Black Agnes Defends Dunbar Castle Against English Siege in 1338

In January 1338, during the Second War of Scottish Independence, English forces led by William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury, laid siege to Dunbar Castle on Scotland’s east coast. The castle’s defense was directed by Agnes Randolph, known as “Black Agnes,” the wife of Patrick Dunbar, Earl of March. When Salisbury demanded surrender, Agnes famously replied, “I have my house from Scotland’s king; I will keep it while it keeps me.”

The English deployed heavy siege engines, mangonels and catapults, bombarding the stone walls daily. Despite the relentless attack, Agnes employed psychological tactics that unsettled the attackers, maintaining the garrison’s resolve until the siege was lifted.

Her defiant stand entered Scottish folklore and chronicled history as a symbol of steadfast resistance against English aggression.