The Real William Wallace

William Wallace is a truly inspirational figure in the history of Scotland, now known globally thanks to the movie "Braveheart" starring Mel Gibson. But who was the real William Wallace and how did he gain his position as Guardian of Scotland?

This multi-page article, written for Scottishweb by Stewart Mackay, attempts to pull the truth from the fiction, what happened to him and how William Wallace fought his way into the hearts of the people of Scotland to become an almost immortal legend.

Knockfarrel Pictish Hill Fort

One of the great things about the hill-forts of Easter Ross is the fact that from any given one, you can see another, or maybe two. This is no coincidence, or not simply due to the fact that all the forts are on top of hills.

The Battle Of Culloden

The Battle of Culloden, which took place on 16th April, 1746, is to this day surrounded by myths and inaccurate accounts. It was not a war between Scotland and England. It was not a war between Catholics and Protestants.

It was a dynastic struggle between two different royal houses: the house of Stuart and the house of Hanover.

The Story Of Island Roan

Island Roan is located just off the north coast of Sutherland, in the far north of Scotland. It stands testimony to the way of life in the highlands and islands that once was. A way of life few of us today would consider comfortable by our modern standards.

Inverlochy Castle - Ft William - Scotland

Inverlochy Castle differs from other west highland early stone castles in its level site, which allowed the layout of a quadrangular courtyard with its circular tower at each corner (unlike, for example, Dunstaffnage Castle, the walls of which follow the edges of the rock on which it sits). It was surrounded on three sides by a now silted up ditch, and the fourth side was protected by the River Lochy.

The Highland Clearances In Scotland

In the 19th century, something happened in the highlands of Scotland that should never have happened at all. The Highland Clearances were a shock ripple from the wave that was the battle of Culloden. Years afterwards, when the rest of Britain was waking up to a new era of civilisation and enlightenment, greedy landlords of estates and lands in the highlands of Scotland began to remove the local people to make way for sheep. Sheep were given priority over people, but not just any people. For the folk burned out of their homes were the decendants of the clansmen, the native people of the land - the highlanders.

Prehistoric Scotland - Souterrains and Brochs

What is a souterrain? Well, it means 'under ground' or 'below ground', and is a word used to describe a structure that dates back some 2000 years. Sometimes called an earth-house, souterrains usually consist of an entrance followed by a curved corridor or tunnel, about 15-20 feet long, and quite often a small chamber at the end. Journey to the far north of Scotland to find out more...

Dunadd Hill Fort - Argyll Scotland

Scotland's history is dotted with battles and skirmishes around these fortifications, some of which have had a massive impact on the future of Scotland as a nation. There is one place however that stands out as a landmark both in its physical appearance and on the pages of Scottish history: Dunadd hill fort in Argyll, Scotland.

The Battle Of Bannockburn in Scotland

At the start of 1314, Edward II of England was losing his grip on Scotland. He did not match up to his father in  military knowledge, and the Scottish castles held by the English began to fall. After taking Edinburgh Castle, Perth and Roxburgh, Bruce turned his eyes to Stirling...

Robert the Bruce - King of Scotland

Robert the Bruce led his Scottish army to victory at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Scottishweb looks at the story behind his struggle to gain the throne of Scotland. From troubles and murder in Scotland to the looming threat from England, Robert the Bruce was embroiled in Scotland's fate.

The turn of the 14th century was a time of change and turmoil in Scotland. The English king Edward I, the "Hammer of the Scots", had reduced Scotland to a vassal state. In 1297 William Wallace had defeated the English army at the battle of Stirling Bridge, and became Guardian of Scotland, but not for long...