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
The Second War of Scottish Independence broke out in 1332 when Edward Balliol led an English-backed invasion of Scotland. Balliol, the son of a former Scottish king, was attempting to make good his claim to the Scottish throne. He was opposed b ...
. Tensions on the
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border () is a border separating Scotland and England which runs for between Marshall Meadows Bay on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. The surrounding area is sometimes referred to as "the Borderlands".
The ...
led to a military build-up by both sides in 1355. In September a nine-month truce was agreed, and most of the English forces left for northern France to take part in a
campaign
Campaign or The Campaign may refer to:
Types of campaigns
* Campaign, in agriculture, the period during which sugar beets are harvested and processed
*Advertising campaign, a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme
* Bl ...
of the concurrent
Hundred Years' War. A few days after agreeing the truce, the Scots, encouraged and subsidised by the French, broke it, invading and devastating
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land ...
. In late December the Scots
escalade
{{Unreferenced, date=May 2007
Escalade is the act of scaling defensive walls or ramparts with the aid of ladders. Escalade was a prominent feature of sieges in ancient and medieval warfare, and though it is no longer common in modern warfare ...
d and
captured the important English-held border town of
Berwick-on-Tweed and laid siege to its
castle. The English army redeployed from France to
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
in northern England.
The English advanced to Berwick, retaking the town, and moved to
Roxburgh
Roxburgh () is a civil parish and formerly a royal burgh, in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at leas ...
in southern Scotland by mid-January 1356. From there they advanced on
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
, leaving a trail of devastation wide behind them. The Scots practised a
scorched earth policy, refusing battle and removing or destroying all food in their own territory. The English reached and burnt Edinburgh and were resupplied by sea at
Haddington. Edward intended to march on
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
, but contrary winds prevented the movement of the fleet he would need to supply his army. While waiting for a better wind, the English despoiled
Lothian so thoroughly that the episode became known as "Burnt Candlemas". This was a reference to the custom of the time of taking one's annual stock of candles to the local church on 2 February to be blessed in a ceremony known as candlemas; they were then used over the rest of the year.
A winter storm drove the English fleet away and scattered it, and the English were forced to withdraw. They did so via
Melrose, continuing to devastate Scottish territory, but this time harassed by Scottish forces. The English army was disbanded in
Carlisle in late February, and the Scots went on to take two English-held castles. A truce was re-established in April. In 1357 a permanent peace was agreed, largely on English terms.
Background
![Edouard III devant Berwick](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Edouard_III_devant_Berwick.jpg)
The
First War of Scottish Independence
The First War of Scottish Independence was the first of a series of wars between English and Scottish forces. It lasted from the English invasion of Scotland in 1296 until the ''de jure'' restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty ...
between England and Scotland began in 1296, when
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vas ...
()
stormed and sacked the Scottish border town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census reco ...
as a prelude to his invasion of Scotland. Berwick was commercially and militarily the most important town in the border area. More than 32 years of warfare followed, with Berwick being recaptured by the Scots in 1318. The
Weardale campaign
The Weardale campaign, part of the First War of Scottish Independence, occurred during July and August 1327 in Weardale, England. A Scottish force under James, Lord of Douglas, and the earls of Moray and Mar faced an English army commande ...
of 1327 went so badly for the English that it brought
Isabella of France
Isabella of France ( – 22 August 1358), sometimes described as the She-Wolf of France (), was Queen of England as the wife of King Edward II, and regent of England from 1327 until 1330. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving ...
and
Roger Mortimer, regents of the newly crowned, 14-year-old
King Edward III
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 ...
, to the negotiating table. They agreed to the
Treaty of Northampton with
Robert Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventuall ...
() in 1328 recognising Scotland as an independent nation.
Edward was never reconciled to the treaty. In 1332 he backed a rival claimant to the Scottish throne,
Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol (; 1283 – January 1364) was a claimant to the Scottish throne during the Second War of Scottish Independence. With English help, he ruled parts of the kingdom from 1332 to 1356.
Early life
Edward was the eldest son of John ...
, son of King
John I of Scotland
John Balliol ( – late 1314), known derisively as ''Toom Tabard'' (meaning "empty coat" – coat of arms), was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296. Little is known of his early life. After the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, Scotland entered a ...
. By 1333 England and Scotland were formally at war again when Edward
besieged Berwick, starting the
Second War of Scottish Independence
The Second War of Scottish Independence broke out in 1332 when Edward Balliol led an English-backed invasion of Scotland. Balliol, the son of a former Scottish king, was attempting to make good his claim to the Scottish throne. He was opposed b ...
. The Scots felt compelled to attempt to relieve the town. A Scottish army 20,000 strong attacked the 10,000 English and suffered a devastating defeat at the
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seize ...
. Berwick surrendered the next day.
The
Hundred Years' War between England and France commenced in 1337, and in 1346 Edward led an English army across northern France, winning the
Battle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 in northern France between a French army commanded by King PhilipVI and an English army led by King EdwardIII. The French attacked the English while they were traversing northern France du ...
and
besieging Calais. Encouraged by the French King, the Scots invaded England with a large army, certain that few English troops would be left to defend the rich northern English cities. The Scots were decisively beaten at the
Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place during the Second War of Scottish Independence on 17 October 1346, half a mile (800 m) to the west of Durham, England. An invading Scottish army of 12,000 led by King David II was defeated with heavy los ...
and their king,
David II, was captured. The Scottish threat receded and the English were able to commit fully to the war with France.
Scottish invasion
By 1355 David II was still a prisoner, ransom negotiations having deadlocked several times over the amount of David's ransom, his successor in the event of his childless death, the restoration of several English-supporting Scottish lords, whether David was to do
homage to Edward for Scotland and how long any cessation to hostilities was to last before breaking down altogether. At this Scottish nobles, encouraged by the French, started gathering an army on the border. The English mobilised in response. The French sent 50 or 60
men-at-arms under
Yon de Garencières to Scotland. They also promised the Scots a large cash payment to be distributed among the elite if they would invade England. When this payment failed to arrive by late September, a nine-month truce was agreed between the English and the Scottish. The English military focus then switched to France: Edward intended to campaign in northern France and his son, the
Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince (15 June 1330 – 8 June 1376), was the eldest son of King Edward III of England, and the heir apparent to the English throne. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, suc ...
, was about to lead an
attack in the south west. A large part of the English force subsequently moved south to join Edward's planned campaign. Many members of the garrisons of the English border fortresses left their posts without permission to join the expedition to northern France, including the commander of the Berwick town garrison.
A few days after the Anglo-Scottish truce was signed the French cash, 40,000 gold
écu
The term ''écu'' () or crown may refer to one of several French coins. The first ''écu'' was a gold coin (the ''écu d'or'') minted during the reign of Louis IX of France, in 1266. ''Écu'' (from Latin ''scutum'') means shield, and the coin ...
s, arrived. Waiting only until the departing English were well on their way, the Scottish reneged on the treaty and invaded
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land ...
in northern England. They were probably fewer than 2,000 strong, but there was no English field force to oppose them. The Constable of
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 ...
, a significant English border fortification, attempted to
counterattack
A counterattack is a tactic employed in response to an attack, with the term originating in "war games". The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy during attack, while the specific objectives typically seek ...
with part of his garrison and some locals, but this scratch force was
rout
A rout is a panicked, disorderly and undisciplined retreat of troops from a battlefield, following a collapse in a given unit's command authority, unit cohesion and combat morale (''esprit de corps'').
History
Historically, lightly-e ...
ed. The Scots pillaged and burned villages across Northumbria. Edward received the news on 20 October, by which time much of his army was already in France and the balance was embarking. He continued with his campaign in France, where he led a chevauchée – a large-scale mounted raidacross
Picardy, attempting to
draw the French army into battle. The French evaded, prevaricated and avoided battle.
Berwick
In late October 1355 the Scottish nobles
Thomas, Earl of Angus, and
Patrick, Earl of March gathered a small force of Scots and French and boats to transport them in. They
escalade
{{Unreferenced, date=May 2007
Escalade is the act of scaling defensive walls or ramparts with the aid of ladders. Escalade was a prominent feature of sieges in ancient and medieval warfare, and though it is no longer common in modern warfare ...
d the walls of the town of Berwick shortly before dawn on 6 November. Carrying the walls the Scots then pressed the short-handed garrison back through the town towards the separate fortress of
Berwick Castle
Berwick Castle is a ruined castle in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England.
History
The castle was commissioned by the Scottish King David I in the 1120s. It was taken by the English forces under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise in 11 ...
, where the town garrison and the town's inhabitants took refuge. The Scots
looted
Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...
the town. The castle was already strongly garrisoned and was promptly reinforced by
John Coupland, who arrived with part of the English garrison of
Roxburgh
Roxburgh () is a civil parish and formerly a royal burgh, in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at leas ...
. The
Guardian of Scotland
The Guardians of Scotland were regents who governed the Kingdom of Scotland from 1286 until 1292 and from 1296 until 1306. During the many years of minority in Scotland's subsequent history, there were many guardians of Scotland and the post was ...
,
Robert Stewart, who was acting as
regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
for the imprisoned David II, took personal control of the
siege of the castle.
Meanwhile, the expedition in Picardy was proving inconclusive. Edward attempted to set up an arranged battle, but no agreement could be reached. According to some sources, during these discussions Edward received word of the fall of Berwick town and the siege of the castle; he cut short the negotiations and returned his army to England after receiving the news. According to other accounts it was not until he disembarked in England with the army on 12 November, after the negotiations with the French had failed, that he learnt of the fall of Berwick. In any event, Edward was in
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
in the north by Christmas Eve (24 December), where a large army was assembling, and a fleet was being prepared to supply it. The army left Newcastle on 6 January 1356. An advance force under
Walter Mauny found Berwick castle was still holding out. Most of the original Scottish assault force had left, leaving a garrison in the town of 130 men, too few to adequately garrison the walls. The English laid siege to the town and the Scots could expect no relief force, according to a contemporary "by reason of the discord of the magnates". Mauny had been accompanied by 120 miners, who tunnelled towards the town walls while Mauny prepared simultaneous land and sea assaults. On 13 January Edward arrived with the main English army. The Scots offered to
parley
A parley (from french: link=no, parler – "to speak") refers to a discussion or conference, especially one designed to end an argument or hostilities between two groups of people. The term can be used in both past and present tense; in prese ...
and Edward agreed to let them leave, even allowing them to take with them what plunder they could carry.
English invasion
Advance
![Edward III (18th century)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Edward_III_%2818th_century%29.jpg)
Edward moved his army up the
River Tweed
The River Tweed, or Tweed Water ( gd, Abhainn Thuaidh, sco, Watter o Tweid, cy, Tuedd), is a river long that flows east across the Border region in Scotland and northern England. Tweed cloth derives its name from its association with the ...
to Roxburgh by mid-January 1356. On 20 January Balliol surrendered his nominal position as king of Scotland in favour of Edward, his
overlord, in exchange for a generous pension. The modern historian Clifford Rogers has suggested this may have been a way for Edward to put pressure on David II, whom Edward held captive and who was widely acknowledged as king of Scotland, to agree ransom terms. The Scots were unimpressed and on 26 January the English army set off towards
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
. The size of the English army is difficult to assess, but it has been described as a "large ... host" and as being possibly 13,000 strong. They divided into three columns and left a trail of devastation wide behind them. Much of the territory they were despoiling was part of the estates of Patrick of March, one of the leaders of the Scottish assault on Berwick in defiance of the truce.
The Scots practiced a
scorched earth policy, refusing battle, evacuating the populace ahead of the English and devastating their own territory. Foraging generated little food and, unusually for the period, the English soldiers were reduced to drinking water. Arriving at Edinburgh in early February Edward had much of the town burnt and established a camp to the east of it at
Haddington. Here the English army was resupplied by the English fleet. Edward's plan was to march on the Scottish capital at
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...
via
Stirling
Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
, perhaps to be crowned King of Scotland at nearby
Scone
A scone is a baked good, usually made of either wheat or oatmeal with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often slightly sweetened and occasionally glazed with egg wash. The scone is a basic component ...
the traditional place of coronation for Scottish monarchs. On the way, according to the contemporary
chronicler
A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...
John of Fordun
John of Fordun (before 1360 – c. 1384) was a Scottish chronicler. It is generally stated that he was born at Fordoun, Mearns. It is certain that he was a secular priest, and that he composed his history in the latter part of the 14th ce ...
, Edward intended "to destroy and ruin Scotland both near and far, and indeed to devastate it utterly."
It was clear the army would require supplying from the sea during this march, but unfavourable north winds prevented the fleet from moving. Edward waited at Haddington for ten days. While waiting for the wind to change
Lothian was devastated so thoroughly that the Scots called the English incursion "Burnt Candlemas". This was a reference to the custom of the time of taking one's annual stock of candles to the local church on 2 February to be blessed in a ceremony known as
candlemas; they were then used over the rest of the year. In mid-February the wind changed, but blew up into a winter gale which thoroughly scattered the fleet, sinking several ships.
Retreat
Deprived of sea-borne supplies Edward was forced to abandon his plans and beat a hasty retreat.
The English withdrew to the south west, through as-yet-unspoilt lands. They continued to burn and devastate Scottish territory, at least as far south as
Melrose. This time Scottish forces, led by
William Douglas, Lord of Douglas, harried the Englishattacking foragers, stragglers and detachments. Significant losses were inflicted, in addition to the many English losses to the winter weather and lack of food. In late February Edward's troops reached the English border town of
Carlisle, where the army was disbanded.
With the English field army gone from Scottish soil the Scots turned to mopping up English-controlled territory and enclaves in Scotland. The strong English-held castles of
Caerlaverock
Caerlaverock (; gd, Cille Bhlàthain) is a civil parish in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
The parish was historically in Dumfriesshire. The area includes:
* Caerlaverock Castle, a 13th-century castle, located south of Dumfries, Scotland
* ...
and
Dalswinton were stormed and captured;
Galloway
Galloway ( ; sco, Gallowa; la, Gallovidia) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway.
A native or ...
accepted the authority of the Scottish crown. On 18 April a new, partial truce was agreed.
Aftermath
In 1357 terms were agreed for the release of David II. These were very similar to those which the Scots had refused in 1354. David's ransom was the huge sum of 100,000
marks
Marks may refer to:
Business
* Mark's, a Canadian retail chain
* Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain
* Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members
* Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel ...
, to be paid over ten years, on 24 June (
St. John the Baptist's Day) each year. During these ten years an
Anglo-Scottish truce prohibited any Scottish citizen from bearing arms against Edward III or any of his men. This truce stabilised the border area, bringing a measure of peace to it for three decades, and marked the end of the Second War of Scottish Independence.
Citations and sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Burnt Candlemas
1356 in England
1350s in Scotland
Conflicts in 1356
14th-century military history of the Kingdom of England
Edward III of England
Looting
14th-century military history of Scotland