James IV stone plaque

This stone commemorative plaque records: On August 22nd 1513, the largest army ever mustered in Scotland crossed the fords in the River Tweed here at Coldstream and downstream at Lenne in support of France against Henry VIII of England. The auld enemies met in battle at Flodden Field on the 9th September 1513. The resulting battle ended in disastrous defeat for Scotland, whereby King James IV, almost the entire nobility of Scotland, and 10,000 men at arms perished at the hands of the Earl of Surrey's English army.

King James IV was a monarch of Scotland known for his efforts to modernize the country and his alliance with France against England, which culminated in the disastrous Battle of Flodden Field where he and thousands of Scottish nobles were killed.