Sunday 15 June 2014

Battle of Bannockburn - Prelude

Edward Bruce has had Stirling Castle cut off since the middle of febuary 1314*,  and Sir Philip Mowbray, defending the Castle  has made  a bargain: that he would surrender the castle, if it were not relieved by 24 June 1314.
King Edward sends out a call to arms. Villages and....
... towns across the land and from far flung lands ..
...send men and arms to join the greatest Feudal  army ever assembled on English soil.  On 17th June 1314, the army left Wark on Tweed on an 86 mile forced march to Relieve the siege.   
Priests encourage the troops along the way.......
...and the women  look on, wondering if they will see thier menfolk again.


* A rough estimate as to the exact date that Stirling Castle was besieged. All that I can find of any date is that the seige started is during the period of Lent, approximately six weeks before Easter Day and can fall as early as February 4 or as late as March 10, so the middle of Febuary it is.