Battle of Bannockburn tops BBC poll for most decisive British battle

The Battle of Bannockburn has topped a BBC poll to name the most decisive battle ever fought in the British Isles. Read our expert guide to Bannockburn and its importance.

The 1314 battle has beaten off the likes of the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Hastings to top the poll, which saw around 60,000 votes placed. The battle, which was fought in Stirling, saw the armies of Robert the Bruce gain a victory against the odds, beating the mounted armies of Edward II of England; one of the few instances when the Scots won a decisive victory over a much larger invading army. This was also only the second time in European history that an army consisting largely of infantry defeated a mounted army.

Speaking on the BBC News website, Scott McMaster, property manager of the Bannockburn Visitor Centre, said of the poll: 'It is fantastic that after 700 years this event is still commemorated and remembered.

'It is the classic tale of the underdog, the smaller army defeating the elite force, and this result clearly shows the mark it has left on the Scottish psyche.'



(Image copyright WKnight94)