The Athelstaneford Doocot landed proprietor ravaged their crops. The Flag Heritage Centre In the 18th century, Fife had no fewer than 360 Doocots such as at Athelstaneford were once common doocots, with 36,000 birds making havoc among the Athelstaneford is the birthplace of Scotland’s flag. THE LEGEND in Scotland, but are now rapidly disappearing grain. A wry proverb summed up the possessions of The Flag Heritage Centre, which has been awarded 4 from the rural scene. a local laird as “a puckle land, a lump o’ debt, a doocot star attraction status by visitscotland, lies behind the OF THE and a law plea”. Parish Church. Visitors can enjoy a short audio-visual The doocot - “dovecote” Feudal privilege is said to have been a factor in the dramatisation, available in 7 languages at the touch of a SALTIRE in England – has a long French Revolution, and there, figuratively at least, the button, of the traditional origins of the flag. The Centre history. To the Romans it was doocot may be said to have come under the guillotine is open daily between 09.00 and 18.00 from 1 April untl a columbarium; to the French in 1789. 31 October and on St Andrew’s Day, 30 November. they were colombiers. The In Scotland, the end was less violent - it was the Admission is FREE. Normans introduced them turnip which rendered the doocot a thing of the past. to these islands, and they The introduction of this root-crop made it possible were soon to be found for the farmer to winter his beasts. Pigeons gradually as far north as Caithness. disappeared from the menu, and doocots fell into Pigeons were a highly disuse and dilapidation. desirable addition to the The doocot at Athelstaneford is one of the earliest winter diet at a time when surviving Scottish examples from the 16th century. fresh meat was not available. It was built in 1583 by George Hepburn, whose son, Farmers were not able to Sir John Hepburn, was the founder and first colonel keep their cattle and sheep alive throughout the winter, of the Royal Scots. This famous regiment, the First of and the practice was for Foot, has used the Saltire as its emblem since the 17th flocks and herds to be killed century. off and the meat salted. Only It is known as a lectern doocot, that is a rectangular a few breeding animals were structure with a lean-to roof and entry holes for the kept alive. The doocot filled pigeons half way down the slope. The roof is south the role of today’s deep- facing which gives it a certain amount of sheltered freeze! exposure. There are string courses of stone jutting out The birds had many ad- from the walls, probably to discourage rats from gaining vantages – they were prolific, access. The doocot is B-listed by Historic Scotland. they needed little space, and they foraged for their In 1996 the Hepburn doocot was comprehensively own food. They were also totally unconcerned as to restored and converted into an interpretative centre who owned the grain which they ate. Tenant farmers for visitors. This work was undertaken by the Scottish often had to look on helplessly while the pigeons of the Flag Trust. Athelstaneford lies some 20 miles east of Edinburgh and is easily accessed and signposted from the A1. A T H E L S T A N E F O R D www.scottishflagtrust.com Birthplace of Scotland’s Flag The Legend of the Saltire The Memorial The Church and the Graveyard The St Andrew’s Cross or Saltire is Scotland’s national The Saltire memorial is located at the south east of the The original church in Athelstaneford was built in flag. Tradition has it that the flag, the white saltire on a churchyard. Built in 1965 to a design by the late Dr 1176 by Ada, wife of Henry Prince of Scotland, and blue background, the oldest flag in the Commonwealth F.R. Stevenson, and comprehensively restored in 1993, mother of William the Lion. This continued to be and Europe, originated in a battle fought in East Lothian it consists of a battlescene carved in granite within a the parish church until 1780, when a new church was in the Dark Ages. textured concrete plinth. erected. There were further alterations in 1867 when It is believed that the battle took place in the year The main panel shows the two armed hosts facing the transepts and 832AD. An army of Picts under Angus mac Fergus, each other, the one about to claim victory, the other chancel were added. High King of Alba, and aided by a contingent of Scots already accepting defeat, under the sign in the sky of the There has therefore led by Eochaidh, King of Dalriada (Kenneth mac Alpin’s St Andrew’s Cross. been an unbroken grandfather) had been on a punitive raid into Lothian There is practically Christian witness in (then and for long afterwards Northumbrian territory), no surviving pic- the parish for over and were being pursued torial art from 800 years. by a larger force of Angles the 9th century, The church is and Saxons under one so the style is open daily, and Athelstan. romanesque visitors are welcome The Albannach/Scots (Gislebertus of to enter. One of were first caught by their Autun) of a later the fine stained pursuers in the area of period. glass windows within the church (north transept) is of Scotland’s patron saint, St Andrew. Also of interest Markle, near East Linton. The inscription on and on display is the richly decorated This is just to the east the Memorial is as Book of the Saltire which chronicles of the modern village of follows: Athelstaneford (which was the local origins of the Scottish flag. resited on higher ground TRADITION SAYS THAT NEAR This was presented at a special service in 1987 to the Minister and Kirk in the 18th century), THIS PLACE IN TIMES REMOTE where the Peffer Burn, Session by the St Andrew Society of which flows into the Firth PICTISH AND SCOTTISH WARRIORS Winnipeg. of Forth at Aberlady, ABOUT TO DEFEAT AN ARMY OF A walk along the pathways around the churchyard will reveal forms a wide vale. Being When Kenneth mac Alpin, NORTHUMBRIANS, SAW AGAINST A many fascinating memorials. Of then wholly undrained, who may have been present BLUE SKY A GREAT WHITE CROSS particular interest is the gravestone the Peffer presented a major obstacle to crossing, and the with his grandfather at the on the western wall to Adam Skirving two armies eventually came together at the ford near the battle, later united Picts LIKE SAINT ANDREW’S, AND IN ITS (1719-1803) who wrote “Hey, Johnnie present day farm of Prora. One of the field names there and Scots and named IMAGE MADE A BANNER WHICH Cope”. This well known song tells is marked on the earliest OS maps as the Bloody Lands. the entity Scotland, BECAME THE FLAG OF SCOTLAND. of another East Lothian battle - the Fearing the outcome of the encounter, King Angus Andrew did indeed defeat of the Hanoverian Army under led prayers for deliverance, and was rewarded by the become the patron Sir John Cope by the Jacobites at dramatic appearance overhead of a white saltire (the saint of the united Attached to the Memorial is a tall flagpole on Prestonpans on 21 September 1745. diagonal cross on which St Andrew had been martyred) realm. Kenneth mac which a Saltire is flown permanently, even during the Many Scots will know the chorus: against a blue sky. The king vowed that if, with the Alpin, King of Scots hours of darkness when it is floodlit, as a reminder of saint’s help, he gained the victory, then Andrew would and Picts, Ard-righ the flag’s origins. “Hey, Johnnie Cope are ye wauking yet? thereafter be the patron saint of Scotland. The Scots Albainn, was laid The original copper panel of the battlescene has Or are your drums a-beating yet? did win, and in due course the Saltire became the flag to rest on Iona in been restored and is on display in the Flag Heritage If ye were wauking I wad wait of Scotland. 860AD. Plan of the churchyard Centre. Tae gang tae the coals i the mornin.”.

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