With many thanks to author, Barbara Henderson, who has been in touch to let us know about her new children’s book (for around 8 – 13 age range) which commemorates the Siege of Caerlaverock in the year 1300!

This Friday is the 720th anniversary of that siege at the castle!

The book will be out on 6th August 2020.

 

ANNIVERSARY SEES NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK ABOUT MEDIEVAL SIEGE

A little-known event in Scottish history celebrates its 720th anniversary this week – and a new children’s book by children’s author Barbara Henderson is to commemorate the occasion this summer.

The 10th and 11th of July in the year 1300 saw the King of England, Edward Longshanks, lay siege to Caerlaverock Castle near Dumfries. Despite more than 3000 soldiers on the outside, just over 60 castle dwellers held out valiantly against arrows and siege engines until they were finally forced to surrender.

The incident during the medieval Scottish Wars of Independence was documented in a heraldic poem which survives. It served as the principal source for Henderson’s historical novel The Siege of Caerlaverock, out on 6th August 2020.

‘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,’ Henderson says.

The author specialises in historical and eco fiction for children, and her books are widely studied in Scottish primary schools. She is best known for her Highland Clearances novel Fir for Luck which reached No 1 in the Amazon bestseller charts on publication in 2016. The Siege of Caerlaverock is her fifth book.

‘The way ideas come to you never gets old,’ Henderson says. ‘I was visiting Caerlaverock Castle with my family and the story just claimed me for itself. It’s such a David and Goliath tale! 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 book’s independent publishers Cranachan are based on the Isle of Lewis. Managing Director Anne Glennie says: ‘The Siege of Caerlaverock is rooted in reality, capturing the lives and times of the 1300s and combining it with an action-filled plot and characters you care about. 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.’

The Inverness-based author had planned to return to Caerlaverock Castle for the anniversary of the siege this July but has to make do with her imagination for now – until Covid travel restrictions are fully eased.

LINK FOR MORE INFO: www.amazon.co.uk/Siege-Caerlaverock-Barbara-Henderson/