The Inventory of Historic Battlefields – Battle of Roslin The Inventory of Historic Battlefields is a list of nationally important battlefields in Scotland. A battlefield is of national importance if it makes a contribution to the understanding of the archaeology and history of the nation as a whole, or has the potential to do so, or holds a particularly significant place in the national consciousness. For a battlefield to be included in the Inventory, it must be considered to be of national importance either for its association with key historical events or figures; or for the physical remains and/or archaeological potential it contains; or for its landscape context. In addition, it must be possible to define the site on a modern map with a reasonable degree of accuracy. The aim of the Inventory is to raise awareness of the significance of these nationally important battlefield sites and to assist in their protection and management for the future. Inventory battlefields are a material consideration in the planning process. The Inventory is also a major resource for enhancing the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of historic battlefields, for promoting education and stimulating further research, and for developing their potential as attractions for visitors. Designation Record and Full Report Contents Name - Context Alternative Name(s) Battlefield Landscape Date of Battle - Location Local Authority - Terrain NGR Centred - Condition Date of Addition to Inventory Archaeological and Physical Date of Last Update Remains and Potential Overview and Statement of Cultural Association Significance - Commemoration and Inventory Boundary Interpretation Historical Background to the Battle Select Bibliography - The Armies - Information on Sources and - Numbers Publications - Losses - Full Bibliography - Action - Primary Sources - Aftermath and - Cartographic and Consequences Illustrative Sources Events and Participants - Secondary Sources Inventory of Historic Battlefields ROSLIN Alternative Names: None 24 February 1303 Local Authority: Midlothian NGR centred: NT 275 641 Date of Addition to Inventory: 14 December 2012 Date of last update: None Overview and Statement of Significance The Battle of Roslin is significant as seemingly one of the largest battles within Scotland during the First Scottish War of Independence. The Scottish victory boosted morale for their cause, but in England the defeat enraged Edward I who personally led another campaign into Scotland the following year. Following the Battle of Dunbar I in 1296, Scotland was in a prolonged period a state of political and economic instability. Contemporary English writers make scant mention of the numerous hostilities during this period, in which the Scots inflicted defeats upon Edward I’s forces. Only two battles in this period of the war are relatively well recorded, the Battle of Stirling Bridge, where half of the English army under the command of Hugh Cressingham was slaughtered and the Battle of Roslin, where a Scottish army consisting of around 8,000 men routed a large mounted English army of up to 30,000. Inventory Boundary The Inventory boundary defines the area in which the main events of the battle are considered to have taken place (landscape context) and where associated physical remains and archaeological evidence occur or may be expected (specific qualities). The landscape context is described under battlefield landscape: it encompasses areas of fighting, key movements of troops across the landscape and other important locations, such as the positions of camps or vantage points. Although the landscape has changed since the time of the battle, key characteristics of the terrain at the time of the battle can normally still be identified, enabling events to be more fully understood and interpreted in their landscape context. Specific qualities are described under physical remains and potential: these include landscape features that played a significant role in the battle, other physical remains, such as enclosures or built structures, and areas of known or potential archaeological evidence. The Inventory boundary for the Battle of Roslin is defined on the accompanying map and includes the following areas: • The southern boundary runs to the south of the animal research station at Mountmarle, a site with a possible place name association to the battle. Inventory of Historic Battlefields • The western boundary crosses the Kill Burn and takes in the Shinbane fields. • The northern boundary takes in the fields to the east of Shinbane and carries across to the eastern boundary to accommodate the undulating ground which bounds the Hewan Bog. • The eastern boundary takes in the area known as the Hewan Bog, which again is traditionally associated with the battle. Inventory of Historic Battlefields Historical Background to the Battle As the English army advanced through Scotland in another retaliatory campaign for the Guardians earlier expulsion of Edward I’s sheriffs and bailiffs, they initially met little opposition. The accounts talk of the army being divided up into three divisions, which entered Roslin in either February or March of 1303. The divisions were commanded by Sir John Segrave (or John de Segrave), Ralph Manton and Sir Robert Neville. It was while in their respective camps that the English divisions were surprised by an attack led by mounted Scottish knights, led John Comyn and Simon Fraser. The Scots had ridden overnight from Biggar and attacked the occupants of the first camp, the survivors of this assault then warning the occupants of the second camp. The men in the second camp collected their arms and defended themselves against the Scots who had moved on from their first target. There was vicious hand to hand combat, in which the English almost succeeded in gaining the upper hand. However, rallied by their leaders the Scots renewed their assault and took the camp. No sooner had this combat ended than the third English division appeared, presumably better prepared for action than either of the first two. Again with the encouragement of their leaders the Scots re-entered the fray and to the astonishment of all won their third victory, though not before putting the survivors of the first two battles to the sword and taking their horses. The Armies English: While the force was acting on behalf of the English king, it is also likely to have contained many Scots loyal to Edward. The English army, in line with normal practice of the time, appears to have been split into three ‘battles’, or divisions, while on the march, each commanded by Sir John Segrave, the First Lieutenant of Scotland for Edward I, Ralph Manton, the Cofferer (Treasurer) of Edward I, and the third under either Sir William Latimer or Sir Robert Neville. There is unfortunately no information on the reasons behind the army being split in this way. Fordun, who was writing in the 15th century, states that it was simply due to the lack of suitable camping ground to accommodate the entire army, whereas others, such as Buchanan, writing in the 17th century, think it was a tactical disposition. The fact that medieval armies did generally fight in three divisions does suggest that there is more to the decision than the availability of camping space, as does the fact that the army is reported to have arrived in Roslin already divided into three. Scots: There is very little specific information available on the Scots army, save that the force were mounted, which allowed them to carry out the surprise attack, and that they were under the command of John Comyn and Simon Fraser. Numbers The earliest accounts seem to offer unrealistically high numbers, especially for the English army. This inflation is likely to be nothing more than pro-Scottish propaganda geared toward glorifying the scale of the victory, but nevertheless Inventory of Historic Battlefields this should be remembered when considering the numbers involved. There may, however, also be a case for believing that the battle is actually somewhat under-represented in the Scottish chronicles as the Bruce faction sought to play down the achievements of John Comyn – Robert the Bruce being involved in his murder in 1306. English: 30,000 men split into three ‘battles’ which consisted of three brigades of knights and at least 10,000 mercenary soldiers (Craig 1695, 375). Scots: 8000 men according to Buchanan (1690, 257) and Craig (1695, 375). While the Statistical Account of Scotland later slightly inflates this figure to 10,000 (Dalglish 1791-9, 12), the New Statistical Account (Brown 1834-45, 339) reverts to the more widely accepted figure of 8000 men. Losses All of the historical sources state that the Scottish army slaughtered many of the English force; however, no specific numbers are quoted, though Sir Thomas Gray notes in the Scalacronica that Ralph Manton was slain, apparently by Sir Simon Fraser, and Sir Robert Neville is also thought to have been killed during the second Scottish attack. Given the information available from the sources and the surviving place-name evidence, it does appear that the casualties on the day may have been extremely high. Action The English army advanced into Scotland in secret on a punitive expedition on behalf of Edward I, although Segrave himself may have had more personal reasons for desiring the opportunity, and Buchanan’s History of Scotland states that the English had: “…proceeded, plundering on every side, as far as Roslin, a place in Lothian, about five miles distant from Edinburgh; and there, dividing their army into three parts that they might plunder more extensively, they pitched their separate camps.” The success of the Scots night march may have been the result of overconfidence in the English forces, perhaps believing the Scots would be unable to mount any organised resistance to them following their defeat and subsequent capitulation at Falkirk in 1298. However, overnight on 22 February, Manton dispatched two men to scout out the Scots at Linlithgow, where they may have been besieging a new peel.