Northumbria Community

In September 1513, 500 years ago, there occurred the bloodiest battle in the long history of warfare between England and Scotland. It all happened at Flodden, near Coldstream in the Scottish Borders – not very far from Hetton Hall, the Community’s former Mother House.

Despite initially occupying the high ground, the Scottish forces found themselves outflanked by the English and there was the most awful slaughter of the great and good of the Scottish nation, including the loss of their king, James IV.

Today the battlefield site is open farmland and, with a helpful guide, one can walk around it with the sounds of battle almost ringing in one’s ears. To do so is to reflect not only on man’s inhumanity to man, but also on how this was the last great battle between the two nations, which within 100 years had united their crowns (in 1603); and within 200 had united their governments (1707).