Background

• Wallace and Murray’s armies joined • 22 Aug - Edward departed for France• English army marched to Stirling

– led by Warenne – old soldier, tremendous power – Cressingham nicknamed the ‘treacherer’ (treasurer)

• By August Murray had control of the North• Wallace had driven English out of Fife and Perthshire

Importance of Stirling

• Powerful castle

• Key to control Scotland

• Access to north

Stirling

Differences in ArmiesStarting Position

English Scots

Scran video clip

Army was on high ground known as Abbey Craig - Between the River Forth and the Ochil Hills facing the Stirling Bridge.

South side of the River Forth

Differences in Armies

Leaders

English Scots

William Wallace

Andrew Moray

Wallace’s first experience of a standing battle Had only used guerrilla tactics before this

John de Warenne (Earl of Surrey - English Governor of Scotland)

Hugh de Cressingham (Treasurer)

Both experienced in leading troops into battle

40,000 infantry

180 horseman

Army mostly from ‘lesser ranks’ in society

No experience

Little training

60,000 cavalry and infantry

8000 in reserve

Well trained

Organised

Experienced

Armies

English Scots

Differences in Armies

Homemade

12 feet long spears

Axes

Knives

Well equipped

Skilled, trained longbowmen

Weapons

English Scots

Differences in Armies

Homespun cloth rough hide tunics

Few had helmets

Few had body armour

Uniforms

Protective clothing

Armour

Uniforms

English Scots

Differences in Armies

Warenne told his army to cross Stirling Bridge the following morning and fight

Night before the battle

Delay

• Warenne slept in (Stirling Castle)

• This caused confusion and delay, Cressingham had already sent 5000 troops across the bridge now they had to be recalled

• Warenne then insisted on creating several new knights

• Cressingham was irritated and impatient

Morning of the Battle

Warenne sent two friars to speak to the Scots and give them one last chance to surrender......

Wallace replied

‘Tell your commander that we are not here to make peace, but to do

battle to defend ourselves and liberate our Kingdom. Let them

come on, and we will prove this in their very beards’

Prior to BattleSir Richard Lundie a Scot who had joined English warned Cressingham‘My Lord, if we cross that bridge now, we are dead men. For we can only go over two abreast, and the enemy are already formed up: they can charge down on us whenever they wish. There is a ford not far from here, where 60 men can cross at a time. Give me 500 horsemen, then, and a small body of footsoldiers, and we will attack the Scots from behind: then the rest of the army will be able to cross the bridge in perfect safety’

Cressingham replied

‘It will do us no good, my lord earl, either to go bickering like this or to waste the King’s money in vain manoeuvres. So let us cross right away, and do our duty as we are bound to do.’

Warenne agreed with Cressingham

The Battle begins....• Cressingham took position

of honour on the bridge

• English started to file along the bridge 2 abreast

• Wallace and Murray on the slopes of Abbey Craig watched and waited

The Battle begins....

• Wallace waited till 5000

English had crossed the

bridge and were on the

narrow causeway

• Then he sounded the

charge

The Battle begins....

There was panic and confusion amongst the English

• The English knights on the causeway could not manoeuvre

• Horses were driven off the causeway and into marshland

• Knights fell off their horses and were stabbed through chinks in

their armour and visors

On the Causeway

The Scots then attacked the bridge head

• Many English knights tried to turn back

• Many were killed by their own men in the confusion

• Some flung themselves overboard and drowned

The Bridge

Cressingham was killed, skinned and his body sent around

the country

Wallace took enough for a new sword belt

Warenne on other side of the bridge fled with his troops

Significance of the Victory

SCOTS

• Showed a smaller army of lower ranks could defeat the larger, heavily armed and trained English army

• Destroyed the myth that the English could not be

defeated • Strengthened Scots will

to resist Edward I

ENGLISH

• Humiliation for Edward I

• Made Edward I determined to seek revenge