|
 Log in |
Register
|
|
City of Edinburgh: Latest Posts — Folklore |
Previous 10 | Showing 11-17 of 17 folklore posts. Most recent first
St. David's Well (Sacred Well) |
| Legend has it that in September 1128, King David was hunting in the Royal Park and he was attacked by a stag that had been lying beside a spring. This was no ordinary stag though as it had a cross attached to it's antlers. Although injured the King managed to garb the cross whereupon the animal vanished towards the spring. |
Posted by Martin 3rd June 2002ce |
St. Anthony's Well (Sacred Well) |
|
'Even in Edinburgh, little bands of the faithful may be seen making their way through the King's Park to Arthur's Seat, and, as in the eighteenth century, ON May-Day, in a fairy ring, We've seen them round St. Anton's spring, Frae grass the caller dew-drops wring, To weet their een, And water clear as crystal spring, To synd them clean.' From 'The Silver Bough Volume Two' by F.Marian McNeill (1959) Page 65. |
Posted by Martin 3rd June 2002ce |
Arthur's Seat |
|
'Edinburgh Beltane Rites (First Day of May) Arthur's Seat, a hill of over 800 feet, behind the Palace of Holyroodhouse, is one of the traditional sites on which our pre-Christian forebears were accustomed to light their Beltane fires at sunrise on the first day of May, to hail the coming of summer and to encourage by mimetic magic the renewal of the food supply. "For the growth of vegetation, not only sunshine, but moisture is necessary: hence not only fire, but water had its place in the Beltane ritual. To the Druids, the most sacred of all water forms was dew, and to the dew of Beltane morning they attributed special virtue, gathering it before dawn in stone hollowed out for that purpose. May dew, in a word, was the 'holy water' of the Druids. Those on whom it was sprinkled were assured of health and happiness and, tradition has it, where young women were concerned, of beauty as well, throughout the ensuing year." To this day, all over Scotland numbers of young girls rise before dawn on the first of May and go out to the meadow or hillside to bathe their faces in the dew. Arthur's Seat is a favourite meeting place, and nearby is St. Anthony's Well, to which many used to resort to "wish-a-wish" on this auspicious day. This picturesque survival of the old pagan rites, together with the Christian service on the summit of the hill, draws hundreds of people to the site. As dawn approaches, numbers of young girls dally on the slopes of Arthur's Seat, laughing and chattering as they perform the immemorial rite, and are regarded with amused tolerance by the majority of the arrivals as they climb to the summit to join in the Sunrise Service.' From 'The Silver Bough Volume Four' by F. Marian McNeill (1968) 78-79. |
Posted by Martin 3rd June 2002ce Edited 22nd May 2007ce |
|
'In Edinburgh the observance of May Day was never entirely abandoned. Long after the Reformation, sick people were brought to Arthur's Seat before dawn to bask in the beneficent rays of the 'new sun', while others went on pilgrimage to the healing-well of Our Lady of Loretto, at Musselburgh. In the early nineteenth century, says Chambers, the area gates of the Edinburgh houses would open about 4 a.m. and the servant lasses would emerge in their best attire. They were joined by the prentice lads, and together with other enthusiasts, young and old, flocked through the King's Park to Arthur's Seat, where a maypole was erected. The proceedings began at daybreak, when the bakers and other craftsmen began to dance round the maypole to the music of pipes, tabours and fifes. At six o' clock the gentry began to put in an appearance, and soon afterwards the servant lasses left to prepare breakfast. By eight o' clock the fun was all over.' From' The Silver Bough Volume Two' by F. Marian McNeill (1959) Page 81. |
Posted by Martin 3rd June 2002ce Edited 22nd May 2007ce |
The Bore Stane (Standing Stone / Menhir) |
|
The plaque 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.' |
Posted by Martin 28th December 2001ce Edited 3rd March 2007ce |
The Caiy Stane (Standing Stone / Menhir) |
|
"There are many evidences of Roman occupation round the Pentland Hills, and the Caiy Stone of Kelstane or Battle stone near Fairmilehead marks the place of a traditionary battle between the Romans and the PictsÉ..Evidence of the Danish occupation was seen in the Camus Stone, from which Comiston gets its name. This stone has disappearedÉ(?). The Camus Stone was probably erected by or for a Danish commander named Camus" From "The Call of the Pentlands" by Will Grant, 1927 pages 207-208. I think the 'Caiy Stone of Kelstane' is maybe a mis-print and should read 'or'. I was also interested in the part re the disappearance of the Camus Stone as I was sure this was just another name for the Caiy Stane. I had another look at my Edinburgh map and there are five streets round about the Caiy Stane named after Camus, some of which join Comiston Road. Was there another stone nearby that has been confused with the Caiy Stane over the years??? |
Posted by Martin 5th September 2001ce |
|
"In an adjacent field, close to the quadrilateral of trees that are supposed to mark the line of a Roman camp, is the Kel or Kat Stone- translated 'Battle Stone'- a cup-marked monolith seven feet in height, which, if legend speaks true, marks the grave of a chieftain who fell in fight. It certainly was raised for a purpose; and the gray and lichened landmark, standing where it does on a ridge and near a cross-road, looking across to the Pentlands and down upon Swanston catches the eye and challenges the fancy" From "The Fringes of Edinburgh" by John Geddie (date unknown) pages 102-105. |
Posted by Martin 5th September 2001ce |
Previous 10 | Showing 11-17 of 17 folklore posts. Most recent first
Top of page