Gillies Hill is located west of Stirling and the M9, south of Cambusbarron, and north of the Bannock Burn in Central Scotland.
Gillies Hill covers a crag and tail which rises from a height of at the Bannock Burn Bridge near Sauchie Craig to an elevation of at a point which overlooks the former quarrying operation to the west and Stirling Castle to the east. The hill lies north of the Bannock Burn, northeast of Sauchie Craig (an area designated SSSI, Site of Special Scientific Interest), east of the Touch Hills and Murrayswood, south of Cambusbarron, and west of Stirling and the M9.
Gillies Hill is the hill from which Robert the Bruce’s camp followers, or Gillies, descended onto the field of the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 turning the tide of the battle which granted Scotland nearly 400 years of independence. The majority of Gillies Hill has been classified as a Semi-natural Ancient Woodland by The Woodland Trust using aerial surveys and by a follow-up Phase 1 habitat survey conducted in 2010. To date 21 Scotland & 38 United Kingdom ancient woodland indicator species have been documented on the hill demonstrating that the woodland's understory and sections of its tree cover have been cloaked in woodland for centuries; the earliest mapped confirmation of trees on the site dates back to the 1580s Pont map.Ancient Woodland Indicator Plants in Scotland – C. Crawford tnrc.co.uk/media/DIR_64201/CLCrawford_SF63No1.pdf
History
From ancient times to the present Gillies Hill has been inhabited, enhanced and used by multiple generations.
Prehistory The earliest known structures on Gillies Hill were built by Iron Age people over 2000 years ago. Two structures are known, what is currently called Wallstale DunRCAHMS website http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/46232/details/wallstale/ accessed 5 April 2014 on the southern end of Touchadam Craig and Gillies Hill fortRCAHMS website http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/46246/details/gillies+hill/ accessed 5 April 2014 on the northwest end of the craig. From both the dun and the fort the countryside may be seen for miles providing line-of-sight connections to other duns and forts (Touch Muir's Castlehill Duns, the Baston Burn Duns, Wester Craigend Dun, etc.).
In 1984 a trial trench was opened at Gillies Hill fort across the defences in the south sector.Rideout, J 1992 Gillies Hill, Stirling, Central in 'Hillforts of Southern Scotland', STAR Monograph Three stone faced ramparts were explored - material for the construction of the rampart had been obtained by surface quarrying of the surrounding area. Within the fort was a layer of occupation debris containing pottery, including the upper half of a decorated vessel with more cultural material recovered from within the ramparts. This material, along with radiometric dates, suggests activity from the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age and the Iron Age – the presumption being that the ramparts derive from the later, Iron Age activity. The nature of the earlier Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age activity on the hill remains uncertain.
Bannockburn, 23 to 24 June 1314 The name "Gillies Hill" may come from the tale of Robert the Bruce's camp-followers, who before the second day of the battle were ordered to wait in the safety of forest cover within sight the battle. According to John Barbour,Duncan AAM (ed) 1997 'John Barbour, The Bruce', Edinburgh) an early Scottish poet writing in 1375, these "sma’ folk" were called down by The Bruce from the Borestone where he had raised his standard, late on the second day of the battle at a crucial stage. The sma' folk descended the slopes of a hill yelling, banging pots and pans, and waiving pieces of clothing in the air at which point the English troops thinking the newcomers were reinforcements, fled. Barbour does not mention any hill by name, hence the attribution of this event to Gillies Hill is uncertain. Modern historical analysis most commonly proposes Coxet Hill, adjacent to St Ninians, as the location of the events Barbour describes.
Bruce’s Well According to Peter Paterson, Cambusbarron historian, on the day before the Battle of Bannockburn Robert the Bruce came to Cambusbarron Chapel to take the sacrament and to drink from the Chapel Well, formerly known as Christ's Well, and currently known as Bruce's Well. Water from the well was sprinkled on the field of Bannockburn before the battle. A granite block donated by Stirling Stone with a plaque inscribed by Scotia Granite, was placed at the site of Bruce's Well to commemorate its role in the battle for the 700th anniversary in 2014. In 2022 a new footbridge was built from the footpath to the site.
Bonnety Tree The cliff edges of the northwest side of Gillies Hill, known as Touchadam Craig, are the habitat of several dozen ancient Scots pines. One of these pines that has since fallen to the expansion of the Murrayshall Quarry, was known as the Bonnety Tree and is said to have been the tree upon which the Gillies hung their bonnets before their descent onto the battlefield. In 2016 a new "Bonnety Tree" was planted on the southern end of the hill with the cooperation of the Ogilvie Group.
Polmaise Castle
The ruined Polmaise Castle set in the middle of Gillies Hill was built for £30,000 by Col. John Murray, 23rd Laird of Touchadam and Polmaise, upon his return from the Crimean War. Murray commissioned David Burn to design the Scots Baronial mansion in 1865. The building was demolished in 1966 long after the death of the Murray's only son and heir in The Great War. The original Murray house was known as Touchadam Castle which was located to the west of Gillies Hill near Gartur. Only its ruins remain today. In 1673 Murrays Hall located beneath the western craig of Gillies Hill was built as a gift from the Laird to his son. It was eventually occupied by Jacobite Ladies of Murrayshall. These three maiden ladies who lived their entire lives in Murrays Hall were regionally known for their hospitality and kindness to those of all walks of life. Perhaps the most colorful of their stories involves loyalty to the Jacobite cause; the ladies would discreetly end each meal with either a verbal toast "To Him over the water," or by a delicate movement of the glass over the pitcher of water on the table if more discretion were required. The last of the Jacobite Ladies died in 1829, at which point Murrays Hall became a farmhouse lasting until it was destroyed in its entirety by 20th Century quarry operations.
Another family home was Old or East Polmaise House near Fallin which was demolished in the 20th century but which has bee subject to recent excavations by Dr Murray Cook. One of the remaining features is the 18th century ice house.
Free Green The Old Drove Road whose old name of The Commondry leads to what was once Cambusbarron's Free Green, located near the current gate to the quarry. In the past it was here that villagers and drovers gathered to tether their stock. Up until 1953 it was also used for celebration bonfires for special events.
Landscape interest - Viewshed
Gillies Hill has views in all directions being an AGLV, Area of Great Landscape Value, an area "identified as being of scenic importance." From the west Gillies Hill is the first hill to be seen from Stirling Castle. The hill flanks the western side of the M9 motorway just as the iconic structures of Castle Craig and Abbey Craig flank the east. The view from the Hill Fort of Gillies Hill to the west and north includes the Touch Hills, Touch Hills Wind Farm, the Carse of Stirling, and the Southern Highlands including Ben Ledi, Ben Vorlich and Stùc a' Chroin. The view to the east includes Stirling Castle, Abbey Craig and the Wallace Monument; and the Ochils. The view to the south looks out over the Bannockburn Heritage Centre with its statue of Robert the Bruce and the Rotunda Memorial.
Recreation
The grounds of Gillies Hill have been used by walkers, joggers, birdwatchers, bicyclists and botanists for decades. Geocachers from all over the world come to find geocaches hidden on the hill and in its immediate vicinity. Paths on the hill range from relatively easy rambles to more strenuous hikes. In the Winter paths can get slippery and muddy. Among the most popular walks are the Quarry Walk, the Lake Walk, the Tree Tour and the Public Trail that leads west through Murray's Wood to the Bannock Burn. In addition to these trails, are sheer rock faces popular among skilled rock climbers who can access route guides on the internet. Downhill bicycle racers and stunt cyclists have established demanding circuits and jump parks also described on the internet. A car park is located at the end of Old Drove Road in Cambusbarron where the Cambusbarron Community Council's series of three informational brochures and maps are available: Flora and Fauna, The History, and Things to Do (Recreation). There is also room to park to the southwest of the hill at the small Bannock Burn crossing at N 56° 05.614 W 003° 58.643 and at the south end of the hill in the wide opening of the access road at N 56° 05.842 W 003° 57.762. Gillies Hill may also be accessed by a wide trail entrance in the Gillies Hill neighborhood of Cambusbarron at N 56° 06.398 W 003° 58.077.
Gillies Hill Community Woodland After many years of work and negotiations by Cambusbarron Community Development Trust, 64 hectares on the eastern half of Gillies Hill was brought into community ownership in August 2019 to enhance its use for walking, exploring, mountain biking, horse riding, orienteering and generally exploring to appreciate the nature and wildlife of the area. Since then, a Community Forest Manager has been hired to manage logging, clear invasive species, and re-establish natural woodland and heritage orchards. Additionally, many volunteers have worked on restoring the grounds of the ruined Polmaise Castle garden, tennis courts, curling ponds, installing benches, picnic tables and paths; as well as giving guided walks around the hill.
Environmental information - Physical
Climate The weather of Gillies Hill is predominantly influenced by air currents from the Atlantic Ocean with a prevailing south-westerly wind. Winters are wet and windy. The area has an annual average rainfall amount of and an annual average mean temperature of . (1971 to 2000: Met Office, UK)
Hydrology The site is bordered on the south by the Bannock Burn which joins the River Forth at N 56° 07.250 W 003° 52.835 which flows east to the North Sea; and on the north and northwest by several small tributaries which flow into the Forth: The Baston Burn, the Touch Burn, Johnny's Burn, and the Glenmoray-Raploch Burn which runs through Cambusbarron passing the site of Bruce's Well. To the west the Bannock Burn is contained by North Third Reservoir.
Geology and topography The hill is one of a series of parallel "crag and tail" formations (including Abbey Craig, Stirling Castle, Kings Park, and Sauchie Craig) that march across the Carse of Stirling between the Touch Hills and the Ochil Hills. These formations were created by the movement of glaciers over the carse shaping the more resistant (usually volcanic) plugs into cliff-like crags ("craig" in Scots) with trailing wakes of softer material called "tails."
Gillies Hill is located in Central Scotland east of the city of Stirling and south of the town of Cambusbarron within the Bannock Burn and River Forth watersheds. A crag and tail formation, the hill rises gradually from an altitude of approximately 79 meters at the Bannock Burn Bridge at Sauchie Craig on its southern end to drop off in a series of crags (cliffs) - some natural, some the result of quarrying - at its northwest end at an approximate altitude of 160 meters.