Posted on 03/30/2005 1:06:55 PM PST by dead
LONDON - One of Scotland's national treasures, the 5-foot sword wielded by William Wallace, the rebel leader portrayed in the Academy Award-winning film "Braveheart," left its homeland for the first time in more than 700 years Wednesday.
The double-handed weapon that belonged to Wallace will be the centerpiece of an exhibition at New York's Grand Central Station during Tartan Day celebrations, which begin later this week.
Mick Brown a specialist remover prepares to pack William Wallace's sword at the Wallace Monument in Stirling, Scotland Wednesday March 30, 2005. The sword will leave Scotland Wednesday for the first time in more than 700 years, travelling to the United States as part of the country's Tartan Day celebrations being held in April. Members of Stirling Council met earlier this month to decide whether to allow the national treasure make the trip to New York, where it will form the centerpiece of an exhibition. (AP Photo/Andrew Milligan, PA)
This year marks the 700th anniversary of the execution of Wallace, who led the Scots in their battle to free themselves from English rule and whose story was brought to the screen by Mel Gibson in the 1995 film "Braveheart." The film won five Academy Awards.
"This is an historic moment. It is the first time in 700 years that a relic of this importance has left these shores," said Colin O'Brien, a Scottish official accompanying the sword to the United States.
The 6-pound weapon will be returned to its home at the National Wallace Monument in Stirling, Scotland, after the celebrations.
Wallace's sword was kept at Dumbarton Castle for 600 years. King James IV is said to have paid for it to be given a new hilt in 1505.
Thanks again.
I don't usually get much time to travel, but I will see what I can finagle.
Mine comes from "bearer of light and wisdom".
Chew on that for a bit....>:-)
It's 5 hours from my place to NYC so if you're near there, add another hour for the trip because it's south-east of me about 100 miles.
Straight shot down I-95.
LOL!
When combined with the middle and last names I was saddled with..
It becomes a steep hill that is a gift from God.. and it's in a cellar. (!??!)
Very odd the way names go.
(And not very descriptive at all. A name should describe the thing it names, shouldn't it?)
I'm roughly 60 miles west of and slighty towards the north from the city.
Just guessing that the weapon had to have some serious heft- my apologies. Have read that the men who wielded these (successfully)were extraordinarily strong and agile, and had the stamina to do this throughout an entire battle. I have to admire that kind of physical ability.
I think everyone knows that the blade was broken and mostly replaced, then the grip was broken and replaced. The amount of that sword that dates to Wallace couldn't be found by a mass spectrometer....
You're welcome.
Are you from Seoul? Taegu?
Kewl.......still the idea that it was still lives.
Albeit not fencing which seems to be the gist of the thread I think wallace's sword was more claymore like in cutting a swath through the crowd was it not ? I have a Claymore on my I love me wall that a friend in Santa Fe made for me as that was a nickname I picked up after an exercise where I demonstrated a right proper claymore ambush on a large area . Overkill clearly but 72 Claymores in a ravine in depth , 360 degrees up in the trees all daisy chained and set off with an old motorola M122 from half a mile off at an LP/OP. It was sweet....:o)
I was thinking about sword fights and think the movie... last samuri... was pretty fair. Opinion ??
Last Samurai was pretty good for sword fighting, but it was still oriental sword fighting.
The old european style of two handed sword fighting lives on a bit in bayonet fighting.
LOL, I haven't heard that name in a while.
Charlemagne's Sword.
Ooh, Aah!
'Tis but a scratch.
Not right now...but one day eventually.
Sword gets handled alot ..especially from visitors.
The blade is stainless steel 440 grade.
Surgical instruments are usually in the 440 grade for their carbon hardness and flexibility.
The blade is thick...with a 1/4" to point edge taper.
Due to its thickness and taper....the blade rings out nicely with a finger flick.
So ya.....Its a singing sword like Bugs Bunny had : )LOL!
Patrick McGoohan was awesome as Edward The Longshanks.
Whoever cast him for the part...got it right.
Agreed, he always brings his "A" Game...it took an Irishman to paly the Englishman well, though ;0)
Allow me to answer. An E-Tool is an entrenching tool. A shovel. In World War One, the soldiers discovered the bayonet needed two movements. Thrust and then withdraw. It was too slow so the soldiers used their shovels as an axe.
Not that Squantos was around back then. ;)
LOL........it's a tool of the trade , new ones leave a lot to be desired in that arena !.....Thats three old man comments in two days and I don't even have a birthday coming....you , tijeras slim and eeeeekr ! Ya'll in cahoots ?.........:o)
There is nothing like the smell of coal smoke,
the breathing of the bellows, and the fierce bite
of the "fleas from Hell".
I've been a blacksmith for thirty years and still
get a real kick out of building a fire and seeing
the glowing metal change shape to conform to my will.
I always told my apprentices that the art was in seeing
the radiant metal in your mind, and then in fiery reality.
Oh the finished pieces are beautiful, as everyone will attest, but only the smith sees it at it's MOST beautiful.
Thomas Sheets'
American Art Forge
1970-2005
We can still beat down the whippersnappers with our experience. LOL.
I fenced for about six years but it was so long ago, I forgot everything. It's a young man's game because you need the knees.
I have been looking for a nice sword for years. The Civil War ones just don't do it for me. We went to the Irish Festival this year and I found a nice one. No pictures but it's 34 inches long and slender. I have the Scotish Broadsword but your hand gets trapped in the basket. Sort of uncomfortable.
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