BattlefieldsSiege of Bowes Castle 1322
Medieval

Siege of Bowes Castle 1322

1322
North Yorkshire, England
Also known as: Bowes Castle threatened 1322 · Teesdale outpost in Bruce raids
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
North Yorkshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Bowes Castle garrison c. 50–150
VS
Victor
Scots (threatened; castle held)
Forces
Scots c. 1,000–2,000
Outcome
Bowes Castle in Teesdale threatened by Bruce's great raiders; area around castle burned; garrison maintained
The Battle

History & Significance

Bowes Castle, a Norman keep commanding the entry to Teesdale and the road over Stainmore into Cumbria, was threatened by Bruce's raiders during the Great Raid of 1322. The castle itself was too strong to take without artillery, but the surrounding community was devastated. The fate of Bowes illustrates the pattern of the Scottish raids: castles and fortified towns resisted, but the countryside around them was helpless. The Stainmore crossing was the key to Scottish access between the northeast and northwest of England.

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