530 years ago to the day!!!!

Yes 11 June 1488 there was a battle...

On Saturday I was walking at the Bannock- burn and I came a cross a plague that I must have seen before.

Near the Burn at Milton this signage talks of the murder of James the III of Scotland on the 11 June 1488 at or after the Battle of Sauchieburn. The battle was about two miles south of Stirling and about a mile south of the previously favoured site of the Battle of Bannockburn ( 1314).

Map of uk battlefields 

This Battle of Suachieburn was the down fall of the king. We are not sure about his death, some say on the field of battle some say he was murdered at Milton taking refuge and asked to speak with a priest and a noble man claiming to be a priest entered the house and killed him. 

So on Saturday we pass the signage mentioning the possible murder in the area.

Now the reason for my walk was to go back to the Bannockburn where some 40 plus years ago some local Christians baptised me in the burn after it had been dammed up a bit to give a dearth of water fit enough for  a full immersion. The burn at Milton was far more over grown at the ford than I had remembered. The ford was a major  crossing those many years ago. The crossing was where the English army came across at the Battle of Bannockburn and met the Scottish army a few miles north, at either Whins of Milton where the Tourst site is or at the carse which is nearer the Forth river and down from the woods behind the now Bannockburn High School. 

This hot Saturday I was able to rekindle several memories from my youth.

Battle of Sauchieburn
Battle of Bannockburn

Blog mentioning Sauchieburn battle

Congregationalism in Scotland

Congregational Union
There was an attempt by Cromwell to grow Congregationalism in Scotland over the 8 years of Occupation. But it was not until late 18th century that the churches grew, under the labours of the Haldane brothers. When the brothers took on Baptist principles from 1808 Baptists received great benefit from the work of the Haldanes as well.
James and Robert Haldane were committed to itinerant ministry in Scotland from 1797. They were descendants of the Gleneagles family. Robert was in the navy and then spent some time studying from home in Airthrey Stirling. James was involved in the East India company. After reading about the Baptist Mission in India Robert was inspired to use his time and resources to missionary service. James had been successful with John Campbell in setting up Sunday Schools in the west.
In 1797 after James discovered his preaching ability he embarked on a exhibition to the North of Scotland and Orkney.
During the next year they sold Airthrey for £46,000 and decided to devote their time to spread the gospel. They did not hesitate to criticise any defective teaching from parish ministers. This provoked the church and the assembly to pass an act in 1799 restricting the preaching to ministers.
Having trained 200 lay workers and set up churches the running costs amounted to £70,000 after 11 years. At one point the Haldanes as supporters of the British and Foreign Bible Society (now known as The Bible Society of England and Wales) stopped supporting it because they were issuing bibles with the Apocrypha in it.
Greville Ewing (1767-1841) born and educated in Edinburgh after education at Edinburgh university began as Assistant Minister in lady Glenorchy Chapel (Church of Scotland but not under its jurisdiction). Like the Haldanes he was moved to mission work. In 1802 the Haldanes and Ewing split under a differing opinion as to apostolic leadership. Whilst the Haldanes withdrew support for the Bible Society regarding its unconstitutional printing of the Apocrypha, Ewing worked behind the scenes to obtain the society's policy reversal.
On 1 of April 2000 the Scottish Congregational Union joined the United Reformed Church making a UK denomination.

History of Stirling Baptist Church

H, sent me a copy of the "Standing on the Rock"

A History of Stirling Baptist Church 1805 2005. This book is by Brian R Tolbot. Unfortunately I am unaware of any outlets stocking it for resale.

Having not completed it yet, I reserve judgment but what I have skimmed looks great and informative.

I am grateful to the increse in traffic to this blog. keep coming back for more related stuff.