Image: The Honours Saved From Cromwell, 1652

Description: Tableau depicting an episode in the history of Scotland's symbols of kingship, known as the 'Honours' of Scotland. In 1651, during Cromwell's occupation of Scotland after his victory at Dunbar in 1650, the regalia were quietly removed from the Castle to be used for the coronation at Scone of Charles II as King of Scots. From there they were taken for safekeeping to Dunnottar Castle, south of Aberdeen, smuggled out during a siege of that castle in 1652 and buried under the floor of a local church at Kinneff until the Restoration in 1660. The account of Christian Fletcher, wife of Mr. Granger, the minister of Kinneff, reveals how easily they might have been lost for all time, "...whereupon I went to Dunnottar, five miles distant from my house, and after a little conference with the said Elizabeth Douglas [the Governor's wife], she showed me the Honours, desiring me to take upon me the keeping of them, and to carry them along with me, which I by the Lord's assistance did willingly undertake, whereupon she delivered unto me the Crown and Sceptre*, which I brought with me on horseback, riding always near the sea along the tops of the high craigs, resolving rather to lose my life and throw them in the sea than that they should have taken them from me, being at that time in fear of the enemy always." [* the Sword blade and hilt came out in a sack of flax carried by her servant]
Title: The Honours Saved From Cromwell, 1652
Credit: Own work
Author: Kim Traynor
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
License: CC BY-SA 3.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
Attribution Required?: Yes