William Wallace - Braveheart

Located on the passageway from Smithfield to the church of St Bartholomew the Great is this plaque. It was placed there in celebration of the execution of Sir William Wallace on 23rd August 1305. Wallace was one of the main leaders in the First War of Scottish Independence.

Scotland had had a succession crisis after Alexander III died in 1286. All his children predeceased him & his nearest relative was his granddaughter. She was only three years old & living in Norway. On the journey from there to Scotland, she became ill & died. Thirteen men from the Scottish nobility put themselves forward to take the throne but when no decision could be met, Edward I of England was asked to adjudicate.   

Edward agreed but only if he was recognised as Lord Paramount of Scotland. John Balliol was eventually chosen, even though he was not the closet relation to Alexander III by blood. Edward I started to treat Scotland as a vasal state, undermining the authority of Balliol.

The nobility of Scotland, tired of this concluded a treaty with France guaranteeing mutual assistant if England attacked the other. The so called ‘Auld Alliance’. In 1297, Scotland was in open revolt against Edward I. After some successes, & a massive failure at the Battle of Falkirk, Wallace was eventually captured. He was brought to trial in Westminster & found guilty of committing atrocities against civilians in war. In modern terms, war crimes.

He was imprisoned in the Tower of London before being drawn, hanged & quartered in Smithfield. His head was placed on a spike on London Bridge, with his limbs being displayed in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling & Perth as a warning to others who also wanted to rebel against Edwards’ rule.

📍 Location

St Bartholomew the Great - West Smithfield, Barbican, London EC1A 9DS

Nearest public transport is Farringdon (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Elizabeth Line, Thameslink) and Barbican (Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan)

Why not learn about more about the dark side of London with one of the GuidesofLondon tours?