National Heroes

Abecedary or stonework decorated with the alphabet

Period:

Medieval Middle Ages

Description:

Block of red sandstone broken in two pieces, with Lombardic script style lettering cut along one edge.  This sandstone block is from the area of the altar, at the church of St Marys of the Grey Friars, Dumfries.

 

After the English defeat of the Scots led by William Wallace at Falkirk in 1298 the English King Edward I gained control of Scotland.  Robert the Bruce and his cousin John Comyn both had a claim to the Scottish throne, and after Edward I had executed Wallace, Bruce promised Comyn land if he would help him become King of Scotland.  Not tempted by this proposal, Comyn betrayed Bruce to Edward I, and in 1306 Bruce, or perhaps one of his knights, killed Comyn at the altar in Greyfriars Church, Dumfries.

Place of Discovery:

Dumfries

Materials/Media:

stone, sedimentary rock, sandstone

Dimensions:

height 80mm, width 300mm, depth 170mm

Source:

Dumfries Museum & Camera Obscura

Accession Number:

DUMFM:1967.608.1

Digital Number:

DMMO019n

Copyright:

Dumfries & Galloway Council

Reference:

Truckell, A E "Two Mediaeval Inscribed Stones from Dumfries", Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, Third Series, Volume 73, p225, Dumfries, 1999.