In spite of Montague's and Warwick's northern successes in the years following Towton, a not-insubstantial Lancastrian army was still active in the area; it had been slowly been re-taking castles, like Bamburgh, Hexham, Langley, Norham, and Prudhoe Castles, between February and March 1464.
Montagu, having delivered the Scottish embassy to Newcastle, left there on 14 May,[REF] either with Lords Greystoke and Willoughby, or picking them up en route[REF] with other supporters,[REF] to seek out the Lancastrians [REF].