The Battle of Duns or Battle of Duns Park was an engagement fought in 1372 near the site of the present day town of

Duns Duns may refer to: * Duns, Scottish Borders, a town in Berwickshire, Scotland ** Duns railway station ** Duns F.C., a football club ** Duns RFC, a rugby football club ** Battle of Duns, an engagement fought in 1372 * Duns Scotus ( 1265/66–1308 ...

Berwickshire Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of th ...

Background and battle

In retaliation for previous Scottish raids, Henry, Lord Percy, the English March Warden had invaded

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

with 7,000 troops, and met little resistance. Having crossed the Merse, the English army camped at Duns awaiting reinforcements. The shepherds and farmers of Duns used a type of rattle out of dried skins with pebbles inside, which they used to scare wild animals away from their crops and beasts. These rattles were put to effect on the English encampment. By frightening the English horses, the English camp awoke in turmoil, in disarray and being harassed by the local peasantry, the English retired over the Border leaving their baggage behind.Boece, p.396-397 The motto of the town of Duns: 'Duns dings a'!', is supposed to have come from this battle.

References

Notes

Sources

*''The Buik of the Croniclis of Scotland : or, A metrical version of the History of Hector Boece'' ed. Turnbull, W.B., London 185

*Brenan, G., ''History of the House of Percy''. London 190

*Ridpath, G., ''The Border History of England and Scotland''. London 177

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External links

Dunse History Society
1372 in Scotland, Battle of Duns

Battle of Duns The Battle of Duns or Battle of Duns Park was an engagement fought in 1372 near the site of the present day town of Duns, Berwickshire. Background and battle In retaliation for previous Scottish raids, Henry, Lord Percy, the English March ...

Battles between England and Scotland Berwickshire History of the Scottish Borders 1372 in England

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