He reckoned without the tenacity of the Scots to retain their independence. In 1297, an uprising under the leadership of William Wallace achieved a victory at Stirling Bridge despite the previous capitulation of the Scots nobility. It was a fluke and the ever superior English forces routed the Scots the following year at Falkirk.

However the spirit of freedom burned bright in Scots hearts. Guerilla warfare was conducted by Wallace and his followers from the comparative safety of Ettrick Forest and other wild places. Even the capture and execution of Wallace in 1305, did not quench the desire to retain their independence.

Robert the Bruce reaped the benefit of the seed of freedom sown by Wallace and his followers.

In early 1298, Wallace was proclaimed Guardian of Scotland at the ‘Forest Kyrk’. Tradition and history places this as Selkirk whose early spellings of Scheleschirche means the Kirk in the Forest. Selkirk was the capital of Ettrick Forest and the one place of importance in Scots hands at the time. At this time Wallace and his band were using Ettrick Forest to harry the English garrisons holding Roxburgh and Jedburgh Castles.

Selkirk had been a seat of the Kings of Scots and Scots parliaments and had been held there for two hundred years.

In historical fairness, one or two historians reckon that the Forest Kirk could have been at St Mary’s of the Lowes, the foundations of which can be seen near St Mary’s Loch in the Yarrow Valley.

In July 1297, Edward’s Treasurer in Scotland records that Wallace was in Ettrick Forest with ‘a graunt compaigne’. For those with a stout heart and strong boots, a hike from Yarrowford (NT 408300) two miles up the ancient road called The Minchmoor, leads to the entrenchments reputedly made by Wallace’s ‘gruant compaigne’ before they went to defeat the English at Stirling Bridge on 11th September 1297. NB - It is a steep two miles but worth it for the view alone.

Commissioned by, David Stuart Erskine, the Eleventh Earl of Buchan and unveiled on 22nd September 1814, this was the first monument to be erected in Scotland to the great Scottish patriot and, fittingly, looks towards Ettrick Forest. It was the work of a local sculptor, John Smith of Darnick.

The imposing 31-foot, red sandstone statue depicts Wallace, Scotland’s national hero, dressed in ancient Scottish armour, resting on his sword and with his huge shield at his side.

The 10-foot pedestal of the statue is inscribed:

Wallace, great patriot hero
ill requited chief
MDCCCXIV

The statue was restored in 1991 by the Saltire Society with over £20,000 being raised by public subscription and The William Wallace Trust, c/o Curle, Muir & Co. (Solicitors), Royal Bank Chambers, Melrose, was formed to look after it.

Close by the statue is a sculpted urn bearing the inscription:

Peerless Knight of Elderslie
Who wav’d on Ayr’s romantic shore
The beamy torch of liberty,
And roaming round from sea to sea
From glade obscure of gloomy rock
His bold companion call’d to free
The realm from Edward’s iron yoke.

The statue is a 5 minute easy walk from a small car park on the Bemersyde road. But by far the most pleasant way is to take the footpath from Dryburgh and walk up the hill to the statue.

More information on the Village of Dryburgh and its surroundings, including a description of the William Wallace Statue is to be found in the book "A Visitor’s Guide to Dryburgh" and available from Scottish Borders Tourist Board. Proceeds from the sales will be used for maintenance of the statue and other monuments in Dryburgh.

These are the main Wallace Connection places which are open/available to the public.

Others like Wallace’s putting stones on Gala Hill and other tenuous stories like Wallace visiting Langlands of Langlands and tethering his horse to a thorn bush near the Wilton Lodge Museum, Hawick, are so dubious as to be unbelievable.

Likewise Wallace’s Tower near Roxburgh was built 350 years after his death.