Battle site of Athelstaneford (832) *
Region: Lothian & Scottish Borders
Athelstaneford Parish Kirk cc-by-sa/2.0 - © kim traynor - geograph.org.uk/p/2009828
Description:
Close to the church in Athelstaneford you will find the Flag Heritage Centre in a lectern doo cot, where the story is told of the battle and the origins of the Scottish flag, the 'Saltire'.
The audio visual is quite impressive and there is a viewing point with an interpretative panel .
The legend goes that in 832 Óengus mac Fergusa, King of the Picts was pursued by a Northumbrian host led by their leader Athelstane. The Scots were forced to make a stand in an area some 2.5 km to the north of the modern village of Athelstaneford and there ensued a long and bloody battle across the narrows of the Peffer Burn. In desperation Óengus called for divine intervention and Saint Andrew seems to have answered by shaping the clouds into a cross.
As expected the Northumbrians were beaten and the white cross on a blue background has been the Scottish flag ever since. The site of the battle is the present day farm of Prora (a field there is still called the Bloody Lands).