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Archaeology Notes
Event ID 711590
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/711590
NT17SE 7 1618 7220.
(Centred: NT 1618 7220) Site of Skirmish (NR)
Between Oliver Cromwell and General Leslie 27th August 1650 (NAT)
OS 6" map (1938)
Cromwell, attempting to circumvent the defensive works around Edinburgh, marched his army from their bivouac at Slateford on 27th August 1650. Simultaneously, General Leslie marched west from his camp at Corstorphine, taking up a position around Gogar Park, House, and Church, and encountered Cromwell's army around Gogar Bank and Over Gogar. However, the boggy nature of the ground intervening prevented the armies coming to close quarters, and only an exchange of musketry and cannon took place, with few casualties. The Scots army maintained their position overnight, while the English bivouacked on some un-named spot, "drawing back to see if the Scots would advance", returning on the morning of the 28th, renewed the cannonade for an hour or two, finally starting to withdraw. Both armies then retreated eastwards simultaneously, each fearing the other intended to cut off his retreat.
W S Douglas 1898; Name Book 1852; N Tranter 1962.
