NTS' Bannockburn center celebrates a year of operations

Over 65,000 visitors have been welcomed through the doors of the Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre in its first year of operation.

It celebrates its first anniversary this weekend, ahead of the 700th anniversary of the historic battle.

The centre features interactive exhibits using 3D technology – funded with £5 million of government funding and £4.1m from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

A previous centre on the site, which dated back to the 1960s, averaged about 25,000 visitors a year.

Run by the National Trust for Scotland it hosted the Bannockburn Live event last summer, marking 700 years on from the 1314 conflict with a series of huge re-enactments featuring hundreds of actors.

The centre uses motion capture technology similar to that used in Hollywood to create realistic 3D medieval battles, and has won several awards recognising visitor attractions.