BattlefieldsSecond Barons War — Lewes Town Gate Fighting 1264
Medieval

Second Barons War — Lewes Town Gate Fighting 1264

1264
England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Royalist forces
Forces
royalist infantry defending the town
VS
Victor
Baronial forces
Forces
Baronial infantry led by Londoners attacking town gates
Outcome
Town gates forced; street fighting through Lewes; castle held separately; Henry III surrendered in priory
The Battle

History & Significance

When de Montfort's army descended from the Downs in the early morning of 14 May 1264, they swept through the town gates of Lewes in the pursuit phase after defeating the royal cavalry. Street fighting at the gates and through the town lanes was fierce as royalist infantry made stands. The garrison of Lewes Castle held out separately. De Montfort's Londoners bore the brunt of the early fighting near the gates before Prince Edward routed them.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around this battlefield

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 this battlefield