Bannockburn centre offers medieval war experience

THE ICONIC Battle of Bannockburn centre in Stirling is giving families the chance to experience medieval warfare this summer.

The Battle of Bannockburn centre will offer visitors the chance to try out replica armour and weaponry. Picture: Robert Perry

Throughout the holidays, the team at the site which was crowned “best visitor experience” by the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions, are allowing visitors to try out replicas some of the weaponry and armour of the 14th century.

Families will be under expert guidance from the Battle of Bannockburn’s onsite experts.

Scott McMaster, the property manager said: “Visitors love our 3D presentation of the battle and are often keen to find out more about the weaponry and techniques involved in fighting at the Battle of Bannockburn afterwards.

“Throughout the school holidays, we’ll be giving visitors the chance to do just that with our interactive, hands-on sessions.”

Opened in February 2014, the Battle of Bannockburn experience is the first heritage centre in the world using Hollywood-calibre motion capture to immerse visitors in a realistic and historically accurate 3D medieval battle.

Outside, the site’s historic monuments were restored - the iconic equestrian statue of Bruce was carefully cleaned back to its original bronze finish, the rotunda was repaired and a brand new ringbeam, complete with a newly-commissioned poem by Kathleen Jamie was installed - completing the original design intention from the 1960s.