Battle of Stirling Bridge September 1297

Question 1

What did William Wallace and Moray see themselves as?

Answer 1

“Commanders of the Army of Scotland”

Question 2

Why was Stirling Castle important?

Answer 2

In the heart of Scotland, Stirling and its castle held essential strategic importance. Those who controlled Stirling were able to in turn control movement between the north and south of the kingdom.

Question 3

Which two men act as go-betweens between the two sides?

Answer 3

James the Steward and Earl of Lennox.

Question 4

Who do the English/Warenne send across the bridge to offer peace talks?

Answer 4

Two dominican friars

Question 5

What does William Wallace say to the two dominican friars?

Answer 5

“we are ready to fight to avenge ourselves and free our country”

Question 6

What advice does Richard Lundie, a Scottish knight who had defected to the English, give?

Answer 6

He warned the English leaders of the dangers of attempting to cross such a narrow bridge. He advised Cressingham that not too far away was a ford where 60 men could cross side by side.

Question 7

How did Cressingham respond to Richard Lundie’s advice?

Answer 7

Cressingham is impatient and ignores his advice.

Question 8

When does Cressingham give orders to cross the bridge?

Answer 8

11th September

Question 9

How many times were the English given orders to retreat?

Answer 9

twice

Question 10

Why were the English troops told to retreat twice?

Answer 10

The first time was because Warenne had overslept.

The second time was because the English thought the Scots were willing to negotiate terms but this wasn’t the case.

Question 11

What happened when the third crossing began?

Answer 11

The Scots waited until as many English had crossed as they could successfully attack. Scots spearmen block the end of the bridge so that no more Englishmen could cross of retreat. The english found themselves surrounded in a tight space, on soft ground where cavalry was useless.

Question 12

How many people did Walter and Guisborough estimate dead?

Answer 12

100 knights and 5,000 infantry.

Question 13

How were the troops killed?

Answer 13

Either by spearmen or by drowning in the Forth.

Question 14

Who hacks their way back through forces, across the bridge and escapes?

Answer 14

A Yorkshire knight names Sir Marmaduke de Tweng.

Question 15

What happened to the Treasurer Cressingham?

Answer 15

He was killed and his body was flayed. (skin taken off body)

Question 16

What did Warenne do?

Answer 16

Seeing the battle was lost, he ordered the bridge to be broken and he fled south with what was left of the English army.

Question 17

What did James the Steward and Lennox do?

Answer 17

They showed their true colours and emerged to harry the English stragglers and their baggage train.

Question 18

Why was the Battle of Stirling Bridge memorable (give two reasons)

Answer 18

• firstly an English army had been defeated by the Scots, which had not happened on that scale since the 11th century.
• Secondly, a well equipped and experienced army with touted knights had been defeated by a largely infantry force, many of them untrained.

Question 19

Why did the English loose at the Battle of Stirling Bridge?

Answer 19

The confined space of the battle site and the soft ground was unsuitable for mounted knights, and the spearmen wreaked havoc on the knights horses.

Question 20

What happened after the Battle?

Answer 20

The Early of Surrey entrusts Stirling Castle to Sir Marmaduke de Tweng, not provisioned for siege to surrenders.
English garrisons in Dundee and Dumbarton castles surrender.

Question 21

How many castles were still in the hands of the English after the Battle of Stirling Bridge?

Answer 21

Three: Edinburgh, Roxburgh and Berwick.