Battlefields›Battle of Dornock
Medieval

Battle of Dornock

1333
Scotland
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Combatant
Kingdom of England
Strength
800
VS
Combatant
Kingdom of Scotland
Strength
50+
Outcome
English victory.
The Battle

History & Significance

The Battle of Dornock was fought on 25 March 1333 during the Second War of Scottish Independence.

In 1333 Edward Balliol, a claimant to the Scottish throne, sought support from the English King Edward III. In exchange for ceding the region of Lothian to England, Balliol was given assistance and replenished forces. He returned to Scotland and attacked the Scots at Berwick-upon-Tweed. After several retaliatory and counterattacks from both sides, the attempt failed and no tactical advantage was gained.

In response, William of Lochmaben, Sir Ralph Dacre and Sir Anthony Lucy led an English force of 800 men into Dumfriesshire. William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale and 50 Scottish defenders along with Sir Humphrey Boys and Sir Humphrey Jardine moved to intercept them.

On 25 March 1333, the small Scottish force intercepted the English at the village of Dornock. Little is known about the battle itself, as it was reportedly over very quickly, but 24 Scots (along with the two Humphreys) were killed and Douglas was taken prisoner. England reported only two losses.

That ikle tyme at LowchmabneOff Annandyrdale the floure was tane

A well in the area was known as the sword well by the late 18th century, probably because artefacts of the battle were discovered near to there.

Knighton, Henry, Chronicon, ed. Joseph Rawson Lumby, 1889–1895.

Wyntoun, Andrew of, The Original Chronicle of Scotland, ed. F. J. Amours, 1907.

Neilson, G., The Battle of Dornock, in Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Antiquarian and Natural History Society, 1895–6.

The ground

The ground they fought on

The site of Battle of Dornock lies on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.

Casualties & Losses
  • Kingdom of England: 2
  • Kingdom of Scotland: 26+ killed
Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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Roman Britain
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Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
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Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
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The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
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Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Dornock

Gleningle, enclosure 80m NE of
Gleningle, enclosure 80m NE of
Scheduled monument · Post-Medieval · ~0.5 mi

Gleningle Enclosure is a post-medieval field boundary situated 80 metres north-east of Gleningle itself in Dumfriesshire, south-west Scotland. The monument comprises a substantial stone-built enclosure that reflects the agricultural reorganisation and land management practices of early modern Sco…

Woodfield, enclosure 295m NE of
Woodfield, enclosure 295m NE of
Scheduled monument · Post-Medieval · ~2.2 mi

Woodfield is a post-medieval enclosure located in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, situated approximately 295 metres north-east of the settlement. The monument is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM12029. The enclosure lies upon bedrock composed of Triass…

Annan old graveyard, recumbent grave marker 45m ENE of town hall
Annan old graveyard, recumbent grave marker 45m ENE of town hall
Scheduled monument · ~2.5 mi

Annan Old Graveyard Recumbent Grave Marker is a horizontal grave stone located 45 metres east-north-east of Annan Town Hall in Dumfriesshire, south-western Scotland. The monument lies within the historic graveyard of this market town situated on the banks of the River Annan. It is protected as a…

Westhills, altar stone 35m N of
Westhills, altar stone 35m N of
Scheduled monument · ~2.5 mi

Westhills altar stone is a stone monument located in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, situated 35 metres north of Westhills. The stone stands upon bedrock composed of Triassic rocks, a mixture of sandstone and conglomerate laid down during the Triassic period and now interbedded within the local geology.…

Woodhouse Tower, tower house
Woodhouse Tower, tower house
Scheduled monument · ~3.5 mi

Woodhouse Tower is a tower house located in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. This defensive residential structure stands upon Triassic sandstone and conglomerate bedrock, characteristic of the geological foundation across much of south-western Scotland. The underlying strata provided both the stone for c…

Calvertsholm, settlement 110m N of
Calvertsholm, settlement 110m N of
Scheduled monument · ~3.6 mi

Calvertsholm is a settlement situated in Dumfriesshire, southern Scotland, protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland. The site lies upon bedrock of Triassic age, comprising interbedded sandstone and conglomerate that provides the geological foundation for this area of the…

Burnbrae, enclosure 270m W of
Scheduled monument · Post-Medieval · ~0.4 miles
Woodhead,enclosure 200m NE of
Scheduled monument · Post-Medieval · ~1.1 miles
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Sources
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