A racist, anti-English tourist attraction in Scotland has caused outrage after it banned English visitors and encouraged people from other countries cto bring with them typically English objects to destroy.
English tourists are allowed into the event but only if they sign a scroll swearing allegiance to Scotland.
All this is for the Scots to get "revenge" on the English over the Battle of Falkirk - which took place way back in 1298.
The battle was a decisive English victory.
Imagine the uproar amongst the Scots if a similar tourist attraction in England banned Scots and encouraged visitors to bring Scottish objects with them to destroy?
One man, the Convener of the Society of William Wallace, said that it was all "tongue-in-cheek." But when England fans, during the World Cup in 2006 in Germany chanted things such as "Ten German Bombers" and "My Grandad killed Your Grandad" (for something that happened a mere 60 years ago rather than 700 years ago) in the middle of a German city, would he also have considered that a bit of tongue in cheek fun?
Scottish tourist attraction bans English visitors in revenge for 1298 battle
A popular Scottish tourist attraction provoked outrage by banning English visitors and destroying 'English' items such as bone china and the works of Shakespeare.
By Simon Johnson
22 Jul 2008
Daily Mail
A march in 2005 to mark the the Seven Hundredth Anniversary of the Murder of William Wallace Photo: ABBIE TRAYLER-SMITH
The Edinburgh Dungeon said the one-day event is in revenge for the Battle of Falkirk, fought 710 years ago July 21st, at which more than 2,000 Scots were slaughtered by the Auld Enemy.
English visitors will only be allowed entry if they sign a scroll swearing allegiance to Scotland, while those from other countries will be encouraged to bring in items deemed 'typically English’ to be smashed.
The attraction, which is visited by 200,000 people per year insisted the measures were a fitting tribute to the Scots soldiers who were killed and their leader, William Wallace.
But it faces a growing backlash from English tourists appalled that they were being singled out for something that happened so long ago.
Victoria Price, 26, from Manchester, currently holidaying in Edinburgh, said: “I was planning to visit the Dungeon because I had heard it was fun. But I wouldn’t give them my money now.
“The Battle of Falkirk was more than 700 years ago for Heaven’s sake. It should be put in the past, but it seems some people find that very hard.”
King Edward I, known as the Hammer of the Scots, decided to crush them in revenge for Wallace’s victory at Stirling Bridge in 1297 and assembled a massive army of more than 20,000 men.
In the battle, on July 22 1298, Wallace’s army of only around 6,000 men was destroyed by Edward’s longbows, although at the cost of almost 2,000 English casualties.
The attraction has a feature about Wallace, in which a ghost of the legendary Scots leader urges Scots to fight on against the invading “tyrannical” English.
Played by John Smeaton, one of the heroes who prevented last year’s terror attack at Glasgow Airport, he tells how thousands of Scottish soldiers were massacred.
Ian Scouller, the Dungeon’s manager, said: “People, not just from Scotland but from all over the world, said we should do something to commemorate that battle and get a bit of revenge.
“One visitor said we should mark the day by banning the English. We welcome more than 600 visitors every day. Many of them are English, and I expect we will take a hit in the pocket.”
But he claimed that Wallace and the Scots soldiers who fell that day would approve, adding: “The only way the English will be allowed in is if they sign a scroll pledging allegiance to Scotland - the kind of thing Edward I routinely did to Scots.”
Mr Scouller, a Glaswegian, also detailed another way for Scots to “gain revenge”.
He said: “People are invited to bring scones, tea bags, English literature, fine bone china or anything else typically English. We plan to smash them with a sword like the one Wallace carried.”
David Ross, Convener of the Society of William Wallace, described the ban on English visitors as “comical” and praised the Dungeon for marking the battle.
He added: “I’m sure it is meant tongue in cheek, but the English did far worse things to the Scots in Wallace’s time.”
The Edinburgh Dungeon is one of Edinburgh’s five most popular tourist attractions and is part of a chain, with other branches in London, York, Hamburg and Amsterdam.
In addition to its Wallace feature, exhibits include a torture chamber with thumb-screws, flesh tearers and head crushers, once used in Scotland to punish criminals.
Visitors also hear tales of some of Scotland’s most macabre criminals including notorious body snatchers Burke and Hare and cannibal Sawney Bean.
READERS' COMMENTS
"I remember England fans in 2006 getting slammed because some of the brian dead among them were singing "Ten German Bombers" and "My Grandad killed Your Grandad" in the middle of a German city.
Was that a bit of tongue in cheek fun? Or racist stupidity?
As for English being a nationality rather than a race, the same goes for Scottish, Welsh, German, Spanish, French, Italians, etc, so lets not play semantics.
I think its wrong to tar all Scots with the same brush here. But lets not brush this off as a joke, its about as boring and vile as the anti German antics of some of the English.
Scott."
Scott
*********************************************
"As a Northern Irishman, who has recently served in war with fellow soldiers from all over the UK and beyond, I feel a great cultural and historical link with Scotland (after all we did conquer the country and give it it's name in the Dark Ages). However this article fills me with disgust. Having lived through the senseless hatred and violence of the current phase of 'The Troubles', it beggars belief that anyone would actively promote this kind of racist sectarianism in a relatively peaceful country.
Shame on the organisers, and shame on the police if they do not enforce the law and put a stop to this Scottish equivalent of 'Krystal-Nacht' "
Col
**************************************************************
"I'm a pragmatist.
"Jacobite allies ? I see Scottish regiments singing " God Save The Queen. "
Scottish oil ? Isn't it in International waters ?"
Ssrarsfields ghos
**********************************************
"My mother is scottish and I've told her I wish she was dead. This article just goes to prove how evil and disgusting scottish people are."
Jus
***************************************************
"Brilliant idea.... perhaps the Holocaust museum will follow the lead and ban all Germans for one day a year (you know just for revenge)...."
Robin Parsons
********************************************
"Ive got a good idea, lets stop giving them english money!!!"
English till I die
***********************************************
"We all know the Scots spread hatred for the English across the world, but they are so openly nasty, and proud of it, that I feel greatly angered. What kind of people would spread hatred for my young, innocent children?
What can we do to stop this? How many more centuries will the Scots spread their rot and filth?
"I feel sickened by our neighbours. They make me vomit with their nasty, evil racist behavious."
- helen Wright
*****************************************************
"Grow up you miserable toe-rags, the world moves on. It's about time you lot did."
- Keith Simmonds
************************************************************
"Speaks volumes of the mentality of many, but not all, Scots.
Give them home rule immediately and ship their fellow Jocks in Westminster back, pronto."
- Gordon Pergrove
*************************************************************
"This is so typical of the Scots"
- william wallace was a big jessie
********************************************************
"I suggest that all Scottish people working/living in England be asked to swear an oath of allegiance to England. If they refuse, boot them back to Scotterland."
home rule for england
***************************************************
"Shame on Scotland."
tina
******************************************************
"Scottish education - paid for by English tax-payers."
Patrick Harris
**************************************************************
"Time we dumped Gordon Brown (Oh yeah, another Scot) back up in Scotland where he belongs."
- Alfred
***********************************************************
"I understand that their diet of deep fried Mars bars and sour grapes has reduced life expectancy to less than that of third world countries as it is.
I hope the weather is nice for you little shindig ~ not to sunny so that your little ginger heeds don't get too inflamed.
Toodle pip, porridge monkeys."
Viscount Humphrey III
telegraph.co.uk
English tourists are allowed into the event but only if they sign a scroll swearing allegiance to Scotland.
All this is for the Scots to get "revenge" on the English over the Battle of Falkirk - which took place way back in 1298.
The battle was a decisive English victory.
Imagine the uproar amongst the Scots if a similar tourist attraction in England banned Scots and encouraged visitors to bring Scottish objects with them to destroy?
One man, the Convener of the Society of William Wallace, said that it was all "tongue-in-cheek." But when England fans, during the World Cup in 2006 in Germany chanted things such as "Ten German Bombers" and "My Grandad killed Your Grandad" (for something that happened a mere 60 years ago rather than 700 years ago) in the middle of a German city, would he also have considered that a bit of tongue in cheek fun?
Scottish tourist attraction bans English visitors in revenge for 1298 battle
A popular Scottish tourist attraction provoked outrage by banning English visitors and destroying 'English' items such as bone china and the works of Shakespeare.
By Simon Johnson
22 Jul 2008
Daily Mail
A march in 2005 to mark the the Seven Hundredth Anniversary of the Murder of William Wallace Photo: ABBIE TRAYLER-SMITH
The Edinburgh Dungeon said the one-day event is in revenge for the Battle of Falkirk, fought 710 years ago July 21st, at which more than 2,000 Scots were slaughtered by the Auld Enemy.
English visitors will only be allowed entry if they sign a scroll swearing allegiance to Scotland, while those from other countries will be encouraged to bring in items deemed 'typically English’ to be smashed.
The attraction, which is visited by 200,000 people per year insisted the measures were a fitting tribute to the Scots soldiers who were killed and their leader, William Wallace.
But it faces a growing backlash from English tourists appalled that they were being singled out for something that happened so long ago.
Victoria Price, 26, from Manchester, currently holidaying in Edinburgh, said: “I was planning to visit the Dungeon because I had heard it was fun. But I wouldn’t give them my money now.
“The Battle of Falkirk was more than 700 years ago for Heaven’s sake. It should be put in the past, but it seems some people find that very hard.”
King Edward I, known as the Hammer of the Scots, decided to crush them in revenge for Wallace’s victory at Stirling Bridge in 1297 and assembled a massive army of more than 20,000 men.
In the battle, on July 22 1298, Wallace’s army of only around 6,000 men was destroyed by Edward’s longbows, although at the cost of almost 2,000 English casualties.
The attraction has a feature about Wallace, in which a ghost of the legendary Scots leader urges Scots to fight on against the invading “tyrannical” English.
Played by John Smeaton, one of the heroes who prevented last year’s terror attack at Glasgow Airport, he tells how thousands of Scottish soldiers were massacred.
Ian Scouller, the Dungeon’s manager, said: “People, not just from Scotland but from all over the world, said we should do something to commemorate that battle and get a bit of revenge.
“One visitor said we should mark the day by banning the English. We welcome more than 600 visitors every day. Many of them are English, and I expect we will take a hit in the pocket.”
But he claimed that Wallace and the Scots soldiers who fell that day would approve, adding: “The only way the English will be allowed in is if they sign a scroll pledging allegiance to Scotland - the kind of thing Edward I routinely did to Scots.”
Mr Scouller, a Glaswegian, also detailed another way for Scots to “gain revenge”.
He said: “People are invited to bring scones, tea bags, English literature, fine bone china or anything else typically English. We plan to smash them with a sword like the one Wallace carried.”
David Ross, Convener of the Society of William Wallace, described the ban on English visitors as “comical” and praised the Dungeon for marking the battle.
He added: “I’m sure it is meant tongue in cheek, but the English did far worse things to the Scots in Wallace’s time.”
The Edinburgh Dungeon is one of Edinburgh’s five most popular tourist attractions and is part of a chain, with other branches in London, York, Hamburg and Amsterdam.
In addition to its Wallace feature, exhibits include a torture chamber with thumb-screws, flesh tearers and head crushers, once used in Scotland to punish criminals.
Visitors also hear tales of some of Scotland’s most macabre criminals including notorious body snatchers Burke and Hare and cannibal Sawney Bean.
READERS' COMMENTS
"I remember England fans in 2006 getting slammed because some of the brian dead among them were singing "Ten German Bombers" and "My Grandad killed Your Grandad" in the middle of a German city.
Was that a bit of tongue in cheek fun? Or racist stupidity?
As for English being a nationality rather than a race, the same goes for Scottish, Welsh, German, Spanish, French, Italians, etc, so lets not play semantics.
I think its wrong to tar all Scots with the same brush here. But lets not brush this off as a joke, its about as boring and vile as the anti German antics of some of the English.
Scott."
Scott
*********************************************
"As a Northern Irishman, who has recently served in war with fellow soldiers from all over the UK and beyond, I feel a great cultural and historical link with Scotland (after all we did conquer the country and give it it's name in the Dark Ages). However this article fills me with disgust. Having lived through the senseless hatred and violence of the current phase of 'The Troubles', it beggars belief that anyone would actively promote this kind of racist sectarianism in a relatively peaceful country.
Shame on the organisers, and shame on the police if they do not enforce the law and put a stop to this Scottish equivalent of 'Krystal-Nacht' "
Col
**************************************************************
"I'm a pragmatist.
"Jacobite allies ? I see Scottish regiments singing " God Save The Queen. "
Scottish oil ? Isn't it in International waters ?"
Ssrarsfields ghos
**********************************************
"My mother is scottish and I've told her I wish she was dead. This article just goes to prove how evil and disgusting scottish people are."
Jus
***************************************************
"Brilliant idea.... perhaps the Holocaust museum will follow the lead and ban all Germans for one day a year (you know just for revenge)...."
Robin Parsons
********************************************
"Ive got a good idea, lets stop giving them english money!!!"
English till I die
***********************************************
"We all know the Scots spread hatred for the English across the world, but they are so openly nasty, and proud of it, that I feel greatly angered. What kind of people would spread hatred for my young, innocent children?
What can we do to stop this? How many more centuries will the Scots spread their rot and filth?
"I feel sickened by our neighbours. They make me vomit with their nasty, evil racist behavious."
- helen Wright
*****************************************************
"Grow up you miserable toe-rags, the world moves on. It's about time you lot did."
- Keith Simmonds
************************************************************
"Speaks volumes of the mentality of many, but not all, Scots.
Give them home rule immediately and ship their fellow Jocks in Westminster back, pronto."
- Gordon Pergrove
*************************************************************
"This is so typical of the Scots"
- william wallace was a big jessie
********************************************************
"I suggest that all Scottish people working/living in England be asked to swear an oath of allegiance to England. If they refuse, boot them back to Scotterland."
home rule for england
***************************************************
"Shame on Scotland."
tina
******************************************************
"Scottish education - paid for by English tax-payers."
Patrick Harris
**************************************************************
"Time we dumped Gordon Brown (Oh yeah, another Scot) back up in Scotland where he belongs."
- Alfred
***********************************************************
"I understand that their diet of deep fried Mars bars and sour grapes has reduced life expectancy to less than that of third world countries as it is.
I hope the weather is nice for you little shindig ~ not to sunny so that your little ginger heeds don't get too inflamed.
Toodle pip, porridge monkeys."
Viscount Humphrey III
telegraph.co.uk