A little-known medieval siege has been brought to life by an Inverness author in a new book for children.
Barbara Henderson’s fifth book was inspired by a visit to Caerlaverock Castle near Dumfries, scene of the attack on 10 and 11 July 1300 by King Edward 1, the infamous Hammer of the Scots.
The Siege of Caerlaverock draws on a poem written originally in French by an eye-witness to the siege, a herald in the king’s army.
King Edward sent a 3,000-strong force to assault Caerlaverock, with just over 60 Scots defending the castle, outnumbered by 50 to one. They eventually surrendered, exhausted after two days of fierce combat.
Ms Henderson, whose book is published on August 6, said: “It was so exciting to know that the poem’s words were written by an eyewitness, even though he was far from impartial. He was a court poet travelling with the king and wrote in the fashionable French language.
“Nevertheless, there were many hints about what might be going on inside the castle which really fuelled my imagination.
“With William Wallace in hiding at the time, these were such uncertain times along the border, and telling the story from a girl’s point of view adds something unusual too – so many castle stories are aimed only at boys, with lower status female characters all but invisible. I am glad to have been able to redress that balance a little.”
The author, whose books are widely studied in Scottish primary schools, is best known for her Highland Clearances novel Fir for Luck.
The book is published by Cranachan based in Lewis. Managing director Anne Glennie said: “Barbara really does bring the story in history to life. Her books illuminate Scotland’s past, making it exciting and cool for children and adults alike.”
