It is a sad but true fact that many people learn history from watching movies. As former history teachers we often had to spend time unteaching the Hollywood version of a historic event. I know some filmmakers do their best to make the movie accurate but this can be difficult when there is limited documentation available. So off we went to Stirling to learn more about Robert the Bruce and William Wallace. (AKA Braveheart)
Our first stop was at Bannockburn Battlefield where Robert the Bruce defeated the English King Edward II, giving Scotland it’s Independence (for a few years anyway). The visitors center http://www.battleofbannockburn.com/ has a nice display of medieval weapons used by both sides as well as a film showing a re- creation of the battle. Since we arrived at the same time as a large group of schoolchildren we decided to skip the film and walk around the battlefield itself. Up on a hill a statue of the Bruce on horseback watches over the field, silently protecting his country. As is often the case, seeing the battlefield geography provided a greater understanding of how victory was achieved. Here is a link to a site that will give you more information about the fighting including the one on one meeting between Robert the Bruce and an English knight, Sir Henry de Bohuy http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/articles/battle_of_bannockburn/.
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| King Robert the Bruce |
Hollywood would have us believe that Scotland would not have gained independence without William Wallace but this is not true. In fact Bannockburn was fought 23 years after Wallace was executed by the English. This does not make him less of a patriot and hero to the Scottish people. A monument to honor him was built on a hill above the site of his greatest victory on the Forth River at Stirling Bridge.https://www.nationalwallacemonument.com/the-monument/
The monument towers 67 meters (73.2 yards) above the town. The viewing deck is accessible by climbing 246 steps up a spiral staircase. On the way there are three rooms displaying information about the building of the monument, the weapons of the middle ages and other Scottish heroes. Among the weapons on display is Wallace's sword. The sword measures 5 feet 4 inches including the hilt and weighs 5.95 pounds.
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| The view from the top of the monument |
After lunch and a walk around the town we drove out to Stirling Castle. https://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/ This castle sits high on a volcanic rock and though it dates from at least early 12th century, the present buildings were mostly built between 1490 and 1600. It was the childhood home of Mary, Queen of Scots and both she and her son James VI (later to be James I of England) were coronated in the chapel here.
Among the exhibits were a recreation of the Castle Kitchen, Royal Apartments and the Great Hall. They also took on two amazing projects; restoring the Stirling Heads ( three feet wide 16th-century oak medallions carved with images of kings, queens, nobles, Roman emperors and characters from the Bible and Classical mythology) and using traditional methods to weave Unicorn themed tapestries http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-33237947
The castle also had a museum dedicated to the Argyll-Sunderland Regiment who were stationed at Stirling Castle. Nicknamed “The Thin Red LIne” for their success halting a Russian cavalry charge at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War in 1854 the museum is a tribute to this Highland regiment.
After a long day we returned to our flat; tired but inspired by the courage and pride of the Scottish people.
