Clan of the Month - The Wondrous Wallace's

There are a few possible theories as to where the Wallaces came from.

The name could be derived from the Old French word ‘waleis’ meaning ‘Welshman’, so the origins of this clan could actually lie in Wales rather than Scotland. These Welsh Wallaces are likely to have come north under the encouragement of King David I of Scotland who gave grants to southern Norman nobles to relocate.

It’s also possible that the Wallaces were Britons who came north to settle in Strathclyde in the tenth century. The name was common in Renfrewshire and Ayrshire at the time, which bolsters this theory.

Yet another possibility is that they were originally a Shropshire family who travelled to Scotland with the Stewarts.

Whatever the origin of the Wallace family, the first record of the name in Scotland is that of Richard Walensis. He was granted an estate in present-day Kyle in the west of Scotland and he also held lands in Kilmarnock. It’s thought that Riccarton in East Ayrshire means ‘Richard’s town’ and is named for Richard Wallace.

William Wallace is the most famous of all Scottish patriots, but the family’s devotion to their country didn’t start with him. Adam de Waleys was one of the signatories of the Ragman Rolls, in which Scottish nobility pledged allegiance to Edward I of England in 1296. His son, Malcolm of Elderslie, however, was one of only a handful of Scottish nobles who refused to sign the document and swear loyalty to the English king. Unfortunately, this resulted in the execution of both Malcolm and his eldest son Andrew.

Some sources say that Malcolm was the father of William Wallace and upon his father’s execution he fled to Dundee with his mother. However, William Wallace’s seal was recovered in 1999 and it states that he was the son of Alan Wallace of Ayrshire. This Wallace also appeared in the Ragman Rolls, identified as the “crown tenant of Ayrshire”.

Whoever his father was, William Wallace certainly didn’t subscribe to their views. He rebelled against Edward I’s rule and became Scotland’s most well-known freedom fighter, becoming heavily involved in the Scottish Wars of Independence during the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Along with Andrew de Moray, William Wallace led the Scots to victory over the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. Despite having fewer men, both on foot and on horseback, the Scottish forces had a tactical advantage by taking a high ground and forcing the English to cross over a narrow bridge. After their victory, Wallace was knighted as the Guardian of Scotland and commander of its army.

He also led the Scots in battle the following year at the Battle of Falkirk, but here his troops were defeated by the English who had more than double the number of men on their side.

Robert the Bruce took over as Guardian of Scotland in 1298, and Wallace’s movements were vague until his capture in 1305. During trial he was found guilty of treason and was hung, drawn and quartered. His head was displayed on a pike on London Bridge and his limbs were sent to Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling and Perth as warnings to the dissident Scottish armies.

Since then, the Wallaces have continued to take a prominent role in Scottish history. Several members of the clan showed their support for the royalist forces of King Charles Stuart during Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan revolution in the late 1600s.

Also in the 1600s, Hugh Wallace of Cragie was involved in promoting Nova Scotia as a Scottish colony. He was awarded the title of Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1669. To this day, a high percentage of the population of Nova Scotia is of Scottish descent - we wonder how many of those are Wallaces!

Today, the Clan Chief is Andrew Robert Wallace. He is the 36th chief of the clan and took the title upon the death of the previous chief in 2016, his father, Ian Francis Wallis.

There are many castles around Scotland which belong to the Wallaces, or did at one point. Some of the most prominent include:

Craigie Castle in South Ayrshire, located around 4 miles southeast of Kilmarnock and 1 mile southeast of Craigie village. The castle is one of the earliest buildings in the area and was built in the 12th century. It was originally built for the Lindsay clan but it became Clan Wallace property through John Wallace of Riccarton who married the last heir of the Lindsay family. The Wallaces lived in the castle until 1588 when they moved to nearby Newton Castle and Craigie Castle was left to fall into disrepair. Some people believe that this was actually the birthplace of William Wallace.

Auchenbathie Tower, now in ruins, is located in Renfrewshire near Glasgow and was once held by the Wallaces of Elderslie. Close to the tower is a small hill known as Wallace’s Knowe where it’s said that William Wallace fought off English attackers.

Carnell House near the village of Hurlford, roughly 5 miles southeast of Kilmarnock, was built by the Wallaces in 1750. It’s remained in the hands of the family ever since and today serves as luxury accommodation and a private hospitality venue.

Clan Wallace insignia

The motto of the clan is “Pro Libertate”, translated as “For liberty” - not too dissimilar to William Wallace’s “freedom” battle cry.

The clan’s badge shows an armoured arm holding a sword aloft. This may be a nod to William Wallace’s two-handed sword which can be seen on display at the National Wallace Monument in Stirling.

The most common Wallace tartan is the Wallace modern, which dates back to 1842 (which is modern when you consider how far back this clan dates!). The modern tartan features vibrant shades of red, black and yellow in comparison to the Wallace Ancient which contains more muted tones, including a red that is verging on orange.

Even more muted is the Wallace Weathered which includes earthy colours inspired by the Scottish weather. Imagine a kilt that’s been subjected to wind, rain, and even a spot of sunshine and you’ve got the idea.

Finally, the Wallace Hunting is a green tartan, designed to act like camouflage for clan members when they’re hunting.