Battle of Nesbit Moor

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The Battle of Nesbit Moor (or Nisbet Muir) was a small but significant clash between Scottish and English forces in the borders area north of the River Tweed. In 1402, Scottish nobles launched a coordinated invasion of Northern England. In the initial foray, some 12,000 Scottish troops crossed into Cumberland and looted areas near Carlisle. On June 22 at Nisbet, Berwickshire, the Earl of March successfully led 200 soldiers mainly drawn from the garrison at Berwick-upon-Tweed against 400 Scots returning from a raid on Northumberland. The Scottish causalities included the death of Sir Patrick Hepburn of Hales; and the capture of Sir John Haliburton of Dirletown, Sir Robert Lawder of Bass, Sir John Cockburn and Sir Thomas Haliburton.

Henry IV was given news of the skirmish while at Harborough on June 30, and delayed plans to suppress a Welsh rebellion so that he could deal with the large scale Scottish invasion that was then imminently expected. In the autumn a large army of Scots led by the Earl of Douglas harassed the English countryside as far south as the River Wear. They were eventually engaged and defeated by the Earl of Northumberland at the battle of Humbleton Hill.

[edit] Sources

Bower, W. (1987). Scotichronicon Vol 8: 1390-1430. Edited by D.E.R. Watt, from the Latin manuscript authored by Bower in the 1440s. Edinburgh: The Mercat Press.

Nisbet, A. (1722). A system of heraldry, speculative and practical: With the true art of blazon; according to the most approved heralds in Europe: Illustrated with suitable examples of the most considerable surnames and families in Scotland, Edinburgh.

Wylie, J. H. (1969). History of England under Henry the Fourth. Reprinted from an 1884 London edition. New York: AMS, p. 290.