The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people across Eurasia and North Africa between 1346 and 1353. The plague likely originated in Central Asia and spread west along trade routes, eventually reaching Europe via merchant ships carrying goods and rats infected with plague-carrying fleas. From Europe, the plague continued spreading northwards into Scotland from England. But how exactly did the plague traverse the border and infect Scottish populations?
When did the Black Death reach England and Scotland?
The Black Death first arrived in England in June 1348, when infected ships from Gascony docked at the port of Melcombe in Dorset. From there, the plague spread rapidly across southern England before reaching London by autumn 1348. Over the next few years, the Black Death ravaged England, killing between 30-45% of the population. Scotland remained free of plague until summer 1349. Scottish contemporaries noted that the pestilence seemed to ’creep northwards’ from England, first taking hold along the Scottish border regions by late 1349 before reaching the major burghs of Scottish Lowlands by spring 1350.
Autumn 1349 – Spring 1350: Spread along the Borders
The sparsely populated counties along the Anglo-Scottish border were the first to suffer major outbreaks of plague north of England. While we lack detailed evidence, contemporary accounts suggest plague spread to Scotland through routine interaction along the permeable border. Trade, travel, and cross-border raids would all have facilitated transmission. Once present in Carlisle or Berwick, the plague could readily move between northern England and the Scottish marches through regular local contacts.
Spring 1350: Arrival in Scottish Burghs
From the Borders, the Black Death spread north and east into the more densely populated burghs of Lowland Scotland, reaching Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen between March and June 1350. The plague likely infiltrated these towns via established trade networks that linked major Scottish burghs with English centres hit earlier by the plague. Maritime contacts via the North Sea may also have introduced plague, especially in eastern burghs like Aberdeen.
Why did it take so long to reach Scotland?
While the Black Death ravaged England from 1348-1349, Scotland remained untouched by plague until the summer of 1349. Why was there an apparent lag before the plague spread to Scotland? Various theories help explain the delay:
Lower population density
Scotland was much more sparsely populated than England, especially northern Scotland. With wider separation between habitations, it likely took longer for plague to infiltrate new settlements and spread.
Weaker trade links
Compared to England, Scotland also had less developed continental trade connections in the medieval period, meaning it had fewer direct maritime links to plague-infected parts of mainland Europe.
Fewer rats
Rats were the main carriers of plague-infected fleas between locations. Scotland is thought to have had fewer rats than England, hampering overland plague dissemination.
Seasonal factors
Some also suggest plague spreads more effectively in warmer weather. Scotland’s colder climate may have slowed transmission over the winter of 1348-9.
How did trade facilitate spread into Scotland?
Commercial contacts between Scottish and English towns played a major role in facilitating the northward spread of plague once it had entered England.
East coast trade
Busy maritime trade connected eastern Scottish burghs like Aberdeen, Dundee, and Edinburgh with English east coast ports like Newcastle, York, and London. Plague infiltrated eastern Scotland primarily via these North Sea trade contacts.
West coast trade
Significant commerce flowed between western Scottish towns like Ayr and Dumfries with the English west coast. This western coastal trade provided a transmission route for plague to enter southwestern Scotland from heavily infected areas like Cumberland.
Anglo-Scottish land trade
There was also regular overland commerce between Scottish burghs and English border market towns. Wool was a major Scottish export, while English merchants imported goods like coal and hides from Scotland. This border trade enabled plague to spread locally from northern England into southern Scotland.
Central belt commerce
As central hubs, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Perth had particularly strong trade ties with English centres. Their dense commercial connections made them early recipients and vectors of plague entering Scotland.
What role did human movement play?
Beyond commercial contacts, human travel between England and Scotland also contributed to spreading the Black Death northwards:
Refugees
When plague struck England in 1348-9, some aristocratic families and merchants fled north to Scotland, inadvertently bringing the plague with them. Scottish administrators tried banning English refugees, but some likely slipped through.
Raiders
Cross-border raids and warfare did not halt during the plague outbreak. Scottish raiders returning from plague-ridden northern England would have carried the disease back with them.
Cluniac monks
English monks of the Cluniac order had several priories in southern Scotland. Travel between these houses would have helped disseminate plague beyond the borders.
Itinerant workers
There was regular short-term travel by laborers and craftsmen between Scotland and England seeking work. Movements of these transient workers aided wider spread of the plague.
The church
Bishops and clergy routinely travelled between dioceses spanning the border, while pilgrims crossed frequently to visit shrines. These church contacts enabled transmission.
What measures tried limiting the plague’s spread?
To protect against the approaching plague, Scottish civic authorities implemented various preventative measures, albeit with limited success:
Banning arrivals
Several burghs like Aberdeen and Perth banned all incoming travelers from plague-infected areas of England and mainland Europe, trying to isolate themselves.
Quarantines
Merchants and travelers from affected areas were subject to 40 day quarantines (trentals) before entering Scottish towns, following continental models.
Town wall guards
Guards were posted at town gates to bar entry to anyone exhibiting plague symptoms or lacking a clean bill of health.
Trade restrictions
Some burghs temporarily banned foreign trade to close possible plague entry points. Cloth imports were prohibited in Aberdeen for several months.
Hygiene and street cleaning
Towns ordered householders to improve sanitation by removing rubbish heaps and cleaning streets and lanes near their properties.
What was the impact on Scotland?
Despite containment efforts, the Black Death ravaged Scotland from 1349-1350, slaughtering between 30-50% of the population. The dramatic demographic impact was seen across many areas of society:
Urban mortality
Scotland’s crowded, filthy burghs were devastated by plague, losing up to half their populations in under a year. Aberdeen’s civic records suggest mortality exceeding 50%.
Rural deaths
Rural areas were also heavily afflicted. Some rural parishes lost up to 70% of tenants, leaving fields and farms vacant.
Economic contraction
Such catastrophic loss of life caused severe economic disruption, including decline in foreign and domestic trade, fall in rents and land values, livestock losses, and lack of servile farm labor.
Social instability
With such extreme mortality, society was destabilized. Lawlessness increased and feudal bonds weakened as labor shortages emboldened peasants.
Clergy losses
So many clergy perished that filling vacancies proved challenging. Two Aberdeen parishes lacked priests for a year post-plague.
Psychological toll
The scale of sudden mass mortality left the Scottish populace traumatized and fearful, as reflected in contemporary chronicles and poetry.
Conclusion
The Black Death wrought utter devastation as it crept inexorably northwards from England into Scotland in 1349-50. Lacking immunity, Scottish communities were ravaged by plague, which infiltrated towns via commerce with infected English centres. Despite attempts to halt its advance, plague mortality likely exceeded 50% in Scottish burghs and between 30-40% nationally, destroying lives on an unimaginable scale and sending society into turmoil. Yet the social and economic changes catalyzed by the Black Death’s demographic shock ultimately helped usher Scotland into the modern era.