STIRLING has been recognised as one of the most historically important areas in Scotland in a recent book which maps historical conflicts in the region.
Two friends, Dr Murray Cook and Jim Roche, have written a novel which traces Stirling, and the surrounding areas of the Forth Valley, called Conflicts Of The Forth: Exploring 6000 Years Of Warfare At Scotland's Bloodiest Spot.
The book explores the rich history of the region over the past six millennia, shedding light on the battles, strategies and historical figures that have shaped Scotland’s and the world’s history.
Dr Cook, who is an archaeologist for Stirling, Falkirk and Clackmannanshire councils, explained that the area is the most strategically important location in Scottish history due to the Forth crossings.
He said: “It is one of the major success stories in Scottish history.
“Everybody that wanted to invade Scotland had to cross the Forth and the only place to do that is at the lowest land crossing, and that is at Stirling.
“So, if you wanted to invade, you had to go to Stirling. If you wanted to stop an invasion, you had to do it at Stirling. All of this combines to give an incredible history of battles.”
Due to the city's strategic importance, the surrounding areas of the Forth saw battles involving the Romans, Vikings, Celts, and Picts who all wanted to control the crossing at the river Forth.
The book covers periods from the Neolithic clearing of the Caledonian forests through to the Cold War and aims to be informative rather than glorifying war.
Roche, who has been a military enthusiast for years and volunteers at archaeological digs, sums up the book’s timescale where it begins with stone tools and ends with the preparation of the Atlantic stone wall for D-Day.
The historian gave one example in the book where carbon dating of the bones of a Dominican Friar showed he lived in the 13th/14th century.
The pair (below) believe the Friar may have spoken to William Wallace before the battle at Stirling Bridge as two Dominicans were involved in peace talks and that he would have certainly met Edward I who recuperated in the Friary after defeating Wallace.
He also most likely saw Robert the Bruce who held a parliament there as well.
Dominicans, also known as Blackfriars from Edinburgh, came to Stirling and re-buried their fellow Friar in 2020 making it one of the oldest bodies in one of the newest graves in Scotland which is marked by an unused stone from the Wallace Monument.
The city’s impact on conflicts also spans internationally, through hundreds of years, and is described as “absolutely astonishing” by Dr Cook, especially given the size of the city today.
Each story around battles is a brief description and is accompanied by meticulous referencing, illustrations or photographs, and a map as it is designed to be taken outdoors in the Forth Valley and Stirling and used as a “great wee guide”.
“Murray and I have been friends for years, and we've talked about trying to put something together because this area is so important in British history because of the nature of the terrain, this is the only area where you can move a large army north or south,” Roche said.
“There are more battles fought around this area than anywhere else in Britain, far less Scotland.
“So, we've got maps dotted with areas where battles have happened, conflicts from Neolithic times, certainly through Romans and all the way up to Bonnie Prince Charlie.”
Conflicts Of The Forth has been a passion project for both authors, as they share a love for Stirling and the Forth Valley.
Dr Cook said one of the key strengths of archaeology is telling stories and providing evidence to inform people about their past in an engaging way.
He also wants to break the misconception that archaeology is purely for academics and is a “white collar” interest.
The archaeologist is adamant that Scotland’s rich history belongs to everyone and that our national identity through our heritage is something to celebrate and treasure.
“This is one of the reasons people come to Scotland, to find out about our amazing past,” he said.
“I mean Stirling is an incredible place, home of the world's oldest football, home of the world's oldest curling stone, home to tartan, home to Scotland's two most important battles, home to Scotland's best preserved medieval bridge.
“I could go on like this for 10 minutes. It's amazing, and all of it is a kind of 20-minute walk.”
Roche is also keen to highlight the influence other countries have had on the area too as the book touches on the importance international soldiers had in Scotland during the Second World War.
Grangemouth is one example given by the historian as the town’s old runway was used to train spitfire pilots and is the location where more than 70 soldiers lost their lives due to accidents learning to fly.
With 140 pages, Conflicts Of The Forth is packed full of concise information as the two authors best describe the book as accessible, accurate and easy to use.
For anyone who wishes to learn more about the book they can do so here.
