Standard Stone & Bordie Tower Traditional Cache
Standard Stone & Bordie Tower
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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The Standard Stone is supposed to mark the site of a battle between the Scots and Danes in the 11th century, the latter being victorious.
These cavities are alleged to have been formed as supports for standards used during the battle. Although the precise purpose of the stone is not known this does seem reasonable. However, some commentators have though the battle fictitious.
There are also some earthworks in the vicinity that may be associated with the said battle. There is also some suggestion that as the Tulliallan/Culross boundary is close by, the stone may be a boundary marker of some kind or have associations with the riding of the marches in the area.
If you look to the south easterly direction from the standard stone you can see On Bordie Moor stands Bordie Tower.
There was formerly a mansion to the east of it, and a well walled garden to the west
of it, but now all the more domestic portions of the building are gone, and
the tower itself has only one gable and part of each side remaining;
But from its age and position, folklore believe that it was of more importance than might at first be supposed from its size.They say it was important as a beacon station.
Taking a map of the district, we find that between Edinburgh and Stirling, the two old royal residences, a regular line of castles extends up either side of the Forth; but the line of view between
several of these is obstructed, and their use as beacons in any emergency.
Now Bordie Tower could have been the key to the whole position. You can see Edinburgh and to the east,
Blackness more to the south,Stirling to the west; these are all hid from one another by intervening hills.
Bordie is open to them all, and to Clackmannan Tower (long owned by a
Bruce, as was Bordie), from which the beacon would flash north to Castle
Campbell in the Ochills, and once lit on them, would speed up Strathallan to Perth.
I do not know whether the subject of beacon signalling has been
much studied, but I think that the district of which Bordie Tower forms a
centre, would be a good field for exemplifying the capacities of a system
which must have been of great importance in the days of our fathers,
and in such a district as this portion of Scotland, which was subject to invasion
from abroad, and from the highlands. A careful study of the Ordnance
map, on which all ruins are given, and the elevation of ground between them,
would, show a very well devised system of conveying intelligence by beacon fires.
Parking Co-ordinates
N56' 03.921 W003' 39.919
Well Done to ***HAGGIS HUNTER*** FTF
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ebbgf