Boards Are In ! 

The information boards are in at the Cairn and Brig sites. Hardwork between storm showers by the Osprey team insured the new information boards went in without a hitch. Many thanks must go to Peter Blood and his team for a job well done !! 

Cairn Garden in Full Bloom !

June saw the first blooms appear at the Cairn Memorial Garden. Local resident Tony Oxbrow has taken on the planting of the site using as many of the known family badge plants that were present at the battle as he can. Lennox roses, Hamilton oak and Stewart thistles take pride of place but the garden is festooned with other suitable plants and shrubs. The accompanying display boards will be on site very soon and the site will become a fitting centre piece to the battlefleld tour. In addition the building work at the Brig Board site is also complete and awaits the installation of the information board.

May We Begin ?

Planning consents have been given and the contractors are on schedule to start work in May on the cairn site and down at the brig to create our first two viewing points. The plants for the memorial garden have also arrived and the final editing is underway on the board designs. Watch this space for latest photos as the builds go ahead.

2010 - BOLB On Track

The new year has seen a flurry of work by the BOLB project team as quotes for boards and landscaping have been collected and preferred suppliers identified. We now await go ahead from WLC for the work on the Cairn Site to begin. We are on track for an Easter opening.

'Barricades' is a hit  

Rachel Drumond has sent in the latest sketches for her artwork that will be used to illustrate the display boards. This scene depicts the defence of the bridge by 200 of Hamilton's men. The '200' managed to prevent the bridge falling into enemy hands despite bombardment from enemy artillery and the sporadic attacks by Lennox supporters. This image captures the moment when the Linlithgow men brace themselves to repel another sortie. It is destined to become the focal image on the trail board at the bridge.

'Rachel captures the characters and the emotions of the moment in addition to excellent historical accuracy. We are so pleased we can display her artwork. ' said Jon Cooper, Project Manager 

Osprey On Board

Peter Blood from 'The Osprey Company' attended the first site visit on 8th October. The aim was to show Peter the proposed location for the battle boards and let him get a feel for the layout and site location. The team made the most of the beautiful weather to walk around the board locations earmarked for the Phase 1 development. Peter was keen to get started on the designs and layout. All agreed that Easter 2010 would be a good completion date to aim for.

Osprey are old hands at battlefield interpretation having been the designers for the Flodden battlefield trail. If you want to know more about their work then check out their website on http://www.ospreyco.com/ 

Floral Tribute Marks the Anniversary

BOLB project members remembered the anniversary of the battle by planting a 'Lennox Rose' on the Cairn Site. Project Manager Jon Cooper said 'When you do all the research, read all the books and study how these people fought and died, you can't help being amazed by the scale of their sacrifice. Its worth taking a moment to think what you would have done in a similar circumstance. This tribute and the whole project really, is all about getting people to think about their history and have a better perception of the present from understanding the past.'

 The rose and plaque are the first additions to a more permenent display planned for the Cairn Site  

New Inventory and BOLB MinD (Mentioned in Despatches)

Culture Minister Michael Russell took advantage of addressing the celebrations for the 320th anniversary of the Battle of Kiliekrankie to announce they are to commission Historic Scotland to produce an 'Inventory of Scottish Battlefields.' This is to follow up the work done in 2005 by the Battlefields Trust and the Centre for Battlefield Archaeology in identifying potential sites. 

The Minister added: “Once the Inventory is in place in 2011 local authorities - when considering planning applications that affect sites on the Inventory  -  must take into account the special qualities and character of these nationally-important sites. Historic Scotland will work with local authorities to prepare best practice guidance on how to implement the policy, to balance the interests of preserving our historic landscape and strengthening our economy.”   

Alan Young BOLB Project Treasurer was on hand to field questions from local and national press when the news broke as to how this would effect the work at the Brig site. It is hoped that Historic Scotland will take time out to meet the team and local residents to find out what benefits having a battlefield within the burgh has on the community. 

Lets also hope that the First Minister, Mr Salmond, ensures his staff and Historic Scotland are fully aware of the importance of the battlefield in his home town and that it is duly included in the new inventory.

Flodden Shows Us The Way

Alan Young, Project Treasurer, took time out from his trip south to call in at the battlefield trail at Flodden to have a look at the signage and waymarkers being used there.

'My last visit to Flodden was over 10 years ago and at that time there was only the monument to the battle, a stone cross erected about 100 years ago. Over the past couple of years a Battlefield trail has been created which I walked. It is well laid out and the info panels are very well done and stoutly constructed' Alan reports.

The project team is currently talking with various contractors to make the signs and now we have seen at first hand what can be achieved we are looking forward to working with the successful bidder and to come up with effective and novel signage.

More Than Welcome

Kerry McMasters, manager of the Linlithgow Leisure Centre, listened with interest as Eddy explained the history of the site that is now home for the football and rugby pitches around the centre and was more than happy to help where she could in welcoming visitors to the new trail. The Centre offers a place to park your car and access to their cafeteria for that well earned break.

The Bridge Inn Embraces its Battlefield Heritage

The staff and management of the Bridge Inn at Linlithgow Bridge have always thought their pub was a bit special, but now the BOLB project team have told them all about the battle, they have another good story to tell. Bridge Inn folk are more than happy to extend a warm welcome to those of you visiting the site. The pub provides an ideal location to start and end your tour providing pub lunch, bar snacks and suitable beverages to help you on your way.

Website Goes Live !!

After 3 months of building and writing, we have got to a position where we feel we can open the website for all to see. However this is not to say the website is finished, work is still in progress as we continue to add more pages and pictures as more research is carried out.  The next big step will be the 'Education' pages, that help teachers and students get to know more about the battle, and pdf downloads of the trail pamphlets.  The project itself has only just started - so please come back to get the latest as our team ploughs on with the new display boards, fundraising and research.

We are very interested to hear your comments on the site and please feel free to use the Poll to express your views.

We hope you enjoy your visit.

Jon Cooper,  Project Manager     

Site visit for Project Team sows the seeds of new design

The BOLB Project met with the Kettilstoun Estate Residents Association to discuss the future of the Lennox Cairn site.

The Association have already planted new hedge rows and crocus bulbs as part of the Burgh Beautiful initiative to brighten up the approach to the town along the Torphichen Road. Now the group hope to enhance their display by growing plants that would have been used by the troops at the battle as badges of allegiance to their laird and clan and means of identifying friend from foe.

The meeting also discussed the style and content of the first of the battlefield trail information boards hopefully to be sited next to the cairn. This will not only advise the reader of the gruesome death of Lennox near the site, but also explain the history of the cairn and the reasoning behind the planting.