1) From the bridge over the Devil’s Water stream at Linnels, walk southeast along the B6306.
To your left on the south side of the stream spread flat meadows. It was here that Somerset, Roos and Hungerford were camped with their men. In 1464 there was a narrow bridge over the Devil’s Water where the modern bridge stands. About half a mile downstream was a ford, now hidden among the woods that blanket the slopes of Swallowship Hill. As the cold light of dawn started to spread over the hills to the east, the camp began to stir as the men raked out camp fires and prepared to eat breakfast.
The Lancastrian army consisted of about 2,500 men. Of these around 1500 were men of Hungerford and Roos who had fled from the Battle of Hedgeley Moor almost without striking a blow. It must be assumed that Somerset did not trust these men not to repeat their actions if a battle were to take place. In any case, Somerset had with him 500 of his own men, whom he did trust. There were also some 500 other Lancastrians brought from Bamburgh and commanded by Sir Humphrey Neville, another Lancastrian who had pledged loyalty to Edward of York only to return to his original allegiance.
2) Continue along the B6306 to the junction with the B6307. Turn left and after about 300 yards find a footpath on the right leading into the Dipton Woods.
It was about here that Montagu emerged from Dipton Woods to see the Lancastrian army camped below him in the valley. Montagu had with him about 4,000 men, though over a third of these were retainers of Willoughby and Greystoke. Like Somerset, he was going into battle unable completely to trust a sizeable proportion of his own army. Unlike Somerset, Montagu had an army that was fully armed and ready for action. He decided to take maximum advantage.
Montagu ordered the army to shake itself out of the column in which it had been marching and immediately form up a conventional battle line. He kept his own men with him here, but seems to have sent Greystoke off to the southwest. His job was to come down to the Devil’s Water to the south of Somerset’s camp and block his retreat in that direction. Greystoke and his men would have marched roughly along the route of the footpath, this section of the hill being rapidly taken up by Montagu’s men as they deployed into line. Willoughby’s men were probably on his right.
3) Take the footpath through the woods to emerge out of the trees beside a garden nursery on the B6306.
This point was where the left wing of Montagu’s men would have been positioned when fully deployed. They were formed up on the hill looking down toward Somerset’s camp. The blocking force of Greystoke would have continued west over what are now open fields to come down to the stream that lies about a mile distant.
At this date it was usual for English armies to fight almost exclusively on foot, a trend that had been gathering pace since the 1340s. Knights were encased in complete suits of plate armour that covered the entire body. Such armour was vulnerable only to crushing blows from heavy hand-held weapons or to extremely lucky arrowstrikes on visor or between joints. Most knights suffered more from exhaustion and heavy bruising than actual wounds. Men-at-arms wore less complete armour, but nevertheless fought alongside the knights. There were numbers of men called prickers or foreriders, cavalry wearing light armour who scouted on campaign and guarded flanks in battle. They often dismounted to fight on foot, as they seem to have done at Hexham. All armies had considerable numbers of archers. These men habitually wore metal helmets and some form of body armour.
Montagu would probably have followed conventional tactics by putting his archers on his flanks and his armoured infantry in the centre. Then he set off down the hill.
4) Walk down the B6306 toward Linnels Bridge.
This was the route taken by Montagu’s left wing. By this time Somerset had seen the advancing enemy and was getting his men in to position. It seems that there was not enough time for knights and men-at-arms to get fully armoured before they had to take up position. Almost certainly the Lancastrian army drew up in front of their camp in the order in which they had slept. The men of Roos and Hungerford were on the Lancastrian right, in front of the bridge. Somerset’s own men were in the centre. Those led by Neville were on the left, in front of the ford.
As they advanced, the Yorkist archers paused to shower the Lancastrians with arrows. The Yorkist knights and men-at-arms did not stop their advance, but continued down the hill at a steady walk, shouting their battle cries.
The casualties inflicted by the arrows shot by Montagu’s flanking archers fell most heavily on the Lancastrian flanks. As the Yorkist infantry got close to the enemy, both wings of the Lancastrian force fled. The men of Roos and Hungerford raced for the bridge, though it was so narrow that not all of them got across before Montagu’s men were among them with sword and axe. Neville’s men were luckier, splashing over the ford and getting away in large numbers.
With the enemy wings disposed of, Montagu could turn on Somerset himself and his 500 heavily armed infantry. With their backs to the river, there could be little real prospect of escape for the Lancastrians. They fought hard for some time, but when Somerset went down their morale collapsed and the survivors fled. Most did not make it, either being cut down by the Yorkists or drowning in the river.
5) Return to Linnels Bridge where the walk began. It was here that Montagu himself paused in his moment of victory.
Montagu ordering his foreriders to give chase over the river toward Hexham, when the wounded and dazed Somerset was thrown down before him. Montagu was in no mood to be merciful to the nobleman who had broken his sacred oath. He had Somerset roughly bundled aside to be held at swordpoint along with other prisoners. Montagu was desperate to find King Henry. He sent riders out in all directions to hunt down the fugitives, giving orders that every man killed or captured was to be studied closely. The bodies of the fallen on the field were likewise stripped of helmets and their faces inspected. it was not unknown for important personages such as Henry to be disguised if the prospect of capture seemed likely.
It was soon clear that Henry was not to be found. Montagu by this time was in Hexham itself. He had his prisoners dragged before him one by one. Any Lancastrian who had previously been captured only to return to the field after being let go was not even allowed to speak before being hustled in to the town square for instant execution. Somerset and some two dozen others died in less than an hour. Roos and Hungerford were captured next day and likewise beheaded. The remainder were marched off to Newcastle to await the decision of King Edward as to their fate.
Although the walk ends at Linnels Bridge, Hexham is only a short drive away. There is much to see in the town, including the Abbey and Moot Hall which stood here in 1464 – and the fatal Market Place, now a busy shopping area.
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