On this date 500 years ago ( F Day ) Before dawn, the English break camp at Barmoor and march, not towards Flodden Hill, but west and north, almost to the River Tweed and Scottish Border. The vanguard and artillery cross the Till at Twizel Bridge at noon, the main body of the crosses a mile or so upstream at Castle Heaton. The English now approach the expected battle area from the north. Stanley and the last English division leave Barmoor somewhat late than the main body and take a more direct route approaching the battle from the east. By mid afternoon the Scots are at last on the move from Flodden Hill and as the English make their final approach the Scottish army is arrayed along Branxton Hill a mile or so north of Flodden Hill. Battle opens at 4.00 o’clock with an artillery exchange. The heavy Scottish guns are no match for the light, easy to move and quick to fire English guns. The Scottish left moves to attack the English vanguard and their pikes overcome the English defence, but the day is saved for England by the intervention of Dacre’s light cavalry. An early Scottish win is turned into a draw. The two centre divisions approach each other, but this time the pikes become stuck in the boggy ground at the foot of Branxton Hill and the Scots become easy targets for English longbow and billhook . This time a comprehensive English win. James can still win the day if he kills or captures Surrey, the English commander, but he makes a fatal mistake by entering the fray and sharing the risk of battle with his ordinary soldiers. James is soon in trouble in the boggy ground at the foot of Branxton Hill. The Highlanders of Lennox and Argyll move to his rescue, but are caught in a hail of arrows from Stanley’s late arriving archers. This was the last hope for James. King James IV of Scotland becomes the last reigning monarch in the British Isles to die in battle. After 2 ½ to 3 hours it is dark. Dead and dying cover the field of battle, but Surrey is still unsure of the outcome. He will have to wait until tomorrow to be sure of victory. Clive Hallam-Baker The Remembering Flodden Project A full account of the Battle of Flodden is available on : The book - The Battle of Flodden Why and How - with many colour photographs of the battlefield and 1513 Country DVD - The Battle of Flodden Then and Now - filmed entirely on the battlefield and 1513 Country Both are available via flodden.net
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 07:11:12 +0000
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