Declaration of Arbroath Goes on Display at Holyrood
069/2005 | 15 August 2005
The Declaration of Arbroath was today unveiled at the Scottish Parliament as the centrepiece of ‘For Freedom Alone’, an exhibition to mark the 700th anniversary of the death of William Wallace.
The document famously demanded recognition for Scotland’s independence in 1320.
The exhibition at Holyrood also features the only known surviving letter issued by William Wallace, and the Ayr Manuscript, the second-oldest surviving text of laws passed in the Scottish Parliament in 1318, during the reign of King Robert 1.
‘For Freedom Alone’ will be on display in the Parliament’s Main Hall until Friday 9 September (opening times at end of release).
The event is taking place in association with the National Archives of Scotland.
Presiding Officer the Rt Hon George Reid MSP said:
“These documents are vitally important pieces of Scotland’s cultural heritage.
“Given their significance to both the historical and political landscape, there can be no more appropriate space to show them than here in the Scottish Parliament.”
George MacKenzie, Keeper of the Records of Scotland, said:
"This exhibition brings together three remarkable documents that helped to shape a nation.
"Thousands of people will be able to view them in this exhibition, thanks to a partnership that has brought the National Archives of Scotland together with the Scottish Parliament, the Getty Conservation Institute, Heriot Watt University and the City of Lübeck."
The Declaration of Arbroath
The exhibition takes its name from a line in the Declaration of Arbroath, which was written entirely in Latin, by Bernard, Abbot of Arbroath, who was the Chancellor of Scotland at the time.
The Declaration was sent to the Pope in 1320, six years after the battle of Bannockburn, where Robert the Bruce defeated the English. King Edward II had refused to make peace with Scotland and the Pope had not recognised Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland.
It is thought eight Scottish earls and 38 barons sealed the Declaration – the sole survivor of three letters written from Scotland to the Pope at the time –
urging the Pope to recognise Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland and to press England to reach agreement with the Scots.
Robert the Bruce was recognised as king four years later.
Due to its fragile state, the Declaration is on display in a purpose-built hermetically sealed display case to protect it for future generations.
The case, which was made by Heriot-Watt University using a design developed by Dr Shin Maekawa of the Getty Conservation Institute, is one of only 15 around the world and the first in the UK.
The case extracts oxygen and replaces it with nitrogen to slow down the effects which cause materials to deteriorate.
The technology is used to house other precious items around the world such as the Royal Mummies in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the world’s first photograph, at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Centre at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.
The Lübeck Letter
The only surviving document issued by William Wallace, known as the Lübeck Letter, is also being displayed at Holyrood.
The letter was sent in 1297, to advise European trade partners that Scottish ports were open for trade, as Scotland had been freed from English control.
The letter came a month after Wallace had defeated the English at the battle of Stirling Bridge, in September 1297, and is thought to carry the only known impression of William Wallace’s own seal.
The Ayr Manuscript
The third document to be displayed at Parliament is known as the Ayr Manuscript, and contains details of some of Scotland’s earliest laws from 1318.
The Act of Parliament highlighted in the manuscript, which was compiled during and perhaps just after the reign of Robert the Bruce (1306-1329), states the king's desire that all should have ready access to justice, whether rich or poor.
The acts displayed also cover other aspects of Scottish life, including the church, the army, fishing and cattle stealing.
Festival of Politics
The exhibition is a prelude to the Festival of Politics, a three-day programme of events at Holyrood bringing together politics, media and the arts.
Guests set to appear at the Festival include BBC broadcaster Andrew Marr, film-maker David Puttnam, Oscar-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave, politicians Neil Kinnock and Shirley Williams, and many more.
For more information, visit www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk.
Visitors can inspect the documents at For Freedom Alone at the following times:
August 15 to September 4 - Monday to Friday 10:00 to 18:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 16:00.
September 5 to 9 - Monday and Friday 10:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Thursday 09:00 to 19:00.
Please note, last admissions are 45 minutes before the closing times above.
The contact for members of the media is:
Sally Coyne Tel: 0131 348 6269
RNID TypeTalk calls welcome
email: sally.coyne@scottish.parliament.uk
For specific information from National Archives of Scotland, contact:
George MacKenzie: Tel: 0131 535 1311
E-mail: george.mackenzie@nas.gov.uk
For public information enquiries, contact: 0131 348 5000
For general enquiries, contact 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
Text phone: 0131 348 3415 RNID Typetalk calls welcome
email: sp.info@scottish.parliament.uk
Visit our website at: www.scottish.parliament.uk
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