Dunnichen
Dunnichen
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 Dunnichen |
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 Dunnichen
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| Dunnichen shown within Angus | |
| OS grid reference | NO507488 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | FORFAR |
| Postcode district | DD8 |
| Dialling code | 01307 |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
Dunnichen (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Neachdain) is a small village in Angus, Scotland, situated between Letham and Forfar. It is close to Dunnichen Hill, at which the Battle of Dun Nechtain is popularly believed to have been fought. The church is part of the parish of Letham, Dunnichen and Kirkden.
During the 18th and early 19th centuries it was the home of George Dempster, the agricultural reformer, author and founder of the neighbouring village of Letham. Many archaeological remains are associated with the village and its environs, including the hillforts on Dunnichen hill and Dunbarrow hill.
In the early 19th century, the Dunnichen Stone, a class I Pictish standing stone was unearthed at East Mains of Dunnichen. This is now located at the Meffan Institute at Forfar.
An early local tradition, related by Headrick in the Second Statistical Account, claimed that the site was the location of the Battle of Camlann, where King Arthur fought Mordred.
A confused tradition prevails of a great battle having been fought on the East Mains of Dunnichen, between Lothus, King of the Picts, or his son Modred, and Arthur King of the Britons, in which that hero of romance was slain. Buchanan, no doubt, places the scene of that battle upon the banks of the Humber, in England. But it is probable that some battle had been fought here[...]
In 1810, antiquarian George Chalmers identified that site as the probable location of the Battle of Dun Nechtain on 20 May 685, where the Picts, led by King Bridei Mac Bili conclusively defeated a Northumbrian army, led by King Ecgfrith, resulting in Ecgfrith's death. For many years, Chalmer's theory has been accepted by historians, but this has recently been called into some doubt.
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Wikipedia