Weardale campaign

Battle of Stanhope Park
Part of the First War of Scottish Independence
Date Night of 3–4 August 1327 Location Stanhope Park, County Durham, England Result Scottish victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Sir James Douglas Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray	Edward III Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March
Strength
at least 200 Cavalry, unknown infantry	unknown
Casualties and losses
unknown	unknown

Coordinates: 54°44′28″N 2°06′36″W / 54.74111°N 2.11000°W / 54.74111; -2.11000

The Battle of Stanhope Park, part of the First War of Scottish Independence, took place during the night of 3–4 August 1327. The Scots under James Douglas led a raid into Weardale, and Roger Mortimer, accompanied by the newly crowned Edward III on his first campaign, led an army to drive them back. Douglas led, among other ambushes, an attack into the English camp, with 500 cavalry, and almost captured the king.

At the beginning of June 1327, a state of truce existed between England and Scotland but it was clear it would not last. Truce negotiations broke down and by 15 June, Scots forces had crossed over into the English West March. An English army, including a large contingent of Hainaut mercenaries (amongst whom was the chronicler Jean le Bel), set out from York on 1 July to make a counter invasion of Scotland. On 15 July, they were in Durham. It was here that they saw smoke from burning farms in the surrounding countryside and realised that a second Scottish force had entered the English Eastern March and was close by.

The English army pursued the Scots but could not make contact and eventually lost touch with them. At this point, the English changed their tactics and, instead of trying to overtake the Scots, decided to position themselves to intercept the Scottish army heading back into Scotland. Accordingly, they marched to Haydon, where they crossed the River Tyne and encamped on 20 July. Here they stayed waiting for the Scots for a week. However, at the end of this time they realised that they would have to seek out the Scots. A party of men-at-arms was sent out to search for the Scots and the main army marched off again southward. On 30 July, they were met by one of their scouts, Thomas Rokesby, who had blundered into the Scots army and been captured by them. The Scots had released him on condition that he rode back and directed the English army to them. The English followed Rokesby and located the Scots near Stanhope in Durham.

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