The Saltire, or St. Andrews Cross, the national flag of Scotland, is the oldest flag of the British Commonwealth or of any other European country. Legend has it that the flag originated during a battle in the year 832 AD just outside the present-day East Lothian village of Athelstaneford.
The Legend Of The Saltire
It was in the year 832 AD that an army of Picts under the leadership of Angus mac Fergus High King of Alba, aided by a contingent of Scots led by Eochaidh, King of Dalriada, had been on a cattle raid into Lothian {then, and for a long time afterwards, Northumbrian territory} and were being pursued by a much larger force of Angles and Saxons under the leadership of one Athelstan.
The Albannach/Scots were caught, and stood to face their pursuers in the area of Markle to the north of the modern day village of Athelstaneford (which was resited on higher ground in the 18th century), where the Peffer, which flows into the Firth of Forth at Aberlady, forms a wide vale. Being then wholly undrained, the Peffer presented a major obstacle to the crossing, and the two armies came together at the present day farm of Prora (one of the fields there is still called “Bloody Lands”).
Fearing the outcome of the encounter, King Angus led prayers for deliverance, and was rewarded by seeing a cloud formation of the Saltire (the diagonal cross on which St. Andrew had been martyred) against a blue sky. The King vowed that if, with the Saints help, he gained victory, then Andrew would thereafter be the patron saint of Scotland.
The Scots did indeed win, and when Kenneth mac Alpin, who may have been present with his grandfather at the battle, later united the Scots and Picts and named the entity Scotland, Andrew became the patron saint of the united realm, and the Saltire became the National flag in accordance with the old King's vow. Kenneth mac Alpin, King of Scots and Picts, “Ard-righ Albainn”, was laid to rest on the Isle of Iona in 860 AD.
These events are commemorated at the Flag Heritage Centre set up at the back of Athelstaneford Church in a 16th century doocot (dovecot) which was restored and established at a cost of £90,000 during 1996/97.
The official opening on the 19th of May 1997, was led by Dr. Allan Macartney MEP, chairman of the Scottish Flag Trust. Following speeches in the church, Dr. Macartney, Trustee Lord Wemyss and author and historian Nigel Tranter unveiled the new centre to the sound of the pipes of the Royal Scots. Also present was Sir Alistair Buchan-Hepburn - a direct descendant of George Hepburn who built the doocot in 1583 and whose son founded the Royal Scots.
Courtesy of the McAlpine Society.
