Edinburgh Day 3. The Battle of Dunnichen.

Graeme Cruickshank gave his second lecture at the Scottish Arts Club today.

Graeme had previously given a lecture on the Pictish Stones of Aberlemno. One of these stones tells in symbols the Picts overcoming the Northumbrians in the Battle of Dunnichen on the 20th May 685.

Graeme’s conclusion is that the decisive Pictish victory ensured freedom forever from Northumbrian control not only over Southern Pictland but of the territories of the Britons and Scots that they also held.

Graeme concludes that without this battle result there may well never been a Scottish Nation.

I first met Graeme over 55 years ago. Pat and he discussed stone carving techniques after the lecture and we have to lunch  at our place in August.

The entry shows the Dunnichen Stone near Dunnichen Church. This is a replica made in glass fibre in 1977! 

The original stone is in the Meffan Museum in Forfar.