KINNEFF Old Church is always associated with one of the best known episodes in Scottish history. As Cromwell's army advanced into Scotland in 1651, Parliament ordered the Honours of Scotland to be removed to Dunnottar Castle for safety. The Sceptre and Sword of State had been presented to James IV in 1494 and 1507 by Popes Alexander VI and Julius II respectively. The Crown almost cartainly dates from before 1540 when it was remodelled by order of James V. It had last been worn at the coronation of Charles II at Scone in 1651.

In September 1651 Dunnottar was beseiged by Cromwell's forces, and the garrison commander, George Ogilvy of Barras, realised that its capture was imminent. To save the Regalia, his wife and Mrs. Grainger, wife of the parish minister of Kinneff, devised a plan to smuggle them to safety. The most popularly known version of how this was done tells that Mrs. Grainger, bringing bundles of flax from the Castle, had the Crown concealed under her apron and the Sceptre disguised as a staff. Another tale relates that the Crown Jewels were lowered down the Castle Rock to an old fish wife or servant girl who "on pretence of gathering tangles" on the seashore, carried them off, "hid under dulse" in here creel.

The Regalia were given into the charge of the Kev. James Grainger, the best known of all the Kinneff Old Church ministers, while General Overton and his successors were beseiging the fortress of Dunnottar to obtain possession of them. It was by Mr. Grainger and his wife that, wrapped in linen cloths, the "Honours Three" were safely buried at night under the clay floor of the ancient church.
Let James Grainger speak for himself in his account of this secret disposition, dated 31st March, 1652, and given to the Countess Marischall.

"For the crown and sceptre I raised the pavement stone just before the pulpit, in the night tyme, and digged under it one hole, and layed down stone just as it was before, and removed the mould that remained, that none would have dicerned the stone to havce been raised at all. The sword again, at the west end of the church, among some common saits that stand there, I digged down in the ground betwixt the twa foremost of these saits, and laid it down within the case of it, and covered it up, as that removing the superfluous mould it could not be discerned by any body; for it shall please God to call me by death before they be caled for, your Ladyship will find them in that place.

Every three months Mr. & Mrs. Grainger dug up the Regalia at night to air them before a fire to preserve them from damp and injury. So did the Honours remain hidden for nine stormy years during the Commonwealth while an English army searched in vain. When the castle fell, the Ogilvy were imprisoned and, although Mrs. Osilvy died a captive, the secret of the whereabouts of the Regalia was kept. At the Restoration in 1660 the Honours were returned to Charles II and placed in Edinburgh Castle. When the Scottish Parlinment was dissolved in 1707, they were locked in a chest in the Crown Room where they remained, forgotten, until in October, 1817, Sir Wallter Scott obtained royal permission for a search to be made for them. On February 4th, 1818, the Honours were restored to the people of Scotland and have been on view ever since in Edinburgh Castle, where thousands throng to see them.