2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Sarah Ward PA Scotland, Emma Fradgley)
A historic letter backing Scottish hero William Wallace was put on display for St Andrew’s Day, drawing a crowd of over 250 people. The delicate document, known as the "Wallace letter of recommendation", was only exhibited for five hours to prevent damage from excessive daylight. The letter, penned by the King of France to his agents at the papal court in Rome, was discovered among other historical documents in the Tower of London during the 19th century.
Dating back to 1300, three years after Wallace and Andrew Moray led the Scots to victory over the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, it is believed to have been written while Wallace and other Scottish knights were in France, possibly seeking support for the restoration of the Scottish monarchy as part of their resistance against King Edward I of England. The French king's letter urged allies to back Wallace in "those things which he has to transact". Last displayed in 2018, the document is kept out of light for years at a time to preserve it for future generations.
The National Records of Scotland, which manages the national archive at General Register House in Edinburgh, allowed the fragile piece of parchment to be viewed for just five hours. There is no evidence that Wallace ever made it to Rome, and five years later, he was captured by the English, taken to London and executed. Archivist Jocelyn Grant expressed her delight: "It was a pleasure to put this rare document on show, alongside two tapestries inspired by it, and the so-called Lubeck letter.
" She also noted the public's enthusiasm: "It was nice to see so many people take advantage of one of the few opportunities to see this document in-person; as well as the tapestries." Grant highlighted the craftsmanship involved: "Skilled weavers from the Dovecot studios created them in 2012, and this is the first time they have been on display since then." Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
.
