BattlefieldsBattle of Hexham (1464)
Medieval

Battle of Hexham (1464)

1464
Northumberland, England
Also known as: Hexham 1464 · Levels of Hexham
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Northumberland, England
Status
Registered · EHB35
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Lancastrians (Duke of Somerset)
Forces
Lancastrian
VS
Victor
Yorkists (Lord Montagu)
Forces
c.3,000 each side; Yorkist (Montagu)
Outcome
Somerset and other Lancastrian leaders captured and executed; Henry VI fled
The Battle

History & Significance

The battle that ended organised Lancastrian resistance in the north. Somerset's force was caught in a ravine near Hexham and routed in minutes. Somerset and several other Lancastrian lords were captured and executed without trial. Henry VI, who had been sheltering in northern castles, fled into the hills and wandered northern England for a year before being captured in Lancashire in 1465. The victory secured Edward IV's hold on the north.

Casualties & Losses

Duke of Somerset and several lords executed after capture

Registered Historic Battlefield

This battlefield is listed on the Register of Historic Battlefields — a national designation identifying Britain's most significant battle sites for protection and further research. Reference: EHB35.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Northumberland

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Northumberland