Black Day for Scotland

THE Battle of Flodden Field in 1513. The last major Medieval battle between England and Scotland was a black day for the Scots.  Their army was destroyed and the king and most of his nobles lay dead on that Northumbrian hillside.

Flodden was fought on Branxton Hill, about eight miles north west of Wooler.  The battlefield can be approached on foot from Branxton village where there is an information centre.  A self guided tour of the battlefield is being set up.

Henry VIII had taken the English Army to France and as normal the French asked the Scots to invade England from the north.  The English as always had left a strong cadre of experienced troops under a skilled general to check this ploy.

James IV crossed the border and ravaged Northumberland for two weeks.  The earl of Surrey marched part of his army from Alnwick to Berwick while the remainder under his son, Lord Thomas Howard the Admiral travelled by ship from Newcastle to Berwick. 

The Sottish army was ensconced in a strong position, if Surrey decided to attack from the south.  He led his combined force on an outflanking movement around the Scots, using the River Till to protect his own flank.                              

Surrey had manoeuvred his army between the Scots and their homeland.  The invaders would have to fight their way through a powerful army with a strong force of archers and some artillery if they wanted to reach home.  Also their position was not so strong from the north.

The English formed their line along the crest of Piper Hill and the Scots lined up facing them.  The battle began with a short artillery duel which did little damage to either side.  This was followed by clouds of arrow storms from the English longbowmen.

A small contingent of English men-at-arms advanced up Branxton Hill to be derisively pushed back by a larger Scottish force.  Seeing this minor victory, the entire Scottish army threw itself down the hill towards the smaller English army.

This rash manoeuver against steady and experienced troops proved to be the decisive moment of the battle.  The English longbowmen kept up their unremitting volleys as the Scots charged.  Men were dying at every step.  When the depleted Scottish Army struck the English line, their long, unwieldy pikes proved no match for shorter and handier bills of their opponents.  The English men-at-arms simply sliced off the heads of the pikes, then killed the soldier.

Scottish losses were horrific, being estimated at over 10,000, including the king and most of the military, civil and ecclesiastical leadership.  It was claimed that very few Scottish families were left untouched.  One rider out of 20 townsmen returned to Selkirk.  The pipe lament Flowers of the Forest was composed in honour of the Scottish dead of Flodden.

By contrast, the English casualties were about 1,500.

Scotland suffered from instability and loss for a long time following the Battle of Flodden Field.  There never another major invasion of England by the Scots until the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

The old Presbyterian Church attached to nearby Etal Castle houses an impressive collection of replica standards, banners and weapons from the time and there is a taped tour to help visitors understand the battle.

A monument on the battlefield sums up every battle that has ever been fought.  The epitaph simply says “To the Brave of Both Nations.”