The local (Scottish) preoccupation with battles lost long ago continues with an award for the 1513 Flodden Club as reported in the Berwickshire : Article belowTHE Battle of Flodden in 1513 played a major role in the feuding history between England and Scotland and two groups on either side of the Border are working together to ensure that the battle site and Coldstream's role in the events are given the attention they deserve.
On the Scottish side the Flodden 1513 Club, based in Coldstream, has recently secured enough funding to go ahead with their Tweed Green education and interpretation project in the town - the aim being to heighten the profile of the battle and its aftermath with a monument to be erected near the Marjoribanks Memorial, overlooking the Tweed Green and looking across the river to the Cheviots and the battle site.Better access to the Marjoribanks Memorial will be an added bonus of the project, the Flodden monument, which is likely to be in the style of a headstone, being placed on part of the old site of Coldstream Priory, long since demolished. The cistercian nuns based in Coldstream Priory played a significant part in the aftermath of the battle. Abbess Hoppringle is said to have brought back many of the bodies of the Scots noblemen and buried them in consecrated ground on Scottish soil. In three hours of fighting on September 9, 1513, 10,000 Scottish and English soldiers died in battle including King James IV of Scotland.ÊFinancial help from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Leader+ and local donations has enabled the Flodden 1513 Club to reach the £25,000 figure to see their plans become reality. ÊLeader+, based in Newtown St.Boswells, contributed £11,035 and Sam Smith, the local cordinator, said: "We are delighted to be involved in this project which has a very strong community connection and input from the local school children. The project is being part financed by the Euorpean Community Scottish Borders Leader+ 2000-2006 Programme."ÊThe Heritage Lottery Fund provided £10,165 in support funding and Colin McLean, manager for Scotland, said: "This project is more than just a monument. It will bring to life the history of the Battle of Flodden through information packs, audio/ visual displays, talks and presentations and a website. "Local people have already shown tremendous support for the project. Young and old will now be able to learn about the history that lies on their doorstep- a history that shaped the community in which they live. We are delighted to give it our support."The remainder of the funding is coming from club funds and local donations.Secretary Gerald Tait explained: "The project is focused on the aftermath of the battle and the role played by the nuns of Coldstream Priory, who allegedly retrieved bodies of dead Scots nobles from the battlefield and buried them in consecrated ground in the Abbey vicinity.
Any education project aimed at to day's young might, perhaps, mention that it is quite often a mistake to invade another country in the in futherance of a special relationship with a major power (in this case France) in the latters interests rather than you own. A difference in this case was that they found, all too easily, the weapons of mass destruction-the English bow which was used with deadly effect. And bully for the nuns retrieving the bodies of the dead Scottish noblemen-but what happened to the corpses of the ordinary Jocks?-the rank and file, one wonders. Who looked after them-and the English dead?
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