On the 11th September 1297 William Wallace led his troops to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
The Scottish troops gathered on Abbey Craig, which is now the site of the Wallace Monument, they quickly realised that
they were greatly outnumbered by English forces under the Earl of Surrey, John de Warenne and Hugh Cressingham, an English administrator based in Scotland. The Scots advantage, although they probably didn't know it, was Stirling Bridge
which was narrow, which the English forces had trouble crossing.
The infantry crossed in small groups of men which the Scots quickly disposed of, the remaining foot soldiers they were
able to force back into the advancing cavalry and under the overwhelming weight on the wooden bridge it collapsed and
many English soldiers drowned.
Warrane escaped death, but Cressingham was not so lucky. It is said that his body was
flayed by the Scots and that Wallace made a sword belt out of his skin. How true story is I don't know, it may well have
been a bit of chest beating on the part of the Scottish rebels but it is mentioned by three different English chroniclers. After this, Wallace was seen as a legitimate leader of Scottish resistance and he went on to recapture Berwick and raid Northumberland and Cumberland.
they were greatly outnumbered by English forces under the Earl of Surrey, John de Warenne and Hugh Cressingham, an English administrator based in Scotland. The Scots advantage, although they probably didn't know it, was Stirling Bridge
which was narrow, which the English forces had trouble crossing.
The infantry crossed in small groups of men which the Scots quickly disposed of, the remaining foot soldiers they were
able to force back into the advancing cavalry and under the overwhelming weight on the wooden bridge it collapsed and
many English soldiers drowned.
Warrane escaped death, but Cressingham was not so lucky. It is said that his body was
flayed by the Scots and that Wallace made a sword belt out of his skin. How true story is I don't know, it may well have
been a bit of chest beating on the part of the Scottish rebels but it is mentioned by three different English chroniclers. After this, Wallace was seen as a legitimate leader of Scottish resistance and he went on to recapture Berwick and raid Northumberland and Cumberland.
He was eventually captured on the 5th August 1305 and executed eighteen days later.
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