Mel Gibson's Braveheart may have tapped into the nation's patriotism - but it was notoriously inaccurate.

So it will come as no surprise that Mel never made it to Robroyston.

Then again perhaps the link between William Wallace and the north of Glasgow never reached the Hollywood star's ears - after all it seems to have become largely forgotten in the mists of time.

He was supposedly born in Elderslie and achieved fame on the battlefields of Stirling Bridge and Falkirk.

But it was in a farmhouse at Robroyston that Wallace was betrayed and handed over to the English. He was taken from there to London to be hung, drawn and quartered.

A 20ft high Celtic cross marks the spot where the act of treachery took place. Until a few years ago it stood at the edge of a farmer's field next to Lumloch Road. Now a housing development has encroached on the site.

The story goes that a Scottish nobleman, Sir John de Menteith, who was loyal to Wallace's foe King Edward l, was tipped off by the owner of the farmer Rab Rae (or Raa) that the great patriot was in their midst.

Mentieth unhesitatingly betrayed him, Wallace's companion Kerlie was killed in the scuffle, and Wallace was captured.

Rae later gave his name to the area - Rab Rae's Toun became Robroyston.

Lumloch Road runs parallel to Auchinairn Road and there is a roundabout sign - that simply says Wallace - pointing towards the monument.

The statue has a plaque with an inscription in Latin which translates as "I tell you the truth, the best of all things is freedom, never son, live under the bonds of slavery"

There are three other inscriptions on the faces of the monument.

One reads: "Who dared to nobly stem tyrannic pride or nobly die" Burns

Another states: "We are not here to sue for peace but to fight for the freedom of our country" Wallace at Stirling Bridge

And facing the road is the inscription "This memorial erected 1900 AD by public subscription is to mark the site of the house in which the hero of Scotland was basely betrayed and captured about midnight on 5th August 1305 when alone with his faithful friend and co-patriot Kerlie who was slain.

"Wallace's heroic patriotism, as conspicuous in his death as in his life, so roused and inspired his country that within nine years of his betrayal the work of his life was crowned with victory and Scotland's independence regained on the field of Bannockburn."

In the year that Scotland votes on independence perhaps Robroyston's connection with Wallace will emerge from the shadows of history.