William Wallace won his most famous victory over the English thanks to the rising tide of the River Forth, a leading archaeologist has claimed.
The Battle of Stirling Bridge, part of the First War of Scottish Independence, was fought on September 11, 1297.
Wallace and his co-commander Andrew de Moray allowed thousands of English knights and infantry to cross the narrow bridge over the Forth, before ordering the attack.
The Scottish army overwhelmed the English with a charge from Abbey Craig, where the National Wallace Monument now stands.
But Stirling archaeologist Murray Cook said that recent discoveries suggest the rising tide was decisive.
He said: “Our excavations at nearby Cambuskenneth’s medieval harbour reveal that the Forth’s contemporary tidal range was up to two metres higher than it is today, making it potentially twice as wide.
“Accounts suggest there were several hours between the first English attempts to cross the bridge and the start of the battle.”
The English should have been able to resist the Scottish charge, but not if they lost order, Cook said. “The river could have risen four metres behind them, which would have been terrifying, especially in heavy armour.”
In his new book, Digging into Stirling’s Past, Uncovering the Secrets of Scotland’s Smallest City, Cook reveals how many would have drowned in the ensuing chaos.
He said: “They were trapped and panicked – you can easily imagine the people at the back pushing forwards while those at the front were retreating. As the tide rises behind them, they break form. They are crushed or drowned.
“The English didn’t know how high the Forth would rise and order broke down, resulting in the loss of 5000 souls. The Forth was the greatest ally Wallace ever had.”
