Battle of Stanhope Park
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Stanhope Park, part of the First War of Scottish Independence
, took place during the night of 3-4 August 1327. The Scots under James Douglas
led a raid into Weardale
, and Roger Mortimer, accompanied by the newly crowned Edward III on his first campaign, led an army to drive them back. Douglas led, among other ambushes, an attack into the English camp, with 2,000 cavalry
, and almost killed the king.
mercenaries (amongst whom was the chronicler Jean le Bel
), set out from York on 1 July to make a counter invasion of Scotland. On 15 July, they were in Durham
. It was here that they saw smoke from burning farms in the surrounding countryside and realised that a second Scottish force had entered the English Eastern March and was close by.
The English army pursued the Scots but could not make contact and eventually lost touch with them. At this point, the English changed their tactics and, instead of trying to overtake the Scots, decided to position themselves to intercept the Scottish army heading back into Scotland. Accordingly, they marched to Haydon
, where they crossed the River Tyne
and encamped on 20 July. Here they stayed waiting for the Scots for a week. However, at the end of this time they realised that they would have to seek out the Scots. A party of men-at-arms was sent out to search for the Scots and the main army marched off again southward. On 30 July, they were met by one of their scouts, Thomas Rokesby, who had blundered into the Scots army and been captured by them. The Scots had released him on condition that he rode back and directed the English army to them. The English followed Rokesby and located the Scots near Stanhope
in Durham.
. The position was too strong for the English to attack but they attempted to get the Scots to fight by drawing up their army on level ground and inviting the Scots to fight and by skirmishing with men-at-arms and archers. This stand-off lasted for three days. On the night of 2-3 August, the Scots decamped overnight moving a short way to a better position within Stanhope Park proper. The English shifted camp to be nearer the Scots.
campaign was a strategic success for the Scots. Their preemptive invasion had stopped a more powerful English army from attacking Scotland. Their Fabian tactics had caused "great shame, dishonour and scorn" to the English. The political impact of the campaign was greater than the military. The campaign had been ruinously expensive for the English, with the cost of the Hainauters alone being £41,000. Unable to raise this sort of money again to resist another Scots incursion in 1328, the English were forced to negotiate, leading to the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton
, which recognised Robert Bruce's claim to the throne and dropped English claims of feudal superiority over the monarchs of Scotland.
First War of Scottish Independence
The First War of Scottish Independence lasted from the invasion by England in 1296 until the de jure restoration of Scottish independence with the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton in 1328...
, took place during the night of 3-4 August 1327. The Scots under James Douglas
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
led a raid into Weardale
Weardale
Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in County Durham, in England. Large parts of Weardale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The upper valley is surrounded by high fells and heather grouse...
, and Roger Mortimer, accompanied by the newly crowned Edward III on his first campaign, led an army to drive them back. Douglas led, among other ambushes, an attack into the English camp, with 2,000 cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
, and almost killed the king.
The opening moves
At the beginning of June 1327, a state of truce existed between England and Scotland but it was clear it would not last. Truce negotiations broke down and by 15 June, Scots forces had crossed over into the English West March. An English army, including a large contingent of HainautCounty of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
mercenaries (amongst whom was the chronicler Jean le Bel
Jean Le Bel
Jean Le Bel was a Medieval Flemish chronicler. His father, Gilles le Beal des Changes, was an alderman of Liege, where Jean himself was active....
), set out from York on 1 July to make a counter invasion of Scotland. On 15 July, they were in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
. It was here that they saw smoke from burning farms in the surrounding countryside and realised that a second Scottish force had entered the English Eastern March and was close by.
The English army pursued the Scots but could not make contact and eventually lost touch with them. At this point, the English changed their tactics and, instead of trying to overtake the Scots, decided to position themselves to intercept the Scottish army heading back into Scotland. Accordingly, they marched to Haydon
Haydon
Haydon may refer to:*Haydon, Dorset, a civil parish in Dorset*Haydon, Northumberland, a civil parish in Northumberland*Haydon, Somerset, a place in the UK-People with the surname:*Benjamin Haydon , English painter and writer...
, where they crossed the River Tyne
River Tyne
The River Tyne is a river in North East England in Great Britain. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers: the North Tyne and the South Tyne. These two rivers converge at Warden Rock near Hexham in Northumberland at a place dubbed 'The Meeting of the Waters'.The North Tyne rises on the...
and encamped on 20 July. Here they stayed waiting for the Scots for a week. However, at the end of this time they realised that they would have to seek out the Scots. A party of men-at-arms was sent out to search for the Scots and the main army marched off again southward. On 30 July, they were met by one of their scouts, Thomas Rokesby, who had blundered into the Scots army and been captured by them. The Scots had released him on condition that he rode back and directed the English army to them. The English followed Rokesby and located the Scots near Stanhope
Stanhope
-Places:* Stanhope, Victoria, Australia* Stanhope, Prince Edward Island, Canada* Stanhope, Quebec, Canada* Stanhope, County Durham, England, UK* Stanhope, Kent, England, UK* Stanhope, Peeblesshire, Scotland, UK* Stanhope, Iowa, US* Stanhope, New Jersey, US...
in Durham.
The Scottish position
The Scots had taken up a strong defensive position by the River WearRiver Wear
The River Wear is located in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards, mostly through County Durham, to the North Sea at Sunderland.-Geology and history:...
. The position was too strong for the English to attack but they attempted to get the Scots to fight by drawing up their army on level ground and inviting the Scots to fight and by skirmishing with men-at-arms and archers. This stand-off lasted for three days. On the night of 2-3 August, the Scots decamped overnight moving a short way to a better position within Stanhope Park proper. The English shifted camp to be nearer the Scots.
The night raid
On the night of 3-4 August, Douglas led a raid on the English camp, with the intention of capturing or killing Edward III. Though unsuccessful, the Scots did succeed in collapsing his tent with him inside and killing a number of other men. The English improved their watches after this. On the night of 6-7 August, the Scottish army quietly broke camp and headed back toward Scotland. The English did not pursue.Aftermath
Although militarily indecisive, the WeardaleWeardale
Weardale is a dale, or valley, of the east side of the Pennines in County Durham, in England. Large parts of Weardale fall within the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the second largest AONB in England and Wales. The upper valley is surrounded by high fells and heather grouse...
campaign was a strategic success for the Scots. Their preemptive invasion had stopped a more powerful English army from attacking Scotland. Their Fabian tactics had caused "great shame, dishonour and scorn" to the English. The political impact of the campaign was greater than the military. The campaign had been ruinously expensive for the English, with the cost of the Hainauters alone being £41,000. Unable to raise this sort of money again to resist another Scots incursion in 1328, the English were forced to negotiate, leading to the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton
Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton
The Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton was a peace treaty, signed in 1328 between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland. It brought an end to the First War of Scottish Independence, which had begun with the English invasion of Scotland in 1296...
, which recognised Robert Bruce's claim to the throne and dropped English claims of feudal superiority over the monarchs of Scotland.
Primary
- Anglo-Scottish Relations, 1174-1328, Selected Documents, ed. and trans. E. L. G. Stones, 1965.
- Barbour, John, The Bruce, trans. A. A. H. Douglas, 1964.
- Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, ed. J. Bain, 1887.
- Documents Illustrative of the History of Scotland, trans and arranged by J. Stevenson, 1870.
- Edward III and His Wars: Extracts from the Chroniclers, ed and trans. W. J. Ashley, 1887.
- Froissart, Jean, Chronicle of Froissart, trans. Sir John Bourchier, 1901 ed.
- Gray, Thomas, Scalicronica, ed. and trans. H. Maxwell, 1913.
- The Lanercost Chronicle, ed. and trans. H. Maxwell, 1913.
Secondary
- Barrow, G. W. S. Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland, 1976.
- Nicholson, R., Edward III and the Scots, 1965.
- Prince, A. E. The Importance of the Campaign of 1327, in the English Historical Review, vol. 40 1935.
- Ramsay, J. H. The Genesis of Lancaster, 1307-1399, 1913.