The town where Wallace killed the English sheriff in 1297, an early act in the uprising against Edward I.
What happened in Lanark?
In May 1297 William Wallace killed William Heselrig, the English sheriff of Lanark. The act belongs to the opening phase of the Scottish revolt that soon joined Wallace's forces with Andrew de Moray's northern rising and led to victory at Stirling Bridge.
History and later legend
The killing of the sheriff is accepted, but much of the dramatic surrounding story comes from Blind Harry, writing nearly two centuries later. Claims about Wallace's wife Marion Braidfute, her execution and the exact sequence of vengeance should be presented as tradition rather than contemporary evidence.
A trail through the town
Lanark's Wallace connection is spread across several places rather than one intact medieval attraction. The local walking trail links St Kentigern's Church, the castle site, Wallace House interpretation and later memorials, making the town itself the context stop.
What to look for while you're here
- The remains and graveyard of St Kentigern's Church.
- The interpreted Wallace House space in Castlegate.
- The former Lanark Castle site, now absorbed into the later townscape.
Before you go
- This is a dispersed town walking trail rather than one attraction.
- Individual indoor sites may have separate opening times.