The Battle of Nesbit Moor was an engagement fought in August 1355 between forces of the
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland (; , ) was a sovereign state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a la ...
and the
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.
On 1 ...
.
Background
Hostilities broke out in early 1355, following the end of a truce, and the breakdown of negotiations for the release of
David II from English captivity. Immediately after the end of the truce, the English raided Scotland and burnt the lands of
Patrick V, Earl of March
Patrick de Dunbar, 9th Earl of March,Anderson, William, ''The Scottish Nation'', Edinburgh, 1867, vol.iv:74 (c. 1285–1369) was a prominent Scottish magnate during the reigns of Robert the Bruce and David II.
Early years
The earldom, located ...
.
Raid at Norham
The Earl of March in retaliation, with
William, Lord of Douglas, with their contingents, supplemented by a force of sixty French knights marched to the
Merse in August. Douglas sent Sir
William Ramsay of Dalhousie, and a force of men to despoliate and raid the country around
Norham Castle
Norham Castle (sometimes Nornam) is a castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The castle saw much action during ...
, captained by Sir
Thomas Grey. Douglas' ploy was to encourage Grey into an ambush.
Ramsay called on Grey and his garrison to come out of the castle and fight them. Grey, suspicious of other marauding Scots forces, sent scouts to look for evidence of them, but kept behind the stout walls of the castle. Ramsay's men burnt the village, and drove off the chattels and beasts. The scouts returned with nothing to report. Incensed at Ramsay's depredations, Grey and
Lord Dacre
Baron Dacre is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England, every time by Hereditary peer#Writs of summons, writ.
History
The first creation came in 1321 when Ralph Dacre, 1st Baron Dacre, Ralph Dacre was Hereditary peer# ...
led a force of men-at-arms to pursue the Scots and recover the stolen gear and livestock.
Battle
March and Douglas meanwhile had hidden in woods to the south 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 ...
. Ramsay abandoned the livestock and rode north to lure Grey into the ambush. Grey left the cattle to be collected later, pursued Ramsay, and led his men directly into the trap. Douglas and March's main force then cut off any chance of Grey's retreat by moving between them and the border. As soon as Grey saw the banners of March and Douglas battle was joined. The Englishmen rushed the Scots, but soon the superior Scottish numbers began to tell. The Scots won the day and took many prisoners, including Dacre, Grey, and his newly knighted son Sir Thomas Grey, and losing very few of their own, excepting
John Haliburton of Dirleton.
Aftermath
The important English prisoners were taken away into captivity. Most of the common soldiers were bought by one of the French knights, who had them massacred in revenge for the earlier death of his father at English hands. This incident gave rise to a local landmark known as "Slaughter Hill". The garrison at Berwick, on hearing of the fight, marched on Norham, expecting it to be under siege. March, Douglas, and
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus
Thomas Stewart, 2nd Earl of Angus (b.b.1331-1361) was a medieval Scottish nobleman.
He was the son of John Stewart of Bonkyll and Margaret de Abernethy. Stewart was an infant when his father died and inherited his estates and titles in Berwicks ...
, aided by the French knights, counter-attacked and captured Berwick. Unable to take the Castle, March ordered Berwick set ablaze. The Scots retreated following news of a large army advancing under
Edward III of England
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
, who then proceeded into Scotland and laid waste to Lothian, killing and burning as he went, in an episode that would be remembered as the ''
Burnt Candlemas
Burnt Candlemas was a failed invasion of Scotland in early 1356 by an English army commanded by King Edward III, and was the last campaign of the Second War of Scottish Independence. Tensions on the Anglo-Scottish border led to a military bu ...
''.
References
Notes
Sources
*
Fordun, John of, ''
Chronica Gentis Scotorum'', ed.
Skene
Skene may refer to:
* Skene, Aberdeenshire, a community in North East Scotland, United Kingdom
* Skene, Mississippi, an unincorporated community in Mississippi, United States
* Skene, Sweden, a village now part of Kinna, Sweden
* Skene (automobi ...
. Edinburgh 1872
*
William Fraser (historian), Fraser, Sir William, ''The Douglas Book'' IV vols. Edinburgh 1885
*
Herbert Maxwell, Maxwell, Sir Herbert. ''A History of the House of Douglas'' II. Freemantle. London, 1902
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nesbit Moor (1355)
Battles between England and Scotland
Conflicts in 1355
1355 in Scotland