‘It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.‘


Today is the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath which is one of the most important documents in Scottish history and it also supposedly was influential in the wording of the American Declaration of Independence although there is no proof.   At Newbattle Abbey, southeast of Edinburgh, there are a few remains of the original abbey where the Declaration of Independence in Scotland was drawn up in March 1320 by 51 of the Scottish nobles, among whom was the Abbot of Arbroath Abbey, the Chancellor of Scotland.  The text was sent to the King’s main chancery at Arbroath Abbey to be written up in its final form with the nobles’ seals added and dated April 6th 1320 and it has subsequently become known as the Declaration of Arbroath.  It was sent to ask the Pope to recognise Scotland's independence and acknowledge Robert the Bruce as the country's lawful king.
 

An article by the local MP.