BattlefieldsColeshill Forest Ambush of Henry II Vanguard 1157
Medieval

Coleshill Forest Ambush of Henry II Vanguard 1157

1157
Warwickshire, England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Warwickshire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
English royal vanguard near Coleshill Flintshire
VS
Victor
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Gwynedd ambush force
Outcome
Welsh tactical victory; English vanguard routed, Henry II narrowly escapes
The Battle

History & Significance

Welsh forces under Owain Gwynedd ambush the English royal vanguard in the forests near Coleshill in Flintshire, killing the constable of Chester and nearly capturing Henry II himself. The king escapes but the engagement demonstrates Welsh mastery of forest warfare and severely shakes English confidence.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Warwickshire

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 Warwickshire