The Scottish Government is in negotiations to keep in a letter carried by Sir William Wallace over 700 years ago in Edinburgh.
The “Wallace Safe Conduct” is considered one of the most important Scottish artefacts as it was with the freedom fighter when he was captured in 1305.
Written in Latin on 7 November 1300, the message from King Philip IV of France to his agents in Rome commands them to assist the Scots hero in his business before the Pope.
Seized from Wallace, it was rediscovered in the Tower of London in the 1830s. Officially part of the National Archive collection in Kew, it has been on loan to the National Records of Scotland (NRS) in Edinburgh since 2012.
The Society of William Wallace, which successfully campaigned for its return to Scotland 14 years ago, has led a campaign to keep it in Scotland amid fears it will return south at the end of the current loan in September.
A petition to keep the letter in Scotland has now hit nearly 6000 signatures, amid calls for the Scottish Government and NRS to take “urgent action”.
Culture Secretary Màiri McAllan and Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad met with leading figures in the Society last week.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government’s position is that the Wallace letter should be in Scotland.
“We are exploring options with UK authorities to seek a solution that would best preserve the document, enable it to be displayed, and see its future in Scotland.”
David Reid, Convener of the Society of William Wallace, said the meeting had been “extremely positive”.
He said: “The Society met with both ministers to reiterate the importance of the letter not only to Scotland’s culture but to the lore of William Wallace.
“The meeting was productive and the Society feels we are on the same page.”
He added: “It was extremely positive. We were assured the Scottish Government is fully committed to keeping the letter in Scotland.
“However, we know that the decision to keep the letter in Scotland is not entirely in their hands.
“Focus must now turn to the UK Government and a commitment from the Culture minister at Westminster to transfer this important document to the national archives in Edinburgh as a document of national importance to Scotland.”
The letter was last on public display on St Andrew’s Day 2024. The Society says attendance numbers of only a few hundred people did not reflect a lack of interest among Scots but rather a lack of promotion. They also reject any suggestion that the document could not safely remain in Scotland.
Mr Reid said the campaign would continue to “deliver a strong voice from Scotland for the letter to remain” north of the border.
He added: “The Society believes that the Wallace Letter is not simply an old document. It is a tangible connection to one of the defining figures in Scotland’s history and to the political and national story that continues to shape Scotland today.
“The Society believes Scotland should not simply accept the return of the letter to London without a full and transparent examination of every available option to keep it here.”
https://www.change.org/ProtectTheWallaceLetter
This letter was taken from William Wallace when he was captured in 1305. widely known as the “Wallace safe conduct” it was from King Philip iv of France to his agents in rome and commands them to assist Wallace in his business with the pope. its loan to Scotland has now been extended until September 2026.
