Homildon Hill 1402                                                                                         Click on the photo to enlarge it

Here was fought one of the greatest of all border battles. It was here that Harry Hotspur took ample revenge upon the Douglas's for his defeat at Otterburn fourteen years before. The battle was basically fought between English archers (actually they were from the Welsh marches) and a larger Scottish incursion force. The archers were unsupported and in an inferior position but they totally routed a force larger than themselves.

The fight started as border raid, by a Scottish army led by Douglas, as retaliation for an earlier defeat. The army that marched south included a fine gathering of Scottish Knights including the Earl 's of Murray, of Angus and Fergus McDonald of Galloway. The raid extended to the Tyne and then the army, fully laden with booty, attempted to withdraw towards the Tweed.

On the 13th September, and with only twelve miles to go, they found themselves facing Hotspur's army approaching from the east. Douglas directed his army up the slopes of Homildon, the English facing them at the bottom. The Scottish army, from a superior position, attempted to charge down the hill but were stopped in their tracks by fusillade of arrows from the English. The Scots reformed and charged again but again they were stopped in their tracks by the archers. Eventually the will of the Scots broke and they ran for home. They were then setupon by the pursuing Archers, using axes and swords and totally routed.

Homildon was a glorious victory for Hotspur but was marred by one incident that today would be called a war crime. From the horde of prisoners Hotspur singled out Sir William Stuart of Forest who he said was a traitor to England. He had been tried by jury and found to be innocent of this charge. However, Hotspur went ahead and executed Stuart. His body was drawn and quartered and placed on the walls of York.

The battle is commemorated by a rough stone marker at Red Riggs, 2 miles outside Wooler on the A697.

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