One of my favourite parts of the Rugby World Cup in Gloucester was the Welcome Ceremony for the Scotland team at the Cathedral. Each host city held a welcome ceremony for one of the competing nations and we were asked to host the ceremony for our friends north of the border.

It was a real honour to be allocated a home nation and even more of a pleasure given that their captain is our very own Greig Laidlaw. I was delighted to give the speech of welcome and it prompted me to do some research on the city’s links with Scotland.

In rugby terms, many Scottish internationals have played for Gloucester over the years – from Donald Crichton-Miller in 1931 to, more recently, Ian Smith (our only Gloucester born and bred Scottish international!) to Scotland’s most-capped player Chris Paterson, Pete Jones, Rory and Scott Lawson, Big Jim Hamilton and current squad members Alastair Strokosch and Alastair Dickinson.

Perhaps the most historic connection is that Edward II, who suffered an ignominious defeat to Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn, is buried in Gloucester Cathedral. That battle inspired the song “Flower of Scotland”, which the Scottish players sing before each game. The highest-ranking casualty at Bannockburn was Gilbert de Clare, the 8th Earl of Gloucester, whose family coat of arms still forms part of the city crest today.

Historic links with our Celtic neighbours
Further research uncovered that Button Gwinnett, the second signatory to the American Declaration of Independence who was born at Down Hatherley, was shot and fatally wounded in a duel with his long-time rival Lachlan McIntosh, who was born at Kingussie in the Highlands.

The Patron of the Scottish RFU is the Princess Royal, who lives in the county and is a frequent visitor to Gloucester.

At the time of writing, Scotland’s ultimate Rugby World Cup fate is unknown, but so far, their campaign has been more successful than England’s.

Gloucester has a thriving Scottish Society and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers (who play both traditional and contemporary bagpipe music) received a rapturous reception when they performed in Kings Square. Perhaps our historic links with our Celtic neighbours help to explain why.