Linlithgow Civic Trust

Projects

Kirkgate Plaques and The Royal Line Leaflet

The Trust has worked with the Linlithgow & Linlithgow Bridge Town Management Group to bring up-to-date the Kirkgate plaques, which illustrate the line of descent from Mary, Queen of Scots to the present monarch, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the Coronation of King Charles III.  This involved replacing the first plaque, the one nearest the Palace Gateway, as well as the plaque for Elizabeth II, and adding a new plaque for Charles III. There was also an inaccuracy on one plaque and an omission on another to be corrected.

Through no fault of the Trust, three of the new plaques were not manufactured as intended. An unfortunate and embarrassing spelling error on the first plaque has now been corrected, but the incorrectly worded and formatted plaque for Sofia, Electress of Hanover and the incorrectly formatted plaque for Frederick, Prince of Wales remain. It is hoped that the Town Management Group will pay for these to be re-manufactured at some stage.

The plaques were originally placed on the east wall of Linlithgow’s Kirkgate in 1953 by the Linlithgow District Girl Guides as their contribution to the celebration of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  A leaflet was published around the same time by West Lothian District Council and Forth Valley Tourist Board.  Just over seventy years later, the Trust has published a new leaflet, generously funded by One Linlithgow, to commemorate the Coronation of King Charles III. Fully revised and updated, this re-designed leaflet accompanies the updated and new plaques now in place.

These new leaflets, which we are sure will be of interest to the townsfolk, and to visitors in particular, are available, free of charge, from numerous places in the town.