Richard of Gloucester attacks Dumfries in 1482….

 

“….540 years ago on 22nd May 1482, the English led by Richard, Duke of Gloucester (the future Richard III) led a large raiding party across the Solway Firth. The raid was a reprisal to punish the Scots for the devastation they had caused in Cumberland during the previous winter….”

The above is an extract from this article , in which Dr Sandra Pendlington describes what happened. The Scots had anticipated a raid but wrongly guessed it would be at Annandale, where among other castles they reinforced Lochmaben. But Richard sacked and burned Dumfries instead and then returned to England.

Not far from Dumfries, at Ruthwell, the English are believed to have paused “….to look at the 8th century cross that guided pilgrims to St Ninian’s Shrine at Whithorn – St Ninian was Gloucester’s patron saint….” To read more about Richard and St Ninian, go to this article by Dr Pendlington.

You can read about the Ruthwell Cross here and here. Sadly, it’s no longer in situ, but it has survived well at Ruthwell Parish Church, so, like Richard, we can still see it.