Raid on Scone

Background

After the sacking of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Battle of Dunbar in 1296, Scotland was under English control. William Wallace had led an attack at Lanark against the English Sheriff, William de Heselrig, who was killed in the attack. William began to rise as a Scottish rebel leader.

 

 

King Edward I of England had appointed William de Ormesby Justice of Scotland, effectively making him the equivalent of a Prime Minister. Edward instructed Ormesby to exact homage and fealty from the Scottish tenants, which Ormesby did, driving all those who refused to recognize King Edward into exile.

Battle

In 1297, William Wallace joined forces with William Douglas (the Hardy), a prominent Scottish noble who had rebelled against the English at Berwick-upon-Tweed. Douglas was the first person of nobility to join ranks with Wallace. Together, they decided to try to retake Scone from the English, as it was a strategic location and one with symbolic value as the traditional site of Scottish coronations and the former seat of Scottish kingship.

The landscapes and forests of Scotland made it easy for William Wallace and his men to disappear from English eyes. In June of 1297, Wallace and Douglas launched a surprise attack on Scone from their base within Ettrick Forest and forced William de Ormesby to flee the town. Ormesby was in Scone holding a court of justice to demand homage from the local landowners and had been forewarned of Wallace's approach just prior to Wallace's arrival and escaped, leaving his belongings behind.

With Ormesby's rushed escape, the Scottish forces took control of Scone.

Aftermath

The Raid on Scone demonstrated the rising strength and effectiveness of the Scottish resistance against English occupation. Taking control of Scone was both a strategic and symbolic win for the Scots, reclaiming a site tied to national identity. The English would later capture William Douglas. However, William Wallace would continue to raid and fight, intensifying his efforts to regain Scotland.

It would not be long before William Wallace was once again fighting the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.