stirling-1963-vol-1/05_073

Transcription

INTRODUCTION : THE DARK AGE
even if they do, the "citadel" may be no more than a dun, and not a structure of Dark Age date.
At Dunmore the Dark Age attribution rests on the character of a wall which is closely parallel
in design to one forming part of the post-Roman fort on Rubers Law, Roxburghshire.¹ While
this is the only fort for which an early Dark Age date can be suggested with any confidence, it
must not be forgotten that the rock now occupied by Stirling Castle (No. 192) is likely to have
been occupied in both Early Iron Age and Dark Age times. The site is ideal for primitive
fortification, and may be compared with Din Eidyn (Edinburgh), Alcud (Dumbarton),
Dundurn, Dunadd, or King's Seat (Dunkeld; in fact, it has recently been identified with
Bede'a "urbs Giudi". ²
Although, as has been said, there are good archaeological grounds for placing the Damnonii
in Stirlingshire in pre-Roman times, it would seem that they were subsequently displaced by
the Votadini as it was from "Manau Guotodin" - Manaw ³ of the Votadini - that Cunedda
is held to have migrated to North Wales.⁴ There is reason to infer that this migration weakened
the barrier against pressure by more northerly peoples, and that invasion from Pictland
followed; Gildas, in fact, states that the Picts now penetrated to Hadrian's Wall, ⁵ and there
can be little doubt that this corridor region saw much warfare and tribal movement in the
disturbed centuries that followed.
The monuments assignable to Early Christian times consist only of two cashels, Knock-
inhaglish (No. 160) and Strathcashell (No. 164). These differ in character and situation but
both fall into the general category of small establishments of the Celtic church ⁶ and as such
are likely to date from before the introduction of Canons Regular, which began in the latter
part of the 11th century. It is possible too, that the association of Celtic saints with some of the
wells (e.g. Nos. 542, 544, 545, 550) may represent a real survival of ancient beliefs ⁷ to be
compared with the legendary connections of St. Kentigerna with Inchcailleach (No. 163), of
St. Machan with Campsie (No. 157), or St. Kentigern with the Stirling district on both
banks of the Forth. ⁸ Caution is required, however, in the matter of Celtic dedications, in view
of the return of native saints to favour in the course of the Middle Ages. ⁹ A hand-bell of Celtic
pattern, 9 3/4 in. high to the top of the handle, which is now preserved in the Art Gallery and
Museum, Kelvingrove, is said ¹⁰ to have been dredged from the Forth near Stirling; this is
evidently an ecclesiastical relic of period, but it cannot be associated with any particular
person or place.
The only other Dark Age relic that deserves mention is a silver pin from Dunipace
(Pl. 10), now in the National Museum of Antiquities (FC 10). ¹¹ This has a gilt, loose-ring
head which reproduces in outline the form of the Tara type of brooch. On the back a crude
interlaced pattern has been executed partly by scratches and partly by prick-marks (see
Pl. 10 D). Although most examples of this type come from Ireland, two others have been
found in Scotland, and since the use of silver for such ornaments is comparatively rare in

1 Inventory of Roxburghshire, No. 145.
2. Antiquity, xxxiii, 63 ff.; Bede, Hist. Eccles., i, cap. xii.
3 On Manaw see p. 5 above.
4 Nennius, Historia Brittonum, cap. 62. For the date of this
movement, the weight of most recent opinion favours the
middle of the 5th century A.D.
5 De Excidio Britanniae, cap. 19.
6 Cf. P.S.A.S., lxxxv (1950-1), 79.
7 Forbes, A. P., Kalendars of Scottish Saints, xxii.
8 Discussed by Jackson in Studies in the Early British
Church, ed. Chadwick, 273 ff.
9 Forbes, op. cit., xxiii ff.
10 T.G.A.S., N.S. viii (1933), pt. iii, and fig. 144,
facing 146.
11 Annals, ii, 311 f. and pl. xviii, fig. 159.

-- 37

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

valrsl- Moderator, Brenda Pollock

  Location information for this page.