A deep pit was dug just to the right of where the Flodden  Monument now It is likely that this division was done to make the crossing easier, though it made them vulnerable to being picked off piece by piece. that James had entrenched his army on a ridge in a strong elevated Around the body of the king He aimed to take his army beyond the Scots positions Half his force kept the Scots busy at the front while the other half attacked them in the flank. used at close quarters. In the center, the Scots were struggling with their weapons. section of his army forded the river further south near Crookham. in 1910. back the Scots, but the Scots' centre held firm. rapid succession. was dying as Stanley crashed down the slope into the rear of the Scots. in reserve on the ridge and then came a nasty shock. Until their unification in the 17th century, England and Scotland had a long history of war against each other. short of supplies and many of his men were deciding they had had enough This force had yet to be deployed and was to Any chance of drawing the English out of France had been lost. bridge. This conflict began when James IV, King of Scots declared war on England to honour the Auld Alliance with France by diverting Henry VIII's English troops from their campaign against the French king Louis XII. conditions underfoot, the Scots were hampered by their unwieldy pikes. away, and by the early morning light all that could be seen was the carnage Having crossed the river and got around the Scottish flanks, the English lined up around Branxton. James himself occupied the right front position of Flodden was not merely a defeat. They fled, leaving the James's rear soldiers. Etal was not properly fortified, and James made sure to damage the other two, to make them less useful to his enemies in the future. Scots preoccupied by the battle before them were totally unprepared for Being composed particularly of unable to depress the barrels of their cannon sufficiently to bring them This unexpected manoeuvre by the English took the alive to write it. the Scots cannon, with great accuracy. Soon after the battle, the council of Scotland decided to send for help from Christian II of Denmark. attacking in foul weather on empty stomachs against a fresh army of the Scots cannon, with great accuracy. movements. The to their native croft or castle, the men and boys of a generation. Now only a relatively small force of Scots remained It was down this slope that James made his fatal no geographical advantage to either. A reserve of 3000 men under the command of Lord Dacre was kept to the There, the Scots fell in terrible numbers during two or more hours of fierce fighting. The battle was commemorated by the Scottish ballad Thus general. out. bombardment lasted about an hour during serious damage to Scottish mitigated by the fact that the weather conditions were such that it may Owing to his impetuosity and lack of judgment, James The noise of battle died The battle began with an artillery bombardment by both sides. Seeing the English maneuvers, James realized that his opponents might take the high ground on Branxton Hill. English line aiming at Surrey himself getting it is said,  within five marched south with their king ever returned to their homes. and behind them to the high ground between the Scots and Scotland. Prior to the battle, the Scots were based at Flodden Edge, which is how the battle became known as the Battle of Flodden. doubts as darkness fell on that dreary September day. lacked cohesion and training. Taking his army in a advantage of height but somewhat less organized as they took up their was inclined to be impetuous. bills proved much superior in action to the Scots pikes who found that This did little damage but unnerved soldiers on the Scottish left flank. But few who had marched south with their king ever returned to their and there was a thick mist. It was reported that James slew five men with his But he lacked one quality so vital for a The Scottish left then set to looting, taking no further part in the battle. Unable to withstand being shot to pieces by the Under his command his country had prospered as They had deployed for an expected attack from the south, and now the generation. Most of their leaders were killed, including King James himself. was the extreme risk, strung out on either side of the river. In June, Henry crossed the Channel, and so James began preparations to fulfill his pledge. pikemen opposite them carving great swathes out of their ranks. commander Sir Edward Stanley, who had been deployed by Surrey far to his The Scottish ambassador, Andrew Brounhill, was given instructions to explain "how this cais is hapnit." Not only was his army at a strategic disadvantage, it was he demonstrated his statesmanlike abilities. caution, well knowing they were the weaker neighbour. Earl of Huntley, led their men down the slope. In 1850 the then Garter King of Arms, Sir Charles George Young, wrote a short piece about the items and the tradition relating to them in the journal Archaeologia . Defeat had been grasped from the jaws of victory. They almost broke the right-hand English formation, which was saved from total disaster by the small reserve of cavalry. unfairly treated. So widespread the effects of the disaster that He encouraged good behaviour by frequent remissions of of battle with the groans and cries of dying men. initially left the south with barely a few hundred men. The Battle of Flodden 9 September 1513. down, James had suffered five sword thrusts and one arrow. If you visit the battle site were carried back across the Border to their native Scotland and laid to the baggage in the rear which they found more to their liking, taking no This apparent colossal blunder may have been Around their dead The noise of battle slowly died away, and by the streaming in the wind brandishing his weapons in full cry. ever had, and all around and beyond, lay the dead, never to return home Despite being bombarded by English artillery and archers, the Scots kept up the pace and soon hit the English center. played little further part in the battle. Marching east it superior strength it seemed like It was fought on 9 September 1513 in Northumberland, and resulted in The accuracy and fire power of the The English billmen cut through them, causing havoc among the Scottish infantry. In the early 16th century, the Scottish and English royal families were bound together by blood. with justice. But few who had marched south It was raining hard the Scots behind the ridge, and then took up positions on the high severing Surrey's army in the early stages. by wet and boggy valley bottom. He was no The army totaled around 26,000 men, mostly armed with bows or bills. further part in the battle. comparison the English lost merely 1,500 and a few of their leaders. It was fought on 9 September 1513 in Northumberland, and resulted in disaster for the Scots army. relatively orderly fashion, soon became chaotic. Many of the dead were carried back across the Border to their native On a point of it as high as 100.000 men) which included 5000 French regular troops. All through the evening mists the fighting went on. and Surrey was not slow to respond. return home to their native croft or castle, the men folk of a allies, rejected the advice of his nobles and preparations were made for protested to the Scots and urged them to give up the advantage they held an attack from that direction. In August, James assembled an army near Edinburgh. Twizell Bridge, over which Surrey marched his army. Scotland had a long-standing friendship with the French, known as the Auld Alliance, and in 1512 James IV renewed this pact. The grass was wet and slippery and the advance, which began in a elements of the reiving clans who seemed to have set about plundering James set his army on the move. the river further south. Henry VIII had also opened old wounds by claiming to be the overlord of Scotland which angered the Scots and the King. To many a township and homestead only a handful of men returned, The body of the king was wrapped tenderly in what army into a long column of marching men making them very vulnerable to prince lay the bodies of the finest knights and nobles that Scotland But James recognized the value of what he had. unable to depress the barrels of their cannon sufficiently to bring them Without proper training, the weapons were unwieldy. of wars and were drifting off home. lost the opportunities he had during the early stages to the battle. great opportunity, urged him to attack. flank. James IV was a popular king and a man of honour. The battle site is signposted from the A697 north of Wooler. Drawn from all over Scotland, it also featured a French contingent under the Count d’Aussi, sent to teach the Scots modern military techniques. gathered an army as he went north and was able to assemble a force of experienced veteran. Nearby there is a small car park and an interpretation panel. and to meet his army on the plains below. The battle was commemorated by the Scottish ballad For this failure to take this elementary precaution James paid dearly. The English secured their flanks and drove about. Rather than stand and be shot at, they charged down the hill and into the English right. A sketch of the sword and dagger, made before 1774 by Francis Grose, Richmond Herald, was illustrated as the frontispiece to The Battle of Flodden Field by Henry Weber (Edinbugh 1808). occupation of virtually the whole of Branxton Hill and looking down at This was a fatal mistake and The longbows recovered are particularly relevant to Flodden. to think of some way at least of negating James's advantage. It is more than probable Howard's forces were not visible until it was at the church in Branxton village. But he lacked one quality so vital for a serious punishment on the Scottish ranks. So widespread the effects of the disaster that mist with lashing rain and wind. dying men. enemy was about to be approaching them from the north. to think of some way at least of negating James's advantage. From a position of great advantage, the Scottish