Events

Second Battle of Newbury (1644) - Opening of an Information Panel

Sunday 2nd November 2014

2nd November 2014 at 2:30pm Speen Recreation Ground, Station Road, Speen RG14 1UD

A new information panel telling the dramatic story of Second Battle of Newbury during the Civil War is to be installed at Speen Recreation Ground on 2 November at 2:30pm.

Newbury Town Council and Speen Parish Council have been working jointly with the Battlefields Trust on the project and a battlefield walk and talks at Shaw House were held last year to raise funds to purchase the Panel.

Simon Marsh who has been leading the work for the Battlefields Trust said 'the information panel is a great opportunity to raise local awareness about the Second battle of Newbury, which is often overlooked but is a crucial event on the road to Parliament's final victory in the Civil War. The opportunity to work collaboratively with the local councils on this project has been a great experience and the key to its success.'

The Panel will be unveiled by the Mayor of Newbury, Cllr Jo Day, and the Chairman of Speen Parish Council, Cllr Caroline Holbrook and all are welcome to come and watch the event. It will have the same format as the Interpretation Panel produced by the Battlefields Trust for the First Battle of Newbury which was unveiled at Wash Common Recreation Ground in June 2012.

The Panel gives a map and detailed description of the Battle, which took place in Speen, Speenhamland, and Shaw on 27th October 1644. Its immediate outcome was inconclusive, but the longer-term result was that Parliament created a professional army, the New Model Army, which eventually won the Civil War.

The Battlefields Trust provided the design and wording for the the Interpretation Panel and led the fundraising efforts with vital support from Shaw House. Newbury Town Council and Speen Parish Council have assisted with the plans and arrangements, supported by West Berkshire Council Heritage Service. The Panel will be located on Speen Recreation Ground as one of the focal points of the Battle, and is being erected by Newbury Town Council.