It was at Ford Castle
that the Lady Heron entertained the Scots King James IV before the
Battle of Flodden.
It is alleged that Lady Heron’s attractions gave the approaching
English army time to prepare for the battle. At the battle, the Scots
were heavily defeated.
There is a bedroom, believed to have been used by the King and communicating by a single staircase with that of the Lady Heron.
Lady Heron spent the time before Flodden trying to arrange for her castle to be spared destruction. James agreed to do this if two of his knights, prisoners of the English, would be freed. The exchange was agreed with Surrey, the English commander, but Lady Heron's efforts were in vain as the castle was burnt after all.
The estate eventually passed from the Herons to the Carrs and the castle is now an education centre and is not normally open to the public.
For more detailed information go to the Ford Castle website: http://www.fordcastle.org.uk/