BattlefieldsHertford's Second Raid — Destruction of the Borders 1545
Tudor

Hertford's Second Raid — Destruction of the Borders 1545

1545
Berwickshire, Scotland
Also known as: Rough Wooing Second Raid 1545 · Hertford 1545 Border devastation
Era
Tudor
Battle Type
Skirmish
Location
Berwickshire, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Scotland (Border towns)
Forces
Scottish border garrisons.
VS
Victor
England (Earl of Hertford)
Forces
Hertford's raid force c.5,000–10,000
Outcome
Hertford destroyed 7 monasteries, 16 castles, 5 towns, 243 villages; systematic destruction of the Scottish southeast
The Battle

History & Significance

Hertford's second major raid in the autumn of 1545 repeated and extended the devastation of the previous year. The Scottish Borders — already one of the poorest regions in Britain — were reduced to near-total desolation. Contemporaries described the burned landscape stretching for miles on either side of the English march. The suffering of the civilian population was immense. The raids created a landscape of ruins that remained visible for decades.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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