Battle of Ancrum Moor
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Ancrum Moor was fought during the War of the Rough Wooing in 1545. The Scottish
victory put a temporary end to English
depredations in the Scottish border and lowlands.
sought to secure the alliance of Scotland
and the marriage of the infant Mary, Queen of Scots, to his son Edward
. He had the support of some Scots nobles who had been taken prisoner at the Battle of Solway Moss
and mixed diplomacy with the threat of force, but in December 1543, the Scottish Parliament, after much internal dissension, decided to reject Henry's overtures and instead renew the alliance with France
.
, his Warden of the Marches, to devastate Edinburgh
, Leith
and many other towns. Hertford dutifully laid waste to much of southern Scotland in two expeditions in 1544, burning Edinburgh in May
The following year, an army under Sir Ralph Eure
(alternatively spelt "Evers") continued to pillage in the borders. Perhaps their worst atrocity was the burning of Brumehous Tower with the lady of the house and her children and servants inside. Their activities forced an unlikely alliance of the Earl of Arran
, Regent for the infant Mary, and the Earl of Angus
. These two Scottish nobles had become bitter rivals many years before, and had even fought a pitched battle in the streets of Edinburgh in 1520. However, Angus's estates had been razed and family tombs vandalised by Hertford, and he learned that Eure had been granted some of his lands in the conquered Scottish borders by Henry. Angus observed that he would witness Eure's title deeds with a sharp pen, and in red ink.
The Scottish army consisted initially of between 300 and 1,000 "lances" under Angus, and a similar number of troops under George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
. Arran may have brought some levies from Fife
. They were joined by borderers under Scott of Buccleuch
, whose lands had also suffered devastation at Eure's hands. Together, they moved to confront the English army near Jedburgh
.
A charge by Scottish pikemen drove the English back in disarray. Here the longer Scottish pikes were used to advantage;
to send troops to aid the Scots, although they achieved little. The war came to an end shortly afterwards on the death of Henry VIII, only to break out again with perhaps even more violence when Hertford, now Protector Somerset ruling on behalf of Edward VI, sought to impose his own political and religious settlement on Scotland.
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A monument on the site of the battle, also known as Lilliard's Edge, records the following traditional verse:
The monument was erected in the 19th century, although it replaced an earlier stone with the same inscription, which is recorded as being in pieces in 1743. Lilliard is said to have fought at the battle following the death of her lover. However, her story is entirely apocryphal, since the name of this location is recorded as "Lillesietburn" in the 12th century, and as "Lillyat Cros" in 1378.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
victory put a temporary end to English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
depredations in the Scottish border and lowlands.
Background
As his reign drew to a close, King Henry VIIIHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
sought to secure the alliance of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the marriage of the infant Mary, Queen of Scots, to his son Edward
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
. He had the support of some Scots nobles who had been taken prisoner at the Battle of Solway Moss
Battle of Solway Moss
The Battle of Solway Moss took place on Solway Moss near the River Esk on the English side of the Anglo-Scottish Border in November 1542 between forces from England and Scotland.-Background:...
and mixed diplomacy with the threat of force, but in December 1543, the Scottish Parliament, after much internal dissension, decided to reject Henry's overtures and instead renew the alliance with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Campaign
Henry's reaction was to launch a ruthless war against Scotland. This attempt to force Scotland into alliance was known as the "Rough Wooing". Henry ordered the Earl of HertfordEdward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
, his Warden of the Marches, to devastate Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
and many other towns. Hertford dutifully laid waste to much of southern Scotland in two expeditions in 1544, burning Edinburgh in May
Burning of Edinburgh (1544)
The Burning of Edinburgh in 1544 by an English sea-borne army was the first major action of the war of the Rough Wooing. A Scottish army observed the landing on 3 May 1544 but did not engage with the English force. The Provost of Edinburgh was compelled to allow the English to sack Leith and...
The following year, an army under Sir Ralph Eure
William Eure, 1st Baron Eure
Sir William Eure of Witton was an English knight and soldier active on the Anglo-Scottish border. Henry VIII of England made him Baron Eure by patent in 1544. The surname is often written as 'Evers.' William was Governor of Berwick upon Tweed in 1539, Commander in the North in 1542, Warden of the...
(alternatively spelt "Evers") continued to pillage in the borders. Perhaps their worst atrocity was the burning of Brumehous Tower with the lady of the house and her children and servants inside. Their activities forced an unlikely alliance of the Earl of Arran
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the eldest legitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran....
, Regent for the infant Mary, and the Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots...
. These two Scottish nobles had become bitter rivals many years before, and had even fought a pitched battle in the streets of Edinburgh in 1520. However, Angus's estates had been razed and family tombs vandalised by Hertford, and he learned that Eure had been granted some of his lands in the conquered Scottish borders by Henry. Angus observed that he would witness Eure's title deeds with a sharp pen, and in red ink.
The Scottish army consisted initially of between 300 and 1,000 "lances" under Angus, and a similar number of troops under George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes
George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat.George became Earl of Rothes after his father's death at the Battle of Flodden. The title had previously been possesed by his uncle, William Leslie, the 2nd Earl...
. Arran may have brought some levies from Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
. They were joined by borderers under Scott of Buccleuch
Walter Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch
Sir Walter Scott, 1st of Branxholme, 3rd of Buccleuch , known as "Wicked Wat", was a nobleman of the Scottish Borders and the chief of Clan Scott who briefly served as Warden of the Middle March. He was an "inveterate English hater" active in the wars known as The Rough Wooing and a noted Border...
, whose lands had also suffered devastation at Eure's hands. Together, they moved to confront the English army near Jedburgh
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
.
Battle
The English Army consisted of 3,000 German and Spanish mercenaries, 1,500 English borderers under Sir Brian Layton and 700 "assured" Scottish borderers. As they settled into an encampment under Gersit Law, a small Scottish force made a feint attack and then retreated southwest towards Palace Hill. Much of the English force followed in pursuit. As they crossed the top of Palace Hill and chased down the far side, they found that the whole Scottish army had been hidden on the far side of the hill. The Scots had the advantage of surprise, and of the setting sun which was behind them, dazzling the English, and of the westerly wind which blew gunpowder smoke from arquebuses and pistols towards the English.A charge by Scottish pikemen drove the English back in disarray. Here the longer Scottish pikes were used to advantage;
"the Scottismen's speares war longer then the Inglismen's be fyve quareteris, or an elneThe ground was too uneven for the English to rally at the top of Palace Hill. As they tried again to rally on the eastern slope, the Scottish borderers with them chose to tear off the red crosses which signified their adherence to England and revert to their former allegiance. The English army broke and was forced to scatter through a hostile countryside.EllAn ell , is a unit of measurement, approximating the length of a man's arm.Several national forms existed, with different lengths, includingthe Scottish ell ,the Flemish ell ,the French ell...
, quhilk, when they joyned with the Inglishmen, they had thame all rivin doune before evir the Inglishmenis speares might touch thame."
Outcome
The English lost 800 men killed (including Eure and Layton) and 1,000 taken prisoner. This temporarily stopped their harrying of Scotland. News of the victory also induced Francis I of FranceFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
to send troops to aid the Scots, although they achieved little. The war came to an end shortly afterwards on the death of Henry VIII, only to break out again with perhaps even more violence when Hertford, now Protector Somerset ruling on behalf of Edward VI, sought to impose his own political and religious settlement on Scotland.
Fair maiden Lilliard
- Fair maiden Lilliard
- lies under this stane
- little was her stature
- but muckle was her fame
- upon the English loons
- she laid monie thumps
- and when her legs were cuttit off
- she fought upon her stumps.
- - AD 1544
The monument was erected in the 19th century, although it replaced an earlier stone with the same inscription, which is recorded as being in pieces in 1743. Lilliard is said to have fought at the battle following the death of her lover. However, her story is entirely apocryphal, since the name of this location is recorded as "Lillesietburn" in the 12th century, and as "Lillyat Cros" in 1378.