The Battle of Stratton

Part of the south-western campaign of the English Civil War, the battle of Stratton took place on 16th May 1643…

Part of the south-western campaign of the English Civil War, the battle of Stratton took place on 16th May 1643.

The previous day a Parliamentarian (Roundhead) army comprising around 5,600 men, commanded by the Earl of Stamford, had advanced into Cornwall and taken up position on a substantial hill to the north of the Stratton.

Despite being outnumbered almost 2:1, early the next morning a Royalist (Cavalier) force under the command of Sir Ralph Hopton moved to attack the formidable Parliamentary defensive position.

Hopton had seized his opportunity after noting the lack of Parliamentary cavalry, and advanced his forces on the enemy from four different directions.

The fierce fighting continued for the next eight hours with neither side gaining the upper hand. Against all odds the Royalist troops eventually began to break through, and by late afternoon the four Royalist columns converged at the top of the hill as the Parliamentarian resistance finally collapsed.

With 300 Parliamentarians killed and 1700 more taken prisoner, Hopton had secured Cornwall for the Royalist cause, at least for the time being!

Click here for a battlefield map.

Key Facts:

Date: 16th May, 1643

War: English Civil War

Location: Stratton, Cornwall

Belligerents: Royalists and Parliamentarians

Victors: Royalists

Numbers: Royalists 2,900, Parliamentarians 5,600

Casualties: Royalists unknown, Parliamentarians around 2,000.

Commanders: Sir Ralph Hopton (Royalists), Earl of Stamford (Parliamentarians – pictured at the top of this article)

Location:

The Battle of Stratton

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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