The Canter at Coltbridge

The weather is rubbish outside, and I am coughing away with the lurgy, so today's blip had to be an easy and quick one to get, so off I cantered to Roseburn, to blip the plaque that commemorates the Canter at Coltbridge.

One of the more bizarre aspects of the Hanoverian army's attempts to frustrate Prince Charles Edward's advance on Edinburgh became known as the Canter of Coltbridge. It consisted of a mixed squadron of dragoons under the command of Colonels Hamilton and Gardiner 'cantering' out towards the Highlanders camped at Corstorphine. One glance was seemingly sufficient to convince the dragoons the 'enemy was upon us' and to withdraw swiftly to Leith links. From there the entire complement moved to the east of Edinburgh and prepare to join up with Cope whose landing from Aberdeen in Dunbar was now imminent. The whole epispode was readily watched from the walls of the castle. Once they had gone nothing stood between the Prince and the capital.

The Canter at Coltbridge is commemorated on The Great Tapestry of Scotland, which is currently at Stirling Castle.

Have a good Sunday, all.