Scottish stamps issued to mark Flodden’s 500th anniversary
A Scottish island is issuing two stamps to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Flodden.
The Island of Pabay stamps will be available from September 9, the day the English and Scottish armies clashed in 1513, and are part of an eclectic range of items from beers to tartan that are being created to remember this formative event in English and Scottish history. The stamps cost £2 for two stamps and £5 for the First Day Cover. They can be ordered by email or post via the Island’s website at http://www.pabay.org/.
The privately-owned island near Skye off the West Coast of Scotland has been creating its own stamps since the 1960s to carry mail from the island to the nearest collection point on the mainland. With subjects chosen by the Pabay community, which ranges in size from zero to 30 people depending on the time of year, the stamps mark Scottish themes and events and are eagerly snapped up by collectors worldwide.
The two Flodden stamps feature an image of the Flodden memorial on the battlefield in Northumberland and a stained glass window commemorating the battle of Flodden from Middleton Church. They were created in collaboration between the island’s 80-year-old postmaster, Jeff Harris, and a German designer as Jeff explains: “I had the idea of a Flodden stamp. Pabay issues stamps with many Scottish connections and the Battle of Flodden is a major event in Scottish history.
“The stamp will be released on September 9 and will remain available for as long as the Pabay Stamp operation exists. I am 80 and hopefully one of the family will take on the job when I have departed.”
The Battle of Flodden was the last great Medieval battle and took place between Scottish King James IV and the English forces of Henry VIII led by Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey. James was killed on the blood-soaked Northumberland field, and just 90 years later, the crowns of England and Scotland were united when the Tudor dynasty died out with Elizabeth I and James VI of Scotland succeeded her as James I.
The Island of Pabay stamps join the many special items and events created to remember the 500th anniversary on both sides of the Border. The Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum project is co-ordinating the commemoration of the Battle. The UK’s first Ecomusuem – a museum without walls – is a £1.3m project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, focused on the interconnected heritage of the battle to share memories, cultures, traditions and history at key sites associated with Flodden across England and Scotland.
Flodden 1513 Ecomuseum project co-ordinator, Alistair Bowden, said: “The Island of Pabay Flodden stamps are a great addition to 500th anniversary commemorations. The stamps are collected by people all over the world, and they will help spread the message to a global audience.”
The Flodden 1513 events will include a guided walk on the battlefield itself near Branxton with historian Clive Hallam-Baker on September 9 itself, following the footsteps of the two armies as they engaged in battle, plus a solemn church commemoration on September 10 to remember the dead of both nations. The Eco Museum, which is growing all the time, includes sites connected to the Battle on both sides of the Border.
