Jan 27, 2020
Dule trees played a prominent part in Scotland’s history
Apparently the dule tree started back in AD 1057 when Malcolm Canmore and his parliament were assembled at Forfar and proclaimed that every baron should maintain a gibbet on his land for the execution of male prisoners and a pit full of water for the drowning of female prisoners.
The gibbet used in many cases was a large tree standing near the incumbent’s castle which became known as the dule or dool tree.
The name is derived from ‘dool’ an old Scots word for sorrow, no doubt because it caused a lot of sorrow to the families of those who met their end at this tree.
