THIS WEEK marks 931 years since the deaths of two major figures who played a huge role in Dunfermline’s history.

King Malcolm III of Scotland and St Margaret died just three days apart from one another, on November 13, 1093, and November 16, 1093, respectively.

The couple were married for 23 years and had numerous children together, and Margaret especially had a profound influence on the town.

As previously reported in the Press, Margaret was born in Hungary around 1045. She was the granddaughter of King Edmund Ironside of England, and the daughter of Edward the Exile, an exiled member of the English royal family.

Her mother, Agatha, was a relative of the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry III.

Margaret first stepped foot in England with her family when her father was recalled as a possible successor to King Edward the Confessor.

A statue of Margaret in her cave.A statue of Margaret in her cave. (Image: Newsquest) However, in true medieval style, things did not go according to plan for the family. Margaret’s father passed away. This meant that when King Edward died there were plenty of people with a claim to the throne.

Harold Godwinson became King of England after Edward the Confessor died in 1066, but he was defeated by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings shortly later.

Margaret and her family had to leave, and Margaret ended up going to Scotland and marrying King Malcolm in 1070.

Malcolm III was a widower with two sons from his first marriage; Donald and Duncan.

Margaret got stuck into life in her new home. She worked with orphans and the sick, and as a very religious woman, she encouraged pilgrimages to St Andrews.

She even established a ferry to cross the Forth for these pilgrims, giving the towns of North and South Queensferry their names.

An information board in St Margaret’s Cave reads: “Dunfermline was a statio burgh on the ‘Pilgrim Line’ leading to St Andrews. St Andrews had become the focal point of pilgrimage in Fife because it was believed that relics of the saint had been brought there in the 8th century.

“A statio was a complex of buildings offering welfare, sanctuary, and security for pilgrims.

“During her life Queen Margaret improved the conditions of the statio at Dunfermline to encourage pilgrims to visit St Andrews.

“Margaret is best remembered for the two statios she set up at North and South Queensferry. Pilgrims waited here for the ferries, also arranged by her, to take them across the Forth.”

Out of the couple’s eight children, three of them became King of Scotland. Their daughter, Matilda of Scotland (originally christened Edith), became Queen of England and Duchess of Normandy.

Sadly, Malcolm was killed during what became known as the Battle of Alnwick on November 13, 1093. The couple’s son Edward was mortally injured in the same conflict.

An information board in St Margaret’s Cave states: “Queen Margaret became increasingly ill and died in 1093 after hearing of the death of her husband and eldest son in battle.

“Pope Innocent IV made her a saint in 1250 because of miracles attributed to her name. Her relics and name have been the subject of worship ever since.

“Margaret died in Edinburgh and the first miracle associated with her name concerns the transfer of her body to Dunfermline. Her younger sons feared that their uncle Donal Bain, rival claimant to the throne, might harm their mother’s body so they carried it from the castle at Edinburgh in secret.

“They were surrounded by Donal Bain’s army but a thick mist descended to shield their passage through the armed ranks of men, and they were able to make their escape.

“Turgot, her beloved biographer, relates the tale of another wonder. One of Margaret’s books, a copy of the four gospels, was lost on a journey.

“After much searching it was found lying in a stream; to everyone’s amazement the book had suffered no damage except for slight marks on two of its pages. The Bodleian Library at Oxford today claims to possess this volume.”

While the couple may have died over 900 years ago, their influence on the city can still be seen today.

The cave where Margaret used to pray, now located in Glen Bridge car park, was reopened to the public earlier this year for the summer months.

Signs in the cave today tell how the first Catholic pilgrimage to the site was held in 1899. This became an annual event and at the height of its popularity, attracted 18,000 Roman Catholics.

The signs state: “In 1963, 10,000 Roman Catholics took part in the pilgrimage of honour of St Margaret.

“A mass was heard at the East End Park football ground before the pilgrims made their way to the Cave. The organised pilgrimages were stopped in 1974, but individuals still make their own personal pilgrimages to St Margaret’s Cave.”

However, the cave came under threat back in the 60s when the council decided to infill the glen to create the car park that we have today. This meant that the cave would be buried.

A board in the cave states: “The proposed car park was fiercely opposed in the town. In only ten days, 1,054 people had signed a petition organised by Mr James Stewart.

“In view of the protest, the council decided to maintain access to the holy site by building a tunnel beneath the car park.”

The stone where Margaret is supposed to have rested on her journey to Dunfermline can be found today at the entrance to Pitreavie Business Park.

As well as the cave and stone, the ruins of Malcolm Canmore’s Tower can still be seen in Pittencrieff Park.

The remains of the tower.The remains of the tower. (Image: Newsquest) As previously reported in the Press, the remains have been traditionally accepted as the site of the Tower House of King Malcolm and Queen Margaret.

According to a plaque at the tower, there was no historical mention of it until about 1070 A.D. when Malcolm Canmore and Margaret celebrated their wedding. It also states that historians believe the tower was where:

“The King sits in Dumferling toon,

"Drynking the bluid-red wyne.”