Wallace Betrayed at Robroyston

In August 1305, the unthinkable happened. The legendary Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace was betrayed, captured and handed over to the English King. It had only been 8 years since he burst onto the scene with the action at Lanark followed by the Battle of Stirling Bridge. He may have lost the Battle of Falkirk a year later, but he had still remained a thorn in the side of Scotland’s enemies.

Wallace had been a wanted man this entire time, evading capture by spending much of his time in forests and caves, protected by a network of loyal followers. A regular spot to rest was at Robroyston, where he could easily communicate with a fellow patriot, the Bishop of Glasgow. One night, as Wallace lay sleeping in the farm buildings, armed soldiers under the orders of John Stewart of Menteith surrounded him.

He might have been a famous warrior, but even Wallace had limits. With no chance of fighting his way out, he was escorted to the dungeons of Dumbarton Castle. From there, Wallace would be dragged down to London in chains to be hanged, drawn and beheaded. His body was then cut into quarters before being publicly displayed in four separate towns as a warning.

Nobody knows who betrayed Wallace’s whereabouts, but suspicion lay on the man who owned the barn he hid in. He supposedly came into a large amount of money along with a grant of the lands that contained his farm. He had to sell Scotland’s National Hero to get it, but this was now Rab Rae’s Toun.