Saturday 31st of May, 2025
Hunterston Castle
11am to 4pm
In association with the Society of William Wallace, Hunterston Castle welcomes visitors in remembrance of Scottish hero Sir William Wallace at our annual Wallace Oak Day celebration. It’s also a chance to see the only remaining section of the famous Wallace Oak, which has been safely housed and on display in Hunterston Castle after conservation work to preserve it and it’s official unveiling in May of 2023.
Join us at Hunterston and discover more about William Wallace and other historical heroes from:
The Society of William Wallace
The Society of John de Graham
Strathleven Artizans
We are also delighted to be joined (weather permitting) by:
Thistle Doo Recorder Ensemble
To be guaranteed a spot the see the Wallace Oak itself on one of our mini guided tours (Wallace Oak & Great Hall) please be sure to book early:
What is the Wallace Oak?
On the 3rd of august, 1305 Sir William Wallace was captured at Robroyston near Glasgow. He was quickly taken to the most secure place in the area – the Earl of Menteith’s stronghold of Dumbarton Castle where he was held overnight. The following morning, he was transported across the River Clyde at its narrowest point, to a point on the southside of the River Clyde known as West Ferry. From there, he was brought to what is now Port Glasgow, following the ancient Roman road. According to legend, on 4th August 1305, Wallace was chained to a majestic oak tree at this very spot until the arrival of English troops. These moments marked some of Sir William Wallace’s last hours in Scotland, spent in the shadow of this venerable oak.
The Wallace Oak was cared for by the people of Port Glasgow, even before it was Port Glasgow, but it sadly succumbed to a storm in the 90’s. While the memory of this mighty oak remained, the remains of the tree itself were sadly lost. That is until the Wallace Oak Project, while planning the (now installed where the oak once stood) Wallace Oak Memorial found and rescued the degraded remains from the edge of a local scrapyard where it was discarded after being removed years before. Identified and aged by one of only three dendrochronologists here in Scotland (one of only ten in the whole of the UK) the remains were then stored for almost 10 years before being moved to Hunterston where conservation work began in preparation for safekeeping and display.
Please note: Hunterston Castle is a historic A-listed ancient building. As a consequence, there are many areas within the Castle where accessibility is an issue for visitors using a wheelchair or with limited mobility.
