BattlefieldsSecond Bishops War — Scots Occupy Durham Cathedral and County 1640
English Civil War

Second Bishops War — Scots Occupy Durham Cathedral and County 1640

1640–1641
Durham, England
Also known as: Scottish occupation of Durham 1640 · Durham under Covenanting occupation 1640-1641
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Durham, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Crown (County Durham)
VS
Victor
Covenanters
Outcome
Scottish army occupied County Durham following Newburn; Durham Cathedral used as stable for horses; county maintained under occupation until Treaty of London
The Battle

History & Significance

The Scottish occupation of Durham was deeply shocking to English Protestant opinion. The use of Durham Cathedral as a stable for Scottish cavalry horses was a calculated insult — mirroring what Puritan critics said Laudian bishops were doing to the English Church. The occupation lasted nearly a year and the financial burden of paying the Scottish army forced Charles I to keep Parliament sitting, making constitutional conflict inevitable.

Forces Involved

Scottish occupation forces c.10,000-15,000 in Durham

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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