Saltire’s birthplace is flying flag once more
Bob Downie, Richard Carter and Charlie Blair
A SALTIRE is flying again over the birthplace of the Scottish flag – after an engineering firm read about the plight in the Evening News.
The cross of St Andrew was blown to the ground in severe weather in January, meaning it no longer fluttered in the village of Athelstaneford for the first time in half a century.
But after reading our coverage about the difficulties faced in repairing the damage, an East Lothian engineering firm has come to the rescue to carry out the work for free.
The flag, in the grounds of Athelstaneford Kirk, attracts 5000 visitors a year.
The organisation tasked with its upkeep was concerned many of those – who come from all across the world to the site – would leave disappointed.
Following a battle in the year 832 a white cross over a blue sky egged Pict fighters on to victory over invading Angles, meaning it has been known ever since as the Saltire’s birthplace.
Convener of the Scottish Flag Trust, Dave Williamson, who launched the appeal for help two weeks ago, said the flagpole was harder to fix because of the stone memorial surrounding it, and the fact there was no vehicular access.
He said: “It’s great to get this all fixed before tourist season starts on April 1.
“After the media coverage in the Evening News we had quite a few offers from East Lothian and Edinburgh. It’s a relief to get it all sorted out so quickly.”
The work was carried out by Dunbar firm UBAS Access Equipment International Ltd, whose director Bob Downie went out with a team yesterday afternoon to erect the flag, days after taking it down to carry out necessary repairs to the pole.
He said: “I saw the story and wanted to help. You can’t not have a flag at Athelstaneford, it’s not allowed.”
They were preparing to use rope equipment to scale the 30-metre pole, but managed to take the bolts out of the historic monument to which it’s fixed.
“It was relatively straightforward in the end,” Mr Downie added. “I think the main issue for the organisation was they’d never had to deal with something like this before.
“But when I read it I thought to myself, there is no way a flagpole should cause this much hassle.”
Mr Williamson added that a new Saltire would be placed at the top of the mast.
“We like to replace them every year,” he said. “They get a bit of a beating up there throughout the year, though nothing like what we saw in January.
“UBAS are doing this as a charitable act, even though we offered to pay them, so we’re incredibly grateful.”
amorris@edinburghnews.com
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Comments
There are 17 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Lachie Mhor
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:45 PMWatch it to the end and see what happened to Mel.
Tighthead3
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:31 PMAlex Salmond? That opportunistic pantaloon would have no idea how to find Ailshenfurd!!!
Tartancult
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:16 PM#14 If he had any sense of integrity and courage he would call for a referendum now and let the Scottish people decide on his true worth." -------------------------------- If you watch the film (Braveheart) again you will clearly see and hear our leader Mel calling for exactly that (hint, its just past the halfway point in the film).
Lachie Mhor
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:07 PM3 BillDunblane As many other contributors have said many of us recognize your leader as a less than praiseworthy individual. He should perhaps realise that not all of the Scottish electorate think he is the Messiah. If he had any sense of integrity and courage he would call for a referendum now and let the Scottish people decide on his true worth.
Tartancult
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 06:44 PMWonderful news - which one in the photo is Mel Gibson?
Snoopy1
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 04:14 PM#7 St Andrew is also the patron saint of Russia but the Russian Flag is a blue cross on a white background. #8 Is not Scotland a soveriegn state?,if so then the Saltire must be the oldest?,anyway i am not that botherd,as long as England do not put in a claim for that title. The English would have the world believe that Scotland is one hell of a troublesome state, but Alec Salmond will put them right on that score,as we have a Loch Ness Monster and 2 Giant Pandas,and no Olympic Rings on Edinburgh Castle, so fly that one with your St Georges Cross,if you can find the wind to do so.
Elvis
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 03:09 PMWell good on them for doing something patrioticcommunity spiritted nowadays, without charging!!
Mario Antoinette
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 02:37 PMWell done lads. I've got a flagpole in my garden and I put it up without the help of a car as well . Do i get story ? Do i Chuff.
broomman
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 02:13 PM7# Are you not getting the flag mixed up with the saint?.
NittonLover
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 01:59 PM#7 - As a national flag, it is supposed to be the oldest in use, though Denmarks is the oldest for a soveriegn state..
g danton
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 01:45 PM#6: St Andrew's cross has early usage in Georgia, Greece, Ukraine, Romania, Russia
broomman
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 01:36 PM5# Could you please tell us the countries,if any.
g danton
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 01:14 PMBirthplace?! Hm: I thought the St Andrew's cross is in use in quite a number of countries - some of them a lot longer than Scotland.
Torquil Ponce
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 01:10 PM#3. Actually, no. It tells us what we already know about Salmond.
BillDunblane
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 12:52 PM#2 It is a story about a good deed being done, about our national flag, and all you can do is make a totally irrelevant and unconnected attack on our elected First Minister. Tells us all we need to know about you.
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