#Bannockburn700

Today marks the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, a landmark in Scottish history and a key victory in the First War of Scottish Independence.

Robert Bruce, King of Scots, battled the English army led by Edward II. Edward, keen to retain the stronghold of Stirling Castle, had led a huge army through Scotland to lift the Scots’ siege of his garrison at the Castle. Achieving this was vital to Edward’s hopes of re-establishing his weakening grip on the country, but he was stopped short by the army of Robert Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn.

To commemorate the occasion we have made 'Protecting a Bloodstained History: Battlefield Conservation in Scotland' from the Journal of Conflict Archaeology, and written by the journal's editors Iain Banks and Tony Pollard, free to read:

"Scotland’s battlefields gained legislative protection in March 2011 with the publication of the Inventory of Scottish Battlefields. The background to the Inventory is explored, with a consideration of how similar issues have been approached in other countries. The paper then goes on to examine the approach taken in the creation of the Inventory, looking at the issues that arose and the solutions adopted.

Introduction
In 1995, English Heritage established a register of the battlefields of England. This was the first time there had been any form of official interest in battlefields as components of the cultural resource or the historic environment in the UK. It was not until 30 April 2008 that a consultation on an Inventory of Scottish Battlefields was announced, which led to an announcement on 28 July 2009 that work would proceed with an Inventory. The first part of the Inventory is now in the final stages of production, and will see battlefields of national significance becoming a material consideration in the planning process, with more to be added should they meet the criteria. Creating the Inventory has been a complex process, and although there is still some way to go the following article will map this journey."

Read the full article for free >

Learn more about the Battle of Bannockburn >