The last major act in Scotland of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms – still known to some as the (English) Civil War – was the Battle of Dunbar in 1650.

We’ve been to Dunbar many times and I had spotted a signpost pointing to the battlefield but at the time had an appointment elsewhere so couldn’t stop.

Last year the good lady and a friend had signed up to FutureLearn history course on the battle, their interest triggered by the discovery at Durham Cathedral of human remains which turned out to be those of Scottish soldiers captured during the battle, and taken to Durham to be kept imprisoned (under atrocious conditions) in the Cathedral, where some died.

So it was that last summer we made a concerted effort to find the battlefield. Yes, there was that signpost but there’s not much in the way of information boards at the battlefield itself or on the road the signpost pointed along. This very recently erected stone was set back from the road and commmemorates those taken prisoner at the Battle of Dunbar, 1650.

However, I am not sure if the two pictures below are of the battlefield or not. (North Sea in background.) After we came home I read up a bit and found the site of the battlefield straddles the main A1 road but does lead down towards the sea.

Once back at the road from which the signpost points we discovered this memorial. On it is an inscription, “3rd September 1650,” and a quotation from Thomas Carlyle, “Here took place the brunt or essential agony of the Battle of Dunbar.” (In the background is a modern cement works – and a horse):-

Close-up:-

A museum in Dunbar had a display about the battle including a piece of tapestry commemorating the Battles of Dunbar 1650, and Worcester 1651:-

Wick’s War Memorial is situated by the main road into the town from the south, near the bridge over the Wick River.

Closer view. A figure of Victory on a stone pillar:-

Dedications. The Great War: “In honour of all those who suffered and in proud and grateful remembrance of the fallen sons of the Burgh of Wick who died for home and freedom in the Great War 1914-1919.”

World War 2: “Also in honoured and grateful remembrance of all those of this Burgh who gave their lives in the Second World War 1939-1945.”

Memorial Wall (right):-

Memorial Wall (left):-

Falkland is a village quite close to where I now live and at present houses one of those Fife libraries which are to be shut down.

The village’s dominating landmark is Falkland Palace the hunting lodge of Scotland’s Stuart Kings (and Queens.)

The village does have a relation to the perhaps more famous location in the South Atlantic as the Falkland Islands were named after Anthony Cary, 5th Viscount of Falkland. The Viscounts Falkland took their title from Falkland Palace.

Falkland’s War Memorial is relatively new, being erected only in the last year or so. The names are listed under First World War, Second World War, Other Conflicts. The word dziękuję, which I believe is Polish for “thank you”, is inscribed at the bottom, though there aren’t any Polish names on the memorial, as far as I can make out.

Reverse view. Arms of Falkland in the cartouche:-

The old memorial was a plaque which has been housed in various locations in the village.

The below is from the Scottish Military Research Group’s website where the plaque was said to be within the building occupied by “Smart Cookies” – a children’s play-group. I believe the plaque has now been moved to the Village Hall.

Edited to add:- The photo of the plaque I originally linked to is now inaccessible.

On Friday we took a trip over to see SF writer Eric Brown and his family in East Lothian.

On the way back we meandered along the coast a bit. I came across a War Memorial on the way into Cockenzie. (I didn’t bother photographing Cockenzie’s most prominent feature, its now disused coal-fired Power Station, whose twin chimneys can easily be seen from across the Forth.)

Cockenzie War Memorial is an elegant simple cross.

It has beautiful surroundings of a large lawn-filled space with flower beds around the memorial itself.

Edited to add: the Scottish War Memorials website gives this as Cockenzie and Port Seton War Memorial.