BattlefieldsAction at Stow-on-the-Wold 1646
English Civil War

Action at Stow-on-the-Wold 1646

1646
Gloucestershire, England
Also known as: Battle of Stow — Last Royalist Field Force
Era
English Civil War
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Gloucestershire, England
Status
Registered · EHB31
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Royalists (Astley)
Forces
c.5,000 Parliamentarians; last Royalist field army
VS
Victor
Parliamentarians (Brereton / Morgan)
Forces
c.3,000 Royalists (Astley)
Outcome
Last Royalist field army destroyed; Sir Jacob Astley captured; Civil War effectively ended
The Battle

History & Significance

The battle of Stow-on-the-Wold on 21 March 1646 was the final pitched battle of the First Civil War — the last occasion on which a Royalist army fought in the field. Lord Astley had scraped together the last Royalist reserves from the garrisons of the Welsh Marches and Midlands and was trying to join the king at Oxford. He was intercepted, defeated, and captured. His famous remark to his captors — 'You have done your work, boys, and may go play, unless you will fall out among yourselves' — proved prophetic.

Casualties & Losses

c.200 killed; c.1,500 captured including Astley

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: EHB31.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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