Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Walls | North East England | Castles, Forts and Battles

On April 1, 1318, the siege of Berwick-upon-Tweed was begun by the Scottish. From the article:

"Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Walls | North East England

Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Walls were built by Edward I following the outbreak of the First War of Scottish Independence. In the subsequent two centuries, ownership of the town alternated between England and Scotland prompting regular upgrades to the defences. The most significant enhancements were made by Elizabeth I who added state-of-the-art, arrowhead bastions.

History

Introduction

Berwick is located on the northern bank of the River Tweed, near the point where it flows into the North Sea, and for centuries has served as a natural harbour. Originally part of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Bernicia, this domain later merged with Deira to become the Kingdom Northumbria. This occupied all the land between the Rivers Forth and Humber and in AD 867 was incorporated into the Danelaw. However, as both England and Scotland emerged as nations, each vied for control of Northumbria. In AD 927 it was reduced to an Earldom and incorporated into England under King Athelstan. However, in 1018 Malcolm II of Scotland won a decisive victory at the Battle of Carham and took control of all land to the north of the River Tweed effectively splitting the territory. Berwick, which was to the north of the river, became part of Scotland at this time.

Port for Roxburgh

Around 1120, King Alexander I made Roxburgh a Royal Borough and Berwick served as its port. No later than 1127, Berwick Castle was raised. The town thrived and in 1175 was deemed a sufficiently grand prize to be ceded to the English as part of the remuneration package associated with the Treaty of Falaise (1175) which secured the release of King William the Lion of Scotland. He had invaded England the previous year in support of the rebellion of Henry the Young King but his campaign ended in disaster when he was captured at the Second Battle of Alnwick (1174). However, English ownership of Berwick was short-lived as in 1189 Richard I, who was attempting to raise funds for the Third Crusade, offered to sell it. In an agreement known as the Quitclaim of Canterbury, Berwick was purchased by the Scots for the sum of 10,000 marks.


Berwick Castle was started by David I of Scotland no later than 1127.

Edward I

Berwick remained in Scottish hands throughout most of the thirteenth century although the town was razed by King John in early 1216 during the First Barons' War. However, in 1286 Alexander III died leaving only a three year old grand-daughter, Margaret, as his heir. When she died in 1290, the throne was left vacant with no clear successor. Multiple claimants came forward and the country was on brink of civil war. A council of senior magnates, known as the Guardians of Scotland, sought to avoid instability and invited Edward I of England to arbitrate between the rival claimants. Edward saw this as an opportunity to make Scotland a vassal state and demanded that he was recognised as overlord and that all Royal castles, including Berwick-upon-Tweed, be handed over to his control. On 17 November 1292, within the Great Hall of Berwick Castle, Edward announced his decision in favour of John Balliol.

First War of Scottish Independence

Within a few years of John Balliol being anointed King of Scotland, he was in conflict with Edward I. In attempting to assert his overlordship, the English King placed John in an impossible position with extensive demands for soldiers for use in Edward's continental wars. John had little choice but to rebel and accordingly the First War of Scottish Independence commenced in 1296 with English forces advancing into Scotland along the east coast. Berwick was in the direct line of attack and was stormed by the English with as many as 5,000 people allegedly being killed. Berwick was the site chosen for thousands of Scottish nobles to pay homage to Edward I following their decisive defeat at the Battle of Dunbar (1296) whilst John Balliol himself was forced to abdicate. Berwick remained in English hands and the town walls were either built or, if they already existed, significantly upgraded at this time. The walls extended for a length of over two miles and were protected by nineteen towers whilst five gateways provided access.

The early English success in the war didn't last. In 1297 the Scottish rebelled under the leadership of William Wallace. He had early success at the Battle of Stirling Bridge (1297) and the same year mounted an attack on Berwick. The town fell to his forces but the English garrison within the castle held out and when a Royal army arrived the following year, Wallace and his forces withdrew. The English, under the command of Edward I himself, pursued the Scots and defeated them at the Battle of Falkirk (1298). An uneasy peace followed but in 1306 Robert the Bruce rebelled against Edward I and was crowned King of Scotland. The English King once again mustered his forces but the campaign petered out when he died whilst en route to crush the Scots. His son, Edward II, lacked his father's military credentials allowing Robert to systematically reduce English garrisons in Scotland. By late 1313 only Stirling and Berwick held out and accordingly Edward II granted the populace of the latter murage (the right to tax to fund upgrades to the town walls). However, after the crushing English defeat at the Battle of Bannockburn (1314), Robert took the war into the north of England. Berwick was intermittently besieged between 1315 and 1318 and it eventually fell in April 1318 when the Governor betrayed the town to the Scots. Lacking provisions the castle surrendered six days later. The Scots made upgrades to the town wall at this time including heightening it."