Edinburgh

Edinburgh
Edinburgh has many links with Flodden and the when on 18 August, five cannon were brought down from Edinburgh Castle to the Netherbow Gate at St Mary's Wynd dragged by long teams of oxen the inhabitants of the capital knew that the invasion of England was underway.
 
The Flodden Wall is the remains of a town wall that was built around the southern extent of the late medieval old town, enclosing the medieval Grassmarket, the religious houses of Greyfriars and Blackfriars and the later 15th Century houses built up along the Cowgate, outside the earlier town walls.  Although this wall is thought to have existed from perhaps as much as 70 years before the Battle of Flodden, it was significantly repaired and re-fortified after September 1513. 
 
Today the remains of this ad hoc defence can be seen in Greyfriars church yard and at other locations in the ‘old town’ of Edinburgh.
 
The Bore Stane stands on a pedestal built into the boundary wall of Morningside Parish Church fronting onto Morningside Road Edinburgh. The stone measures about 1.30 metres high x 0.60 metres wide and varies in thickness between 200 and 250 mm with the surface badly weathered.
 
The stone is traditionally associated with the mustering of the Scottish Army by James IV on the Borough Muir and as the site of the raising of the Royal Banner / Blue Blanket on the 17th August 1513. The Bore Stane has been moved at least twice with tradition stating that it originally stood in a field adjacent to its current location.
 
The stone was erected in its current position by Sir John Stuart Forbes of Pitsligo in 1852.
 
The information plaque mounted below the stone reads:
 
'In which the Royal Standard was last pitched for the muster of the Scottish army on the Borough Muir before the Battle of Flodden,1513.'
 

It long lay in the adjoining field, was then built into the wall near this spot and finally placed here by Sir John Stuart Forbes of Pitsligo, 1852.

  • Highest and midmost was desiret,
  • The Royal Banner floating wide,
  • The staff a pine tree strong and straight,
  • Pitch'd deeply in a massive stone,
  • Which still in memory is shown,
  • Yet bent beneath the Standards weight
             
Marmion, Sir Walter Scott
 
Boroughmuir is now known as the Meadows and is a popular green space with local residents and visitors to Edinburgh.
Bore Stane
Grid Reference
NT2450871568
Link
http://edinburgh.org/
Opening Times
Edinburgh Castle: http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk
Open access to remaining three ecomuseum sites.
Admission
Edinburgh Castle: http://www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk
Open access to remaining three ecomuseum sites.
Facilities
Follow link above.
Parking
Follow link above.
Directions
The Castle is best accessed from the top of the High Street. The Castle Terrace car park is convenient for all of the sites described.

Find The Flodden Wall on foot, either at its interpreted route at the west end of the Grassmarket, or at the northern end of Heriot Place and the east end of Drummond Place at its junction with The Pleasance.

The Bore Stane is publically accessible lying on the eastern side of Morningside Road built into the boundary wall of Morningside Parish Church. The site is accessible by public transport with regular bus services (Lothian Buses 5, 11, 15 & 16) connecting the site with Princes Street.

Boroughmuir is now known as the Meadows and is a ten minute walk to the south of Princess Street, via Lothian Road, Earl Grey Street and Brougham Street.
Edinburgh has many connections with Flodden with perhaps the remains of the town wall being the most visible reminder of the conflict and its consequences. The Flodden Wall (an Ecomuseum site) is the remains of a town wall that was built around the southern extent of the late medieval old town, enclosing the medieval Grassmarket, the religious houses of Greyfriars and Blackfriars and the later 15th Century houses built up along the Cowgate, outside the earlier town walls. Although this wall is thought to have existed from perhaps as much as 70 years before the Battle of Flodden, it was significantly repaired and refortified after September 1513. Today the remains of this ad hoc defence can be seen in Greyfriars church yard and at other locations in the ‘old town’ of Edinburgh. If you download the pdf leaflet at the bottom of this page it has a map of Flodden Wall locations.

The Bore Stane was placed into the wall of Morningside Parish Church (its current position) in 1910 as a memorial to the battle. Prior to this it lay in an adjacent field.

Boroughmuir is now known as the Meadows and is a popular green space with local residents and visitors to Edinburgh.

Attachments

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  • Edinburgh - Ecomuseum Leaflet
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Map

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