The
Braveheart statue at the Wallace Monument has been returned to sculptor Tom Church. Historians were up in arms about it because of its remarkable resemblance to the film's star Mel Gibson. That was taking historical inaccuracies to a whole new level. The 13 foot statue was 12 tonnes and carved out of gold sandstone . A new visitor centre is being built where it stood in the car park at the foot of the Monument.Church said he had been inspired to create the statue, which took him five months to carve, after watching the 1997 film.
He said: "I know the purists didn't think too much of it but the tourists absolutely loved it.
"I believe it's rightful home is at the Wallace Monument. It was the ideal place for it.
"I think they were maybe a bit angry that some people just wanted their picture taken with the statue and didn't bother going into the monument."
