Burnt Candlemas was a failed invasion of Scotland in early 1356 by an English army commanded by King Edward III, and was the last campaign of the Second War of Scottish Independence.

In September a nine-month truce was agreed, and most of the English forces left for northern France to take part in a campaign of the concurrent Hundred Years' War.

In late December the Scots escaladed and captured the important English-held border town of Berwick-on-Tweed and laid siege to its castle.

This was a reference to the custom of the time of taking one's annual stock of candles to the local church on 2 February to be blessed in a ceremony known as candlemas; they were then used over the rest of the year.

[4] The Weardale campaign of 1327 went so badly for the English that it brought Isabella of France and Roger Mortimer, regents of the newly crowned, 14-year-old King Edward III, to the negotiating table.

The Constable of Norham Castle, a significant English border fortification, attempted to counterattack with part of his garrison and some locals, but this scratch force was routed.

He continued with his campaign in France,[23] where he led a chevauchée – a large-scale mounted raid – across Picardy, attempting to draw the French army into battle.

The Guardian of Scotland, Robert Stewart, who was acting as regent for the imprisoned David II, took personal control of the siege of the castle.

[28] According to other accounts it was not until he disembarked in England with the army on 12 November, after the negotiations with the French had failed, that he learnt of the fall of Berwick.

[18][26] In any event, Edward was in Newcastle in the north by Christmas Eve (24 December), where a large army was assembling, and a fleet was being prepared to supply it.

[30] The English laid siege to the town and the Scots could expect no relief force, according to a contemporary "by reason of the discord of the magnates".

On 20 January Balliol surrendered his nominal position as king of Scotland in favour of Edward, his overlord, in exchange for a generous pension.

[36] Much of the territory they were despoiling was part of the estates of Patrick of March, one of the leaders of the Scottish assault on Berwick in defiance of the truce.

[34] The Scots practiced a scorched earth policy, refusing battle, evacuating the populace ahead of the English and devastating their own territory.

"[36] It was clear the army would require supplying from the sea during this march,[36] but unfavourable north winds prevented the fleet from moving.

[40] While waiting for the wind to change Lothian was devastated so thoroughly that the Scots called the English incursion "Burnt Candlemas".

[36] This was a reference to the custom of the time of taking one's annual stock of candles to the local church on 2 February to be blessed in a ceremony known as candlemas; they were then used over the rest of the year.

The strong English-held castles of Caerlaverock and Dalswinton were stormed and captured; Galloway accepted the authority of the Scottish crown.

During these ten years an Anglo-Scottish truce prohibited any Scottish citizen from bearing arms against Edward III or any of his men.

[12] This truce stabilised the border area, bringing a measure of peace to it for three decades, and marked the end of the Second War of Scottish Independence.