Battle of Cheriton
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Cheriton was an important Parliamentarian
victory in the English Civil War
. It took place on 29 March 1644 and resulted in the defeat of a Royalist
army, which threw King Charles I
onto the defensive for the remainder of the year.
faced a Parliamentarian army under Sir William Waller
in the southern counties of England. After some reverses during the previous December, culminating in the Battle of Alton
, Hopton had withdrawn to Winchester
to regroup and recruit. He was joined here by a detachment from the King's main "Oxford Army" under the Earl of Forth
, who unwillingly took command of the army. They resumed their advance eastward early in March.
Waller's Army of the Southern Association had also been reinforced by detachments from the main Parliamentarian army under the Earl of Essex
and the London Trained Bands, and was advancing westward from his winter quarters near Arundel
. Forth and Hopton determined to seize New Alresford
, thus placing themselves between Waller and London. They forestalled the Parliamentarian cavalry
under Sir William Balfour
, and occupied the town late on 27 March.
On 28 March, the Royalists advanced cautiously south from Alresford. An advanced guard under Sir George Lisle
occupied an outpost position near Cheriton
as night fell, and reported that the Parliamentarians were retreating.
Hopton determined to recapture Cheriton Wood, and sent forward 1000 "commanded" musketeers under a Colonel Appleyard, supported by a battery of guns. There was some hot fighting, but the Parliamentarians abandoned the wood. Forth and Hopton intended to stand on the defensive at this point, but an impetuous infantry commander, Sir Henry Bard
, launched his regiment of foote
against the Parliamentarian left wing horse. These were the fully armoured cuirassier
s under Sir Arthur Haselrig
, sometimes known as the London lobsters
. Bard's regiment was overwhelmed. The Royalist cavalry on the right wing tried to support him, but were forced to make disjointed attacks along narrow lanes and were defeated in turn.
Hopton sent the Royalist horse from the left wing under Sir Edward Stawell to make a better prepared attack, but they were also defeated. Haselrig's regiment now attacked the Royalist foot moving up in support, and drove them back. The Parliamentarians also attacked the Royalist left, which had been denuded of its horse, and regained Cheriton Wood.
The Royalists fell back to their ridge, but Hopton and Forth realised they could not withstand a deliberate Parliamentarian attack the next day. As evening fell, the Royalists retreated to Basing House
.
and
Lostwithiel
, he could never again resume the offensive in the south of England.
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
victory in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. It took place on 29 March 1644 and resulted in the defeat of a Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
army, which threw King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
onto the defensive for the remainder of the year.
Campaign
Early in 1644, a Royalist army under Lord HoptonRalph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton
Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War.-Life:Hopton was the son of Robert Hopton of Witham Somerset. He was apparently educated at Lincoln College, Oxford and served in the army of Frederick V, Elector Palatine in the early campaigns of the Thirty...
faced a Parliamentarian army under Sir William Waller
William Waller
Sir William Waller was an English soldier during the English Civil War. He received his education at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, and served in the Venetian army and in the Thirty Years' War...
in the southern counties of England. After some reverses during the previous December, culminating in the Battle of Alton
Battle of Alton
The Battle of Alton , of the First English Civil War, took place on 13 December 1643 in the town of Alton, Hampshire, England. There, Parliamentary forces serving under Sir William Waller lead a successful surprise attack on a winter garrison of Royalist infantry and cavalry serving under the Earl...
, Hopton had withdrawn to Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
to regroup and recruit. He was joined here by a detachment from the King's main "Oxford Army" under the Earl of Forth
Patrick Ruthven, 1st Earl of Brentford
Patrick Ruthven, 1st Earl of Brentford and 1st Earl of Forth was a Scottish nobleman, general, and diplomat.Patrick Ruthven distinguished himself in the service of Sweden, which he entered about 1609 and left 1637...
, who unwillingly took command of the army. They resumed their advance eastward early in March.
Waller's Army of the Southern Association had also been reinforced by detachments from the main Parliamentarian army under the Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the seventeenth century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, also known as the Roundheads...
and the London Trained Bands, and was advancing westward from his winter quarters near Arundel
Arundel
Arundel is a market town and civil parish in the South Downs of West Sussex in the south of England. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Worthing east southeast, Littlehampton to the south and Bognor Regis to...
. Forth and Hopton determined to seize New Alresford
New Alresford
New Alresford or simply Alresford is a small town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is situated some 12 km north-east of the city of Winchester and 20 km south-west of the town of Alton...
, thus placing themselves between Waller and London. They forestalled the Parliamentarian cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
under Sir William Balfour
William Balfour (general)
Sir William Balfour , of the family of Balfour of Pitcullo, Fifeshire, Scotland, was a general of the parliamentary forces during the English Civil War....
, and occupied the town late on 27 March.
On 28 March, the Royalists advanced cautiously south from Alresford. An advanced guard under Sir George Lisle
George Lisle
Sir George Lisle was a Royalist leader in the English Civil War. Lisle's execution without trial, following the siege of Colchester, came to be regarded as a serious miscarriage of justice and Lisle himself was seen as a martyr to the Royalist cause.The known facts suggest that Lisle came from...
occupied an outpost position near Cheriton
Cheriton, Hampshire
Cheriton Is a small village and civil parish located near the city of Winchester, in Hampshire, England. The settlement is perhaps most famous for being the location of the Battle of Cheriton in the English Civil War. Cheriton is also the Source of the River Itchen.Facilities and ServicesCheriton...
as night fell, and reported that the Parliamentarians were retreating.
The battle
The Parliamentarians had been outmanoeuvred up to this point, and had indeed begun to retreat, but overnight Waller changed his mind and ordered an advance. As dawn broke, the City of London brigade occupied Cheriton Wood. Hopton had moved to Lisle's outpost, and realised that it would have to be hastily withdrawn. The Royalists fell back to a ridge north of the wood, as Waller advanced.Hopton determined to recapture Cheriton Wood, and sent forward 1000 "commanded" musketeers under a Colonel Appleyard, supported by a battery of guns. There was some hot fighting, but the Parliamentarians abandoned the wood. Forth and Hopton intended to stand on the defensive at this point, but an impetuous infantry commander, Sir Henry Bard
Henry Bard
Henry Bard, 1st Viscount Bellomont was an English Royalist.Bard was the son of the Reverend George Bard, Vicar of Staines, Middlesex, a representative of an old Norfolk family. He was educated at Eton, and in 1632 entered King's College, Cambridge, where he took the Master's degree and a fellowship...
, launched his regiment of foote
Sir Henry Bard's regiment of Foote
-A brief history:Sir Henry Bard's Regiment of Foote was a northern unit, originally called Colonel Thomas Pinchbeck's Regiment of Foote. Raised in Northumberland. It arrived in Oxford in May 1643 under the command of Colonel Thomas Pinchbeck. Half of Pinchbeck's regiment was split from the regiment...
against the Parliamentarian left wing horse. These were the fully armoured cuirassier
Cuirassier
Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. They were the successors of the medieval armoured knights...
s under Sir Arthur Haselrig
Arthur Haselrig
Sir Arthur Haselrig, 2nd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1659. He was one of the five members of Parliament whom King Charles I tried to arrest in 1642, an event which led to the start of the English Civil War...
, sometimes known as the London lobsters
London lobsters
The London lobsters, Haselrig's Lobsters or just "Lobsters" were the name given to the cavalry unit of Sir Arthur Haselrig, a Parliamentarian who fought in the English Civil War.-Background:...
. Bard's regiment was overwhelmed. The Royalist cavalry on the right wing tried to support him, but were forced to make disjointed attacks along narrow lanes and were defeated in turn.
Hopton sent the Royalist horse from the left wing under Sir Edward Stawell to make a better prepared attack, but they were also defeated. Haselrig's regiment now attacked the Royalist foot moving up in support, and drove them back. The Parliamentarians also attacked the Royalist left, which had been denuded of its horse, and regained Cheriton Wood.
The Royalists fell back to their ridge, but Hopton and Forth realised they could not withstand a deliberate Parliamentarian attack the next day. As evening fell, the Royalists retreated to Basing House
Basing House
Basing House was a major Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivaled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only its foundations and earthworks remain...
.
Results
The defeat of Forth's and Hopton's army meant that the Parliamentarian armies of Essex and Waller could concentrate against the King at Oxford. Although Charles was able to partly restore the situation later in the year by gaining victories at Cropredy BridgeBattle of Cropredy Bridge
The Battle of Cropredy Bridge was a battle of the English Civil Wars, fought on 29 June 1644 between a Parliamentarian army under Sir William Waller and the Royalist army of King Charles...
and
Lostwithiel
Battle of Lostwithiel
The Battles of Lostwithiel or Lostwithiel Campaign, took place near Lostwithiel and Fowey during the First English Civil War in 1644.After defeating the Army of Sir William Waller at the Battle of Cropredy Bridge, King Charles marched west in pursuit of the Parliamentarian army of the Earl of...
, he could never again resume the offensive in the south of England.