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Timeline Two - The birth of
the Saltire through to modern day Fife.
736 AD King Angus defeated
Athelstan at Athelstaneford in East Lothian. A great white cross of cloud appeared
in the clear blue morning sky above the battlefield, exactly as foretold in a
dream that was shared by Angus and his generals.
This event apparently led to the
adoption of the Saltire as the national flag of Scotland, which is still hoisted
every day at Athelstaneford in memory of the momentous battle. The oldest national
flag in the world, the Saltire contributed the blue background to the “Stars and
Stripes” flag of the USA.
It is said that all the people
of Fife are descended from one man living around this time, Conall Cerr, a great
grandson of Aiden, King of Forth (a contemporary of St. Kentigern).
800 AD Early in the 9th
century the Culdees (“Celi de” meaning companions of God) set up the first Christian
community at St Andrews. Their first church was on Lady’s Craig Rock (at the end
of the present pier), their second church was built above the rocky headland (the
ruins can still be seen).
838 AD MacDuff became the
1st Thane of Fife. Several other Clans and Families sprang from this line of Celtic
dignitaries: for example, the MacIntoshes and the Weems (Wemys).
906 AD St Andrews became
the seat of the Bishop of Alba (Scotland). Pictish symbol stone depicting Constantine
I
952 AD Constantine III
abdicated and became Abbot of the Culdees.
 954
AD Between 954 and 962 AD, it is recorded that there were great Viking raids
up the River Eden at St Andrews.
Left: A Viking brooch c.955AD.
975 AD The diocese of St
Andrews was expanded from the river Forth to include all the land down to the
river Tweed, and the Bishop of St Andrews was given seniority over all the Bishops
in Scotland.
1063 AD Margaret, a Saxon
princess, was shipwrecked in the Firth of Forth while fleeing from the Norman's.
She sought protection from Malcolm Canmore at Dunfermline. Malcolm Canmore, the
successor to Macbeth, fell in love with Margaret and they married in about 1070.
Queen Margaret had 8 children, three of whom became kings. Later Queen Margaret
became St Margaret.
1097 AD Edgar, son of Queen
Margaret was crowned King.
1107 AD Alexander, son
of Queen Margaret was crowned King Alexander I.
1124 AD David, son of Queen
Margaret was crowned King. King David I was the last to succeed to the throne
by matrilineal descent (from the mother’s line).
During the reign of David I there
was a great reformation of society. David introduced a feudal system (which was
rejected by the Highland Clans), he built a merchant navy, and ports to service
the ships, and he established trade links with Flemish and Dutch merchants.
At this time Scotland grew rich,
exporting wool, raw materials, minerals, hides, and salt. The ships would return
laden with red pan tiles as ballast. These were used to roof the houses of the
coastal villages and towns.
1144 AD St Andrews achieved
Burgh status.
1160 AD The construction
of St Andrews Cathedral was started, it was 320 feet in length, but later extended
to 391 feet. It is the second longest church in Britain after Norwich Cathedral.
1200 AD January 6th to
February 1st, earthquakes were felt every day in Fife. Work on St Andrews Castle
was started as a residence for the Bishop. It suffered many sieges and changed
hands many times. St Margaret's Chapel, Dunfermline St Andrews Castle
 1217
AD Culross Abbey was founded.
Right: Culross Abbey
1230 AD St Andrews Cathedral
was usable, but unfinished.
1250 AD On the 17th of
June, Queen Margaret was reburied in Dunfermline Abbey, which became a place of
pilgrimage for the rest of the Middle Ages.
1271 AD Between 1271 and
1279 AD the west gable end of St Andrews Cathedral was blown down in a great storm.
1286 AD King Alexander
III died on 19th of March, only 2 miles from his castle, when his horse carried
him over a cliff at Kinghorn.
1314 AD Ceres Highland
Games, was first organized to welcome back the men who defeated the English at
Bannockburn, and it is still running today!!!
1318 AD On July the 5th
St Andrews Cathedral was consecrated in the presence of Robert the Bruce.
1329 AD Robert the Bruce
was buried in Dunfermline Abbey.
1378 AD A great fire caused
much damage to the choir and transept of St Andrews Cathedral.
1409 AD The south transept
of St Andrews Cathedral was “thrown down” in another great storm.
1413 AD St Andrews University
is recognized by the Papal Bull of Antipope Benedict XIII. It is the oldest university
in Scotland and the third oldest in Britain.
1457 AD The Parliament
of Scotland decided that “futeball and the golfe be utterly cryit down”, because
it interfered with the archery and sword practice of the yeomen. (Henry II of
England tried to ban cricket for the same reason.)
1527 AD In February, the
heretic Patrick Hamilton was burnt at the stake at Northgait.
1533 AD The heretic Henry
Forest was burnt at the stake at Northgait (so the people of Forfar could see
the flames as a warning).
1546 AD George Wishart
was burnt at the stake for heresy. On the 28th of May a group of Protestants took
St Andrews Castle and murdered Cardinal David Beaton.
1558 AD Walter Myln was
burnt at the stake for heresy. Culross became a Royal Burgh.
1559 AD On June 14th, John
Knox preached in Holy Trinity Church after which a mob went out and ransacked
St Andrews Cathedral, bringing to an end 400 years of worship.
1567 AD The Reformation
threatened the existence of all Holy relics, and St Margaret’s head was smuggled
out and given to Mary Queen of Scots.
1614 AD St Andrews became
a Burgh of Regality.
1620 AD St Andrews became
a Royal Burgh, King James VI honored the famous seven trades: Bakers, Fleshers,
Shoemakers, Smiths, Tailors, Weavers, and Wrights.
1643 AD The year of the
signing of the Solemn League and Covenant, over 40 witches were burned.
1644 AD Kirkcaldy became
a Royal Burgh.
 1646
AD Thomas Cadell moved from Methil to Doune in Perthshire to start pistol
making (Doune pistols were the finest in the world at that time).
Left: A pistol by Thomas Cadell
in 1678
1651 AD A Pittenweem shipmaster
took Charles II to France after his defeat at Worcester.
 1655
AD St Andrews Long Pier collapsed in a storm.
Alexander Selkirk (the inspiration
for the story of Robinson Crusoe) was born in Lower Largo.
Right: Largo depicted in Selkirk's
time
1730 AD The Anstruther
Dining Club, The Beggars Benison was founded. It closed in 1836.
1754 AD The Society of
St Andrews Golfers was formed, when 22 noblemen and gentlemen decided to move
their golfing activities from Edinburgh to St Andrews.
1773 AD Dr Samuel Johnson
and Boswell visited St Andrews.
1819 AD A hoard of treasure
was found by a Tinker in Norrie’s Law.
 1834
AD The Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded.
Early golf ball c. 1890
1835 AD Andrew Carnegie
was born in Dunfermline, he became an American industrialist and philanthropist,
By the time he died in 1919 AD, he had donated more than 350 million U.S. dollars
to various educational, cultural and peace institutions.
1847 AD Kirkcaldy begins
to specialise in linoleum production for floor coverings, and the linen industry
was beginning to thrive all over Fife, making fine hard wearing fabrics from flax
imported from Holland.
1848 AD Plague struck St
Andrews, claiming 400 lives.
1878 AD The Tay Rail Bridge
completed.
1879 AD The Tay Rail Bridge
collapsed disastrously.
1887 AD The Forth Rail
Bridge is completed.
1896 AD There were 57 working
coal mines in Fife. The remains of the Tay bridge
1948 AD The town of Glenrothes
was founded as one of the first “new towns” to provide better quality housing
for miners, the mining industry did not develop, but the high technology manufacturing
sector expanded rapidly.
 1964
AD Queen Elizabeth opened the Forth Road Bridge.
Forth Bridge under construction.
1966 AD The Tay road bridge
was opened.
1975 AD Fife almost disappeared
in the local government reorganisation ordered by Westminster. It was to be split
half to the north and half to the south, but the Kingdom of Fife fought a vigorous
campaign backed by an ancient Royal Charter. Fife was the only part of the U.K.
to get the better of the Westminster parliament.
1985 AD Freuchie Cricket
Club won the U.K. National Village Cricket Championship at Lords. All but one
of the working coal mines in Fife were closed down by Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher, following the miner’s strike of 1984-1985.
1998 AD On the 30th of
June, Queen Elizabeth inaugurated the 50th anniversary of Glenrothes new town.
1999 AD Queen Elizabeth
opened the new Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on June 30th 1999.
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