BattlefieldsScottish Siege of Norham Castle 1318
Medieval

Scottish Siege of Norham Castle 1318

1318
England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Scotland
Forces
English garrison of Norham Castle
VS
Victor
England
Forces
Scottish besieging army under Bruce
Outcome
Norham Castle held against Bruce; English control of key Tweed fortress maintained; Scottish control of the Tweed crossing approach frustrated
The Battle

History & Significance

In 1318 Bruce laid siege to Norham Castle, the mighty English episcopal fortress on the Tweed that controlled the principal crossing of the river and had resisted Scottish attempts since the reign of David I. The 1318 siege demonstrated Bruce's ambition to control the Tweed line completely after recovering Berwick, but Norham's formidable defences and thick walls resisted the siege and the castle remained in English hands. Its resistance illustrated the limits of Scottish siege capacity even at the height of Bruce's power.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around this battlefield

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near this battlefield