Cranwells, Bath.
The Battle of Cruden—A Query for Copenhagen Correspondents.—In the year 1059, in the reign of Malcolm III., king of Scotland, a battle was fought on the Links of Cruden, in the county of Aberdeen, between the Danes and the Scots, in which the Prince Royal, who commanded the Danish forces, was slain. He was buried on the Danish field, near to which, according to the custom of the times, King Malcolm "biggit ane kirk." This church was overblown with sand, and another built farther inland, which is the present parish church. To the churchyard wall there leans a black marble gravestone, about 7 ft. × 3 ft. 6 in., which is said to have been sent from Denmark as a monument for the grave of his royal highness. The stone has the appearance of considerable antiquity about it, and appears to have been inlaid with marble, let into it about half an inch; the marks of the iron brads, and the lead which secured it, are still visible.
"Tradition says it did from Denmark come,
A monument the king sent for his son."
And it is also stated that, until within the last hundred years, a small sum of money was annually sent by the Danish government to the minister of Cruden for keeping the monument in repair. I should be glad to learn if there are any documents among the royal archives at Copenhagen, which would invalidate or substantiate the popular tradition.
Abredonensis.
Ampers and (
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