Another Windy Weekend

I was busy on Saturday and only managed out for a very quick cycle. 15 minutes from my front door and the rain started to pour down. This combined with the strong winds and I turned around and headed home. Today, Sunday, and the wind was even stronger, often gusting to 50 mph. It was pretty cold too.

Instead of cycling I took Fly for a couple of hours wandering across the fields. At this time of year the fields are often lying fallow which is great for looking for the little scraps of history that are turned up by the plough. 

The blue white pottery is fairly common. Most of it probably dates from the 18th or 19th century. Fertiliser was expensive in those days so it was common practice to use the muck from village cess pits where folk often threw old broken plates etc. The lead ball however is a great wee find. 

In 1649 Charles I had his head chopped off and England became a commonwealth. His son, Charles II landed in Scotland and raised a force of 25,000 under the command of David Leslie. There were various skirmishes around Edinburgh but Cromwell and his New Model Army failed to engage Leslie's army in full battle. The "round heads" we're being supplied by sea through Dunbar and Leslie, outnumbering Cromwell 2:1, saw the chance to cut the supply lines in a decisive battle. On the 3rd Sepember 1650 they met just south of Dunbar. Despite the vast numerical disadvantage Cromwell won. These fields often turn up musket and cannon shot, but this was the first time I've found one. 

This standing stone has three cup marks on the west face. As with all these stones, their original purpose is lost. The people that erected this didn't have a written history but they were a creative lot.  This one is directly east of Traprain where King Loth and the Votadini had their fort and traded with the Romans. At the base there is more modern mark where a groove has been cut in the stone by the cables used in steam ploughs.

It was a good walk and Fly enjoyed herself. I've got Tuesday and Wednesday off, so hopefully the wind will calm down and I can get a few miles cycling again.