On this Day in 1296

Berwick upon Tweed captured by the English

Berwick upon Tweed, at that time Scotland's most important trading port, was captured by the English on 30th March 1296. This was the first significant battle of the 'First War of Scottish Independence'. The English forces led by Robert de Clifford besieged Berwick and were successful in taking the castle, at which point William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas surrendered. Thousands were killed in the conflict.

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View Related Timelines:
13th Century 1296 Capture of Berwick - 1296 Anglo-Scottish Wars Berwick upon Tweed

Parish in Focus: Bewick, Northumberland

The Civil Parish is the lowest tier of local government and many of the parishes in Northern England have boundaries and interesting histories relating to the ancient townships of long ago. Typically they have an enduring sense of place and community.

Bewick is a civil parish in Northumberland, located about 10 miles north-west of Alnwick. It is sparsely populated, with the population mostly concentrated in the east side of the parish, in the hamlets of Old Bewick and New Bewick. The west of the parish includes the rugged terrain of Bewick Moor and hill ranges. It has several prehistoric sites, including Bronze Age cairns and Iron Age hillforts (see: historic sites). The River Breamish flows through the parish, and south of Bewick Bridge, it becomes known as the River Till.

About the Parish	1855 Directory
Historic Buildings and Monuments	Bewick Hill Camp (hillfort)

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