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Secretary of State marks reburial of Melrose Heart Casket
24/06/1998
The reburial of the casket believed to contain the heart of Robert the Bruce was commemorated today when the Rt Hon Donald Dewar MP, Secretary of State for Scotland unveiled a marker stone in the Chapter House of Melrose Abbey.
The stone bears the inscription "A noble hart may have nane ease. Gif freedom failye", taken from John Barbour's 14th-century epic poem The Bruce (c.1375). The marker stone was carved from Scottish sandstone by Historic Scotland stonemason Hugh Durrant.
Marking the reburial, Mr Dewar said:
"Robert the Bruce's great victory at the Battle of Bannockburn, won on this day in 1314, was a turning point in the long struggle against the aggression of Edward I and his son begun 25 years earlier.
"Bruce gave definition to the Scottish crown and the country he ruled. He was himself one of the great leaders of our history. More than that, he shaped the relationship between Scots and their leaders. He fought to protect his people, not to vanquish their enemies. The Declaration of Arbroath praises him as the man 'who has brought salvation to his people through the safeguarding of our liberties'.
"We cannot know for certain whether the casket buried here contains the heart of Robert the Bruce but in a sense it does not matter. The casket and the heart are symbols of the man.
"On his deathbed, Bruce asked his knights to go on crusade and take his heart with them. When Sir James Douglas, the knight carrying the heart, died in battle in Spain the casket was brought back to Scotland and buried at Melrose as Bruce had wished. The marker stone I am unveiling today marks and renews the symbolism of that journey and that homecoming."
BACKGROUND
1. Shortly before his death in 1329 Robert the Bruce requested that his heart be buried at Melrose Abbey because of his great love of the place and devotion to the abbey. On his deathbed, Bruce asked his knights to go on crusade and take his heart with them. When Sir James Douglas, the knight carrying the heart, died in battle in Spain the casket was brought back to Scotland and buried at Melrose in accordance with the King's wishes. His body had already been buried at Dunfermline Abbey.
2. The casket containing a mummified heart was uncovered in August 1996 during the excavation of Melrose Abbey Chapter House. It was not marked and therefore it cannot be certain that it contains the heart of Robert the Bruce. While further excavation was carried out at the Chapter House the casket has been secured in cool, dry, stable conditions at a conservation laboratory.
3. The design for the marker stone was chosen by competition from over 50 entries. The winning design came from Victoria Oswald. She is a member of the Friends of Historic Scotland and is a BBC sound engineer working in London. Her parents live in Denholm, Roxburgh.
4. The Battle of Bannockburn was fought on 23 and 24 June 1314.
News Release: 1307/98
June 24, 1998