Page "Battle of Neville's Cross" Paragraph 3

Without the Scots ' knowledge, however, the English had already arrayed troops for just such an invasion.

Once the Scots invaded, an army was quickly mobilized in Richmond under the supervision of William Zouche, the Archbishop of York.

It was not, however, a large army and what men were available were split into two separate groups: 3, 000 – 4, 000 men from Cumberland, Northumberland and Lancashire, with another 3, 000 Yorkshiremen en route.

Given the demands of the Siege of Calais, no further men could be summoned for the defence of Northern England.

Worse still, on 14 October ( while the Scots were sacking Hexham ), the Archbishop decided not to wait for the Yorkshiremen and made haste toward Barnard Castle.