Norie’s Law

Near Largo on the Fife coast stands an artificial mound called Norie’s Law, and the people of the district had always said that a great warrior, leader of a mighty army, lay buried in it in his silver armour. About 1819 a local man of modest means grew suddenly rich, and a silversmith at Cupar was offered a quantity of antique silver. It came out that he had dug into the Law on the strength of the tradition, and some said a conscientious or superstitious scruple made him leave part of the hoard behind. When the owner of the estate had the mound searched, silver scales of a coat of mail, a shield, sword ornaments and helmet mountings were found, just as the tradition had said.