An awe inspiring new mural depicting the Battle of Bannockburn has been unveiled at the Bannockburn visitor centre just outside Stirling.

The work, painted by the Edinburgh based artist Chris Rutterford, was started last year just before the celebrations of the 700 year anniversary of the Battle. The artist has said that the aim of the painting is to emphasise the heartbeat of humanity at the historic site and complement the visitor experience and said he was originally inspired to create the work when he saw a mural of Bannockburn in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, painted by the 19th century artist Sir William Hole.

The massive 30 metre long work of art includes over 600 figures, some of which use the likeness of real people who contributed to the project in order to be featured. Through crowd-funding donors paid up to £500 to be included and were asked to strike a battle worthy pose for their fearsome part in the mural. Around 72 people backed the project from as far a field as Australia and New Zealand, with some people donating multiple times to have more people included, and as a result there are whole families in the painting.

Several Scottish celebrities were also included and eagle eyed viewers can spot the likes of TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, Glasgow Warriors Rugby star Alastair Kellock and several members of the Clanranald Trust, the battle re-enactment group, battling for Scottish independence. One donor even asked that their cat be included in the mural, and if you look closely you will find him in battle, axe in one hand, cat in the other!

The mural can be found within the visitor centres central courtyard, and runs along the entire length of one of the walls, making an imposing but impressive sight. It adds to other great pieces of work already featured at the award winning site including the iconic Robert the Bruce statue sculpted by Charles d’Orville Pilkington Jackson.

Chris Rutterford has a history of building huge crowd murals. In 2011 he painted a 20 metre Tam o’ Shanter mural with a coven of witches chasing the drunken horseman and in 2012 he built a painting of the Tron kirk on the Royal Mile with over 3000 portraits of the classic Edinburgh Hogmanay.

The mural will be on show in the courtyard until 31st October.

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A 3D Robert the Bruce visits his troops at the new Bannockburn Visitor Centre

We’re just back from a quick trip up the road to just outside Stirling to check out the new Bannockburn Visitor Centre, set to open to the public next weekend. Coming in (on time, and on budget) with a price tag of £9.1 million, the centre uses state-of-the-art motion capture techniques and fight choreography to immerse visitors in a realistic and historically accurate 3D Battle of Bannockburn. (View a gallery from our visit here.)

A thoroughly impressive experience, the visitors centre is the first tourist attraction in the world to use this kind of technology, providing a very 21st century view of the battle in this the year of its 700th anniversary. You’ll find no objects in glass boxes here  – there are no surviving artefacts from the battle anyway. The centre appeals to the ‘modernologist’, moving away from passive ‘museum’ viewing, and instead offering visitors the chance to interact with history.

Interpretation designers Bright White Ltd worked with an Academic Advisory Panel of some of the UK’s top historians and leading 3D modellers at the Centre for Digital Documentation and Visualisation (a partnership between the Digital Design Studio of the Glasgow School of Art and Historic Scotland) to bring the battle to life for 21st century audiences.

Revered as the most famous Scots victory – the Battle of Bannockburn marked a pivotal moment in Scotland’s history, paving the way for the signing of the momentous Declaration of Arbroath.  Our tour began with a 3D puppet-show prologue by two of the battle’s well-known figures – Sir James Douglas representing the Scots, and Isabella of France, wife of Edward II of England.

We then moved through to the next room to ‘Prepare for Battle’. Robert the Bruce and King Edward II feature as life-size 3D projections, witnessing the two sides preparing for battle. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be a fly on the wall in the Scots or English camp the night before Bannockburn, this is about as close as you’re going to get. Eerily lifelike (and lifesize) Scots soldiers were practicing hand-to-hand combat metres from where I stood, while English soldiers fired arrows at targets on the other side of the room.

Iconic moments from the battle also dramatically play out, including when Bruce encounters Sir Henry De Bohun with his axe on the first day of the battle. I also had a very interesting briefing from Sir James Douglas in the digital character section, who presented me with his reasons for supporting the Bruce.

Let the battle begin!

From there we moved through to the jewel in the centre’s crown, the battle simulation room. Upon entry you are given a number from a battlemaster which determines where abouts around the interactive battle map you stand, and more importantly, which side you’re on. I was placed on the English side, and given control of a division of longbows and heavy infantry.

During the first day of battle my divisions moved about near the rear of the action, warily trying to get into a good strategic position. But once I sent forward my first longbow attack, I’m rather ashamed to admit I had the taste for it, and went on a little bit of a rampage, sending cavalry and longbows hurtling after Robert the Bruce (who was cowering somewhere behind Stirling Castle). By the end of the second day it looked as though we were going to take the castle, but just at the last minute we were foiled by traps set by the Scots.

Tense times! The final moments of the battle

Our battlemaster David Weinczok, 24 from Nova Scotia, controlled the game and was on hand to flesh out historical details, and throw in tips and advice before declaring the successful side, summarising the results of the action with an overview of how the battle played out in 1314, and revealing the 21st-century version of the landscape and locations of conflict. The only thing I’m a bit confused by was his costume – looking more like a sci-fi knight sent from the future than a 14th century soldier.

Battlemaster David Weinczok provides an overview of the real 1314 battle.

After the battle we entered the epilogue room, where another 3D puppetry styled video was shown in which Sir James presented the aftermath and consequences from the battle, most importantly Scotland’s assertion as an independent kingdom. Topical stuff, in this the year of the referendum. We finished our visit outside the centre at the recently restored Bruce monument and flagpole. After being immersed in so much state of the art technology, we finished our day by walking twenty metres through a field to stand in the place where these events of Bannockburn exactly 700 years ago.

View our gallery from this mornings event here! The centre is open from 1/3/2014.

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David Cameron answers questions from the media in East London after his speech on the importance of Scotland to the UK.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has referenced his clan heritage in an appeal to keep Scotland part of the United Kingdom. In a speech given in East London last Friday, Cameron urged Scots and Britons to defend their shared history and heritage by voting against the upcoming referendum on Scottish Independence.

With only seven months to go before the big vote, Cameron spoke of his pride in his own Scottish roots in a major speech on the issue. Referencing his West Highland ancestry, Cameron said: “The name Cameron might mean ‘crooked nose’ but the clan motto is “Let us unite” – and that’s exactly what we in these islands have done.”

Cameron’s emotional defence of the Union also praised Scotland’s role in Britain’s military achievements, from the rich history of ship building on the Clyde to the bagpipes of Lord Lovat’s regiment which roused troops during the D-Day landings. He also stated Scotland had helped to make Britain “the most extraordinary country in history”, then used the success of Team GB at the 2012 Olympic Games to urge voters to keep together “the winning team in world history.”

While the speech made a great deal of importance of Cameron’s clan heritage, it conveniently left out Clan Cameron of Lochiel’s long history of battling the English. Described as ‘fiercer than fierceness itself’, Clan Cameron’s reputation can be summed up with their war cry: “Chlanna nan con thigibh a so’s gheibh sibh feoil!” (Sons of the hound come here and get flesh!).

Legend states that a Cameron contingent fought alongside Robert the Bruce against the English king Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, the decisive clash of the Wars of Scottish Independence. Members of the clan also fought in the front line of the Jacobite Army during the disastrous battle of Culloden in 1745. Following the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Cameron estates were forfeited by the Government because of the support the chief had given to the Jacobite cause.

Cameron’s speech also did not mention that he has for many years enjoyed family holidays on the Tarbert estate on the Scottish island of Jura. The estate, owned by his wife Samantha’s stepfather, Viscount Astor, has 6,000 deer, which the Prime Minister has joined stag shooting parties to hunt.

Responding to the Speech, Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond called it “flimsy” and attacked Cameron as a member of the “out–of–touch Westminster elite”, stating: “This speech was a threadbare defence of the case for Westminster Tories retaining their undemocratic control over Scotland, which betrays the utter weakness of the Prime Minister’s case.”

Mr Cameron admitted people had advised him to stay quiet on independence – previously he has admitted his “Tory toff” image is an impediment – but on Friday he said “frankly, I care far too much to stay out”.

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The Seal of Robert II, King of Scots. 1316-1390

Half of all men in the United Kingdom with the surname Stewart, or Stuart, can claim ancestry from Scotland’s Royal family. Research released by ScotlandsDNA has revealed for the first time the individual in the 13th century who founded a branch of the Royal Stewart line.

In the United Kingdom alone there are about 70,000 people with the surname, meaning that around 17,5000 men can now claim descent from the royal bloodline. The source of the line is Sir John Stewart of Bonkyll, who met his demise at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298 fighting alongside William Wallace. The Stewart family’s well-documented pedigree allowed ScotlandsDNA to carry out tests on his descendants, and those of his brother James, the 5th High Steward of Scotland and the grandfather of Robert II, the first Stewart king.

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Rotunda Monument at the Bannockburn Battleground

A new poem has been unveiled to mark the upcoming 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. The specially commissioned poem appears on a new timber ring crowning on the Rotunda Monument at the historic battle site.

The designer behind the original monument, Sir Robert Matthew, planned for it to bear an inscription however nothing had been inscribed since the monument was installed half a century ago. Expert carver Richard Douglas from Andrew Miller Architectural Joinery, based in Stirling, began the inscription works back in June.

Poet Kathleen Jamie, a professor of Creative Writing at Stirling University, said the poem was inspired by Scotland’s landscape and deep literary traditions. She said: “As Bannockburn is so important in Scottish history, it seemed proper to acknowledge our cultural traditions, especially poetry and song about landscape. From the start I wanted this piece of work to make a nod to the Scottish literary tradition and the Scottish landscape, to evoke the deep love of a country that makes one community out of many people.”

David McAllister, director of the Battle of Bannockburn project, said: “The Rotunda is the central place for commemoration of the Battle of Bannockburn and our intent is to continue that tradition of memorial and contemplation.”

“Kathleen’s poem encapsulates the essence of the Battle of Bannockburn project – introducing a contemporary take on the battle and the landscape while paying respect to the memory of this important moment in Scottish history.”

The inscription is part of a series of site-transformations happening at the battlefield in preparation for 2014′s anniversary commemorations. A weather-beaten statue of Robert the Bruce has already been restored and a state-of-the-art visitor centre is set to open in 2014.

The poem:

Here lies our land: every airt

Beneath swift clouds, glad glints of sun,

Belonging to none but itself.

We are mere transients, who sing

Its westlin’ winds and fernie braes,

Northern lights and siller tides,

Small folk playing our part.

‘Come all ye’, the country says

You win me, who take me most to heart.

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Dall House, surrounded by Dall Estate

An excessively magnificent and utterly luxurious highland estate with clan links has been placed on the market, boasting an equally impressive price tag. Once home to Clan Robertson, the sprawling Dall Estate is located on the south shore of Loch Rannoch in Perthshire with the estate agent currently accepting offers of over £2.3 million. The lands of the estate are also steeped in history, directly linking to historical-titans such as Robert the Bruce and King James I.

One of the many bedrooms inside Dall House

The estate is home to Dall House, which has 80+ rooms including 38 bedrooms, a cinema, library, chapel, sports hall and gun room. The grounds are even more impressive; hosting multiple bungalows and cottages, tennis courts, a boat house on the shore of the loch, an assault course and a fire engine that the estate agent states is “handy for cleaning the windows that come with the estate”.

In 2010 the current laird Malcolm James came under fire for his ambitious plan to turn the property into an exclusive billionaires resort. He announced that the minimum liquid net worth of clients using the estate would be set at 100 million, with membership fees of 2m and annual dues of 500,000. The plans received a great deal of opposition from local community and conservation groups who claimed the development would threaten one of Scotland’s most picturesque and unspoilt landscapes.

Inside Dall House

Members of Perth and Kinross Council voted 21-3 to reject the development of Dall, which was set to include a 104-room luxury hotel, two 18-hole golf courses and clubhouse, a state-of-the-art health spa, a concert hall, a “body-enhancement clinic” with surgery facilities, a retail arcade and a shore-side restaurant based on the design of a crannog. The plans were met with a storm of local and national protest, with local politicians calling the development inappropriate and damaging to the environment and ecology of Loch Rannoch.

The origin of the estate can be traced back to beginning of the 14th Century during the First War of the Scottish Wars of Independence. At this time Clan Robertson were known by their original name ‘Clan Donnachaidh’ – named after chief Duncan the Stout. In 1314 Duncan led his clan to battle at Bannockburn in staunch support of his friend, King Robert the Bruce. The lands of Dall were later gifted to the clan in 1347 for their support in this battle and the final years of the war.

100 years later chief Robert Riach (the Grizzled), known for his intense loyalty to the Stewarts, was responsible for capturing the murderers of King James I in 1437. In return the Crown granted him the feudal barony of the lands at Struan, with the chief then on known as Robertson (from Robert of Struan).

Struan became the clan seat until the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden (1746), in which the clan had their lands forfeited by the Government. The lands were returned (along with old debts) in 1784 however the clan found it increasingly difficult to make a living and break free of the debt. In 1853 Struan was sold, leaving only the lands at Dall remaining. Dall House was built in 1855, becoming the seat of the clan until 1926.

The house was commissioned by clan chief George Duncan Robertson and built by the renowned architect Thomas Mackenzie, who was responsible for the present Ballindalloch castle (1847) and Aldourie Castle (1853). Dall House was the only house he ever designed and built himself in Scots Baronial style, which is known for its 16th Century features including turrets. In 1926 the estate was sold, and Dall House became offices of the Forestry Commission before being established as an independent boarding school in 1959. The school’s remote location forced its closure in 2002.

You can view the property listing for Dall Estate by clicking here.

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The Royal Bank of Scotland – Martin Fowler

Compiling 500 years of Scottish history is by no means an easy feat. Countless pages of history books burst at the seams with tales of battles, inventions, kings and queens, acts of law, migration, song – it’s hard enough to even pick where to begin. However, Scottish artist Martin Fowler has done just that, compiling his picks from the last 500 years in an astute new exhibition that serves as a catalyst to examine Scottish identity through history. Entitled Scotland the Brave – A Graphic History of Scotland 1513-2013, the exhibition features ink drawings that document the ‘warts and all’ side of Scotland’s story.

Works in the exhibition currently on show at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh range from monumental events such as the battles of Culloden, Bannockburn and Flodden, to more recent events such as the near collapse of the Royal Bank of Scotland, the Housing Act of 1980, Edinburgh’s tram debacle and the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 1998. The Relegation of Rangers FC and the comical disaster of the 1978 World Cup campaign also make an appearance – after all, it wouldn’t be a history of Scotland without the mention of football. The series also explores darker and often overlooked issues such as the arrival of the AIDS epidemic in Edinburgh in the 80s, Scottish self-hatred (a term coined by writer Irvine Welsh) and issues within the prison system where Fowler once worked with prisoners as an art teacher.

A Concise History of North Sea Oil – Martin Fowler

The exhibition serves as an aide-mémoire to Fowler, who said the drawings act as a way to understand and remember events from history. Fowler comes from a generation of Scottish children who were taught a distinctly English history at school, rather than the history of the country in which they were born and raised, saying: “At school there were no references to the Scottish Enlightenment, even though I grew up and went to school in Edinburgh where it happened. I didn’t even have an opinion on it.” Cynicism and satire are employed within some works as a way to critique the madness, as seen in A Concise History of North Sea Oil. Fowler said this piece attempts to address the lies and falsehoods surrounding the use of Scotland’s oil reserves, especially during the Thatcher years.

The Highland and Lowland Clearances – Martin Fowler

Fowler chose events based on those he had emotional engagement with, providing an alternative history and another way of looking at events that have often had a prescribed ‘John Prebble’ treatment. In his piece on the Highland Clearances, Fowler references the often overlooked role that women played in resisting landowners moves to clear land. This often resulted in heavy handed police brutality, riots and even deaths. He told me a story about the women of Coigach, where in 1853 attempts were made to clear families from the lands around Coigach in Wester Ross. The women defied orders to leave, and proceeded to strip the Sherrif in command of his clothes, destroying the summons he came bearing. He was then put into a boat, returning to Coigach absolutely nude and humiliated. Martin said the events surrounding the clearances are one of the events in the exhibition that have had the most impact on national identity, saying a sense of loss still exists in the Highlands to this day – something that is vitally important to Scotland’s sense of self.

Another piece in the exhibition looks at the Darien Venture in which Scotland unsuccessfully attempted to become a world trading nation by establishing the colony of Caledonia in Panama around 1690. Fowler said he didn’t know anything about the venture before he began this project, discovering the resulting economic and social situation in Scotland lead to one of the most important parliamentary acts being passed. The venture sucked half of the wealth out of Scotland, weakening the country’s resistance to the Act of the Union which was passed in 1707.

Detail – The Massacre of the MacDonalds of Glencoe

Fowler’s style has similarities with that of comic-book journalist Joe Sacco, saying he was influenced by the political and social satires of English caricaturist James Gillray. Fowler is currently living in Carlisle where he is a Senior Lecturer in Drawing and Fine Art at the University of Cumbria.

As Scotland looks towards the future in 2014, perhaps it’s useful to look back in time to see how Scotland’s identity has been shaped by the past. Not only has Fowler created an accessible collection of work but also one that shows a comprehensive appreciation of Scotland’s deep and rich history of the last 500 years.

You can see Scotland the Brave at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on the Royal Mile until the 28th of July 2013. Fowler will also be giving a talk about the exhibition on Saturday 20th July at 1pm where he will discuss how the collection came about and offer an insight into the practical and technical aspects of his work. All pieces in the exhibition are for sale and you can view more of his work here.

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The Battle of Bannockburn by Brian Palmer

The British architect Graeme Shankland once said:

“A country without a past has the emptiness of a barren continent, and a city without old buildings is like a man without a memory.”

Historic sites serve as a reminder of our past, help us to understand our culture and give clues as to where we may be heading. In 2008 Historic Scotland launched a public consultation to include a battlefield inventory in the Scottish Historic Environmental Policy. The consultation generated more public responses than any other at that time, highlighting the tremendous amount of fascination and relevance that these sites still provide.

The inventory, which was completed today, officially recognises and protects 39 historic and iconic battle sites across Scotland. This means that local authorities must take the site’s significance into consideration when making planning decisions that might affect the battlefield.

Dr Iain Banks from The Centre for Battlefield Archeology who carried out the research, said this was the first time historical battle sites have been given any protection. “These sites preserve the last traces of historical events that shaped the nation of Scotland through history, and there is no substitute for visiting the battlefields for understanding what happened in each battle.”

50 sites were researched and consulted for inclusion in the inventory, with the Centre for Battlefield Archeology in touch with some groups whose battlefields were not included in the final list. A major battle missing from the inventory is Mons Grapus (AD 83 or 84), where Rome’s 9th Hispana, its cohorts and Roman cavalry defeated 30,000 Caledonians. The exact location of where the battle happened has been lost to time, however suggested sites include Dunning in Perthshire, Carpow in Fife, Bennachie in Aberdeenshire and Culloden.

The 39 battlefields protected are:

• Alford (1645)
• Ancrum Moor (1545)
• Auldearn (1645)
• Bannockburn (1314)
• Bothwell Bridge (1679)
• Culloden (1746)
• Dunbar II (1650)
• Dupplin Moor (1332)
• Falkirk II (1746)
• Glenshiel (1719)
• Harlaw (1411)
• Killiecrankie (1689)
• Kilsyth (1645)
• Philiphaugh (1645)
• Pinkie (1547)
• Prestonpans (1745)
• Sheriffmuir (1715)
• Barra (1308)
• Carbisdale (1650)
• Cromdale (1690)
• Drumclog (1679)
• Fyvie (1645)
• Inverkeithing II (1651)
• Inverlochy II (1645)
• Linlithgow Bridge (1526)
• Mulroy (1688)
• Rullion Green (1666)
• Stirling Bridge (1297)
• Blar-na-Leine (1544)
• Dunbar I (1296)
• Dunkeld (1689)
• Glen Livet (1594)
• Inverlochy I (1431)
• Langside (1568)
• Loudoun Hill (1307)
• Roslin (1303)
• Sauchieburn (1488)
• Skirmish Hill (1526)
• Tippermuir (1644)

More information on the inventory can be found at Historic Scotland’s website: http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/battlefields.htm

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Robert the Bruce

One famous battle immediately springs to mind when you think about Robert the Bruce; The Battle of Bannockburn. A great victory for the Scots led by Bruce over the English foe. But before this Bruce’s path had been a hard one and he suffered many humiliations on the route to victory.

It all started with a bitter rivalry. While Edward I of England strutted around north of the border, demanding that nobles swear allegiance to him two men came before him who hated each other far more than Edward. Robert the Bruce and John Comyn, The ‘Red Comyn’.

Comyn and Bruce were supposed to be working together as guardians of Scotland under the watchful eye of Edward but this was an impossible situation and it came to a head in 1306 when Bruce stabbed Comyn to death at the altar of Greyfriars church in Dumfries. This event and Bruce’s subsequent crowning at Scone palace was a signal of intent to Edward, ‘come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough’!

Edward responded with fury, he authorised the raising of the ‘Dragon Banner’ a sign that no quarter would be given to Bruce or his followers. Back in Scotland Bruce was still trying to convince his fellow Scots that he was the man for the job. Many still supported Comyn and he would have a hard time uniting Scotland. With Edward’s knights marching north this was not a good time for the newly crowned king.

By the summer of 1306 Edwards army had made camp in Perthshire and had linked up with Comyn’s supporters north of the border, it was a formidable force and not one to be taken on lightly. Nevertheless Bruce set off to engage them and suffered a great defeat at the Battle of Methven. The English army was led by Aymer de Valence, Comyn’s brother-in-law. According to accounts of the battle Bruce arrived at the appointed place but then retired with his army to camp for the night. Under the feudal rules of engagement Valence would not attack however under cover of darkness he did just that and routed Bruce and his forces.

This was a sign for Bruce that his enemies were not intending to ‘play fair’ remembering the campaign of his predecessor Wallace he resorted to more guerilla tactics.

As we already know Bruce had made a few enemies when he stabbed Comyn. By far the biggest of these north of the Border were the MacDougalls a powerful clan who held the lands around Argyll. This clan was descended from Somerled a great Hebridean king and it’s testament to their power that they had inflicted heavy defeats on both the MacDonald and Campbell clans. They had been great Scottish patriots, unfortunately for Bruce though Comyn was related to the MacDougalls and so they had come out in support of Balliol and the English. With Bruce and his surviving army fleeing westward they ran out of the frying pan and smack into the fire where a large force of MacDougalls were sharpening their swords in anticipation.

When Bruce reached Strathfillan, just to the south of Tyndrum around a thousand MacDougalls were there to meet him, led by the son of Alexander the chief John of Lorne (also known as ‘John the Lame). Bruce was trapped! With Valence pursuing him and the MacDougalls blocking his path he was forced to fight. Bruce and his men were not prepared for battle and the result was a foregone conclusion. What few horses Bruce still had were cut down by the MacDougall axemen and many of his most valued allies such as Sir James Douglas and Gilbert Hey were wounded during the engagement. This rather fanciful poem gives account of the battle:

They thereupon withdrew. In this
There was no mark of cowardice.
They kept together; and the king
Was ever busy rescuing
The rearmost of his company.
With skill and valour there wrought he,
And safely all his men withdrew.
He daunted those that would pursue
So none durst leave their cloe array,
For he was never far away.

The fighting was desperate for Bruce, at one point cut off from his allies he was fighting alone against a small lochan. A MacDougall man attempted to pull Bruce from his horse by grabbing his cloak. Bruce killed him but lost his cloak in so doing. The dead MacDougall was found later still grasping the cloak with Bruce’s brooch still attached. This brooch is still in the possession of the clan to his day.

Bruce and a handful of men escaped with their lives. His army was now non-existent and he fled to the caves and into the history books!

He hadn’t finished with the MacDougalls though and in 1308 at the Pass of Brander Bruce took bloody revenge against the MacDougalls. Once again with the Black Douglas by his side he completely destroyed the MacDougall’s and finally put an end to Scottish resistance to his claim to the throne.

The Lochan of the Lost Sword

The place where Bruce’s darkest moment had come was named ‘Dail Righ’ or ‘The Kings Field’. Bruce had escaped by a hairs breadth (of maybe a brooch pin’s width). As Bruce had escaped he and many of his men threw any unwieldy heavy arms they had into a small lochan. Local legend has it that the king’s sword still lies beneath the surface. Whether its guarded by a ‘lady of the lake’ would be mere speculation.

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The new-look Bannockburn Centre

This is an artists impression of what the site will look like when the centre is opened for the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn in 2014. The Heritage Centre is currently a rather dreary building sat directly on the main road. Later this year it will close for the last time, and then be demolished. It’s an exciting and adventurous venture bringing the interpretation of one of Scotland’s most important battles into the 21st Century. The new centre will offer a truly interactive experience, where cutting-edge technology will bring the battle to life before your eyes. The National Trust website says they are working to create the most remarkable interactive presentation seen in this country.

Property Manager Scott McMaster said:
“The centre has been at the heart of Bannockburn for a long time and has served it well. Our last year here will be a big success. There are series of living history events from ‘strictly swashbuckling’ to academic talks. I urge everyone to see Bannockburn as it is now for the last time. We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors from near and far and sharing our knowledge of this important place with them.

“We’ll also be looking ahead to the amazing new facilities we’ll have onsite from 2014 – it’s going to be a whole new era for Bannockburn and visitors will be blown away.”

The Heritage Centre now

The project – a partnership between heritage agency Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland – was announced in October 2010 by the then Minister for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop.

In addition to the £5m initially awarded to the project by the Scottish Government, another £3.94m Heritage Lottery grant has been received for additional interpretation and landscaping works.

Speaking during a visit to Stirling Castle on Friday 3 February, the First Minister Alex Salmond announced the project would commence building and landscaping work in early summer, with work to conserve the historic monuments on site also scheduled to start later this year, subject to local planning consents.
He said:
“The eyes of the world will be on Scotland during 2014, with international events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup being held on our shores.

“2014 also marks the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, and I am delighted to announce today a significant milestone in the commemoration of this fascinating period of Scottish history in what will be the most ambitious partnership between the National Trust for Scotland and Historic Scotland.

“It is exciting to confirm that landscaping and building work on the state-of-the-art visitor centre will commence in the summer, with work to conserve the historic monuments also due to begin in the coming months.

“The backing in place from Historic Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund will ensure that the ambitious Bannockburn Project comes to fruition, paving the way for an unrivalled experience for those who are lucky enough to travel to this historic site in the future. We intend to use the cutting edge of Scottish technology to bring the battle to life and showcase our history in a dramatic way.”

Designed by Reiach and Hall the new centre will be part of an overall project to establish the site’s position as one of the most historically and culturally important places in Scotland, during the commemoration of the Battle’s 700 year anniversary in 2014.

Historic Scotland Chief Executive Ruth Parsons said: “In looking at all we want to achieve with world-class, cutting edge technology to immerse the visitor in the experience of battle, we quickly realised that the existing centre would not be able to accommodate everything we wanted.

“I am very excited to be able to unveil the new designs created exclusively for this project by Reiach and Hall. They bring with them a great empathy for what we want to achieve and I think they have created a design that will be the perfect canvas to the exceptional interpretation we are planning to introduce.”

National Trust for Scotland Chief Executive Kate Mavor said: “This is a once in a generation opportunity to look at how we present and interpret one of the most defining moments in our history and this new centre is the first step in achieving that.

“Another key element in the design is the landscaping which will open up the views of the memorial and give them back to the people of Bannockburn as the current building prevents you from looking straight through to the iconic statue of Robert the Bruce that is recognised around the world.”

Reiach and Hall design was unveiled just a week after their leading architect Neil Gillespie was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to architecture. Gillespie was also made an Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy.

Neil Gillespie OBE said: ”Along with Landscape Architects, Ian White Associates, and Interpretation Designers, Brightwhite, we are extremely privileged to be working with The National Trust for Scotland and Historic Scotland at The Battle of Bannockburn, a defining moment in Scottish History and a wonderful site.

“Although modest in scale our project attempts to give some gravitas back to the site, concentrating attention on the story of the battle, the rotunda, the statue of Bruce and the great prospect to the north of Stirling Castle and the Ochils.”

The new design - very modern and simple

Here you can see the landscaping around the Heritage Centre

Plans for Bannockburn Heritage Centre

So what do you think of the new design? Have you visited the Bannockburn Heritage Centre before – if so what are your memories of it?

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