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How Moray village changed history with another King Charles





The memorial bench in Garmouth. Picture: Beth Taylor.
The memorial bench in Garmouth. Picture: Beth Taylor.

The historic – and slightly mysterious – role played by Garmouth in the crowning of another King Charles nearly 400 years ago was highlighted yesterday.

A bench marking the Coronation of King Charles III has been unveiled at a ceremony.

But Garmouth was once involved with another Royal who bore the same name, Charles II.

The 20-year-old prince arrived in secret on June 23, 1650, straight from France, where he'd been living in exile.

Just a year earlier his father, the former king, had been beheaded by England's parliament after losing a bitter civil war.

Now their parliamentary counterparts north of the border wanted to declare the young prince as the King of Scotland – but only if he agreed to name Presbyterianism as the country's official religion.

Garmouth was where the young prince signed an historic document known as the Solemn League and Covenant, which did just that.

Donald Lunan, who had the original idea of installing the bench, said: "It's a remarkable but little known story – and it happened right here in Moray."

It remains uncertain why Garmouth was chosen as the venue for signing such an important document.

It's believed that Edinburgh must have been deemed too dangerous. However nobody knows for sure.

When Charles' ship arrived offshore a Garmouth ferryman called John Milne went out to meet it.

Milne rowed back towards dry land then, it's said to keep the prince's clothes from getting wet, carried him the last few yards on his shoulders.

Martin Birse from Elgin Rotary unveils the memorial bench. Picture: Beth Taylor.
Martin Birse from Elgin Rotary unveils the memorial bench. Picture: Beth Taylor.

Charles signed the Solemn League and Covenant inside a house just 200 yards from where the ceremony took place yesterday.

Paid for by Elgin Rotary Club and Innes Community Council, the bench has been sited in an area known as the paddocks.

This acre of land, which overlooks the fifth hole of the local golf course, was gifted by a local resident to the Garmouth and Kingston Amenities Association.

After signing the document Charles II's initial rule in Scotland was a short-lived affair.

He led an invasion down into England, but was defeated by a Parliamentary army commanded by Oliver Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651.

Charles, who only evaded capture by hiding in a tree, eventually managed to flee back abroad.

Although technically still Scotland's king, he would remain in exile for the next nine years.

Meanwhile, a republican government was created in England, with Cromwell at its head, though this soon became a monarchy in all but name.

Just as dictatorial as Charles II's father had once been, Cromwell was additionally a religious zealot who enforced several highly-unpopular policies.

These included closing down all the theatres and gambling houses in England, as well as many alehouses.

In 1660, a few months after Cromwell's death, Charles II was invited back to these shores and the monarchy was restored.

He went on to rule both England and Scotland for another 25 years.

As well as the new bench marking the Coronation of Charles III, four noticeboards are now set to go up at various points in and around Garmouth to relate the village's involvement with his royal predecessor all those years ago.

Donald Lunan at the unveiling. Picture: Beth Taylor.
Donald Lunan at the unveiling. Picture: Beth Taylor.
Picture: Beth Taylor.
Picture: Beth Taylor.
From left: Martin Birse, Donald Lunan and Lord-Lieutenant Seymour Monro along with members of Garmouth and Kingston Community Association. Picture: Beth Taylor.
From left: Martin Birse, Donald Lunan and Lord-Lieutenant Seymour Monro along with members of Garmouth and Kingston Community Association. Picture: Beth Taylor.

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