AN SNP MSP has called for assurances that the William Wallace letter will return to Scotland “in one piece” after it was confirmed the historic document is to tour England before coming back north of the Border in 2028.
The letter, written in 1300 by King Philip IV of France, is one of only two surviving documents with a direct personal link to the Scottish knight.
It is due to leave the National Records of Scotland after being held there on loan since 2012, under a new agreement between the Edinburgh-based body and The National Archives in London, after thousands supported a campaign calling for the document to remain in Scotland.
The document will go on public display at The National Archives in Kew during 2027. Officials will also consider showing it at other venues in England before it returns to Scotland on loan from 2028 until 2031.
George Adam, the SNP MSP for Paisley and a former minister, said the planned English tour recalled Wallace’s fate after his capture by English forces in 1305.
Wallace was executed in London and his body was dismembered, with parts sent to locations across England and Scotland as a warning to others.
Adam, who was born in Elderslie – traditionally regarded as Wallace’s birthplace – said: “This is a great initiative between our archives here in Scotland and those down south, but given what happened last time with Wallace, let’s hope it comes back in one piece.
“This is one of very few documents from the time relating to Wallace directly and we should celebrate and treasure it - this is a brilliant opportunity to publicise the importance of this document and the story of William Wallace.
“Of course, the letter should be kept in Scotland permanently, but while it is on tour in England, I hope the legend of William Wallace will serve as a point of inspiration to many across England, as it does across Scotland and across the world.”
Written in Latin shorthand, the “Wallace letter” was addressed by Philip IV to his representatives at the court of Pope Boniface VIII in Rome. It instructed them to support Wallace in matters he had to conduct, and is understood to have been intended to help facilitate a diplomatic mission.
The document was discovered among diplomatic correspondence at the Tower of London during the 1830s, later becoming part of the collection that passed to the Public Record Office and then The National Archives.
Its return to Scotland is scheduled to coincide with the 700th anniversary of the 1328 Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, which ended the First War of Scottish Independence. The English tour will come around 700 years after the Treaty of Corbeil, which renewed the Auld Alliance between Scotland and France.
The new agreement is intended to increase public access to the letter across the UK, with National Records of Scotland saying it would support a future curated display in Edinburgh and potentially at other Scottish cultural institutions.
Alison Byrne, chief executive of National Records of Scotland, said: “This collaborative approach will help to maximise public access to the letter while reflecting its shared historical importance.
“I look forward to the letter returning to Scotland from 2028.”
Saul Nasse, chief executive and keeper of public records at The National Archives, said: “The Wallace letter speaks to our shared history, and this agreement provides an opportunity for anyone interested in the document to view it and to develop a deeper understanding of its historical significance.”
Culture Secretary Mairi McAllan said she believed the document should remain in Scotland permanently, adding that discussions with the UK Government over its longer-term future would continue.
