William Wallace's Funeral, 700 years late

[spike alan]

Hi i heard that william wallaces body was ripped apart and sent to the four corners of britain is this true, and more importanly does any one know where
his body is or where he was buried,

thanks

alan

 

[MountainPro]

Hi Alan,

yes its true

actually he was split into 5 parts. His head atop London Bridge and his 4 limbs in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling and Perth.

On 23 August 1305, following the trial Wallace was removed from the courtroom, stripped naked and dragged at the heels of a horse to Smithfield Market. He was drawn and quartered (strangled by hanging but released near death, emasculated, eviscerated, beheaded, then divided into four parts (the four horrors) at the Elms in Smithfield. His head was placed on a pike atop London Bridge, which was later joined by the heads of his brother, John, and Sir Simon Fraser. His limbs were displayed, separately, in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Perth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wallace

Hi i heard that william wallaces body was ripped apart and sent to the four corners of britain is this true, and more importanly does any one know where
his body is or where he was buried,

thanks

alan

 

[spike alan]

hi thanks for your reply that helps well where parts of his body where placed in
scotland are there like a grave stone where people can go to or whatever

alan

 

[lwedge]

Mel

The depiction of Wallace's death apparently was very accurate however and the puhisnshment for treason was to be hanged until dead, disembowled and dismembered into 4 parts. In Wallace's case they decided to take all his body parts to the 4 corners of the kingdom, thats how afraid they were of this man in the age of witchcraft...

Drawn and quartered, what a way to go, good lord. I think Mel Gibson did a great job in this movie, which is in my top 5 of all time, just better than Rob Roy. I would have liked to have seen Sir Sean Connery have a role in the movie but it would have to have been a leading role like, Robert the Bruce (Sean, a little too old for the part) or King Edward I (Longshanks) for which he would have spat on the script.

Still doing some research on whether of not my ancestors, Clan Rose, Kilvarock Castle (Croy, Moray Firth on the Nairn) had positive dealings with Robert Roy. I know they hid Mary Queen of Scot's in the castle while she was on the run. Oh well, still researching.

Good Thread MP.

lw

 

[limerickman]

Today marks the 700 year anniversary of the death of William Wallace. It was today in 1305 he was taken to London, dragged through the streets for 6 miles, hung, drawn and quartered.

Experts say that Scotland would be just another region of England today if Wallace did not rebel against the tyrant Edward Plantagenet, Hammer of the Scots, and his brutal armies.

Across from Westminster, the place of Wallace's execution, there is a church service to mark the sadness of the day.

It is good that i can write this an know that most people across the world will know who i was talking about although most picture him looking like a certain hollywood actor.

Wallace was, in contrast to Gibson, a giant of a man, able to weild the claymore (a massive two handed battle sword) with a single hand cutting his enemies in two with a single blow.

Anyway, i thought i would mention this as every Scot will be thinking how grateful they are to have had a saviour like him...

For 700 years he has been a symbol of Scotland's resistance to oppression and injustice and has been the foundations of many great nations today.

I watched Brave Heart and as a movie - as opposed to an historically accurate account - I thought it was very good.
As an historically accurate account of the what happened in Scotland at that time, it wasn't accurate.

One question I have for you, Pro.
"Flower of Scotland" has the line "....Proud Edwards Army and sent them homeward to think again"
Is that line a reference to Edward Plantagenet?

Scotland has had a proud and noble tradition - as has Wales.
Both countries are Celts, as is my own own country.

The Celtic tradition eminated from Germany - when the Celts colonised England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Then we had the invasions of the Saxons, Norse, Vikings etc etc.
A very mixed history in our part of the world and probably one for the fire and malt as Pro says.

 

[lwedge]

Arguably the greatest military victory over the English by the Scots was the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The film totally misrepresented it, i never really noticed the lack of bridge until you pointed it out....

I knew about the battle of Stirling Bridge before the movie. I could swear there is a bridge in the scene or the uncut version. I remember the scene where William is stratigising with Hamish on the narrowness of the bridge and how that could help the Scottish forces by limiting the Earl of Surry's cavalry and infantry from crossing in full force. The Scots ambushed the Surry troops as they crossed the bridge and at the flanks with troops on the other side of the river,(I think we call this Gorilla Warfare these days, they were way ahead of their times). One thing though, history tells us the bridge collapsed killing many Anglish infantry, I don't recall seeing the bridge collapse in the movie.

Now I've got to watch it again.

 

[spike alan]

ok thanks that helps so his body was tore apart yeah , does any1 know if
its burried at a grave stone people can visit or where his body lays

thanks

 

[MountainPro]

I watched Brave Heart and as a movie - as opposed to an historically accurate account - I thought it was very good.
As an historically accurate account of the what happened in Scotland at that time, it wasn't accurate.

One question I have for you, Pro.
"Flower of Scotland" has the line "....Proud Edwards Army and sent them homeward to think again"
Is that line a reference to Edward Plantagenet?

Scotland has had a proud and noble tradition - as has Wales.
Both countries are Celts, as is my own own country.

The Celtic tradition eminated from Germany - when the Celts colonised England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Then we had the invasions of the Saxons, Norse, Vikings etc etc.
A very mixed history in our part of the world and probably one for the fire and malt as Pro says.

Braveheart....ask any Scots and he'll say.."yes, very entertaining"
meaning, if you want to learn Scottish history, read a book.

Yes Lim, the line is a referecne to the Battle of Bannockburn when Robert the Bruce defeated the mighty English army just outside Stirling in 1314. The army was sent by Edward 1st (House of Plantaganet, nicknamed Longshanks, the Hammer of the Scots) to crush the Scots. He was unsucessful.

 

[spike alan]

thanks that helps a bit but surley some 1 must knows if there are a grave stone anywhere where his body lays where people can visit

 

[MountainPro]

I dont think there is a grave as such. If you want to find out more the visit the Wallace Monument at Stirling. Its the closest thing we have to a grave.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wfm_wallace_monument.jpg


edit: just to add a note. Burial of a body was a sign of respect in the 14th Century. An Honour. The English didnt think Wallace was entitled to such respect.

ok thanks that helps so his body was tore apart yeah , does any1 know if
its burried at a grave stone people can visit or where his body lays

thanks

 

[limerickman]

Braveheart....ask any Scots and he'll say.."yes, very entertaining"
meaning, if you want to learn Scottish history, read a book.

Yes Lim, the line is a referecne to the Battle of Bannockburn when Robert the Bruce defeated the mighty English army just outside Stirling in 1314. The army was sent by Edward 1st (House of Plantaganet, nicknamed Longshanks, the Hammer of the Scots) to crush the Scots. He was unsucessful.

Thanks MP - it was the reference to Plantaganet that threw me.

Thanks

 

[MountainPro]

on a side note...

its Roy Keane's testimonial match tonight. Celtic are playing Man U @ Old Trafford..

Then on Thursday its Alan Shearer's testimonial...Newcastle Vs Celtic.

i wish i could watch them..

i knew you would be interested Lim.

Thanks MP - it was the reference to Plantaganet that threw me.

Thanks

 

[heinkel12]

Braveheart....ask any Scots and he'll say.."yes, very entertaining"
meaning, if you want to learn Scottish history, read a book.

Yes Lim, the line is a referecne to the Battle of Bannockburn when Robert the Bruce defeated the mighty English army just outside Stirling in 1314. The army was sent by Edward 1st (House of Plantaganet, nicknamed Longshanks, the Hammer of the Scots) to crush the Scots. He was unsucessful.

I could be wrong but wasn't it Edward 2 who led the English army at Bannockburn?

 

[MountainPro]

I could be wrong but wasn't it Edward 2 who led the English army at Bannockburn?

yikes, you are right..

my bad.

Edward II it is then.