English Battlefields E-Book

Michael Rayner

• Herausgeber: The History Press
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 645

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

'Fascinating' - The Sunday Telegraph England has been fought over for centuries, by invaders and in civil wars. The sites of these desperate struggles are as varied as the reasons they were fought over, be they fields, towns or fortresses, by land, sea or air. These haunted acres are places of commemoration, memory and, above all, history. These are the places where history was made, and as such they form a crucial part of the historic environment. By 'reading' them like any other form of historical evidence, much can be learned about the events which took place there. Through stripping away later features and land use with an eye for the ground, the battlefield historian can, with the use of contemporary accounts, archaeology and military history, reconstruct the events which have shaped the present. In this fully updated, ground-breaking volume, covering over 500 battlefields, Michael Rayner unravels these various strands and weaves them back together to give clear, concise accounts of the battles that shaped England.

Leseprobe

First published 2004

This updated paperback edition first published 2025

The History Press

97 St George’s Place, Cheltenham,

Gloucestershire, GL50 3QB

www.thehistorypress.co.uk

© Michael Rayner, 2025

The right of Michael Rayner to be identified as the Authorof this work has been asserted in accordance with theCopyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprintedor reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic,mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented,including photocopying and recording, or in any informationstorage or retrieval system, without the permission in writingfrom the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 83705 058 1

Typesetting and origination by The History Press

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ Books, Padstow, Cornwall

eBook converted by Geethik Technologies

The History Press proudly supports

www.treesforlife.org.uk

EU Authorised Representative: Easy Access System Europe

Mustamäe tee 50, 10621 Tallinn, Estonia

[email protected]

CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction to the Second Edition

Introduction to the First Edition

Chronological List of Battles

Maps

A-Z

About the Author

FOREWORD

BY RICHARD HOLMES

It is always dangerous to describe any book as definitive, but I believe that this one comes as close to deserving that rare description as any reasonably can. Michael Rayner is certainly not the first scholar to address this topic: I think particularly of my old boss Brigadier Peter Young and his collaborator Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Burne, and, more recently, of the careful work of David Smurthwaite. Yet as Michael Rayner observes in his introduction, many English battlefields remain very poorly described in print, and are often badly interpreted on the ground, if, indeed, they are interpreted at all. The foundation of the Battlefields Trust has, I believe, made a real difference, but even its best efforts, and those of English Heritage, still do not prevent local authorities from granting planning permission to sites on registered battlefields. We may have restricted, but we have not yet definitively checked, the intrusion of brick, concrete or tarmac onto ground where history was made.

To understand a battle fully we need to know something of the men who clashed there and the weapons they used, the leaders who commanded them and the purpose of their action. Yet we must also have a sense of the ground they fought on, and one of the great strengths of Michael Rayner’s work is its feel for the field. His entry on Bosworth, for instance, reflects the current disagreements over the site of the battle, concludes that with the current state of research we cannot take a definitive view, and rightly commends Leicestershire County Council for its fine visitor centre. I regularly ride my sturdy grey horse Thatch over the 1644 battlefield of Cheriton, and agree with the author that the battle monument is actually to the north of the field itself; this is one of the many examples of the simple commemoration of a battle not necessarily helping the casual visitor. His use of the best modern scholarly assessment, flagged up as a key reference for each battle, provides the serious student with further reading, but the format and liberal use of maps will not deter the less committed.

This is understandably strong in the major key, with important actions like Towton, Naseby and Sedgemoor described at length. Yet I particularly like its inclusion of minor key, which is often so hard to hear. For instance, the action at Winwick Pass on 19 August 1648 was effectively the last act of the Scots-Royalist invasion, and deserves the mention that it gets here. The battle sticks in my mind because I recall a Parliamentarian officer writing of how ‘a little spark in a blue bonnet’ in the Scottish ranks gallantly held his men together until he was eventually killed. This brings us to the heart of the matter. Battlefields, as Churchill put it, are indeed the punctuation marks of history. Michael Rayner has done us a great service in helping us to make sense of them, and to begin to understand how men, doing their duty as they saw it, left their mark on these haunted acres.

Richard Holmes, 2004

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In writing this volume I have been assisted by many individuals and organisations to whom I am most grateful: without their help, selflessly given, this work would be all the poorer. In particular I would like to thank all members of the Battlefields Trust, past and present, for their support, advice and good company over the last ten years or more. Without them I would never have been in the position to write this work. To name just a few of these who have aided my thoughts on various battlefields in sun, wind and (too often) rain: Frank Baldwin, Alastair Bantock, Andrew Boardman, Matthew Bennett, David Buxton, David Chandler, David Cooke, Alastair Cowan, David Delaney, Iain Dickie, Steve Goodchild, Paddy Griffith, Philip Haigh, Ann Hannon, Michael Hannon, Martin Marix Evans, Peter Marren, James Parker, Peter Norton, Christopher Scott, Jonathan Smith, Frances Sparrow, Tony Spicer, Ken Taylor, Paul Taylor, Kelvin van Hasselt, Harvey Watson, Charles Wesencraft. Glenn Foard, the Battlefield Trust’s Project Officer, has been most generous with advice and practical help, while Dr Paul Stamper of English Heritage has provided further assistance. My sincere thanks go to Richard Holmes for agreeing to write a foreword for this, my first book, especially as he has so many demands on his time. Stephen Beck has been more than generous in granting permission to reproduce some of his splendidly atmospheric ‘picture-maps’ of Civil War sieges. Writing a book while pursuing a busy career is certainly not easy and I would like to thank my last three successive headmasters for being so understanding in enabling me to juggle commitments, in particular Michael Hepworth who gave me permission to attend the inaugural Battlefields Trust conference, and Jim Malcolm of Langley School, Norfolk, where I am currently employed as Deputy Headteacher. Colleagues have also been patient, while various students have shown a great deal of interest in this project, although sometimes I suspect this is an effort to avoid more serious work! In particular I must thank Adam Ainley, Joshua Hirst, Howard Lloyd, Helen Mann, William Nokes, Emma Tills, Jake Titterington, Jason Williams, Jolyon Wright, my Year Eleven History GCSE set and Year Eight class of 2002–2003. Jonathan Reeve at Tempus has been the driving force behind this project from the start, for which I thank him. Most of all I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my mother, father and brother, David, for instilling in me a love of all things historical. My thanks go to my eldest daughter Emily for being my fieldworker and companion on many expeditions, and to Holly, my youngest, for allowing me to monopolise the home computer. Finally, gratitude goes to my wife Su, for her never-failing support, patience and encouragement, without which this book would most certainly not have been written.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE SECOND EDITION

With over twenty years since first publication and with much research in this field having been carried out during this period, it is hoped that a new fully updated edition will prove to be of interest. As flagged up in the original introduction it has been the development of battlefield archaeology which has enabled new interpretations of some of our battlefields to be made, as well as confirmation of some existing ones. Greater appreciation of the importance of the historic landscape alongside detailed historical research of some battles and their locations has also led to some assumptions being challenged. This has resulted in major revisions of a number of entries in this volume, with Bosworth probably being the most noteworthy, followed by Edgcote, Barnet and Stow-on-the-Wold among others. Some, including Northallerton, Neville’s Cross, Mortimer’s Cross and Winceby now have alternative interpretations which would merit further research which hopefully would pin down their precise locations. New research has resulted in four additions to Historic England’s Register of Historic Battlefields since publication, with two of these for Winwick and Edgcote being partly due to my submissions.

Further additions to this edition include some new entries such as Stanhope, Piercebridge, Egginton Heath and Weymouth, while the addition of a chronological list of all entries should be useful. The research of numerous historians and archaeologists has made this new edition possible, while the ever-expanding Battlefields Trust’s online Battlefields Hub contains many useful details including downloadable resources. Several of these projects have seen much involvement and leadership by Glenn Foard, Tracey Partida and Sam Wilson, who deserve special mentions, alongside many others including Simon Marsh and Graham Evans. My sincere thanks also go to Chrissy McMorris at The History Press for her support and advice in putting together this new edition. Another major change and improvement for those of us who enjoy visiting battlefields has been the large increase in on-site information panels, trails and the growth of heritage community groups since the turn of the millennium, many of which are included in this volume.

Sadly, the premature loss of Richard Holmes in 2011 has taken one of military history’s shining lights from us, and I have missed his enthusiastic, knowledgeable yet gentle backing for this edition. I hope and believe he would have supported this new enterprise as he did the first.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE FIRST EDITION

This volume is designed to be a reference work for all English battles and battlefields, explaining not only the events of these actions but also the ground upon which they were fought. To aid the reader the work is organised as an encyclopedia or dictionary, alphabetically and with each entry appearing in a similar format. An effort has been made to identify a key work of reference for further reading for at least the major actions. Forty-two registered battlefields, as well as several others, are provided with a map, while many have illustrations to accompany them.

Since the late 1980s, battlefields in England have increasingly come under the spotlight, due initially to part of the battlefield of Naseby coming under threat from the then new A14 dual carriageway. Opposition to that scheme was largely uncoordinated and confused, and the road-building went ahead. However, what that episode showed was just how poorly researched were many of England’s most famous battlefields, with historians disagreeing about the extent and area of the fighting at Naseby. It also made many sit up and realise that battlefields were and are an important part of the historic environment, not least English Heritage, who started to compile the Register of Historic Battlefields, which was published in 1995. The Naseby road also led directly to the formation of the Battlefields Trust, which resulted from a conference organised to look at the case for battlefield preservation. The Battlefields Trust, a charity dedicated to the preservation and better interpretation and presentation of battlefields, has worked with English Heritage and other interested parties to raise the profile of battlefields with noted successes over the last ten years, in particular at Blore Heath and Tewkesbury, where developments detrimental to the battlefields have been halted. In addition, the Trust has funded various interpretation projects, most notably at Roundway Down and towards a battlefield trail from Edgehill to Edgcote via Cropredy Bridge. It continues to grow, with a branch network, quarterly journal and programme of events, along with the work of Glenn Foard as its largely Heritage Lottery-funded Project Officer, working towards the creation of an impressive Battlefield Resource Centre. This is available at the Trust’s website at www.battlefieldstrust.com along with membership details and further information. If you enjoy visiting battlefields and share the sentiments expressed here I would urge you to consider joining this extremely worthwhile organisation.

In researching this work it has become clear just how poorly interpreted are many of our battlefields, both in print and, more obviously, on the ground. At the same time this volume can only hope to be an up-to-date survey of current knowledge and opinion, with both likely to change in the coming years. Indeed, this would be welcomed, as there is much further research to be undertaken in order to help locate many of the battlefields with certainty and to explain more clearly the actions which took place. To do this the terrain itself is a hugely important source of evidence and this should be reason enough to preserve it. Although the landscape will have changed since the time of any given battle, it is still a source which can be ‘read’ like any other, so long as these post-battle changes are taken into account and understood. By looking at and walking the landscape, one becomes aware of a range of factors which otherwise would probably be missed. The folds in the ground, lines of sight, and whether there were leaves on the trees are among these factors which can best be understood on the battlefield. Further work in association with archaeology and landscape studies would add to the arsenal of the battlefield researcher. Although the written records are essential to understanding certain aspects of a battle, it is to these other branches of study that one must turn to gain a complete picture. Landscape study can help to interpret the evolution of the battlefield from the time of the battle, in particular to see how its land-use has changed. Here it is essential to know whether the ground at the time of the battle was open or enclosed, or to what extent the land was wooded. The work of archaeologists, especially in regard to carefully recorded artefact-recovery programmes, is also essential to improving our knowledge and refining interpretations. Hopefully this combined approach will lead to a multi-disciplinary school of study, which will greatly improve our understanding of battlefields over the coming years.

In this work I have attempted to follow this approach where possible, including archaeological and landscape details to help formulate my interpretation in addition to using written sources. With the latter, primary sources have been consulted where possible, although inevitably work of scholars past and present has also been utilised. Naturally, any mistakes and errors which do appear in the work are entirely due to my fallibility. The maps, which are drawn by the author, may lack the style of professionally drawn plans, but hopefully do reflect exactly what has been intended. Where possible, frontages of units have been shown as occupying the correct amount of ground, although unit depths are nigh on impossible to show to scale. This approach has served to illustrate the problems experienced when using numbers of participants from the contemporary sources, particularly for pre-seventeenth-century battles. Nearly always the figures are inflated, something which is clear when attempting to fit the chroniclers’ numbers onto the landscape. On the other hand there are occasions, for example at Cheriton (1644), when the numbers employed seem barely adequate to occupy the ground. Again, the terrain serves to provide the most useful clues and insights for the historian. All the maps are drawn from one-inch Ordnance Survey maps from the first half of the twentieth century. This means that contour heights were in feet, so although these have been converted into metres, the numbers are not regular multiples of 10m as found on modern OS maps. The maps generally show the positions of the armies at the beginning of the battles, with some further details being provided, such as the location of monuments etc. On occasion, the road pattern has changed since the time of the battles and, where known, the original roads have been shown in addition to the later pattern to enable the visitor to orientate himself, as well as to allow the armchair reader to appreciate the importance of the contemporary routes.

It is hoped that this will be a standard work of reference to be updated where and when appropriate as new editions are published. The author invites suggested additions and, dare he say it, amendments. The aim was to produce a one-volume work with every battle fought in England, together with every major siege and skirmish. With the sieges and skirmishes, discretion had to be employed and I can only apologise if a particular ‘favourite’ has been omitted. Within the definition of ‘battle’, naval and air actions have also been included where these have been fought close to the land of England. Only major actions have been included, so that single-ship actions, for example, have not been given an entry. Certainly there is scope for more air actions, although by their nature these are hard to locate. Bombing raids have not been included, even though these could be argued to be ‘battles’, although the military losses were usually relatively small. Some actions which could best be described as incidents of civil disturbance have been included where there was significant loss of life and a military force was involved on one side, although even here my subjectivity has occasionally been employed, for example in including the curious engagement of Bossenden Wood. Naturally, any selection such as this comes down to one’s opinion, but hopefully more has been unexpectedly included than not included.

Hopefully this work will encourage more to visit these important features of England’s historic environment and will help to promote their further study. There is no better way to study and enjoy these ‘haunted acres’ than to visit them oneself, preferably in good company and with the reward of a good pint at the conclusion, over which the merits of the various interpretations can be debated. I can only hope that my own musings, interpretations and conclusions will provoke and promote future debate, encourage more visits to these battlefields and go some small way towards further putting them on the map and thus aiding their preservation. The men who fought and often died at these sites at least deserve their endeavours, triumphs and suffering to be remembered and honoured.

CHRONOLOGICAL

LIST OF BATTLES

55 BC

25 Aug–mid Sep

Caesar’s first expedition

54

early Jul–mid Sep

Caesar’s second expedition

43

Medway, battle of the

43

River Thames, battle of the

43?

Hod Hill, siege of

43?

Cadbury Castle, siege of

45–47?

Maiden Castle, siege of

60/1

Boudica’s defeat

455

Aylesford, battle of

456/7

Crayford, battle of

465

Wipped’s Creek, battle of

477

Cymen’s Shore, battle of

485

Mearcred’s Burn, battle of

490–518?

Badon, battle of Mount

491

Anderitum, siege of

495

Cerdic’s Shore, battle of

501

Portsmouth, battle of

511–39?

Camlann

514

Cerdic’s Shore, battle of

519

Cerdic’s Ford, battle of

527

Cerdic’s Wood, battle of

530

Isle of Wight, battle of

552

Salisbury, battle of

556

Bera’s Stronghold, battle of

571

Bedcanford, battle of

577

Dyrham, battle of

584

Battle Wood, battle of

592

Woden’s Barrow, battle of

603

Degsastan, battle of

613/6

Chester (Cair Legion), battle of

614

Bea’s Mount, battle of

617

River Idle, battle of

628

Cirencester, battle of

633

Hatfield Chase, battle of

635

Heavenfield, battle of

641

5 Aug

Maserfield, battle of

654

15? Nov

Winwedfeld or Winwaed, battle of

658

Penselwood, battle of

675

Beda’s Head, battle of

715

Woden’s Barrow, battle of

733

Somerton, battle of

752

Beorgford, battle of

776

Otford, battle of

779

Benson, battle of

786?

Viking raid, first

793

Lindisfarne, raid of

798

2 Apr

Whalley, battle of

798

Romney Marsh, battle of

802

Kempsford, battle of

815

Cornwall, raid of

825

Galford, battle of

825

Ellandun, battle of

836

Carhampton, battle of

838

Hingston Down, battle of

840

Southampton, battle of

840

Portland, battle of

843

Carhampton, battle of

848

River Parret, battle of

850

Sandwich, battle of

851

Canterbury, battle of

851

London, battle of

851

Ockley, battle of

853

Thanet, battle of

860

Winchester, battle of

866

1 Nov

York, battle at

867

21 Mar

York, battle at

870

20? Nov

Hoxne, battle of

870

31 Dec

Englefield, battle of

871

4 Jan

Reading, battle of

871

8 Jan

Ashdown, battle of

871

23? Jan

Basing, battle of

871

Mar

Meretun, battle of

875

Battle Bridge, battle of

878

Chippenham, raid of

878

Countisbury Hill, battle of

878

May

Ethandun, battle of

884

Rochester, siege of

893

Farnham, battle of

893

Benfleet, battle of

893

Chester, battle of

894

Chichester, battle of

895

River Lea, battle of

896

Poole Harbour, battle of

903

Braydon, raid of

904

Fens, raid of the

904

Holm, battle of

909/10

5/6 Aug

Tettenhall, battle of

910

Severn, raid of the River

913

Luton, battle of

913–15?

Corbridge, battle of

914

Archenfield, battle of

914

Severn, raid of the River

914

Watchet, raid of

914

Porlock, raid of

914–16?

Hook Norton, battle of

915

Nov

Bedford, siege of

917

Towcester, siege of

917

Bedford, battle of

917

Wigingamere, siege of

917

Derby, battle of

917

Tempsford, battle of

917

Colchester, battle of

917

Maldon, battle of

918?

Corbridge, battle of

920

Davenport, battle of

920/1

Tynemoor, battle of

923

York, battle of

937

Brunanburgh, battle of

942

Five Boroughs, capture of the

943

Tamworth, siege of

943

Leicester, siege of

948

Ripon, raid to

948

Castleford, battle of

954

Stainmore, battle of

978

18 Mar

Corfe, attack at

980–81

Southampton, raid of

981

Padstow, raid of

982

Portland, raid of

988

Watchet, raid of

991

Folkestone, raid of

991

Sandwich, raid of

991

Ipswich, raid of

991

10? Aug

Maldon, battle of

992

Thames Estuary, battle of

993

Bamburgh, siege of

994

London, battle of

997

Watchet, raid of

997

Lydford, battle of

997

Tavistock, raid of

999

Rochester, battle and siege of

1001

Aethelingadene, battle of

1001

Exeter, siege of

1001

Pinhoe, battle of

1003

Exeter, siege of

1004

Norwich, raid of

1004

Thetford, battle of

1006

Durham, battle of

1009

Sandwich, battle of

1010

5/18 May

Ringmere, battle of

1014

Lindsey, battle of

1016

7–9 May

London, siege of

1016

Penselwood, battle of

1016

Sherston, battle of

1016

Brentford, battle of

1016

18 Oct

Assandun, battle of

1018

Carham, battle of

1048

Sandwich, battle of

1052

Leominster, raid to

1052

Porlock, battle of

1055

24 Oct

Hereford, battle of

1066

Lindsey, raid of

1066

20 Sep

Fulford, battle of

1066

25 Sep

Stamford Bridge, battle of

1066

14 Oct

Hastings, battle of

1066

Nov

Southwark, battle of

1067

Hereford, battle of

1069

28 Jan

Durham, battle of

1069

21 Sep

York, battle of

1070–71

Ely, siege of

1088

Pevensey Castle, siege of

1088

Rochester, siege of

1088

Durham, siege of,

1093

13 Nov

Alnwick, battle of

1102

Bridgnorth, siege of

1136

Exeter, siege of

1136

Carlisle, siege of

1137–38

Bedford, siege of

1138

10 Jan–Feb

Carham, siege of

1138

22 Aug

Northallerton, battle of

1138

Castle Cary, siege of

1139

Dunster Castle, siege and battle of

1139

7 Nov (start)

Worcester, siege of

1139

Ely, attack on

1141

2 Feb

Lincoln, battle of

1141

31 Jul–Sep

Winchester, siege and rout of

1141

Sep

Stockbridge, battle of

1142

early summer

Wareham, siege of

1142

29 Sep–year end

Oxford, siege of

1143

Sep

Burwell, attack on

1144

Tetbury, siege of

1144

Winchcombe, siege of

1145

Faringdon, siege of

1153

Hartlepool, raid of

1153

Malmesbury, siege of

1153

Crowmarsh castle, siege of

1153

Stamford castle, siege of

1155

Bridgnorth, siege of

1157

Carlisle, siege of

1173

17 Oct

Fornham St. Genevieve, battle of

1174

13 Jul

Alnwick, siege and battle of

1193–94

Tickhill Castle, siege of

1194

Mar–28 Mar

Nottingham Castle, siege of

1215

11 Oct–30 Nov

Rochester Castle, siege of

1216–17

Jun–Jun

Dover Castle, siege of

1217

20 May

Lincoln, battle of

1224

Jun–14 Aug

Bedford Castle, siege of

1264

5 Apr

Northampton, battle of

1264

17–26 Apr

Rochester Castle, siege of

1264

12 May

Lewes, battle of

1265–66

2 Aug–13 Dec

Kenilworth, battle and siege of

1265

4 Aug

Evesham, battle of

1266

15–16 May

Chesterfield, battle of

1267

summer

Ely, siege of

1296

30 Mar

Berwick-on-Tweed, siege of

1220

Feb

Bytham Castle, siege of

1311

6 Dec

Berwick-on-Tweed, siege of

1312

Corbridge, battle of

1312

Durham, raid of

1315

22 Jul–1 Aug

Carlisle, siege of

1318

28 Mar (ends)

Berwick-on-Tweed, siege of

1319

20 Sep

Myton, battle of

1322

10 Mar

Burton Bridge, stand-off of

1322

16 Mar

Boroughbridge, battle of

1322

14 Oct

Byland (Abbey), battle of

1327

3–4 Aug

Stanhope, raid or battle of

1333

19 Jul

Halidon Hill, battle of

1346

17 Oct

Merrington, skirmish of

1346

17 Oct

Neville’s Cross, battle of

1350

29 Aug

Winchelsea, battle of

1370

Carham, battle of

1377

Jun

Rottingdean, battle of

1381

25/6 Jun

North Walsham, battle of

1387

20 Dec

Radcot Bridge, battle of

1388

19–20 Aug

Otterburn, battle of

1400

Jan

Maidenhead, battle of

1400

5 Jan

Cirencester, skirmish of

1400

Sep

Fulhope Law, battle of

1402

22 Jun

Nesbit Moor, battle of

1402

14 Sep

Homildon Hill, battle of

1403

21 Jul

Shrewsbury, battle of

1405

29 May

Skipton Moor, battle of

1405

Aug

Woodbury Hill, battle of

1408

20 Feb

Bramham Moor, battle of

1435

10 Sep

Piper Dene, battle of

1450

3 Jul

Southwark, battle of

1453

24 Aug

Heworth Moor, encounter of

1454

31 Oct/1 Nov

Stamford Bridge, battle of

1455

22 May 22

St Albans, battle of

1459

23 Sep

Blore Heath, battle of

1459

12 Oct

Ludford Bridge, battle of

1460

15 Jan

Sandwich, raid of

1460

10 Jul

Northampton, battle of

1460

Dec

Worksop, battle of

1460

30 Dec

Wakefield, battle of

1461

2/3 Feb

Mortimer’s Cross, battle of

1461

17 Feb

St Albans, battle of

1461

28 Mar

Ferrybridge, battle of

1461

29 Mar

Towton, battle of

1464

25 Apr

Hedgeley Moor, battle of

1464

15 May

Hexham, battle of

1464

Jun

Bamburgh Castle, siege of

1469

24 Jul

Edgcote, battle of

1470

12 Mar

Losecote Field, battle of

1470

20 Mar

Nibley Green, battle of

1471

14 Apr

Barnet, battle of

1471

4 May

Tewkesbury, battle of

1485

22 Aug

Bosworth, battle of

1487

16 Jun

Stoke, battle of

1495

Jul

Deal Beach, battle of

1497

17 Jun

Blackheath, battle of

1497

Sep

Exeter, attack on

1513

Aug

Norham Castle, siege of

1513

9 Sep

Flodden, battle of

1542

24 Nov

Solway Moss, battle of

1549

27 Aug

Dussindale, battle of

1549

26/7 Jul

Fenny Bridges, battle of

1549

early Aug

Clyst St. Mary, battle of

1549

16 Aug

Sampford Courtenay, battle of

1554

28 Jan

Wrotham Hill, battle of

1554

30 Jan

Cooling Castle, siege of

1554

7 Feb

Temple Bar, skirmish of

1575

7? Jun

Reidswire, raid of the

1640

28 Aug

Newburn Ford, battle of

1642

10–30 Jul

Hull, siege of

1642

4 Aug

Marshall’s Elm, skirmish of

1642

6–12 Sep

Sherborne Castle, siege of

1642

7 Sep

Babylon Hill, skirmish of

1642

23 Sep

Powick Bridge, battle of

1642

24 Sep–2 Oct

Manchester, siege of

1642

23 Oct

Edgehill, battle of

1642

1 Nov

Aylesbury, battle of

1642

12 Nov

Brentford, skirmish of

1642

13 Nov

Turnham Green, stand-off of

1642

30 Nov

Wetherby, skirmish of

1642

7 Dec

Tadcaster, battle of

1642

1 Dec

Piercebridge, skirmish of

1642

16 Dec

Sherburn-in-Elmet, skirmish of

1642

24 Dec

Chowbent, skirmish of

1642

26 Dec

Aston Hall, siege of

1643

16 Jan

Guisborough, skirmish of

1643

19 Jan

Braddock Down, battle of

1643

27–28 Jan

Sudeley Castle, siege of

1643

Feb

Ho(u)ghton Tower, siege of

1643

1 Feb

Yarm Bridge, skirmish of

1643

2 Feb

Cirencester, storming of

1643

20 Feb

Coleford, battle of

1643

21–22 Feb

Modbury, battle of

1643

27–28 Feb

Newark, siege of

1643

2–5 Mar

Lichfield, siege of

1643

13 Mar

Middlewich, skirmish of

1643

19 Mar

Hopton Heath, battle of

1643

23–24 Mar

Highnam House, siege of

1643

30 Mar

Seacroft Moor, battle of

1643

Apr–28 Apr

Crowland, siege of

1643

13 Apr

Ripple Field, battle of

1643

15–28 Apr

Reading, siege of

1643

23 Apr

Launceston, battle of

1643

25–26 Apr

Sourton Down, battle of

1643

Spring

North Luffenham, siege of

1643

1 May–4 Aug

Corfe Castle, siege of

1643

6 May

Middleton Cheney, battle of

1643

13 May

Grantham, skirmish of

1643

16 May

Stratton, battle of

1643

21 May

Wakefield, storming of

1643

Jun

Hornby Castle, siege of

1643

Jun–Oct

Thurland Castle, sieges of

1643

10 Jun

Chewton Mendip, skirmish of

1643

18 Jun

Chalgrove, skirmish of

1643

30 Jun

Adwalton Moor, battle of

1643

2 Jul

Burton Bridge, skirmish of

1643

5 Jul

Lansdown, battle of

1643

9–13 Jul

Devizes, siege of

1643

13 Jul

Roundway Down, battle of

1643–46

18 Jul–3 Feb

Chester, siege of

1643

23–27 Jul

Bristol, siege of

1643

28 Jul

Gainsborough, battle of

1643

10 Aug–5 Sep

Gloucester, siege of

1643

late Aug–16 Sep

King’s Lynn, siege of

1643

Sep–Oct

Bolinbroke Castle, siege of

1643

2 Sep–11 Oct

Hull, siege of

1643

18 Sep

Aldbourne Chase, battle of

1643

20 Sep

Newbury, battle of

1643

30 Sep–22 Dec

Plymouth, siege of

1643

1 Oct

Lindal-in-Furness, skirmish of

1643

11 Oct

Winceby, battle of

1643

6–14 Nov

Basing House, siege of

1643

13 Dec

Alton, battle of

1643–44

17 Dec–6 Jan

Arundel Castle, siege of

1643

22–24 Dec

Grafton Regis, siege of

1644

25 Jan

Nantwich, battle of

1644

Feb–13 Mar

Hopton Castle, siege of

1644

3 Feb–late Oct

Newcastle (upon Tyne), siege of

1644

20–22 Feb

Biddulph, siege of

1644

28 Feb–27 May

Lathom House, siege of

1644

29 Feb–21 Mar

Newark, siege of

1644

Mar

Apley Castle, siege of

1644

4–5 Mar

Hillesden House, siege of

1644

25 Mar

Bradford, siege of

1644

29 Mar

Cheriton, battle of

1644

31 Mar

Eggington Heath, skirmish of

1644

10 Apr

Selby, battle of

1644

20 Apr–15 Jun

Lyme Regis, siege of

1644

21 Apr–15 Jul

York, siege of

1644

8 May

Newnham (-on-Severn), storming of

1644

10–30 May

Morpeth Castle, siege of

1644

28 May

Bolton, storming of

1644

30 May–1 Jun

Gosford Bridge, skirmish of

1644

4 Jun–15 Nov

Basing House, siege of

1644

7–11 Jun

Liverpool, siege of

1644

10–24 Jun

Boarstall House, siege of

1644

21–22 Jun

Oswestry, siege of

1644

29 Jun

Cropredy Bridge, battle of

1644–45

Jul–2 Dec

Lathom House, siege of

1644

2 Jul

Marston Moor, battle of

1644–45

Jul–21 Dec

Skipton Castle, siege of

1644

31 Jul–9 Nov

Donnington Castle, siege of

1644

Aug–26 Oct

Banbury, siege of

1644

Aug–22 Nov

Helmsley Castle, siege of

1644

1–11 Aug

Sheffield Castle, siege of

1644

12 Aug

Bolsover, siege of

1644

21 Aug–2 Sep

Lostwithiel, battle of

1644–45

Oct–25 Jun

Carlisle, siege of

1644–45

Oct–29 Jun

Shrawardine Castle, siege of

1644

27 Oct

Newbury, battle of

1644–45

Nov–16 Nov

Beeston Castle, siege of

1644

early Nov

Abbotsbury, siege of

1644

early Dec

Salisbury, skirmishes of

1645

11 Jan

Culham Bridge, skirmish of

1645

9–27 Feb

Weymouth, skirmish and siege of

1645

22 Feb

Shrewsbury, siege of

1645

18 Feb–25 Jul

Scarborough Castle, siege of

1645

Apr

High Ercall, siege of

1645

29–31 May

Leicester, siege of

1645

Summer–20 Aug

Nunney Castle, siege of

1645

9–10 Jun

Boarstall House, siege of

1645

14 Jun

Naseby, battle of

1645

22 Jun

Canon Frome, siege of

1645

Jul

Goodrich Castle, siege of

1645

Jul

High Ercall, siege of

1645

4 Jul

Broncroft Castle, siege of

1645

9 Jul

Isle Moors, skirmish of

1645

10 Jul

Langport, battle of

1645

13–23 Jul

Bridgwater, siege of

1645

31 Jul–4 Sep

Hereford, siege of

1645

4 Aug

Hambledon Hill, battle of

1645

20 Aug–14 Oct

Basing House, siege of

1645

22 Aug–11 Sep

Bristol, siege of

1645

Sep

Berkeley Castle, siege of

1645

21–23 Sep

Devizes Castle, siege of

1645

24 Sep

Rowton Heath, battle of

1645–46

Oct–Feb

Ashby-de-la-Zouch, siege of

1645–46

Oct–Jan

Belvoir Castle, siege of

1645–46

Oct–26 Feb

Corfe Castle, siege of

1645

Oct

Great Fulford, siege of

1645

15 Oct

Sherburn-in-Elmet, skirmish of

1645

17–20 Oct

Tiverton, siege of

1645–46

Nov–1 Apr

Donnington Castle, siege of

1645–46

Nov–Apr

Dunster Castle, siege of

1645

1–3 Nov

Shelford House, siege of

1645–46

26 Nov–8 May

Newark, siege of

1645

18 Dec

Hereford, siege of

1646

Jan

Dartmouth, siege of

1646

Jan–8 May

Banbury, siege of

1646

Jan

Powderham Castle, siege of

1646

Jan

Woolsthorpe, siege of

1646

9 Jan

Bovey Heath or Tracey, battle of

1646

Feb–May

Salcombe Castle, siege of

1646

16 Feb

Torrington, battle of

1646

Mar–28 Mar

High Ercall, siege of

1646

Mar–16 Aug

Pendennis Castle, siege of

1646

9 Mar–10 Jul

Lichfield, siege of

1646

21 Mar

Stow-on-the-Wold, battle of

1646

31 Mar–26 Apr

Bridgnorth, siege of

1646

8–26 Apr

Woodstock, siege of

1646

24 Apr–29 May

Ludlow, siege of

1646

May–24 Jun

Oxford, siege of

1646

May

Shirburn House, siege of

1646

11 May–Jul

Wallingford, siege of

1646

22 Jul (ends)

Worcester, siege of

1648

May–Jun

Upnor Castle, siege of

1648

1 Jun

Maidstone, battle of

1648

13 Jun–28 Aug

Colchester, siege of

1648

13 Jul–25 Aug

Deal Castle, siege of

1648

17 Aug

Preston, battle of

1648

19 Aug

Winwick, battle of

1648

Oct

Tynemouth, siege of

1648–49

Nov–Mar

Pontefract, siege of

1651

25 Aug

Wigan, skirmish of

1651

28 Aug

Upton Bridge, battle of

1651

3 Sep

Worcester, battle of

1652

19 May

Dover, battle of

1652

28 Sep

Kentish Knock, battle of

1653

20 Feb

Beachy Head, battle of

1659

19 Aug

Winnington Bridge, skirmish of

1665

20 May

Dogger Bank, battle of

1666

25 Jul

North Foreland, battle of

1667

10–14 Jun

Medway, raid in the

1667

24 Jul

Gravesend, raid of

1672

28 May

Sole Bay, battle of

1685

14 Jun

Bridport, skirmish of

1685

25 Jun

Keynsham, skirmish of

1685

27 Jun

Norton St Philip, battle of

1685

6 Jul

Sedgemoor, battle of

1688

9 Dec

Reading, skirmish of

1690

30 Jun

Beachy Head, battle of

1715

12–14 Nov

Preston, battle of

1745

18 Dec

Clifton Moor, battle of

1778

10–11 Apr

Whitehaven, skirmish of

1779

23 Sep

Flamborough Head, battle of

1780

early Jun

Gordon Riots, the

1812

11–12 Apr

Rawfolds Mill, attack on

1819

16 Aug

St Peter’s Fields, encounter of

1838

30 May

Bossenden Wood, skirmish of

1915

24 Jan

Dogger Bank, battle of

1917

18 Mar

Dover, action of

1940

10 Jul–31 Oct

Britain, battle of

1944

28 Apr

Slapton Sands, encounter of

MAPS

ENGLISH BATTLEFIELDS – THE NORTH

KEY TO MAP

Approximate locations shown where known or most likely

1

Adwalton Moor, battle of, 1643

2

Alnwick, battle of, 1093

3

Alnwick, siege and battle of, 1174

4

Apley Castle, siege of, 1644

5

Bamburgh, siege of, 993

6

Bamburgh Castle, siege of, 1464

7

Battle Bridge, battle of, 875

8

Beeston Castle, siege of 1644–1645

9

Belvoir Castle, siege of, 1645–1646

10

Berwick-on-Tweed, siege of, 1296

11

Berwick-on-Tweed, siege of, 1311

12

Berwick-on-Tweed, siege of, 1318

13

Biddulph, siege of, 1644

14

Blore Heath, battle of, 1459

15

Bolinbroke Castle, siege of, 1643

16

Bolsover, siege of, 1644

17

Bolton, storming of, 1644

18

Boroughbridge, battle of, 1322

19

Bosworth, battle of, 1485

20

Bradford, siege of, 1644

21

Bramham Moor, battle of, 1408

22

Bridgnorth, siege of, 1102

23

Bridgnorth, siege of, 1155

24

Bridgnorth, siege of, 1646

25

Broncroft Castle, siege of, 1645

26

Brunanburgh, battle of, 937

27

Burton Bridge, skirmish of, 1643

28

Burton Bridge, stand-off of, 1322

29

Byland (Abbey), battle of, 1322

30

Bytham Castle, siege of, 1220

31

Carham, battle of, 1018

32

Carham, battle of, 1370

33

Carham, siege of, 1138

34

Carlisle, sieges of, 1136 and 1157

35

Carlisle, siege of, 1315

36

Carlisle, siege of, 1644–1645

37

Castleford, battle of, 948

38

Chester (Cair Legion), battle of, 605, 606 or probably between 613–616

39

Chester, battle of, 893

40

Chester, siege of, 1643–1646

41

Chesterfield, battle of, 1266

42

Chowbent, skirmish of, 1642

43

Clifton Moor, battle of, 1745

44

Corbridge, battle of, 913–915?

45

Corbridge, battle of, 918?

46

Corbridge, battle of, 1312

47

Crowland, siege of, 1643

48

Davenport, battle of, 920

49

Derby, battle of, 917

50

Durham, battle of, 1006

51

Durham, battle of, 1069

52

Durham, siege of, 1088

53

Durham, raid of, 1312

54

Ferrybridge, battle of, 1461

55

Flodden, battle of, 1513

56

Fulford Gate, battle of, 1066

57

Fulhope Law, battle of, 1400

58

Gainsborough, skirmish of, 1643

59

Grantham, skirmish of, 1643

60

Halidon Hill, battle of, 1333

61

Hartlepool, raid of, 1153

62

Heavenfield, battle of, 635

63

Hedgeley Moor, battle of, 1464

64

Helmsley Castle, siege of, 1644

65

Heworth Moor, battle of, 1453

66

Hexham, battle of, 1464

67

High Ercall, sieges of, 1645; 1645; 1646

68

Homildon Hill, battle of, 1402

69

Hopton Castle, siege of, 1644

70

Hopton Heath, battle of, 1643

71

Hornby Castle, siege of, 1643

72

Ho(u)ghton Tower, siege of, 1643

73

Hull, siege of, 1642

74

Hull, siege of, 1643

75

Lathom House, siege of, 1644–1645

76

Leicester, siege of, 943

77

Leicester, siege of, 1645

78

Lichfield, siege of, 1643

79

Lichfield, siege of, 1643

80

Lichfield, siege of, 1646

81

Lincoln, battle of, 1141

82

Lincoln, battle of, 1217

83

Lindal-in-Furness, skirmish of, 1643

84

Lindisfarne, raid of, 793

85

Liverpool, siege of, 1644

86

Losecote Field, battle of, 1470

87

Ludford Bridge, battle of, 1459

88

Ludlow, siege of, 1646

89

Manchester, siege of, 1642

90

Marston Moor, battle of, 1644

91

Merrington, skirmish of, 1346

92

Middlewich, skirmish of, 1643

93

Morpeth Castle, siege of, 1644

94

Myton, battle of, 1319

95

Nantwich, battle of, 1644

96

Nesbit Moor, battle of, 1402

97

Neville’s Cross, battle of, 1346

98

Newark, siege of, 1643

99

Newark, siege of, 1644

100

Newark, siege of, 1645–1646

101

Newburn Ford, battle of, 1640

102

Newcastle (upon Tyne), siege of, 1644

103

Norham Castle, siege of, 1513

104

North Luffenham, siege of, 1643

105

Northallerton, battle of, 1138

106

Nottingham Castle, siege of, 1194

107

Oswestry, siege of, 1644

108

Otterburn, battle of, 1388

109

Piper Dene, battle of, 1435

110

Pontefract, siege of, 1648–1649

111

Preston, battle of, 1648

112

Preston, battle of, 1715

113

Rawfolds Mill, attack on, 1812

114

Reidswire, raid of the, 1575

115

Ripon, raid to, 948

116

Rowton Heath, battle of, 1645

117

St. Peter’s Fields, encounter of, 1819

118

Scarborough Castle, siege of, 1645

119

Seacroft Moor, battle of, 1643

120

Selby, battle of, 1644

121

Sheffield Castle, siege of, 1644

122

Shelford House, siege of, 1645

123

Sherburn-in-Elmet, skirmish of, 1642

124

Sherburn-in-Elmet, skirmish of, 1645

125

Shrawardine Castle, siege of, 1644–1645

126

Shrewsbury, battle of, 1403

127

Shrewsbury, siege of, 1645

128

Skipton Castle, siege of, 1644–45

129

Skipton Moor, battle of, 1405

130

Solway Moss, battle of, 1542

131

Stamford Bridge, battle of, 1066

132

Stamford Bridge, battle of, 1454

133

Stamford castle, siege of, 1153

134

Stoke, battle of, 1487

135

Tadcaster, battle of, 1642

136

Tettenhall, battle of, 909 or 910

137

Thurland Castle, sieges of, 1643

138

Tickhill Castle, siege of, 1193–1194

139

Towton, battle of, 1461

140

Tynemouth, siege of, 1648

141

Wakefield, battle of, 1460

142

Wakefield, storming of, 1643

143

Wetherby, skirmish of, 1642

144

Whalley, battle of, 798

145

Whitehaven, skirmish of, 1778

146

Wigan, skirmish of, 1651

147

Winceby, battle of, 1643

148

Winnington Bridge, skirmish of, 1659

149

Winwedfeld or Winwaed, battle of, 654

150

Winwick Pass, battle of, 1648

151

Woolsthorpe, siege of, 1646

152

Worksop, battle of, 1460

153

York, battles at, 866 and 867

154

York, battle of, 923

155

York, battle of, 1069

156

York, battle of, 1069

157

York, siege of, 1644

ENGLISH BATTLEFIELDS – CENTRAL

KEY TO MAP

Approximate locations shown where known or most likely

1

Aldbourne Chase, battle of, 1643

2

Alton, battle of, 1643

3

Ashdown, battle of, 871

4

Aston Hall, siege of, 1642

5

Aylesbury, battle of,1642

6

Banbury, siege of, 1644

7

Basing, battle of, 871

8

Basing House, sieges of, 1643, 1644 & 1645

9?

Beorgford, battle of, 752

10

Berkeley Castle, siege of, 1645

11

Boarstall House, siege of, 1644 and 1645

12

Bristol, siege of, 1643

13

Bristol, siege of, 1645

14

Canon Frome, siege of, 1645

15

Chalgrove, skirmish of, 1643

16

Cheriton, battle of, 1644

17

Chippenham, raid of, 878

18

Cirencester, battle of, 628

19

Cirencester, skirmish of, 1400

20

Cirencester, storming of, 1643

21

Coleford, battle of, 1643

22

Cropredy Bridge, battle of, 1644

23

Crowmarsh castle, siege of, 1153

24

Culham Bridge, skirmish of, 1645

25

Devizes, siege of, 1643

26

Devizes Castle, siege of, 1645

27

Donnington Castle, siege of 1644 and 1645–1646

28

Edgcote, battle of, 1469

29

Edgehill, battle of, 1642

30?

Ellandun, battle of, 825

31?

Ethandun, battle of, 878

32

Evesham, battle of, 1265

33

Faringdon, siege of, 1145

34

Gloucester, siege of, 1643

35

Goodrich Castle, siege of, 1645

36

Gosford Bridge, skirmish of, 1644

37

Grafton Regis, siege of, 1643

38

Hereford, battle of, 1055

39

Hereford, battle of, 1067

40

Hereford, siege of, 1645

41

Hereford, siege of, 1645

42

Highnam House, siege of, 1643

43

Hillesden House, siege of, 1644

44

Hook Norton, battle of, 914–916?

45?

Isle of Wight, battle of, 530

46

Kenilworth, battle and siege of, 1265–1266

47

Leominster, raid to, 1052

48

Maidenhead, battle of, 1400

49

Malmesbury, siege of, 1153

50

Mortimer’s Cross, battle of, 1461

51

Naseby, battle of, 1645

52

Newbury, battle of, 1643

53

Newbury, battle of, 1644

54

Newnham (-on-Severn), storming of, 1644

55

Nibley Green, battle of, 1470

56

Northampton, battle of, 1264

57

Northampton, battle of, 1460

58

Oxford, siege of, 1142

59

Oxford, siege of, 1646

60

Powick Bridge, battle of, 1642

61

Radcot Bridge, battle of, 1387

62

Reading, battle of, 871

63

Reading, siege of, 1643

64

Reading, skirmish of, 1688

65

Ripple Field, battle of, 1643

66

Roundway Down, battle of, 1643

67

Salisbury, battle of, 552

68

Salisbury, skirmishes of, December 1644

69

Shirburn House, siege of, 1646

70

Southampton, battle of, 840

71

Southampton, raid of, 980–981

72

Stockbridge, battle of, 1141

73

Stow-on-the-Wold, battle of, 1646

74

Sudeley Castle, siege of, 1643

75

Tetbury, siege of, 1144

76

Tewkesbury, battle of, 1471

77

Towcester, siege of, 917

78

Upton Bridge, battle of, 1651

79

Wallingford, siege of, 1646

80

Winchcombe, siege of, 1144

81

Winchester, battle of, 860

82

Winchester, siege and rout of, 1141

83?

Woden’s Barrow, battle of, 592

84?

Woden’s Barrow, battle of, 715

85

Woodbury Hill, battle of, 1405

86

Woodstock, siege of, 1646

87

Worcester, battle of, 1055

88

Worcester, battle of, 1651

89

Worcester, siege of, 1139

90

Worcester, siege of, 1646

ENGLISH BATTLEFIELDS – THE SOUTH-EAST

KEY TO MAP

Approximate locations shown where known or most likely

1

Anderitum, siege of, 491

2

Arundel Castle, siege of, 1643–1644

3?

Ashingdon, battle of, 1016

4

Aylesford, battle of, 455

5

Barnet, battle of, 1471

6

Bedford, battle of, 917

7

Bedford Castle, siege of, 1224

8

Bedford, siege of, 915

9

Bedford, siege of, 1137–1138

10

Benfleet, battle of, 893

11

Bigbury, siege of, see Caesar’s second expedition

12

Blackheath, battle of, 1497

13

Bossenden Wood, skirmish of, 1838

14

Brentford, battle of, 1016

15

Brentford, skirmish of, 1642

16

Burwell, attack on, 1143

17

Canterbury, battle of, 851

18

Chichester, battle of, 894

19

Colchester, battle of, 917

20

Colchester, siege of, 1648

21

Cooling Castle, siege of, 1554

22

Crayford, battle of, 456 or 457

23

Deal Beach, battle of, 1495

24

Deal Castle, siege of, 1648

25

Dover, action of, 1917

26

Dover, battle of, 1652

27

Dover Castle, siege of, 1216–1217

28

Dussindale, battle of, 1549

29

Ely, attack on, 1139

30

Ely, siege of, 1070–1071

31

Ely, siege of, 1267

32

Farnham, battle of, 893

33

Folkestone, raid of, 991

34

Fornham St. Genevieve, battle of, 1173

35

Gordon Riots, the, 1780

36

Gravesend, raid of, 1667

37

Hastings, battle of, 1066

38

Hoxne, battle of, 870

39

Ipswich, raid of, 991

40

King’s Lynn, siege of, 1643

41

Lewes, battle of, 1264

42

London, battle of, 851

43

London, battle of, 994

44

London, siege of, 1013

45

Luton, battle of, 913

46

Maidstone, battle of, 1648

47

Maldon, battle of, 917

48

Maldon, battle of, 991

49?

Medway, battle of the, 43

50

Medway, raid in the, 1667

51

North Walsham, battle of, 1381

52

Norwich, raid of, 1004

53

Otford, battle of, 776

54

Pevensey Castle, siege of, 1088

55

Rochester, battle and siege of, 999

56

Rochester, siege of, 884

57

Rochester, siege of, 1088

58

Rochester Castle, siege of, 1215

59

Rochester Castle, siege of, 1264

60?

Romney Marsh, battle of, 798

61

Rottingdean, battle of, 1377

62

St Albans, battle of, 1453

63

St Albans, battle of, 1461

64

Sandwich, battle of, 850

65

Sandwich, battle of, 1048

66

Sandwich, raid of, 991

67

Sandwich, raid of, 1460

68

Southwark, battle of, 1066

69

Southwark, battle of, 1450

70

Temple Bar, skirmish of, 1554

71?

Thames, battle of the River, 43

72

Thetford, battle of, 1004

73

Turnham Green, stand-off of, 1642

74

Upnor Castle, siege of, 1648

75

Wrotham Hill, battle of, 1554

ENGLISH BATTLEFIELDS – THE SOUTH-WEST

KEY TO MAP

Approximate locations shown where known or most likely

1

Abbotsbury, siege of, 1644

2

Babylon Hill, skirmish of, 1642

3

Bovey Heath or Tracey, battle of, 1646

4

Braddock Down, battle of, 1643

5

Bridgwater, siege of, 1645

6

Bridport, skirmish of, 1685

7

Cadbury Castle, siege of, 43?

8

Carhampton, battle of, 836

9

Carhampton, battle of, 843

10

Castle Cary, siege of, 1138

11

Chewton Mendip, skirmish of, 1643

12

Clyst St. Mary, battle of, 1549

13

Corfe, attack at, 978

14

Corfe Castle, siege of, 1643 and 1645–46

15

Dartmouth, siege of, 1646

16

Dunster Castle, siege and battle of, 1139

17

Dunster Castle, siege of, 1645–1646

18

Exeter, siege of, 1001

19

Exeter, siege of, 1003

20

Exeter, siege of, 1136

21

Exeter, attack on, 1497

22

Fenny Bridges, battle of, 1549

23

Great Fulford, siege of, 1645

24

Hambledon Hill, battle of, 1645

25

Hod Hill, siege of, 43?

26

Isle Moors, skirmish of, 1645

27

Keynsham, skirmish of, 1685

28

Langport, battle of, 1645

29

Launceston, battle of, 1643

30

Lostwithiel, battle of, 1644

31

Lydford, battle of, 997

32

Lyme Regis, siege of, 1644

33

Maiden Castle, siege of, 45–7?

34

Marshall’s Elm, skirmish of, 1642

35

Modbury, battle of, 1643

36

Norton St. Philip, battle of, 1685

37

Nunney Castle, siege of, 1645

38

Padstow, raid of, 981

39

Pendennis Castle, siege of, 1646

40

Penselwood, battle of, 658

41

Penselwood, battle of, 1016

42

Plymouth, siege of, 1643

43

Porlock, raid of, 914

44

Porlock, battle of, 1052

45

Portland, battle of, 840

46

Portland, raid of, 982

47

Powderham Castle, siege of, 1646

48

Salcombe Castle, siege of, 1646

49

Sampford Courtenay, battle of, 1549

50

Sedgemoor, battle of, 1685

51

Sherborne Castle, siege of, 1642

52

Slapton Sands, encounter of, 1944

53

Somerton, battle of, 733

54

Sourton Down, battle of, 1643

55

Stratton, battle of, 1643

56

Tavistock, raid of, 997

57

Tiverton, siege of, 1645

58

Torrington, battle of, 1646

59

Wareham, siege of, 1142

60

Watchet, raid of, 914

61

Watchet, raid of, 988

62

Watchet, raid of, 997

A

Abbotsbury, siege of, early November 1644

Dramatic, if minor, siege of the First Civil War.

Abbotsbury in Dorset had a Royalist garrison from early 1643 commanded by Sir John Strangeways. In early November 1644, Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper led a force of Parliamentarians against them, first driving a force of thirteen musketeers from the church, before moving against the main house. The garrison resisted, but the house was then set on fire after an artillery bombardment followed by burning faggots being thrown through the windows. As the Parliamentarians rushed forward to attack while the defenders were choking from the thick smoke, the Royalist gunpowder magazine exploded, taking many from both sides and much of the house with it. Understandably, nothing remains of the original house, although there are two shot holes in the church’s pulpit.

Abingdon, storming of, 11 January 1645

Royalist attempt to capture this important Parliamentarian base towards the end of the First Civil War.

Abingdon had been a Royalist base from 1642 until May 1644, when the troops of the garrison were needed elsewhere. Parliament then occupied the town during their siege of Oxford. King Charles I’s nephew, Prince Rupert, attempted to storm the town on 11 January 1645 in a surprise attack with some 1,800 men. After some initial success, the attack was driven back by Major-General Browne, commander of the garrison. The noted Royalist Sir Henry Gage (who was the Governor of Oxford and had led the storming of Boarstall House in 1644) was killed leading an attack near Culham Bridge a little downstream of Abingdon, to be buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, two days later. His memorial consists of a wall tablet in the Lucy Chapel (it had originally been in the North Transept) near to seven other Royalist memorials.

Adwalton Moor, battle of, 30 June 1643

Important battle which temporarily wrested control of West Yorkshire from the Fairfaxes for King Charles I.

KEY REFERENCES: Cooke, D. The Forgotten Battle: the Battle of Adwalton Moor 30 June 1643 (Battlefield Press, 1996); Foard, G. ‘The Forgotten Battle: Adwalton Moor – 1643’ in Battlefields Review (issue 23).

During the early summer of 1643 the Royalists under the Earl of Newcastle made what they hoped would be a decisive move against Lord Fairfax, the Parliamentarian commander. Wakefield changed hands twice, and after the Royalist storming on 22 June, Newcastle decided to march upon Bradford. Fairfax took the bold step of fighting to protect this town, and marched out to meet the larger Royalist force on the morning of 30 June. Fairfax had an army of nearly 4,000 fully-armed men, with a further number of local ‘club-men’, who were poorly armed. The Royalists had far superior cavalry, perhaps as many as 4,000, with probably as many infantry, although the musketeers were short of supplies. This was a typical encounter battle, with neither side apparently fully prepared to fight and therefore choose the ground for battle. As was the norm, both sides had an advance guard or ‘forlorn hope’ of musketeers who contested a series of enclosed fields and houses between two hills, with the Parliamentarians having the upper hand due to them possessing a large proportion of musketeers to pikemen among their foot. These musketeers initially contested the imposing Westgate (Wyket, Wiskeard or Wiskett in contemporary sources) Hill. It seems likely, especially with the discovery by Glenn Foard of a detailed map of the immediate area drawn by Christopher Saxton in 1599, that the Royalists were driven from Westgate Hill and then to a lesser hill just short of modern Drighlington, now partially covered by a plantation, but in 1643 probably forming the western edge of Adwalton Moor. Unfortunately, Saxton’s map, which shows part of Tong and Drighlington Common on its eastern edge, goes no further, so it is not clear whether there were further enclosures before Adwalton Moor, or whether this common land extended directly into the Moor. Only further landscape research will clear this matter up. In the meantime one can see how the latter interpretation fits in with Thomas Fairfax’s account, which informs us that

Battle of Adwalton Moor, 30 June 1643. (Author’s collection)

our Forlorn Hope gained [a hill] by beating theirs into their own body, which was drawn up half a mile further up, on a place called Adderton [Adwalton] Moor.

This suggests that the Parliamentarians advanced down Westgate Hill having formed into order of battle once the Royalist ‘forlorn hope’ had been driven off. They must have had difficulty crossing the barrier formed by the stream called ‘Inmoor Dyke’, but managed to reach the edge of the enclosed fields at the edge of the Moor. Lord Fairfax then sent out his son Thomas to the right, with 1,000 musketeers and 300 cavalry, himself in the centre with the infantry reserve and Major-General Gifford with a similar number and type to Thomas Fairfax on the left.