The First Battle of Newbury was fought on 20 September 1643.
The Parliamentarian Army, numbering some 15,000 men (4,000 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 20 pieces of artillery), was retreating from the west towards London having forced the King to lift the siege of Gloucester.
The Royalist Army of 6,000 cavalry, 8,000 foot and 20 pieces of artillery, with the King, had proceeded by forced marches to get ahead of the Parliamentarians and occupied Newbury late on 19 September. Newbury at that time was a town of around 3,000 people. The King and Lord Falkland lodged in Cheap Street in houses which were demolished in the 1970s.
The Parliamentarian Army formed its battle lines from Enborne Copse, through Skinner’s Green, past Enborne Lodge up to Trundle Hill.
The Royalists lined up from the Kennet east of Guyer’s Field, up along the edge of the escarpment, now under housing, past the Gun public house and in front of the line of the Andover road on Wash Common.
The battle developed in the centre where the Royalists tried to dislodge the enemy from Round Hill and the area to the west of Wash Common. Lord Falkland was killed in this area. The battle continued until nightfall by which time the Royalists had exhausted their ammunition, so marched away northwards towards Oxford.
The Parliamentarian Army, numbering some 15,000 men (4,000 cavalry, 10,000 infantry and 20 pieces of artillery), was retreating from the west towards London having forced the King to lift the siege of Gloucester.
The Royalist Army of 6,000 cavalry, 8,000 foot and 20 pieces of artillery, with the King, had proceeded by forced marches to get ahead of the Parliamentarians and occupied Newbury late on 19 September. Newbury at that time was a town of around 3,000 people. The King and Lord Falkland lodged in Cheap Street in houses which were demolished in the 1970s.
The Parliamentarian Army formed its battle lines from Enborne Copse, through Skinner’s Green, past Enborne Lodge up to Trundle Hill.
The Royalists lined up from the Kennet east of Guyer’s Field, up along the edge of the escarpment, now under housing, past the Gun public house and in front of the line of the Andover road on Wash Common.
The battle developed in the centre where the Royalists tried to dislodge the enemy from Round Hill and the area to the west of Wash Common. Lord Falkland was killed in this area. The battle continued until nightfall by which time the Royalists had exhausted their ammunition, so marched away northwards towards Oxford.
