Why Didn't James IV Destroy Twizel Bridge?

On September 9th, 1513, the fate of a nation hinged—perhaps literally—on a single stone bridge. Twizel Bridge, an unassuming structure spanning the River Till near its junction with the Tweed in Northumberland, remains intact today. But over five centuries ago, it offered a vital crossing for the English army under the Earl of Surrey to outflank a superior-positioned Scottish host led by James IV. History records that the Scottish king could have destroyed the bridge and crippled the English movement. He didn’t.

Why not?

This single strategic omission is one of the most baffling decisions in British military history. And unlike the many uncertainties that plague medieval chronicles, this one is tangible. Twizel Bridge still stands—a mute witness to royal hesitation, miscalculation, or pride.