A skirmish supposed to have taken place on slopes to the S of the River Tay, 1½ miles (2.5 km) east of Newburgh in N Fife, the Battle of Black Earnside saw William Wallace defeat English forces under the Earl of Pembroke during the Wars of Independence. While the site is recorded in First Edition Ordnance Survey maps and a plaque has been placed at Wallace's Bridge by the people of Newburgh, there is doubt both as to the location and date. The battle was described much later by Blind Harry (c.1440 - 1492). The plaque gives the date as 12th June 1298, but it seems more likely the battle was later with other sources suggesting 1304. The name 'Earnside' would suggest a location to the west, alongside the River Earn, although the name Wallace's Den does appear nearby.
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