News Archive
5th April 2009:
TARTAN WEEK IN ATHELSTANEFORD
As part of Homecoming Scotland 2009, East Lothian Council organised a number
of events, including massed pipe band parades through four East Lothian towns
and villages on 4 and 5 April.
The last of these parades, at 3.00pm on Sunday 5 April, and the best attended,
was at Athelstaneford - birthplace of Scotland's national flag - where huge
crowds lined Main Street in the sunshine to watch and applaud the pipe bands
of Haddington, North Berwick and Tranent and District, plus the Penston Brass
Band, and joined by the Royal Scots Association Pipe Band, as they marched
through the village towards the Saltire Memorial.

Just as the parade began, the vapour trails of two planes formed a stunning
saltire in the blue sky, high above the village, echoing the cloud formation
in the form of a cross that appeared above the 9th century battle and inspired
the Scots/Picts to victory.
The massed pipe bands provided a wonderful spectacle, and the villagers and
visitors were enthralled by the selection of tunes played which included one
of the first public performances of East Lothian's new pipe anthem - The Haddington
Turnpike.
1st April 2009:
New look and sound for East Lothian’s
Flag Heritage Centre
The story of the Saltire is to be told in seven languages at the
birthplace of Scotland’s national flag. A major upgrade of
the Flag Heritage Centre in Athelstaneford now includes five foreign
language options for visitors as well as English and Gaelic. £30,000
has been spent over the winter installing a new sound system and
updating and overhauling the visual presentation.
The centre was established in 1997 based at a 16th century doocot
behind Athelstaneford Parish Church to tell the story of the origins
of the Saltire. Tradition has it that a white Saltire appeared against
a blue sky, high above a battle fought near this spot in 832AD, and
inspired the Scots to victory.
The convener of the organisation that runs the centre, David Williamson
of the Scottish Flag Trust said: “The Flag Heritage Centre
in Athelstaneford is one of East Lothian’s “hidden jewels”,
and the Trustees are hopeful that this upgrade will help to attract
many more visitors to the site, not only from overseas, but also
from within the Lothians. Visits by schools will also be encouraged.
The Trust is grateful to Viridor and to Tyne Esk LEADER for their
support.” Top up funding was provided by East Lothian Council
and the St Andrew’s Society.
The work took twelve weeks to complete and was carried out by the
Edinburgh based firm of AVC, a division of Electrosonic Ltd. After
12 years of operation the old audio-visual system was beginning to
show signs of wear. Other elements also required renewal, including
the high-level screens within the doo’cot which are integral
to the dramatic climax of the presentation.
Mr Williamson said: “The centre attracts visitors from all
over the world and we wanted to be able to offer them the story of
the Saltire in as many languages as possible. “So now in addition
to English the story can be heard in Gaelic, Spanish, French, German,
Italian, and Polish.”

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