OS1/14/63/77
| List of names as written | Various modes of spelling | Authorities for spelling | Situation | Description remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAIRNS [Hill of Rowan] | Cairns Cairns Cairns |
David Inglis John Davidson Land of the Lindsays |
006 | Applied to numerous cairns or piles of stones situated on the Eastern and Western base of "Hill of Rowan", they are evidently artificial, and vary in size and shape, being from 33 to about 18 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 ft [feet] in height, a few are apparently oval, but principally circular, there is nothing definite known as to their origin, Jervise, in his Land of the Lindsays, writes the following (as already quoted in description of "Hill of Rowan",) "These warriors (Comyn & Bruce) are locally said to have fought a bloody battle here, and the artificial-looking cairns, which lie scattered along the south-east side of Rowan hill are called the graves of the slain, About the time of Bruce and Comyn's alleged meeting here, the former was so seriously indisposed, that his life was despaired of, and on all occasions he avoided battle; for, instead of being able to mount a prancing charger, he was so weak that his soldiers had to carry him on a litter, and he continued in that state down to the battle of Old Meldrum, which was fought on the 22nd of May in the following year, when he defeated Buchan, with great slaughter, and harried his possessions, Thus, every circumstance combines to shew that the idea of Bruce having fought here has no foundation; and although elf-shot or flint arrow heads, and other remains of early warfare, have occassionally been found buried in these cairns, they must have belonged to heroes of Earlier times than those of Bruce, and to conflicts unrecorded," (Jervise's Land of the Lindsays) " Several tumuli occur upon the low barren ground of the parish, One of these was opened sometime ago by a blacksmith, who found in it the head of a battle axe, which he did not scruple to make into hob-nails", It cannot now be pointed out, (Old Statistical Account) |
Continued entries/extra info
[Page] 77County Forfar
Transcribers who have contributed to this page.
Alison James- Moderator, KBMW- Moderator
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