For centuries, those words struck terror into the people of Yorkshire as Scottish armies struck deep into the county or threatened its borders, and in return Yorkshiremen struck back. Fighting the Scots in the North or in Scotland became almost a way of life in Yorkshire and affected every aspect of existence, from English armies assembling in York, kings moving their courts to the city, industries springing up supplying the soldiers, and local villages and churches adopting defensive architecture for protection.
The threat which began in the 10th century lasted into the 18th century and in all that time armies marched and counter- marched along the main invasion route for both sides along the huge Vale of York running north through the county... the War Road.