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The 14th century Etal Castle comprises a four storey keep, gatehouse and cornertower and tells the story of the nearby Battle of Flodden Field, the last and most bloody battle fought between Scotland and England on English soil.
The Battle was fought on the 9th September 1513 while Henry VIII was heavily involved in a war with the French. The Scots, allies of France, and quick to spot a weakness in the English defences, attacked with a force of 100,000 under the leadership of King James IV. The Earl of Surrey, given the responsibility of protecting England in Henry Vlll's absence, arrived to confront them and somehow won the battle. But the cost was high, with massive losses of life on both sides, and particularly disastrous for the Scots army who lost many thousands of men, including King James.
The story of the battle is retold at Etal Castle which also holds some of the weapons used in the battle.
