King Alexander III: Members of Kinghorn Gala's royal party pay tribute to the King of Scots
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On Saturday, March 19, some 736 years after his death, a small group gathered at the King Alexander II monument, located on the A921 from Kinghorn to Burntisland road, just close to entering Burntisland, to recognise the importance of the King of Scotland, by laying a display of flowers and hearing about his life.
At the gathering, local minister Rev Jim Reid explained that it was a dark, foul, wet night in 1286 when Alexander the third made his way from Edinburgh to be with his young bride, Yolande, at the royal palace in Kinghorn.
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Hide AdIgnoring the pleas of his Barons, the Scottish King crossed the Forth at Inverkeithing and made his way along the coastal route on his horse. Somewhere near Burntisland, in the teeth of a raging storm, he became separated from his entourage.
A daylight search found his body at the spot where the monument stands today. He was only 37 years of age, but had achieved so much in his time.
Alan McIlravie, provost of Kinghorn Community Council, who attended the event, said: “Rev Reid went on to explain that with Alexander’s death came the end of the Celtic line of Scottish Kings and a period of relative peace and stability. Having no heir to his throne the country was plunged into uncertainty as the Barons conspired and argued eventually leading to the wars of independence.
“The monument was unveiled in 1887 and the Burgh Councils of Kinghorn and Burntisland agreed to be “joint custodiers” of the structure.
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Hide Ad"It is a monument of national significance and Fife Council, which inherited responsibility it is working to find the means and the funding to clean and preserve this magnificent structure.”
He added: “Kinghorn Gala’s King and Queen, Evan Clark and Ceit Farr, laid the flowers while Caitlin Hay played the pipes. It was a fitting tribute to a great King.”