Scottish Cottages Near the Site of the Battle of Bannockburn

There are few better ways to understand the battle of Bannockburn than to actually visit the site itself. The result was dictated more by the geography and topography of the landscape than the relative strength of the opposing sides. Use of tree cover and understanding the points at which rivers could be crossed were crucial to success. To get close to the realities of the battle staying at one of Mackays many local Scottish Cottages is a good choice.

When Edward II marched his powerful army north from Berwick in 1314 he was firstly aiming to relieve the strategically important Stirling castle but with an army some 2 or three times the size of Robert the Bruce’s it was clearly an opportunity once and for all to destroy the Scots on the battle field. It is only when you visit Stirling do you realise just how important a spot this was a gateway to the highlands. Travelling north from Edinburgh the only practical route was though the area around Stirling castle. Bruce awaited Edward’s army in Tor Wood near Bannock Burn. Here and in the other wooded area to the north Bruce was able to use the natural cover to obscure his preparations.

When you explore the area approaching the battle ground you see just how cleverly Bruce used the countryside. Edward’s principle advantage was his cavalry but to get them to Bannock Burn he had to use the main road from Falkirk this Bruce had restricted by digging deep holes in forcing the horses into a narrow and vulnerable column. The exact site of the battle is not known though it was probably not where the visitor centre is now situated. It may have been Dryfield outside the village of Balquhidderock or the Carse of Balquhidderock.

Wherever the exact site things started to go wrong as soon as the joint English commanders crossed the Bannock Burn ad approached New Park where some of the Scots were located. Henry De Bohun spotted the lightly armed King Bruce and charged lance in hand. Alas the lightness of Bruce’s armour gave him the nimbleness to step to one side and bring down the errant knight with a single blow from his axe. The morale boost to his men was enormous who then engaged the enemy.

Edward main force still approached up the road from the south but to avoid this hazardous route Edward ordered his men east straight into Bruce’s men emerging from the forest of New Park. Now so closely ranked the English could not successfully deploy their bowmen or cavalry and were forced back across the Bannock Burn and towards the Firth of Forth. The battle was lost a combination of Edward’s failure to listen to local knowledge and Bruce’s ability to use his knowledge of the ground to his advantage.