MEL ON THE MOVE
William Wallace statue based on Braveheart star returns to scene where hero put English to death
THE controversial Freedom statue of William Wallace is being moved to Ardrossan – where he threw English soldiers in a cellar to starve.
Inspired by the film Braveheart, sculptor Tom Church carved the 13ft statue in the image of star Mel Gibson.
For a decade, it stood proudly at the entrance to the Wallace Monument in Stirling – attracting both compliments and criticism from visitors.
It also became a target for vandals, who daubed it with paint and gouged its face.
Since being returned to the artist in 2008, the 12-ton sandstone piece has been on display at his studio and workshop in Brechin.
But now 72-year-old Tom is downsizing – which meant finding a new home for his statue.
He said: “I couldn’t just get rid of it. It’s the most important piece I have created in my life. It is part of the family.”
So from next year, Freedom will go on public display again in Ardrossan on the Ayrshire coast.
In 1296, Ardrossan Castle was held by a garrison of English soldiers under Edward I. Wallace led his followers to the castle and attacked them.
Legend has it that he threw the dead soldiers and the survivors into the cellar vault and left them to starve. The vault became known as Wallace’s Larder.
Alan Bell, director of the Scottish Centre for Personal Safety charity in Ardrossan, said: “There is a strong connection between Wallace and Ardrossan and I wanted to highlight this. We visited Tom and he agreed to give us the statue as a centrepiece.”
Tom added: “I can’t wait to see it in its new setting.”