Clan Wallace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clan Wallace |
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| Uallas | |||
Crest: Issuant from a crest coronet of four (three visible) strawberry leaves Or, a dexter arm vambraced, the hand brandishing a sword all Proper
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| Motto | Pro libertate (For liberty) | ||
| War cry | Freedom | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| District | Ayrshire and Renfrewshire | ||
| Plant badge | Oak | ||
| Chief | |||
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| Andrew Robert Wallace | |||
| 36th Chief of the Name and Arms of Wallace | |||
| Historic seat | Craigie Castle, Ayrshire Auchenbathie Tower |
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The Clan Wallace is a famous Lowlands Scottish Clan. It is officially recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is in charge of Scottish heraldry. The most well-known member of the clan was the Scottish hero William Wallace. He lived in the late 1200s and early 1300s.
Contents
History of Clan Wallace
Where the Clan Began
The Wallace family first came to Scotland in the 11th century. They arrived with a family from Brittany, a region in France. David I of Scotland wanted to bring new ideas and people to Scotland. He gave land to nobles from the south. One of these nobles was Walter fitz Alan, who became the King's Steward in 1136.
A follower of Fitzallan was Richard Wallace from Oswestry, a town near the Welsh border. He came north to find new opportunities. Because Oswestry is near Wales, some people think the name Wallace might come from "Le Waleis," which means "the Welshman." Another idea is that it comes from an old English word, wylisc, meaning "foreigner" or "Welshman."
It's also possible that the Wallaces in the Clyde area were Britons from Wales. They might have moved north with King David I. Another idea is that they were Britons who had settled in the Strathclyde kingdom in the 900s. The term "Welsh" was also used for the Celtic Britons who spoke Cumbric in that area.
The Steward received land in Ayrshire from King David. So, Richard Wallace settled there. Richard Wallace was given his own estate in Kyle. It's believed that the village of Riccarton is named after him. Richard Wallace held land in Kilmarnock before 1160. His grandson, Adam Walays, had two sons. The older son inherited the family lands in Ayrshire. Adam's younger son, Malcolm Wallace, received the lands of Auchinbothie and Elderslie in Renfrewshire.
Scotland's Fight for Freedom
Malcolm Wallace is listed in the Ragman Rolls of 1296. This means he swore loyalty to Edward I of England. However, he later refused to submit to Edward. Because of this, he and his son, Andrew, were executed. Some sources say Malcolm was the father of the Scottish hero William Wallace. But a seal belonging to William Wallace, found in 1999, says he was the son of Alan Wallace of Ayrshire. Alan Wallace also appears in the Ragman Roll of 1296 as a "crown tenant of Ayrshire." Dr. Fiona Watson, a historian, believes William Wallace was a younger son of Alan Wallace.
During the Wars of Scottish Independence, William Wallace and Andrew de Moray led a successful fight against the English. In 1297, they won a huge victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. After this, Wallace was made Guardian of Scotland. Wallace also led the Scottish forces at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298. However, they were defeated there because the English had more soldiers.
Wallace was eventually captured near Glasgow and handed over to Edward I of England. He was put on trial and found guilty of treason. In 1305, he was executed in a very harsh way at Smithfield, London.
Later Wars and Important Wallaces
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The Wallaces of Cragie became the main branch of the clan. They got their land in the late 1300s by marriage. In 1449, Sir John Wallace of Cragie was a leader in the Scottish victory over the English at the Battle of Sark. William Wallace of Carnell died fighting at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
In the 1600s, Hugh Wallace of Craigie was made a Baronet of Nova Scotia. This was part of a plan to encourage Scottish settlement in Canada.
James Wallace served as a captain in the army in 1640. Sir Hugh Wallace supported King Charles Stuart during the English Civil War.
Also in the 17th century, a mathematician named John Wallis made important discoveries. He was the first to work with the idea of infinity in math. His work helped lead to the development of calculus.
Wallaces in the 1800s
In the 1800s, Alfred Russel Wallace was a famous naturalist and writer. He developed his own ideas about evolution by studying plants and animals in South America and the East Indies. His ideas were published at the same time as Charles Darwin's in 1858.
Thomas Wallace was a vice-president of the British Board of Trade. In 1821, he helped lower taxes on timber from the Baltic Sea. This change helped end an old trade system.
Sociologist Graham Wallas was an early leader of the Fabian Society. This group wanted to bring socialist ideas into British politics peacefully.
Sir Richard Wallace was a great collector of art. He collected paintings, sculptures, and furniture, especially from 18th-century France. When he died in 1897, he gave his collections to the people of Britain. They are now known as the National Wallace Collection.
Clan Chief
The current Chief of Clan Wallace is Andrew Robert Wallace. He is the 36th Chief of the Name and Arms of Wallace. His father, Ian Francis Wallace, was the 35th Chief. Ian passed away in 2016 at 89 years old.
Ian became Chief after his brother, Lt. Col. Malcolm Robert Wallace, died in 1990. Ian was born in 1926. He studied at Oxford University and served in the Royal Army Service Corps. He lived in Edinburgh with his family. Andrew Robert Wallace was born in 1964, very close to where William Wallace was executed. Even though he was born in England and his mother is English, he feels very Scottish.
Clan Castles
Here are some castles that belonged to the Clan Wallace:
- Riccarton Castle, in Riccarton, Ayrshire, is named after Richard Wallace. The Wallaces owned these lands from the 1200s or earlier. It's said that Malcolm Wallace was born here.
- Wallace's Buildings, in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, is believed to be the birthplace of the hero William Wallace. The Wallaces owned this property from the 1200s until about 1850. The buildings are gone now, but a monument marks the spot.
- Craigie Castle, Ayrshire, four miles south of Kilmarnock, dates back to the 1200s. It was first owned by the Clan Lindsay but passed to the Wallaces of Riccarton in 1371. The Wallaces of Riccarton had Blind Harry gather stories about William Wallace here. The castle was left empty around 1600.
- Craigie House, near Ayr, was built by the Wallaces of Craigie in 1730. It's a large mansion. It later went to the Clan Campbell and was sold to the local council in 1942. Today, its grounds are open to the public.
- Auchenbathie Tower, also called Auchenbathie Castle, near Beith, was owned by the Wallaces of Elderslie. Only ruins remain today.
- Busbie Castle, near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, was also held by the Wallaces.
- Carnell Estate, near Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, belonged to the Wallaces of Carnell. William Wallace of Carnell died at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
- Crosbie Castle, near West Kilbride, Ayrshire, was a Wallace stronghold. It's said that William Wallace hid here from the English.
- Sundrum Castle near Ayr was owned by the Wallaces of Sundrum from 1373 or earlier.
Septs of Clan Wallace
A "sept" is a family name that is part of a larger clan. For Clan Wallace, there are no separate sept families. Only the name Wallace itself is part of the clan. This is the decision of the current clan chief.
Here are many ways the name has been spelled over time:
- Most common: Wallace and Wallis
- Other spellings: Walla, Wallais, Wallice, Wallang, Wallass, Wallayis, Wallays, Walleis, Wallensis, Walles, Walleyis, Walleys, Walli, Walls, Wallyis, Wallys, Walker, Walois, Walys
- More variations: Waces, Wal’, Walace, Walais, Walans, Walas, Walays, Wale, Waleis, Walency, Walens, Walense, Walensen, Walensi, Walensis, Wales, Waless, wylie, Waleyss
- Names like Valance, Valensis, Valeyns, Vallace, Vallance, Valles, Valleyis, Vallibus (Note: Vallibus is actually linked to the de Vaux or Vaus family, not Wallace)
- Scottish Gaelic: Uallas
- Other similar names: Gadhel, Galeis, Galeius, Gales, Galeys, Galleius, Grieve, Galleius, Galles, Galles, Gallia, Gallois, Gaul, Gweddol
Clan Profile
- Clan Arms: A red shield with a silver lion standing up, with blue claws. It has a border made of blue and silver squares.
- Crest Badge: A golden crown with three strawberry leaves. From the crown comes an arm wearing armor, holding a sword.
- Plant Badge: A sprig of oak with acorns.
- Motto: Pro Libertate - which means "For liberty."
- Gaelic Name: Uallas
- Tartans: There are several Wallace tartans, including Red Wallace, Green Wallace, and Blue Wallace. They come in modern, ancient, and weathered colors. These tartans were created more recently.
See also
- William Wallace
- Scottish clan
- Craigie Castle, Ayrshire
- Wallace Monument
- Wallace's Monument, Ayrshire
