Dunbar 1296 and Rullion Green 1666 Join Scotland's Battlefield Inventory

Historic Scotland's Battlefield Inventory now finalised

The Trust was disappointed when the Scottish Government announced that the limit of protection and support it would give to the nation's significant battlefields was simply the 'creation of an Inventory'. And we still wish for considerably more by way of government support for interpretation and education. And for the economic benefits tourism to battlefields brings!

The national Inventory has taken Historic Scotland quite a while to bring together but now the final third stage has been completed, as reported in the press cuttings below.

Our own Prestonpans battle which saw Prince Charlie's victory in 1745 was amongst the first listing along with Cromwell's victory at Dunbar in 1650 and Somerset's at Pinkie in 1547. Dunbar's earlier battle in 1296 which saw victory for England's King Edward I has only now been listed in the third grouping, whilst Tam Dayell's Royalist victory over the Covenantors at Rullion Green in neighbouring Mid-Lothian in 1666 featured in the second.



East Lothian's Athelstaneford 832, which is now annually celebrated on St Andrew's Day and honoured on the county's road signs, does not appear however. Whilst mythology avers it took place, and the saltire appeared, no precise location has been identified that can be 'protected' by listing in the Inventory.



A timeous new book from Arran Johnston [with, we are delighted to say, Historic Scotland's support] will be available shortly to advance the Trust's belief in active 'interpretation and educational services' so far as East Lothian's battlefields are concerned.