Battle of Hedgeley Moor
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Hedgeley Moor, 25 April 1464, was a battle of the Wars of the Roses
. It was fought at Hedgeley Moor, north of the village of Glanton
in Northumberland
, between a Yorkist
army led by John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
and a Lancastrian
army led by the Duke of Somerset
. The battle ended in a Yorkist victory.
and the West Country
would rise in their support. The Yorkists wanted to remove the threat of Scottish
invasion, by reaching an agreement with the Scots. The English parliament was due to meet at York
on 5 May to discuss terms with a party from Scotland, but a burst of Lancastrian activity in Northumberland and North Yorkshire meant that it would be difficult for the Scottish party to travel safely to York. Lord Montagu was therefore sent north with a small force to escort them to York.
The Duke of Somerset tried to ambush Montagu near Newcastle but the latter was able to evade this attempt. He continued his journey northwards gathering troops as he went. When Montagu reached Hedgeley Moor he had an army of five or six thousand men. There he met a Lancastrian army of five thousand men commanded by Somerset. The Lancastrian army also included Sir Ralph Percy, Lords Roos
and Hungerford, and Sir Ralph Grey. Percy had already changed sides several times during the war.
Montagu then advanced across the 1,500 yards of moorland, only to be forced to halt and readjust his lines when the Lancastrian left flank, under Lords Roos and Hungerford (some 2,000 men), faltered, broke and scattered.
The whole Lancastrian force gave way when the Yorkists clashed with their line. Pushed back by weight of numbers all but a few of the remaining Lancastrians fled the field. Sir Ralph Percy
stayed with his household retainers and made a brave last stand. However, deserted by the rest of the army, including all the other commanders, he was soon slain. As he died he is said to have uttered the enigmatic words: ‘I have saved the bird in my bosom’.
A square stone column stands near the site of the battle, and is known as ‘Percy’s Cross’.
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
. It was fought at Hedgeley Moor, north of the village of Glanton
Glanton
Glanton is a small rural village, in the county of Northumberland, England. Historically, Glanton was a relatively industrial village , although in recent years the level of industry has declined...
in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, between a Yorkist
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
army led by John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG was a Yorkist leader in the Wars of the Roses, best-known for eliminating Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV of England....
and a Lancastrian
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
army led by the Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset
Duke of Somerset is a title in the peerage of England that has been created several times. Derived from Somerset, it is particularly associated with two families; the Beauforts who held the title from the creation of 1448 and the Seymours, from the creation of 1547 and in whose name the title is...
. The battle ended in a Yorkist victory.
Background
At the beginning of 1464, after setbacks in 1463, the Lancastrians were hoping that the Welsh MarchesWelsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
and the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
would rise in their support. The Yorkists wanted to remove the threat of Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
invasion, by reaching an agreement with the Scots. The English parliament was due to meet at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
on 5 May to discuss terms with a party from Scotland, but a burst of Lancastrian activity in Northumberland and North Yorkshire meant that it would be difficult for the Scottish party to travel safely to York. Lord Montagu was therefore sent north with a small force to escort them to York.
The Duke of Somerset tried to ambush Montagu near Newcastle but the latter was able to evade this attempt. He continued his journey northwards gathering troops as he went. When Montagu reached Hedgeley Moor he had an army of five or six thousand men. There he met a Lancastrian army of five thousand men commanded by Somerset. The Lancastrian army also included Sir Ralph Percy, Lords Roos
Thomas de Ros, 10th Baron de Ros
Thomas de Ros, 10th Baron de Ros of Helmsley was a follower of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses.-Family:...
and Hungerford, and Sir Ralph Grey. Percy had already changed sides several times during the war.
The battle
The battle began with the normal exchange of archery between the two armies.Montagu then advanced across the 1,500 yards of moorland, only to be forced to halt and readjust his lines when the Lancastrian left flank, under Lords Roos and Hungerford (some 2,000 men), faltered, broke and scattered.
The whole Lancastrian force gave way when the Yorkists clashed with their line. Pushed back by weight of numbers all but a few of the remaining Lancastrians fled the field. Sir Ralph Percy
Ralph Percy
Sir Ralph Percy was a knight, a Governor of Bamburgh Castle and a supporter of the Lancastrian side in the Wars of the Roses. Percy was the grandson of Sir Harry Percy.Percy married, firstly, Eleanor Acton and they had four children:...
stayed with his household retainers and made a brave last stand. However, deserted by the rest of the army, including all the other commanders, he was soon slain. As he died he is said to have uttered the enigmatic words: ‘I have saved the bird in my bosom’.
Aftermath
The defeat and dispersal of the Lancastrian forces made it possible for the Scottish negotiators to be safely escorted to York, where a peaceful solution was successfully negotiated.A square stone column stands near the site of the battle, and is known as ‘Percy’s Cross’.