Battle of Pinkie

The Battle of Pinkie is regarded as one of Britain’s most important battle sites. The English in an attempt to link the two kingdoms of England and Scotland through the marriage of the young Queen Mary of Scots and Prince Edward (later Edward VI) of England, ended up in open conflict in 1547.

On the morning of 10 September 1547, more than 20,000 Scottish troops left a well defended position on the west of the river Esk and crossed the river to engage 18,000 English troops in the open fields to the south east of Inveresk. It was one of the largest battles fought on Scottish soil and the Scottish were totally overwhelmed. The Scottish army was decimated and yet even though the English had won they soon withdrew, resulting in Queen Mary’s departure for France, her marriage to the Dauphin and a strengthening of the Franco-Scottish alliance.

The Battle of Pinkie is thought to be one of the largest battles fought on Scottish soil, with at least 40,000 troops involved. It was also the first battle which represented the combined use of pike and shot, together with artillery and cavalry. Battlefields of this key transitional period in military practice are very rare in Britain.

Directions: The battle site sits within a large working landscape. Currently, the best way to experience the site is to walk into the battle site from Inveresk Lodge (National Trust for Scotland) in Musselburgh (follow signs from A1) along Crookston Road. There is a battle memorial stone to commemorate the battle at the eastern end of Crookston Road.

Additional Information: Open all year. Admission is free. Access available all year. Free.