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Home , Arbroath Abbey, Battle of Bannockburn, Cambuskenneth Abbey, Declaration of Arbroath, Deer Abbey, Dunfermline Abbey

We fight not for glory, nor for wealth, nor honour but only and alone for freedom which no good man surrenders but with his life. The Declaration of , 6 April 1320 WHAT WAS THE HISTORICAL THE HISTORIC DECLARATION BACKGROUND EXPLORER PASS OF ARBROATH?

Sent from and Since the 1290s, the English kings Join us in celebrating the 700th As well as the sites featured on our dated 6 April 1320, the Declaration Edward I and Edward II had claimed anniversary of this important trail, which all have connections to of Arbroath was a letter to the Pope overall control of Scotland. Bruce document at Arbroath, and at and the Declaration, from the noblemen and landowners had seized the crown in 1306, but other locations with strong there are many others to visit around of Scotland. It was written after his enemies on both sides of the connections to the story. the country. Passes can be used as nearly 25 years of war over control Border had refused to acknowledge part of a package or ofered as an of the nation, and asserted Scotland’s him as King of Scots, even after his Visiting Arbroath Abbey and optional add-on. right to be recognised as an great victory at in 1314. discovering the real story of independent power, as well If the Pope could be persuaded to Robert the Bruce can create an • Includes access to all 77 as demanding recognition for lend his support to Bruce, Edward intriguing and fascinating theme Historic Scotland attractions Robert the Bruce as rightful king. might concede, allowing peace to for a visit to Scotland. Our Explorer • Fast track entry to all sites return to the warring nations. Pass makes it simple to travel around the sites that tell Bruce’s tales, and is excellent value for money. , KINROSS & ANGUS

1 ARBROATH ABBEY Postcode DD11 1EG Open all year Arbroath Abbey was one of the largest and most important abbeys in Scotland, founded in 1178 by King William I. It was frequently visited by Robert the Bruce, who attended religious services here and installed his chancellor, Bernard of Kilwinning, as of Arbroath in 1310. The letter sent from Arbroath in 1320 was probably drafted under Bernard’s supervision, and noblemen came from all over Scotland to add their seals, signifying their approval. The abbey survives as a spectacular ruin, and a new exhibition has been installed to bring to life the story of the .

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2 ABBEY & PALACE 3 CATHEDRAL Postcode KY12 7PE Postcode KY16 9QL Open all year Open all year Some of Scotland’s greatest medieval The remains of Scotland’s largest and monarchs were laid to rest at most magnifcent medieval church, Church. Robert St Andrews Cathedral is a prominent the Bruce was buried here in 1329, landmark. Bishop William Lamberton though not before his heart was of St Andrews was the head of the removed to be taken on Crusade. Scottish church and one of Bruce’s Near the end of his life, Bruce main allies; they were appointed contributed funds for the rebuilding joint Guardians of Scotland in 1298-9, of the abbey buildings, which had together with Bruce’s rival John been damaged during the Wars of Comyn. In 1309, Bruce held his Independence. A skeleton, which at frst parliament at the cathedral, the time was thought to be Bruce’s, and on 5 July 1318 he attended

2 was found during construction of the cathedral’s consecration by the new parish church in 1818 and his Lamberton, which had been delayed 3 name is memorialised in the parapet by the Wars of Independence. of the 19th century church tower. On 6 April 1320, Bishop Lamberton sent one of two accompanying letters that were presented to the Pope along with the Declaration of Arbroath. The other was from Bruce himself. NORTH &

4 6 URQUHART CASTLE Postcode AB33 8RA Postcode IV63 6XJ Open summer only Open all year ‘The noblest of northern castles’, Magnifcent Urquhart Castle on Kildrummy was owned by the the shores of was of Mar, who were linked to captured by Bruce in 1307 as he Bruce by marriage. After seizing unleashed his fury against the the throne in 1306, Bruce sent his Comyns (Sir Alexander Comyn wife Elizabeth and daughter of had been made 4 Marjorie to Kildrummy for their constable at Urquhart by Edward I safety, but the castle was soon three years earlier). Around 1312, besieged by English forces. Bruce gave Urquhart to his favoured Bruce’s brother Neil was executed, nephew, Sir Thomas Randolph, and Elizabeth and Marjorie were of , who later led a taken hostage. In 1335, Bruce’s heroic raid on Castle. sister Christina defended Kildrummy against a pro-English force under 7 BALVENIE CASTLE David, Earl of . Postcode AB55 4GH Open summer only 5 A wide ditch encircles this striking, Near curtain-walled castle. On 22 May Open all year 1308, Bruce defeated John Comyn, This tranquil Cistercian monastery Earl of , in battle at Inverurie, was founded by William Comyn, 30 miles south-east of Balvenie 5 6 , in the early 1200s. Castle, after which he brutally In 1308, the abbey was probably stamped out the inhabitants of sacked when Bruce drove William’s Buchan. grandson John into exile and ordered Buchan be ravaged ‘fra end till end and sparyt nane’.

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8 CASTLE 10 DUNDONALD CASTLE Postcode G82 1JJ Postcode KA2 9HD Open all year Open all year stood at the heart The second castle at Dundonald of an ancient kingdom covering the was destroyed around 1298, possibly area now known as . by Bruce while Earl of Carrick. The castle was captured in 1296, The castle’s owner, Walter, the 6th during Edward I’s frst campaign in High Steward, fought with Bruce at Scotland, but fell back into Scottish Bannockburn and later added his hands after Wallace and Moray’s seal to the Declaration of Arbroath. victory at Bridge in 1297. He married Bruce’s daughter Bruce died nearby in his manor at Marjorie; their son became King Cardross in 1329. Robert II, founder of the Stewart line, the UK’s most enduring royal dynasty. 9 11 8 9 Postcode G4 0QZ Open all year Postcode G71 8BL 10 11 Visit Glasgow Cathedral, the spot Open all year where Scotland’s largest city frst Hotly fought over during the Wars began to take shape. The Cathedral of Independence, Bothwell Castle was the seat of Bruce’s key ally, was captured by Edward I in 1301, Bishop , who helped and remained in English hands arrange the lifting of his original until June 1314. In the aftermath excommunication. of Bannockburn, many of Edward’s senior knights took shelter here. Bruce sent his brother here, where he captured some very valuable English prisoners. CENTRAL & WEST

12 14 ABBEY In 1326, another Postcode FK8 1EJ Postcode PA76 6SQ parliament agreed the royal line of Open all year Open all year succession to follow Robert, via his 12 Stirling is one of Scotland’s greatest Take the foot ferry to Iona and step daughter Marjorie, which ultimately stone castles. Bruce would have been of onto one of Scotland’s most put the Stewart dynasty on the present at the siege of 1304: at that sacred sites. Angus Og MacDonald, throne in 1371. time he was an ally of Edward I. a follower of Bruce, is buried here. Stirling Castle was also besieged The founder of the frst monastery 16 DUNSTAFFNAGE CASTLE by Bruce’s forces in May 1314, which at Iona, St , was believed Postcode PA37 1PZ led to the , to bring blessings to Scottish forces Open all year a turning point in the Wars of in battle. The legendary Brecbennach Dunstafnage was the seat of the Independence and in the fortunes (probably a reliquary or box MacDougalls of . They sided 13 of Bruce and his foe Edward II of containing relics of Columba) was with the Balliols during and after . The face of the statue at kept at Arbroath Abbey, and the Great Cause of 1290–1, which led Bannockburn battlefeld was modelled supposedly carried into battle at to being selected over on the skull found at Dunfermline. Bannockburn, Bruce’s great victory Robert Bruce (Robert the Bruce’s over Edward II of England in 1314. grandfather) as King. After seizing 13 KILCHURN CASTLE The Monymusk Reliquary, now in the throne in 1306, Bruce moved Postcode PA33 1AF the National Museum of Scotland ruthlessly to eliminate his rivals Open summer only in Edinburgh, is sometimes said and enemies. After trapping From a galley on Loch Awe, close to be the Brecbennach. MacDougall’s forces at the Pass of 14 to where the castle stands today, Brander, Bruce pursued them to John MacDougall of Lorne watched 15 Dunstafnage, which he besieged. his army routed by Bruce’s forces 1m east of Stirling Despite MacDougall’s appeal to in the Battle of the Pass of Brander Open summer only Edward II for assistance, the castle in 1308. The Campbells, who had During the Battle of Bannockburn in soon fell to Bruce. supported Bruce, were rewarded 1314, the disafected Earl of Atholl with lands around Loch Awe, led his men against the troops replacing MacDougall as Argyll’s guarding the Scottish supply depot. 15 dominant family. The castle that Shortly after the battle, Bruce held stands now came later. a parliament at Cambuskenneth at which those Scots who had opposed him were stripped of their titles and estates, and he compelled cross-border landowners to choose between Scottish and English estates.

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17 19 LINLITHGOW PALACE Postcode EH1 2NG Postcode EH49 7AL Open all year Open all year In March 1314, Bruce sent his nephew, Explore the magnifcent ruins of Sir Thomas Randolph, , Linlithgow Palace, where a royal to attack the castle. In a daring raid, manor once stood. Edward I made Randolph and his men scaled the Linlithgow his base during his rock and captured the castle. Bruce campaigns of 1296 and 1301, and then had most of it demolished to expanded it in 1302-3. The site prevent it from being useful to the remained in English hands and, in 1310, English. Discover more of this story Edward II spent a week at Linlithgow in the Fight for the Castle exhibition. during one of his Scottish campaigns. The Earl of Moray was one of the It was recaptured by Bruce’s followers noblemen who added their seals to in 1313. ’s famous epic the Declaration of Arbroath. 20th poem describes at length century statues of Bruce and Wallace how a cattleman named Bunnock guard the door at Edinburgh Castle. jammed the gates open with his cart and slew the porter with a single blow, 18 allowing Bruce’s troops to food in Postcode EH8 8DX and overwhelm the English garrison. Open all year Bruce held a parliament at Holyrood 17 Abbey in 1328, at which the Treaty of Edinburgh was ratifed. This 18 19 recognised Bruce as rightful King of Scots, and brought a temporary halt to the Wars of Independence. Its terms also included a marriage between Bruce’s son (later David II) and Edward III’s sister Joan. Bruce stayed here during the parliament.

Note. Holyrood Abbey accessed in the grounds of the Palace of Holyroodhouse – tickets for the Palace must be purchased to visit. &

20 CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE 21 Postcode DG1 4RU Postcode TD6 9LG Open all year Open all year Besieged and captured by Edward I Discover a place so beloved by in 1300, Caerlaverock Castle remained Robert the Bruce, he chose it in English hands until 1312 when the as the fnal resting place for his keeper Sir Eustace Maxwell changed heart. In 1302, Bruce wrote to his allegiance to Robert the Bruce. Melrose Abbey to apologise for He was besieged by the English, attempting to press its tenants but held out. In 1313, with the castle into battle against the English. secured, Bruce ordered it to be demolished to prevent the English After his death in 1329, his heart invaders from using it. Sir Eustace was buried here after being later added his seal to the Declaration taken on crusade by his loyal For opening times, prices and more of Arbroath. You can now explore this ally Sir James Douglas, which information on each site, please visit unique triangular wide-moated castle. was his dying wish. historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place

20 21 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ROBERT THE BRUCE AND DECLARATION OF ARBROATH TRAIL

1 Arbroath Abbey 4 Stirling Castle Postcode DD11 1EG Postcode FK8 1EJ

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2 Urquhart Castle 1 5 Dunfermline Abbey Postcode IV63 6XJ Postcode KY12 7PE

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3 St Andrews Cathedral 6 Glasgow Cathedral Postcode KY16 9QL Postcode G4 0QZ historicenvironment.scot

Historic Environment Scotland Scottish Charity No. SC045925

© National Records of Scotland (SP13/7) © Historic Environment Scotland 2020