Since 1965 the
Saltire Memorial in the village of Athelstaneford marking the site where The
Saltire was adopted as the National Flag of Scotland. Sadly the Autumn 2006
newsletter of The Scottish Flag trust contains the news that this year the
Athelstaneford site was subjected to vandalism for the first-ever time - the
newsletter reported –
‘Between 14/15
March [2006], someone deliberately defaced the Saltire Memorial that stands
in the churchyard, painting the words “our father would not want this” in
bright blue letters over the main panel. The East Lothian press reported the
matter, but despite this and local inquiries Police have been unable to
establish who might have been involved,’
The damage has
been cleaned up and fortunately there has been no further desecration of the
memorial which is located at the south-east corner of the village churchyard
and consists of a battle scene carved in granite within a concrete plinth.
The main panel shows the two armies facing each other, the one about to
claim victory, the other already accepting defeat, under the sign in the sky
of the Saint Andrew’s Cross. The inscription on the memorial reads :-
|
TRADITION SAYS THAT NEAR THIS PLACE IN TIMES REMOTE PICTISH AND
SCOTTISH WARRIORS ABOUT TO DEFEAT AN ARMY OF NORTHUMBRIANS, SAW
AGAINST
A BLUE SKY A GREAT WHITE CROSS LIKE SAINT ANDREW’S, AND IN ITS IMAGE
MADE A BANNER WHICH BECAME THE FLAG OF SCOTLAND. |
Attached to
the memorial is a tall flagpole on which The Saltire is flown permanently,
even during the hours of darkness when it is floodlit, as a reminder of the
origins of the Saint Andrew’s Cross. The Church and Memorial can be visited
all year round and the Flag Heritage Centre is open daily from April to
October (9am-6pm) and on St Andrew’s Day. Admission is free.
In the weeks
running-up to St Andrew’s day (30 November) we will look further at the work
of The Scottish Flag Trust and at celebrations of Andermas. ‘God and St
Andrew’ was the rock on which the Nation of Scotland was created.
Our recipe
this week contains the word ‘rock’ in its name but we would hope that when
you come to enjoy Marilyn’s Rock Buns, they are not as hard as the granite
to be found in Scotland! Rock Buns go very well with a fly-cup any day of
the year.
Marilyn’s Rock
Buns
Ingredients:
8
oz SR Flour; 3 oz sugar; 3 oz butter; 3 oz sultanas; 1 egg; milk, enough for
a stiff dough
Method:
Put flour and sugar into bowl, Rub in butter. Mix in sultanas. Mix to a
stiff dough with beaten egg and milk. Place in rough heaps on greased tray.
Bake for 20 minutes at Gas Mark 7.
