Robert the Bruce is
Scotland’s
greatest
national hero.
Where Wallace was to fail in
the struggle against English domination,
Bruce was to succeed.
As seventh Lord of Annandale and
Earl of Carrick, Bruce’s roots lay in both Scotland and Normandy.
With lands in England the family wished to retain, the Bruces played a shadowy roll in the early efforts Scotland made to rid herself of the unwanted presence of Edward I “The Hammer of the Scots”.
After the death of his father Bruce finally came to the fore in the struggle.
His qualities of leadership, pre-eminent fighting skills, unfailing courage and, perhaps most importantly, his humanity, eventually saw the majority of Scots fall in behind his campaign.
Bannockburn is often hailed his greatest achievement. In military terms it certainly was. But Bruce must be remembered for one of the most important documents ever produced in Europe, The Declaration of Arbroath. Above all he gained Scotland her independence…just months before he died.
Bruce was a man loved by his supporters; and a man to whom Scotland is still in debt.
The Eastern Trail - Dalswinton - Important Notice
Access towards the so-called Comyns Tower at Dalswinton has been restricted and the Tower itself is rather unsafe. We hope you might respect this and will keep a distance . You can still see the Tower and will get an idea of its history sitting at the end of Target Green. Please remember that the real Comyn’s Tower was where the current Dalswinton House now stands.
The Bruce Women
The Bruce Women event on February 17th was ably presented by Margo McClumpha and Liz West, trustees of the Bruce Trust. Robert the Bruce is portrayed frequently in various media forms as including Bruce Trust talks. Liz and Margo had long shared the desire of bringing some of the women who knew and loved Bruce to audiences. The Bruce Women presentation was an invitation to walk through the mists of time to a catch a glimpse of the courage and tenacity of those women. The presentation began with the story of how Robert Bruce and Marjorie, Countess of Carrick, the parents of Bruce, met and married in secret. This was an act that enraged King Edward. They had not requested his consent to the marriage.
This was followed by an introduction to the brothers of Robert the Bruce and a description of their barbaric deaths. Tragedy did not stop there, it continued in the lives of the Bruce sisters, his daughter Marjorie, and his queen, Elizabeth de Burgh and Isabella, Countess of Buchan who defiantly crowned Bruce at Scone. A profile of their lives, their marriages and their harsh imprisonment were presented to an audience that sat quietly listening to history and perhaps picturing the stories some true, some embellished with the presenters reminding them of inconsistencies in the storytelling. Details of castles and places reminded the audience that the history of Bruce and the women portrayed are deeply embedded in the geography of Scotland and in some parts of England. The character traits that the sisters shared were perhaps a legacy from their mother, Marjorie, Countess of Carrick. The Bruce women were intelligent, compassionate, religious, politically aware and active in the politics of their day. We honour them by remembering them.
