| Description
| Scottish, basket hilted broadsword. Long, broad, double edged blade ending in a spear point. The blade has two short, symmetrical grooves on the ricasso, above which is a short, shallow fuller. Along the fuller is inscribed the name 'Andrea' on one side of the blade, and 'Ferara' on the other. On either side of these names are further markings of stars and curved lines. The hilt is of the basket type, with open shape patterns of circles and arrows. On top of the guard at the base of the blade are the letters RC inside a heart shaped depression. The guard attaches to the neck of the pommel which ends in a rounded finial. The grips are of wood, and a disc of thin leather remains under the guard. This sword was reputedly carried by a Coronet Crawford at the Battle of Drumclog on June 1st 1679. Coronet Crawford was killed in the battle and his sword was afterwards picked up by a member of the Fleming family who lived nearby. It was then passed through marriage to the Bryson family of Lochgate. It was carried by Mr William Bryson while acting as a Special Constable following the Strathaven Rising in 1821 in lieu of a policeman's baton. The hilt is presumably not original to the blade, being of a style more associated with the mid-late 1700s than the late 1600s. The hilt is also marked 'RC' within a heart; this mark is attributed to Robert Craig, of Glasgow, who was admitted as a Freeman of the Incorporation of Hammermen in 1721. |
