Designs drawn up to make Flag Heritage Centre accessible to all

Plans have been unveiled for the Saltire Memorial and the Flag Heritage Centre in Athelstaneford.

The current network of uneven gravel paths and steps there will be replaced by new accessible routes.

There will also be an interpretive timeline explaining the adoption of the Saltire as Scotland’s national symbol from 832AD and the Battle of Athelstaneford through to the re-opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

The announcement was made just before St Andrew’s Day.

Dave Williamson, convener of the Scottish Flag Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been able to finish the huge renovation of the centre earlier this year which was built in 1583 as a doo’cot and is now good for another 100 years at least.

“Access to it is through the kirkyard of Athelstaneford Parish Church and the paths have got into a pretty poor state over the years.

“In this latest phase, we will make sure that all visitors can access the site and as they move towards the centre they will see beautifully crafted stones explaining how the use of the Saltire has developed over the centuries.

“We are delighted to be revealing this news in the week of St Andrew’s Day.”

Already a £100,000 renovation of the centre itself has been carried out.

The story of the Battle of Athelstaneford and the legend of the Saltire is told in an audiovisual display seen by thousands of visitors each year.

The centre is looked after by the Scottish Flag Trust, set up to commemorate the battle and promote the appropriate flying of the flag.

An ambitious new landscape design has been produced by Scottish landscape architects The Paul Hogarth Company.

Designer Iain McIntosh is designing the timeline roundels.