ANECDOTAL SCOTTISH HISTORY stories from your local area.

Stevie · ANECDOTAL SCOTTISH HISTORY stories from your local area.

I'm starting this because for years I've known of a story about Wallace as a boy that doesn't seem to be recorded as far as I can tell.

"Wallace was captured and taken to Edinburgh castle. The governor/commander of Edinburgh castle threw Wallace off the battlements to his supposed death on the rocks far below. However, the big man didn't die but was greviously injured on the rocks below and nearly died".

Most everybody in Stirling takes this story as history. It is true that Wallace was badly injured and disappeared from the scene for a while until he healed. The time frame seems to be in accordance with the story.

Perhaps you know others and we can leave a record for future generations.

Rinty

Wall;ace was supposed to have cut a guy in half on caprington golf course, I think he was a non-member Smile

My favourite local history that turned out to be nonsense was the village of moscow, nr galston. I was told by a teacher and subsequently many times when growing up, that the village got its name from housing a POW camp for Russian prisoners in the Crimean war.

Later in life I was a candidate there in a local election and did some research, only to find out (quite easily) that it was named by the local landowner in celebration of Napeleon's defeat in Russia, the burn that runs through it is called the Volga.

Near me, we have the battle of Airds Moss, which wasnt actually a battle as such and countless cairns and graves of Covenanters accompanied by poorbably exagerated stories.

In the Barr castle in Galston, a plaque decribes how George Wishart jumped from the top storey to avoid the Govt troops, a local historian told me that it was pishtalk, Wishart left in advance of the troops arriving after being warned. Another then told me a third version, with Wishart being caught.

From my family, there is my Great Grandfather who died falling from a top floor window on July 12th. There are several versions as to what happened I am in no doubt which one I believe, hanging pictures of the King from your window ahead of an orange parade is defintely more dangerous than taking ecstacy Smile

agentmancuso

Rinty

I know it's a cracker, and, I share this great grandfather with a current top referee. I could get all those wee mad celtic fans in the Green Brigade all excited if he ever gives a major decison against them Smile

agentmancuso

If Parkie reads this we'll never hear the end of it...