All hail, thou bright and beauteous maid
David O'Leary • Published 1 Jul 2011 09:30
1 Comment
PEEBLES had its own significant royal engagement last Saturday as the town once again turned out to witness the coronation of their Beltane Queen.
Fortunately the rain held and at 10am, Amy Gilfillan climbed the Parish Church steps to take her throne beneath leaden skies.
Hundreds gathered to witness both the historic tradition and colourful pageantry as the children of the town had their Red Letter Day.
This year the proud honour of Crowning Lady fell rather fittingly to Margaret Abbot, who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes for years making various costumes for the children of the Court.
Margaret was led to her place at the top of the steps before 12-year old Kingsland pupil, Amy, disembarked from her horsedrawn carriage.
The crowd cheered and then the moment all had been waiting for began.
Peebles Silver Band, who Amy would usually being playing tenor horn with, struck up the Beltane Festal Song and the crowd loudly sang along.
Then Amy kneeled before her subjects and Crowning Lady Margaret placed the honorific crown upon her head.
Loud applause rang out from the enthusiastic crowd as Beltane Queen 2011, Amy Gilfillan, excitedly beamed from her throne.
Following this The Coronation Ode was then sung by the gathered crowd.
However, Beltane spirit wasn't contained to just the High Street as messages of goodwill were read out from as far away as Australia, Tanzania, Canada, Spain, New Zealand and South Africa.
Praise must go to both First Herald Keir McDermott and Second Herald Jack Smith, who performed valiantly in reading the proclamation and the messages despite gremlins in the PA system.
Beltane Queen Amy departed from her throne, followed by the Crowning Lady and the rest of her Court.
Once seated within her carriage, Queen Amy set off to lead the grand procession around the town before arriving at the Chambers Institution quadrangle where she laid a wreath at the County War Memorial.
Speaking afterwards Queen Amy told the Peeblesshire News: "It's been amazing. My favourite bit was when I turned around at the top of the steps and everyone cheered, it was great to see everyone. The carriage ride around the town was also a lot of fun too.
"I'm quite sad now that's it's over but my name will be down in the history books as Beltane Queen 2011 forever. It was everything I thought it would be."
Amy's grandfather Kenny Howitt was in the audience to watch his granddaughter's big moment.
He said: "She's taken the whole thing in her stride. All week long she's had a big smile on her face. It's been a fantastic day for Amy and the whole family. She's been a star."
The first ever Beltane Queen honour was given to Margaret Muir way back in 1899. She was crowned at the Mercat Cross located at the junction of the High Street, Northgate and Eastgate.
However the ceremony proved so popular that it was accepted that it could not be held at this first choice of location and had to be moved. Hence the church steps of the Parish Church at the end of the High Street were chosen. This meant that the Crowning Ceremony would take place at an elevated position allowing all to view the Queen's Crowning Ceremony.
The Beltane Queen is dressed each year in robes presented by the Royal Burgh of Peebles Callants' Club in 1988, these replaced earlier robes gifted in 1926 by Peebles' exiles in New Zealand.
The Queen is crowned on the Coronation Chair which came from South Africa in 1922. The Queen's crown itself was gifted in 1921 by exiled Peebleans, Mr and Mrs Arthur P. Daniels, of Singapore, who subsequently gifted the sceptre in 1926 to complement the crown and new robes.
These new robes and sceptre were first used by Beltane Queen Mary Thomson in 1926. The sceptre is unique in that the head is a model of the Parish Church steeple.
During both the First and Second World Wars the Beltane ceremonies were scaled down. For instance in 1915 it was held in Whitestone Park and in 1940 the Beltane Queen, Miss Sheila Murray, who was herself Crowning Lady in 1990, was crowned in the playground of Kingsland School.
In 1945 the Beltane Queen, Edna Murray, was crowned in the cricket pavilion in Whitestone Park. This was the last time the Beltane Queen would be crowned anywhere but the Parish Church steps.
This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 01 Jul 11
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