Coordinates: 56°05′38″N 3°56′19″W / 56.093812°N 3.938562°W / 56.093812; -3.938562

Equestrian statue of Robert the Bruce, Bannockburn

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Equestrian statue of Robert the Bruce
The statue in 2014
Map
ArtistPilkington Jackson
Year1964 (1964)
MediumBronze sculpture
LocationBannockburn
Coordinates56°05′38″N 3°56′19″W / 56.093812°N 3.938562°W / 56.093812; -3.938562

The equestrian statue of Robert the Bruce at the Bannockburn Visitor Centre, Bannockburn, Stirling, is a 1964 work by Pilkington Jackson.

Description

The bronze sculpture depicts Robert the Bruce wielding an axe and on a war horse.[1] The statue stands on a plinth that bears the inscription "ROBERT THE BRUCE KING OF SCOTS 1306–1329". It is located near the site of the Battle of Bannockburn. The statue is a A listed building.[2]

History

Replica statue in Calgary
Statue pre-restoration, 2008

The statue was commissioned by the Earl of Elgin in 1964 to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.[3] It was sculpted by Pilkington Jackson using the measurements of Bruce's skull, re-discovered at Dunfermline Abbey in 1818,[1] and cast in Cheltenham by H.H. Martyn & Co.[4] The statue was unveiled by the Queen.[5]

In 1966, a replica of the statue was placed outside the Alberta University of the Arts in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.[6][7] The statue was funded by Canadian lawyer Eric Harvie.[8][9]

From 2009 to 2020, the statue featured on the Clydesdale Bank £20 note.[10]

In 2013, the statue was restored in preparation for the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn in 2014.[1] The statue which was cast in bronze was slowly turning green.[11] Culture secretary Fiona Hyslop said "The Robert the Bruce statue is an iconic part of the Bannockburn site, and a poignant reminder of the battle".[1]

On 11 June 2020, following the actions against memorials in Great Britain during the George Floyd protests, the statue was defaced with graffiti.[12][13] The Scottish king was branded as a racist, despite not being involved in the slave trade.[14] Stirling MP Alyn Smith said “I’ve been vocal in my support of #BlackLivesMatter and hope such counterproductive stupidity is an isolated incident.”[15]

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Equestrian statue of Robert the Bruce, Bannockburn.
  1. ^ a b c d "Robert the Bruce statue returned to Bannockburn battle site". BBC News. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Robert The Bruce Statue, Borestone Brae, Bannockburn". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  3. ^ "Robert the Bruce, Bannockburn". Equestrian Statues. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  4. ^ The Best,HH Martyn and Co, John Whitaker, pp. 118-131
  5. ^ "A very Canadian sort of hero? Robert the Bruce alias The Outlaw King at the Toronto International Film Festival". Broomhall. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  6. ^ "From the archives: Who is Robert the Bruce and why does a statue of him overlook Calgary?". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Robert the Bruce, Calgary". Equestrian Statues. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Calgary's statue of Robert the Bruce re-dedicated on the 700th anniversary of Battle of Bannockburn" (PDF). www.rbana.org. Robert Burns Association of British North America. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  9. ^ White, Ryan. "Calgary's statue of Robert the Bruce re-dedicated on 700th anniversary of Battle of Bannockburn". Calgary. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  10. ^ *"Fears Robert the Bruce will be removed from banknotes in Clydesdale merger". The National. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Robert the Bruce to get a face-lift ahead of Battle of Bannockburn celebrations". Daily Record. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Robert the Bruce statue at Bannockburn daubed with Black Lives Matter graffiti". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Bannockburn Robert the Bruce statue daubed "racist king" in graffiti attack". Daily Record. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Why has Robert the Bruce been branded a racist?". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Robert the Bruce statue at Bannockburn defaced by 'BLM' graffiti". The National. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
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