Off the beaten track again in Brompton, aka Bruntone in the Domesday Book, a village just north of Northallerton. This is the ford across Willow or Brompton Beck. 

Its place in history dates back to the battles between King Stephen of England and Kind David of Scotland in the 12th Century.

The Battle of the Standard in 1138 took place just outside the village when the King David’s army, looking to enlarge his kingdom and support Empress Matilda’s (his niece) claim to the English throne, clashed with the local militia and an army raised by the Archbishop of York. 

The Scots out numbered the English but they were routed. It is said between 10-12,000 Scots were killed during the battle or whilst they fled. The English casualty numbers are not know but it was recorded only one English knight was killed.

It is a little disconcerting one of the local overgrown tracks is still called Scotpit Lane…

As you can see Matilda enjoys the surroundings that her namesake did not.