The approach to the Wallace Monument, Abbey Craig, Stirling
The National Wallace Monument is a striking tower breaking the skyline at the summit of Abbey Craig, a volcanic crag just outside the city of Stirling. Visible for miles around, the tower marks the spot where Sir William Wallace, the 13th century Scottish patriot, is said to have taken cover the night before he faced King Edward 1 at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
The construction: Perhaps one of the best early examples of ‘crowd-funding’, the monument was financed by both public subscription and foreign donations, at a moment when Scottish patriotism was particularly fervent. The foundation stone was laid in 1861, drawing crowds of around 100,000 people and an artillery salute from Stirling Castle. Eight years later, an unmarried Stirling blacksmith named James Bean volunteered to lay the capstone in place atop the 220-feet tall Gothic tower – sparing the wife of foreman mason Duncan McInnes from watching her husband carry out the perilous task. The project was over time and over budget, so it was not without controversy that the Monument opened its doors to the public in 1869. Despite contentious beginnings, the Monument has, over the past 145 years, become both a national landmark, and a visual focus for the Stirling community.
Artist's impression: the refurbished Hall of Arms, inside the Monument
The tourist attraction: The Monument not only tells the Story of Wallace (and houses his remarkable broadsword), but celebrates the lives of several of Scotland’s most pivotal historic figures. Robert the Bruce, Robert Burns, Adam Smith and Sir Walter Scott are among those featured in the aptly named ‘Hall of Heroes’. Above the galleries the climb of 246 steps to the crown of the Wallace monument offers one of the most breath-taking views to be had in Scotland without climbing gear. Visitors can see as far as Ben Lomond and the Trossachs to the west, enjoy birds’-eye views of the city of Stirling and the Ochil Hills, and see right across to the Pentland Hills in the East. It’s no surprise that the Wallace Monument attracts around 110,000 visitors from across the globe every year, but even historical landmarks must move with the times, and 2014 is a big year for both Stirling and the Monument.
A new vision for the Hall of Heroes, with the Wallace Sword at its heart
2014 improvements: In readiness for Stirling’s central place in Scotland’s Year of Homecoming 2014, the Monument is to undergo several major renovations before re-opening in April. The Visitor reception at the foot of Abbey Craig will be significantly upgraded. On completion, the next focus will be the three galleries housed within the monument itself. Ken Thomson, Marketing Manager for Stirling District Tourism, says that the refurbishment ‘is a vitally important project – and it has been carefully planned to ensure that the new features will make the experience of visiting the Monument even more meaningful.’ Perhaps the most emotive refurbishment will be to the display of the monument’s most precious artifact – Sir William Wallace’s broadsword. Stone blocks, originally quarried from the Abbey Craig 150 years ago for the Monument itself, will be used to create a unique plinth for the Wallace Sword, to be housed as a centrepiece in the Hall of Heroes. It’s a fitting focus to the renovations, which uses the very best materials from the past to take the Monument into the future. Ken explains: ‘We know that for the visitors who come to the Monument the story of William Wallace is incredibly significant, and we want to tell that story in a new and captivating way, showing how the leader of the Scottish forces came to be recognised as a National Hero during the Victorian era, some 500 years later.’
For information on the refurbishment, re-opening dates and news updates, visit: www.nationalwallacemonument.com/
All photos supplied by The National Wallace Monument. Artist’s impressions by Campbell & Co, also supplied by the National Wallace Monument.