Battlefields›Storming of Berwick 1296
Medieval

Storming of Berwick 1296

1296
Berwickshire, Scotland
Also known as: Sack of Berwick 1296 · Berwick massacre 1296
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Berwickshire, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Scotland (Berwick garrison)
Forces
Berwick garrison: c. 500-800.
VS
Victor
England (Edward I)
Forces
Edward I: c. 5,000-8,000
Outcome
Berwick stormed; up to 17,000 civilians and soldiers massacred; town sacked; Scotland's richest trading port destroyed
The Battle

History & Significance

The sack of Berwick was the opening atrocity of the Wars of Independence. Edward I ordered the massacre to continue even when resistance ceased. The town never recovered its pre-1296 prosperity. The massacre galvanised Scottish resistance and is still commemorated in Scotland

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Storming of Berwick 1296

Foulden Old Tithe Barn
Scheduled monument · ~1.4 miles
No 9 Kirkbanny, settlement 360m W of
Scheduled monument · ~1.4 miles
Witches Cleuch, fort 430m ENE of Chesterfield
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~2.1 miles
Mordington, medieval village and church 210m S of Mordington House
Scheduled monument · Medieval · ~2.6 miles
Hilltops, settlement 530m N of
Scheduled monument · ~3 miles
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