The Bruce
- Burial Site of Robert the Bruce
For anyone who has seen the movie Braveheart ( and you all should even though Mel Gibson is yuck), Robert the Bruce was this guy, played by Angus MacFayden.
Actor Angus MacFadyen - Braveheart
Anyway, he is buried here at Dunfermline Abbey right up the toon from where I stay. This Abbey was founded in 1128 and but was built upon on earlier monastic establishment dating back to 1053-93 during the reign of Malcolm Canmore (which literally means Big Head). It was one of the wealthiest Benedictine monasteries, but alas was sacked in 1560 – hey ho.
Dunfermline Abbey
During the 19th century the abbey was renovated and the zippy stonework added to herald the great King’s location.
Victorian Addition to Abbey "Bruce" "King"
Although his body is local to me, his heart is not. Upon his death he requested that his heart be removed and taken into battle on a crusade. This was partly to make up for not going on a crusade himself (rather like being a draft dodger in his day, but he was very busy to be fair) and also to atone for that wee murder of his rival for the throne of John Comyn – oops.
Burial Site of The Bruce's Heart
His heart did make it into battle at the Moorish Kingdom of Granada, where both its guardian James Douglas and the heart casket were found on the battlefield.
- Melrose Abbey
- Statue of Robert the Bruce with the Wallace Monument in the Distance – Stirling
In a nutshell, there is an incredible amount of super cool history and artifacts that are everywhere in Scotland. This is just one of the many bits that are a stones throw from where I reside.
Jean Marie,
Imagine my surprise when I read ‘The Bruce’. My paternal grandmother was Margaret Bruce – supposedly related to ‘The Bruce’. I did not see Braveheart. I have a weak one.