Battle of Ewloe
Who Fought
History & Significance
The Battle of Ewloe (also known as the Battle of Coleshill, or Counsylth, or Coleshille, or Cennadlog) was fought in July 1157 between the Anglo-Norman forces of King Henry II of England and an army led by the Welsh Tywysog Owain Gwynedd, near Ewloe in what is now Flintshire, north-east Wales, although the precise location of the battle is still a matter of scholarly debate. The battle was part of Henry's campaign to reassert control over Welsh territories and the Welsh Marches following his accession to the throne in 1154.
In an attempt to outflank Owain's defensive position, Henry led a detachment through the woods of Hawarden, where he was ambushed by an awaiting Welsh force, commanded by Owain's sons Dafydd and Cynan. The English suffered significant losses, including the death of the prominent noble Eustace fitz John. Both English and Welsh contemporary sources report a severe setback for Henry's forces, which included the royal standard being dropped and a near escape by the king himself. Although Owain ultimately withdrew and agreed to a peace settlement, the battle was regarded by many contemporary chroniclers as a tactical failure for Henry.
The battle has been commemorated locally with a plaque, unveiled in 2008.
Owain Gwynedd had succeeded his father Gruffudd ap Cynan in 1137 and expanded his holdings eastward into the disputed region of Tegeingl (now northeast Wales). This area had been largely under Anglo-Norman control for several generations.
Following his coronation in 1154, Henry II sought to reassert royal authority over Wales and reverse Owain’s recent territorial gains. The king assembled a considerable army in Chester, supported by allies including Madog ap Maredudd of Powys, and Owain’s brother Cadwaladr ap Gruffudd (whom Owain had recently stripped of his lands in Ceredigion).
According to William Stubbs, Henry's army may have included as much as one third of the knights in England, based on his interpretation of contemporary sources. John Edward Lloyd suggests this was a "greatly reduced" levy, its smaller size enabling Henry to afford to pay his soldiers for a longer term of service. The Pipe Rolls state that the King's army was supplemented with archers and a naval force, reflecting a significant logistical investment in the campaign. Henry's fleet, allegedly commanded by Henry FitzRoy, the illegitimate son of Henry I, eventually landed at Anglesey, but its intended purpose is unclear.
The size of the Welsh force is unknown, though one version of the Brut y Tywysogion states that Owain's army was ten times smaller than Henry's.
Owain adopted a forward defensive position near Coleshill in anticipation of Henry’s westward advance. The exact location of this defensive position—and the battle itself—are still disputed. Historians D. J. Cathcart King and Sean Davies suggest the site was near Basingwerk, but John Edwards proposes a location further east, at Hen Blas.
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Ewloe lies on Millstone Grit Group [See Also Migr], bedrock that formed in the Namurian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.
- Kingdom of England and Welsh allies: Heavy casualties in the outflanking force; Eustace fitz John; Henry FitzRoy
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything a full report reveals about Battle of Ewloe
This page covers Battle of Ewloe. A full Aubrey report for the area pulls together this battle alongside scheduled monuments and everything else the record holds within a few miles:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Scheduled Monuments near Battle of Ewloe
Other Medieval Battles
Battles near Battle of Ewloe
Explore the landscape around this battlefield
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in the UK — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.
- Battle of Ewloe · Wikidata
- Battle_of_Ewloe · Wikipedia