Battle of Haddon Rig facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Hadden Rig
Part of Anglo-Scottish Wars
Date 24 August 1542 Location Teviotdale Result Scottish Victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Earl of Huntly	Sir Robert Bowes
Strength
2,000	over 3,000
Casualties and losses
light	over 2000 killed 600 captured

The Battle of Hadden Rig was an important fight between Scotland and England. It happened on August 24, 1542. The battle took place near Kelso in the Scottish Borders. At this time, James V of Scotland was king of Scotland. Henry VIII was king of England. The English army was led by Sir Robert Bowes. He was a leader for the English border lands. Scotland won this battle. However, a bigger defeat for Scotland at the Battle of Solway Moss happened later that year.

The Battle of Hadden Rig

Why the Battle Happened

King Henry VIII of England was not happy with his nephew, King James V of Scotland. James V had strong connections with France. Henry VIII decided to attack Scotland. He planned to invade by both land and sea.

Henry gathered a large army near the border. This army was led by Sir Robert Bowes. The Earl of Angus and his brothers also helped lead. King James V chose the Earl of Huntly to lead the Scottish army. Huntly had about 10,000 soldiers. His main officer was Sir Walter Lindsay of Torphichen. Lindsay was a very experienced soldier.

The Battle Begins

The Earl of Huntly was very good at getting information. His spies told him that the English planned to attack and burn the towns of Jedburgh and Kelso. The English army, led by Bowes, stayed near the border. The Scottish nobles decided they would only attack if the English invaded Scotland.

On August 24, the English army moved forward. They reached a place called Hadden Rig. They had already destroyed parts of the Scottish lands. Huntly decided it was time to fight them. The English were surprised to see the Scottish army ready for battle at dawn.

Neither side could back down now. Sir Walter Lindsay led the first group of Scottish soldiers. There were 2,000 of Scotland's best troops. They attacked the English with great force. The Earl of Huntly won a complete victory easily.

What Happened Next

More than 2,000 English soldiers were killed. About 600 were captured. Among those captured were their leader, Sir Robert Bowes. Sir William Mowbray and about sixty other important English leaders were also taken prisoner. The Earl of Angus managed to escape because his horse was very fast. The Scottish army had very few losses. Their losses were so small that they were not even written down.

Where Hadden Rig Is

Hadden Rig is a large, gently sloping hill. It is located between Sprouston and the River Tweed to the north. To the south are Lempitlaw and the Cheviot Hills. The top of the hill is fairly flat. It is about 160 meters (525 feet) above sea level. The town of Kelso is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) to the west.

Remembering the Battle

The Haddon Rig sheep farm in New South Wales, Australia, is named after this Scottish battle site.

The Battle of Haddon Rig is also remembered in music. Clan Piper to Clan Davidson, Lindsay Davidson, wrote a piece for solo bagpipes about it. You can find out more about it here.