The medieval period saw several battles in South East Scotland – only some of which meet the criteria for designation on the national Battlefield Inventory managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Understandably, HES restricts the inventory to military engagements of national importance which can be located within a particular geographic area (HES Policy Designation and Selection Guidance). However, this means that the inventory is not a complete survey of medieval military engagements in South East Scotland. For example, the uncertainly located Battle of Duns which took place in 1372 and the relatively small-scale Battle of Nisbet Muir in 1402 are not currently on the inventory.
| Battle | Year | Antagonists | Council Area | Inventory ID |
| Dunbar | 1296 | Scots led by Earl of Buchan [John Comyn] vs. English led by Earl of Surrey | East Lothian | BTL31 |
| Roslin | 1303 | Scots led by John Comyn and Simon Fraser vs. English led by John Segrave, Ralph Manton, and Robert Neville. | Midlothian | BTL37 |
| Darnick | 1526 | Supporters of the Earl of Angus’ regime led by Angus vs. Supporters of James V’s independent rule led by Walter Scott of Buccleuch. | Scottish Borders | BTL30 |
| Ancrum Moor | 1545 | Scots led by Earl of Angus vs. English led by Sir Ralph Eure. | Scottish Borders | BTL2 |
| Pinkie | 1547 | Scots led by Earl of Arran vs. English led by Duke of Somerset. | East Lothian | BTL15 |
In some parts of the British Isles archaeological excavations have proved transformative for our understanding of medieval battles – see for instance research undertaken at Bosworth and Towton. Thus far, the battlefields of South East Scotland have produced much less medieval material. Pinkie is perhaps the most studied battlefield in the region. However, extensive metal-detecting and several excavations have failed to find much evidence of sixteenth-century conflict. This may reflect the considerable disruption the battlefield experienced in later centuries, or could indicate that scholars have incorrectly identified the location of the main fighting (Caldwell et al 2023).
Small-scale metal-detecting on the sites of the Battle of Dunbar and the Battle of Darnick have also produced little of relevance to medieval warfare. Further investigation at these sites would be desirable. However, researchers should perhaps consider carefully what the best approaches for studying battlefields in the region might be, as archaeological approaches developed in other regions and for other periods have thus far brought limited insights into medieval military engagements in South East Scotland.
One promising battle for further study is Ancrum Moor. The presumed battlefield has produced several stray finds which may relate to the Anglo-Scottish fighting in 1545. For example, a sixteenth-century burgonet helmet was discovered near the River Ale (National Museum of Scotland H.LN 42). The extensive use of archers and of firearms in the battle increases the likelihood of metal finds. The battlefield at Ancrum has seen less development than many sites of conflict in the region and may hold considerable archaeological potential.
Battlefields Research Questions
- Can we more securely identify the sites of major battles?
- What were army camps like before and after major battles? Where were such camps located?
- How much was left behind on a medieval battlefield after the scavenging process had ended?
- What happened to the bodies of people killed in battle? To what extent were there mass graves? Where were mass graves located?
- Can we better understand the Battle of Ancrum Moor.