Linlithgow Museum Online Talk: The Battle of Nechtansmere, 685AD

Linlithgow Museum is happy to announce its second virtual talk:

The Battle of Nechtansmere, 685AD, or: why Abercorn doesn’t have a cathedral! Delivered by Eve Boyle from Historic Environment Scotland (HES).

On Saturday 21st May 685, the Northumbrian King Ecgfrith was killed in a disastrous battle against the Pictish King Bridei. The battle is one of those pivotal moments that are studded across our historical narrative; indeed, an argument can be made that, had it gone the other way, the history of these islands could have been very different. In recent years Nechtansmere has become a talking point amongst scholars, as new evidence has cast doubt on the traditional view of its context and, indeed, its location.

In this lecture, Eve Boyle, archaeologist with Historic Environment Scotland, will explain the background to the battle, its consequences, and explore the arguments over its location. The lecture will also take in Abercorn, where a bishop had recently established there by the Northumbrians, only to flee south in the aftermath of the battle. Tickets £3