| |
| For so many years I have driven up and down the A9, always seeing the Historic Scotland sign for St Serf's Church. Every time I have said to myself... one day I will go there. Well this weekend I did. I didn't expect much, I certainly didn't expect the most beautiful piece of art I have ever seen tastefully lit for maximum impact. And I certainly didn't expect Malcolm the Historic Scotland Guide. He was wonderful and so knowledgeable about all Scotland's history, not just this cross.
Now I have seen this cross many many times in books, it doesn't look this good and much of the book details are out of date. New techniques are revealing new things about it |
|
 |
This is King Constantine. NOT Kenneth McAlpine. One of the reverse panels is badly eroded, recently someone had the bright idea to photograph it in infra red. This showed a Latin inscription naming the Pictish King. This is contrary to what my books tell me. |
| Malcolm insisted this snaked eating its own tail was a symbol of distruction. He didn't argue with me when I suggested it was a symbol of renewal. He looked as though he would like to have argued but he seemed to have a good sense of self preservation too (-:.
I have tinkered with this photie a little to try and show the detail better. It can be seen with the naked eye but a camera is not that accurate. |
|
 | This is the biblical character David singing and fighting. |  |
 |
 |
|
Who was Margaret Wall and was she a witch?Local parish records were meticulously kept on all the witch burnings in the area at that time. And yet, spookily, there is no Margaret Wall recorded as having been burned. However local records do reflect a disruption in the kirk and a great deal of dissatisfaction with the then meenister. Kirk troops/ militia/ what ever were dispatched to deal with this trouble maker and locals greeted them armed with pitch forks etc. |
It could be that this poor woman was burned because she took the wrong side in a political dispute of some sort, like the one mentioned above. It could be that a local man had a wee fancy for a lady who was perhaps a fair maiden and was unhappy at being spurned. It could be that she inherited some land ** heaven for-fend a wummin wi land** and someone accused her of witchcraft to gain her land by default. There are many reason why should could have been burned for witchcraft, none of them are likely to include practising witchcraft. It is believed locally that after this act was done, there was a great wailing and gnashing of teeth, regret? seeking justification? Whatever, in this case they erected the stone to my mind, to assert once and for all their actions were morally just. As in Shakespeare " Me thinks they doth protest too much"
But the writing is kept going and flowers are regularly laid.... by whom? Well anyone who watched 'This Scotland' three years ago knows a wee bachel cried "Straiph" claims responsibility for that. But then Straiph also claimed he was working too help the corn grow.... in a field of barley!
 |
 |
All graphics and content of this web site are © rableather Scotland 2000 ( unless otherwise stated) all dialogue is free to schools or teachers
