Atlas of Battles

battle, medieval

Battle of Sark

Battle of Sark was a battle fought on 23 October 1448 at Gretna, in what is now United Kingdom. It was part of the Anglo-Scottish Wars. The recorded result: Scottish victory. Recorded strength: 4,000, mainly spearmen with some archers. against 6,000, including a battle of archers and some cavalry..

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Battle of Sark (1448), illuminated miniature from La Cronicque du temps de tres chrestien roy Charles, septisme de ce nom, roy de France by Jean Chartier.
Battle of Sark (1448), illuminated miniature from La Cronicque du temps de tres chrestien roy Charles, septisme de ce nom, roy de France by Jean Chartier.. Attributed to Philippe de Mazerolles, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought23 October 1448
WhereGretna, United Kingdom54.986N, 3.072W
OutcomeScottish victory
BelligerentsKingdom of ScotlandagainstKingdom of England
Battlefield todayBattle of Sark battlefieldHistoric Environment Scotland entry BTL40, 166 ha
Part ofAnglo-Scottish Wars

Where it sits in the Anglo-Scottish Wars

Battle of Nesbit Moor, 1355Battle of Duns, 1372Battle of Otterburn, 1388Battle of Nesbit Moor, 1402Battle of Homildon Hill, 1402Battle of Yeavering, 1415Battle of Piperdean, 1436Battle of Sark, 1448Capture of Berwick, 1482Battle of the Firth of Forth, 1489Battle of Haddon Rig, 1542Battle of Solway Moss, 1542Battle of Ancrum Moor, 1545Battle of Pinkie, 1547Siege of Haddington, 1548Battle of Drumlanrig, 1548Raid of the Redeswire, 157513551575Battle of Sark, 1448
17 placed engagements of the Anglo-Scottish Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date23 October 1448
PlaceGretna, United Kingdom
54.986N, 3.072W
KindBattle, medieval
Strength4,000, mainly spearmen with some archers.6,000, including a battle of archers and some cavalry.
Casualties and losses26-600 killed, Sir John Wallace of Craigie later died of wounds received at the battle.2,000-3,000 killed and drowned, many captured including Sir John Pennington, Sir John Harrington, and the younger Percy.
Commanders
  • Hugh Douglas, Earl of Ormonde
  • Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland
Battle of SarkBattle of SarkBattle of Solway MossBattle of DornockBattle of ArfderyddBattle of AnnanBattle of Annan MoorBattle of Solway MossBattle of DornockBattle of ArfderyddCarlisle10 km54.986N, 3.072W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. The dashed outline is the registered battlefield area (Historic Environment Scotland). Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1448

Historic Environment Scotland registers this as the Battle of Sark battlefield (entry BTL40), 166 hectares, under the Open Government Licence.

Battle of Sark is one of 720 engagements of the 15th century in the atlas and one of 695 in present-day United Kingdom.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1770727, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Sark, revision 1384364201, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Battlefield boundary and area from Historic Environment Scotland (Open Government Licence). Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.