Record of Scotland's largest battle to be updated

A record of the largest single battle to be fought in Scotland in terms of the number of combatants is to be updated following a review.

The Battle of Pinkie in September 1547 saw as many as 23,000 Scots take on an English army of about 19,000 near Musselburgh in East Lothian.

The Scots were defeated and suffered losses running to 15,000 casualties.

Pinkie's entry in Scotland's battlefield inventory was reviewed at a seminar in April.

Sixteen people, including historians and archaeologists, recommended some changes to the record, which have now been put out for public consultation.

The boundary of the battlefield has not been changed, but it has been suggested the battle be recorded as having taken place over two days - 9 and 10 September - rather than just one.

It has also been recommended to make reference to Coulsand Castle.

A ruin today, the castle did not have a direct role in the battle but experts suggested it serves as a useful location for some elements of the fighting.

The latest information on the battle, including archaeological finds, would also be added to the record.

Highland archers

The Battle of Pinkie was the last large-scale pitched battle between Scots and English before the Union of the Crowns in 1603.

It also formed part of what was known as the Rough Wooing, which was started by Henry VIII and an attempt to force a marriage between the young Mary Queen of Scots and Henry's son, Edward.

The majority of the Scots army was pike infantry - troops armed with a long and heavy spear-like weapon - but there were also cavalry and Highland archers.

The English included cavalry and soldiers armed with firearms called arquebusiers.

Scotland's battlefield inventory is a database started nine years ago by Historic Scotland, now part of Historic Environment Scotland.