 |
| |
| |
| You can click on the image below to view a larger version of the image |
Location map |
| More Images - click any number below to view gallery images: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Battle of Stow on the Wold
21st March 1646
In the early morning of 21 March 1646 the last battle of the Civil War took place in Gloucestershire, one mile north of the town of Stow on the Wold. After initial royalist success the superiority of the parliamentary forces, particularly Brereton’s cavalry, soon overwhelmed and routed the royalist forces. Fleeing the field, the royalists fought a running fight back into the streets of Stow where the final action took place, culminating in Astley’s surrender in the market square.
The destruction of the last royalist field army at Stow on the Wold dashed the last desperate hopes of the Royalist cause and effectively signalled the end of the Civil War. Charles surrendered soon afterwards, to the Scottish army at Newark, in May 1646.
There has been some dispute as to exactly where the action was fought, but it now seems fairly clear that the battlefield is approximately 1500 meters north of the town, lying across the A424. The area remains agricultural land with development confined to a few farm buildings.
Access is possible by public rights of way and, with care, by roads across the battlefield. The visit can be completed by following the route of Astley’s fighting retreat into the streets of Stow. There is the added interest of a memorial stone to one of the battle victims in the church. But most of all one must go and sit on the base of the cross in the market place, just where Sir Jacob Astley’s himself sat when he surrendered, for it was here that the First Civil War was effectively ended.
KEY FACTS
Name: Battle of Stow on the Wold
Type: Battle
Campaign: Stow on the Wold
War period: The Civil Wars
Outcome: parliamentarian victory
Country: England
County: Gloucestershire
Place: Broadwell / Upper Swell / Donnington / Longborough
Location: probable
Terrain: open field and urban
Date: 21st March 1646
Start: early morning
Duration: short
Armies: Royalist commanded by Sir Jacob Astley; Parliamentarian commanded by Colonel Thomas Morgan
Numbers: Royalist: circa 3,000, 1,000 horse & 2,000 infantry; Parliamentarian: 3,300 combined horse and foot.
Losses: Royalist: 200 killed, 1,700 captured; Parliamentarian: limited
Grid Reference: SP191272 (419101,227269)
OS Landranger map: 163
OS Explorer map: 45
English Heritage Battlefields Register report CLICK HERE
|
