Cambuskenneth

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 All dance interlocking reels of 4 (all pass partner RSh, next person LSh and following person RSh)
9-16 1s change places with 3s passing RSh, 3s+1s change places with partners LH and repeat back to places
17-24 1s and 3s (in prom hold) dance RSh reels of 3 at top and bottom dancing to right to start (1s with 2L+4M and 3s with 2M+4L) ending in lines of 4 across set with 1s and 3s in centre
25-28 All set, 1s and 3s dance into centre of set, divide, dance out with other partner to sides as 2s and 4s dance into places vacated by 1s and 3s and into centre of set (to form new lines across with 2s and 4s in centre of lines)
29-32 All turn opposite dancer 2H, 2s and 4s dance out to original places as 1s and 3s cast to places
33-64 Repeat from bar 1 with 2s and 4s as leading dancers
65-72 All Ladies dance RH across once round, all Men dance LH across once round ending in centre facing partner
73-80 All set Highland Schottische and turn 2H 1½ times to places

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Cambuskenneth - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

It is situated by the River Forth and the only road access to the village is along Ladysneuk Road from Alloa Road in Causewayhead. In 1935 a footbridge was constructed across the river to the neighbouring district of Riverside. Prior to then, the access to Stirling was by ferry.

Cambuskenneth remains a village, but you can walk into the city of Stirling in minutes using the footbridge. Residents once successfully opposed a road crossing.

Cambuskenneth was one of the more important abbeys in Scotland, due in part to its proximity to the Royal Burgh of Stirling, a leading urban centre of the country and sometime capital. The establishment of abbey's in Scotland, including Cambuskenneth, under David I provided a new influence in Scottish public life by providing sources of literate individuals for the royal court and administrative duties.

Its status as a royal abbey in the neighbourhood of a major national stronghold may be compared to that of Holyrood Abbey vis à vis Edinburgh.

Notable events include in 1303 Edward I of England prayed and received an oath of loyalty from Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, at the Abbey. In 1308 Niall mac Cailein, Gilbert II de la Hay and other nobles swore allegiance to Robert the Bruce. The connection to Robert the Bruce continues with a parliament being held at the abbey in 1314, five months after victory at the Battle of Bannockburn. The spoils of the Battle at Bannockburn were shared out on the grounds of the abbey.

In 1326 another parliament was held where nobles and clergy swore an oath to the king and confirm the succession of his son David II. So frequently was the abbey used for Parliaments during the 14th century that one of the connected buildings on the site became known as "Parliament Hall".

The abbey continued to have close links to the heirs of Robert the Bruce, Robert II granted charters at the abbey in 1380 and accounts show that he stayed at the site for a number of days, while his son Robert III conducted royal business at the abbey in 1392.

In 1486 Margaret of Denmark died at Stirling Castle and was buried at the abbey. In 1488 her husband James III was killed at the Battle of Sauchieburn and his body was brought to Cambuskenneth Abbey for burial.

Cambuskenneth abbey was acquired by the crown in 1908. Managed by Historic Scotland, Cambuskenneth Abbey is open to visitors during the summer months (2020).

Cambuskenneth Abbey

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