Battlefields›Battle of Dunbar 1650
English Civil War

Battle of Dunbar 1650

1650
East Lothian, Scotland
Also known as: Cromwell defeats Leslie at Dunbar
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
East Lothian, Scotland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Scots Covenanters (Leslie)
Forces
c.22,000 Scots (Leslie); English decisive victory
VS
Victor
English Parliament (Cromwell)
Forces
c.11,000 English (Cromwell)
Outcome
Cromwell destroys the Scots army; Edinburgh and central Scotland fall to Parliament
The Battle

History & Significance

A devastating Parliamentary victory at Dunbar on 3 September 1650 — outnumbered but tactically brilliant — shattered the main Covenanting army and opened Scotland to Parliamentary conquest.

Casualties & Losses

Approximately 3000 Scots killed; 10000 captured

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Dunbar 1650

Spott Farm,enclosure S of
Scheduled monument · Post-Medieval · ~2.3 miles
Spott Dod,fort
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~2.7 miles
Bell Craig, fort 1100m WNW of The Brunt
Scheduled monument · Iron Age · ~2.8 miles
Thurston,enclosure 800m WNW of
Scheduled monument · Post-Medieval · ~2.9 miles
Glen Cottage,enclosure 800m W of
Scheduled monument · Post-Medieval · ~3 miles
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1604
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Teviotdale Clearing 1603
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