The Battle of Lansdowne

The battle of Lansdown Hill was fought on 5th July 1643 in order to prevent the Royalist advance out of…

The battle of Lansdown Hill was fought on 5th July 1643 in order to prevent the Royalist (Cavalier) advance out of south west England.

Sir William Waller’s Parliamentary (Roundhead) army, based around Bath, represented the key defence against the advancing Royalist forces under the command of his old friend Sir Ralph Hopton.

Waller positioned his forces on nearby Lansdown Hill and the first skirmishes started early that morning. The two armies engaged in the afternoon and fierce fighting continued throughout the day with neither side having the strength to finish the other off.

As darkness fell the fighting continued, until later that night the Parliamentarians silently slipped away, back to the comfort of Bath.

Although the Royalists were left in control of the hill it had been bought at a high cost; in contrast Waller had lost very few men and reinforced, was then ready to fight another day. Hopton’s troops were left in such a poor state that they were forced to retreat to Devizes.

Click here for a battlefield map.

Key Facts:

Date: 5th July, 1643

War: English Civil War

Location: Lansdowne Hill, near Bath, Somerset

Belligerents: Royalists and Parliamentarians

Victors: Royalists (costly victory)

Numbers: Around 9,000 for each side

Casualties: Royalists 800 – 1000, Parliamentarians around 80.

Commanders: Lord Ralph Hopton (Royalists – pictured below), Sir William Waller (Parliamentarians)

Location:

The Battle of Lansdown Hill

More Battles in the English Civil War:

Battle of Edgehill 23 October, 1642
Battle of Braddock Down 19 January, 1643
Battle of Hopton Heath 19 March, 1643
Battle of Stratton 16 May, 1643
Battle of Chalgrove Field 18 June, 1643
Battle of Adwalton Moor 30 June, 1643
Battle of Lansdowne 5 July, 1643
Battle of Roundway Down 13 July, 1643
Battle of Winceby 11 October, 1643
Battle of Nantwich 25 January, 1644
Battle of Cheriton 29 March, 1644
Battle of Cropredy Bridge 29 June, 1644
Battle of Marston Moor 2 July, 1644
Battle of Naseby 14 June, 1645
Battle of Langport 10 July 1645
Battle of Rowton Heath 24 September, 1645
Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold 21 March, 1646

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