This Day in History: 1333-03-01
During March 1333, Edward III was at Pontefract Castle preparing for his campaign in Scotland to avenge the Treaty of Northampton of 1328 which recognised Scotland’s independence after the humiliating defeat of the English by the Scots at the Battle of Stanhope Park in 1327. Despite an ‘English’ victory (by The Disinherited) at the Battle of Dupplin Moor in 1332, the situation in Scotland was complicated by the competing claims to the Scottish crown of David II and Edward Balliol who had been crowned at Scone in September 1332 but forced to flee to Carlisle three months later. It was at Pontefract that Edward ordered the building of two large siege engines to be shipped to Berwick along with gunpowder.