Rosslyn Battle

In 1302 AD , Sir John Seagrave received the information that Sir Henry St. Clair of Dalhousie Castle was to marry Lady Margaret Ramsay, he became incensed and sent a letter from his base in Carlisle to Edward I of England asking for his permission to invade Scotland. Edward was outraged at this tie with his enemies in Fraance. In February 1303, Seagrave's force of 30,000 men crossed the border under the cover of darkness, avoiding the warning beacons lit on the border hills. At Melrose Seagrave split the force into three equal parts, in order to attack three different targets.

Sir Robert Neville was to attack Borthwick Castle, Sir Ralph Confrey's force was to beseige Dalhousie castle, while the remaining force under Sir John Seagrave, and assisted by the English paymaster Ralph de Manton marched on Rossyln Castle.

The news reached Prior Abernethy of Mount Lothian who dispatched riders to alert important leaders such as Sir William Wallace near Paisley, Sir John Comyn near Glasgow, Sir Symon Fraser of Neidpath, Somerfield of Carnwath, Simon of the Lee, The Flemming of Cumbernauld and the Knights of the Hospital at Torphicen urging them to muster at Biggar with all speed. Prior Abernethy was the Cistercian prior of Mount Lothian, the western outpost or gate of Balentradoch, the Templar headquarters in Scotland.

By the afternoon of the 23rd of February 1303 some 8,000 had rallied at Biggar to Abernethy's call to arms.
Overall command of the Scottish forces was offered to Sir William Wallace. He declined because of his earlier defeat at the battle of Falkirk in 1298 . Sir Symon Fraser was appointed overall commander of the Scottish forces, on Wallace's recommendation. All knights involved confirmed this. The Scottish forces moved from Biggar to Carlops some ten miles north.

Rosslyn Battle Phase I

Abernethy guided the troops during the night of the 23rd/24th of February 1303 to the area of the valley of the north Esk river, Bilston between Penicuick and the village of Roslin.

Three thousand troops under the command of Sir John Comyn went into hiding in the woods on the west bank of the river Esk. The remaining five thousand crossed the river and circled to the southeast commanded by Sir Symon Fraser but, guided by the knowledgeable Prior. They formed a large crescent battle formation behind the English encampment of Sir John Seagrave on the high ground east of the river. They crept stealthily forward on the sleeping encampment. The early morning was dark and cloudy so the Scots soldiers were able to contain the element of surprise, without being challenged until the very last moment the Scots fell upon the sleeping soldiers. In the confusion of the attack some soldiers tried to escape towards the southwest, the flat area or haugh below the present castle, only to be confronted by the second force.

The losses were so great and so sudden that Seagrove soon realised that further resistance would result in total defeat. Seagrove surrendered to Sir William Wallace and pleaded for quarter.

Rosslyn Battle Phase II

The first phase of the battle was won by the local troops at very little cost . The wounded were tended at Rosslyn in the grounds of the castle, where the present Roslyn chapel now stands. The castle also provided a meal, before the victorious soldiers took up their second battle positions to the northwest of Roslin. On the advice of Sir William Wallace they formed a line of battle on the summit of the Langhill.

They did not have long to wait; the second opposing force, under the command of Ralph de Confrey, advanced from the direction of the Ramsay's castle of Dalhousie where they had abandoned their siege.

The invading army charged up the Langhill to be met by volleys of arrows from the Scottish archers, which broke the charge. The charging English soldiers wheeled towards the north, not realising that they were heading towards a steep ravine with a stream at its foot. Because of the force of the weight of their own troops in retreat, it caused a juggernaut effect. Most of the force, driven by Scots pikes and archers, plunged down the ravine to their deaths. Ralph de Confrey the commander of the force died with his men at the bottom of the ravine. The carnage was so terrible that few survived . The Scots hearing of the approach of the third section of the invading army killed most of their captives from the second encounter to stop them joining the third force. Christendom was outraged at the expedient abandonment of the mores of chivalry.

The Scots forces then moved northeast along the river Esk, and positioned themselves near the top of a steep bank overlooking the River Esk, close by the village of Polton. The Scots soldiers were exhausted by their Herculean efforts. They had marched all throughout the night and fought in two fierce conflicts.

With hindsight the forward plannng of Prior Abernethy is astonishing. In the morning before the second engagement he had sent a small party of his Cistercian brothers to erect a huge St Andrews cross, made of wood and canvas on the highest point on the Pentland hills. The winter sun was low and, set behind the hill. illuminated the cross on the hill, giving it the appearance of a fiery cross. Historians note that the Prior gave the exhausted Scots soldiers an inspiring oration, and reminded them of Edward I's massacre at Berwick-on Tweed ( until 1298 the second largest port in the British Isles) and the theft of the Stone of Destiny.

As soon as he observed the cross was in place he instructed the Scots army to turn towards the Pentlands pointing out the cross saying that it was a sign from the Lord of Hosts that they were fighting under the banner of heaven.

Rosslyn Battle Phase III

The third group of the invading army, under the command of Sir Robert Neville, had come from Borthwick castle near Catcune in the valley of Gorebridge, by way of Rosewell, marching along the river valley.

Again the Scots army made use of the topography. The third part of the invading army made its way to Roslin unaware of the destruction of Ralph de Confreys force. They travelled along the cart-road, which followed the glen. The Scots had positioned themselves at Mountmarle which looked down on the road to the west and right of the force from the south. To the east and left of the English soldiers were the steep cliffs of the Glen dropping down vertically some one hundred feet to the river Esk. The Scottish archers again created havoc and panic in the ranks of the invadors from the high ground. The Scottish troops charged down from the high ground drove them over the precipitous cliffs. Historians suggest that only 10% of the invading force returned home. Sir John Seagrave and Ralph de Manton, the English paymaster and other captured knights were ransomed.

So ended one of the greatest battles of the wars of Scottish independence. A small Scots Army had never triumphed over an English army of such numbers, the odds were almost four to one in the invador's favour. The Scots had used their local knowledge of the physical geographical landscape of Roslin Glen and the surrounding area to help achieve this remaarkable victory. It is also understood that the Roslin tactic of forming a "scrum of pikemen" was much copied in european battles until the advent of canon and gunpowder in the 1500's.

Rosslyn battle is not well known in Scottish history. The Comyns had been the commanders of the Scots force. The Bruce had been in Ireland at the time and both families had valid claims to the throne of Scotland. History tends to be written by those siding with the winner. Thus in recording Scotland's wars of independence, the battle of Roslin was often omitted. Placenemes by Roslin include the Killburn at the foot of Langhill brae, the Hewin near Mountmarle, Stinking rigg, and Shinbanes field. In the nineteenth century, five cartloads of bones were dug up and reburied. In a direct line east to west, running from Mountmarle to Carnethy hill (a corruption of Abernethy) we come across the village of Glencourse or its earlier name Glencross a reference no doubt, to the cross built by the Priors monks.

Historians do suggest that, without the battle of Rosslyn, Edward's efforts to subjugate the unruly Scots might have been wholly successful. It is worth noting that if Edward had succeeded, the North of England and the Borderland of Scotland might have escaped the ravages of warring which ensued for 300 years. Or put another way...without the battle of Rosslyn Scotland might have failed in its aspirations for nationhood.

For a more detailed account of the of battle by John Ritchie, Tuesday, 27 April 1999 click here