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For 440 years this mediaeval lectern was one of
St Stephen's church's most prized possessions. The magnificent 150kg brass reading desk
stood 1.6 metres high and took the form of a large eagle with outspread wings with the
bird perched on an orb supported by a turned shaft. Engraved on the orb was a Latin
inscription - Georgius Creichton Episcopus Dunkeldensis - George
Creichton Bishop of Dunkeld. George Creichton was abbot at Holyrood abbey from 1515 to
1522 and it is likely he presented the lectern to the Abbey on being made Bishop of
Dunkeld. But what events lead to a Scottish lectern being in the possession of an English
church in the first place?
An uneasy peace
In the autumn of 1543 Scotland and England signed two agreements which are often referred
to as "The Treaties of Greenwich". The first guaranteed peace between the two
countries for a fixed period of time and the second affirmed that an arranged marriage
would take place between Prince Edward, the son of Henry VIII, and Mary, Queen of Scots
soon after her tenth birthday.
Storm clouds gather
At the beginning of 1544 the relationship between England and Scotland began to worsen as
it had done so many times before. The Scots reneged on the treaties which drove Henry VIII
into a fury.
His response was swift and brutal. He directed the commander-in-chief of the English army,
the Earl of Hertford to "...put all to fyre and sworde, burne Edinborough
town...[so it] may remayn forever a perpetuel memory of the vengence of God...for their
[the Scots] faulsehode and disloyailtye...over throwe the castle, sack Holyrod house".
In May 1544, the English army arrived by boat and
landed in the port of Leith from whence it marched on Edinburgh. The invaders pillaged and
laid waste the town, its castle, and the surrounding areas and villages. They destroyed
Holyrood Abbey and carried off much of its property as plunder.
Henry hoped his aggression would force the Scots to accept the marriage treaty.
Richard Lee - destroyer and builder of
fortifications
The Earl of Hertford was accompanied to Edinburgh by Richard Lee who was a military
engineer: a destroyer and builder of fortifications. His service to the crown in Scotland
and elsewhere was formally recognised in 1544 when he was knighted and appointed Surveyor
of the King's Works. He was granted the ground covered by St Albans monastery but not the
church which was bought by the townspeople, Sopwell nunnery, and the rectorship of St.
Stephen's church.
This fact, when taken with circumstantial
evidence, suggests it was probably at this time the Holyrood abbey lectern found its way
into this Hertfordshire church.
A lectern described as: 'É an eagle of brass to lay the booke of martyres on.' appeared
in a church inventory of 1597. A similar lectern is described in an inventory of 1638.
English Civil War and the eagle
disappears
In 1642 the English Civil War began and St. Albans became a Parliamentarian stronghold.
Parliament passed new laws which authorised the destruction of religious images and
articles. In response many religious items and artefacts were hidden by Anglican clergy
from their Puritan prosecutors. In August 1643 more draconian measures were introduced and
continuity of the St. Stephen's parish registers is broken perhaps hinting at the
turbulent nature of those times.
It was during this period of national upheaval
that the lectern disappeared. Who removed it and exactly why remains a mystery. Over a 100
years were to pass before the lectern came to light once more.
The eagle reappears a century later
In 1748 the Montagu family tomb in the chancel of St. Stephen's church was opened up for
an internment and the lectern was found lying in the grave. It was retrieved and brought
back into the use.
A Scottish perspective
Since the eighteenth century Scottish academics, clergy and Scottish patriots have sought
the return of the lectern. A review of the history of the lectern in the newspaper The
Scottish Guardian dated May 2, 1879, finished with a plea for readers to find a way to
'...secure the lectern for our new Cathedral in Edinburgh. Who will take up the matter?'
In November 1879 an approach from the Lord Provost of Edinburgh was rebuffed by the vicar
of St. Stephen's, the Rev Marcus R. Southwell. In December of that year he wrote to the
Lord Provost, sent his best wishes and expressed the 'utmost repugnance to parting with
the Crichton lectern.'
The Dean of the Order of the Thistle and Chapel Royal faired no better in 1914. Nor did
further approaches made by Edinburgh corporation in 1931 and 1936.
The lectern begins its travels again
One day in 1972 the lectern was found lying in pieces halfway down the nave of the church.
Intruders were disturbed in the course of their nefarious activities, but did not leave
empty handed taking with them three small lions from the base which supported the lectern
.
Angels, Nobles and Unicorns
In 1982 the lectern returned to Scotland for the first time in over 400 years. Permission
was given by the Church of England for the lectern to appear in "Angels, Nobles and
Unicorns"- an exhibition of mediaeval Scottish art at the National Museum of
Antiquities of Scotland in Edinburgh . Its appearance at the exhibition caused a great
deal of upset and letters to the press demanded that it should remain in Scotland but when
the exhibition ended the Dunkeld lectern was returned to St Stephen's church.
Direct action
In the past 150 years or so, the clergy and
academics have not succeeded in resolving the issue to the satisfaction of some of the
Scots people. In November 1984 a group of individuals broke into the church and removed
the lectern. The Scottish group "Siol Nan Gaidheal" (Seed of the
Gaidheal) contacted
the press and reported they had the lectern. They provided a 'hostage' photograph and
wrote '...This piece of our heritage is here to stay...patriotic Scots have asked for the
eagle to be returned...to its rightful home. English arrogance won the day...all requests
were refused.
The story continues
In the 15 years since the lectern disappeared the rights and wrongs of the matter have
been debated on television and in the press many times. Representatives of the established
churches of Scotland and England met on many occasions and invested much effort and time
to resolve the matter.
Dialogue between all parties was nurtured and helped by the activities of Inverness Press
and Journal reporter Mr John Vass. He worked closely with the vicar Revd John Pragnell, Mr
David Maxwell, Convenor of the Church of Scotland's Artistic Committee, and Mr David
Caldwell of the Royal Museum of Scotland to get the lectern returned for permanent display
in Scotland.
Mr Vass over the years received a number of anonymous communications from those who held
the lectern.
The "kidnappers" laid down two conditions before the Dunkeld lectern would be
released. These were that it was to stay in Scotland, and that no action would be taken to
find and prosecute those responsible.
St Stephen's parish made an offer that should the lectern be forthcoming, the parish would
see that it was returned to Scotland.
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