BattlefieldsSiege of Athlone (1691)
Jacobite Risings

Siege of Athlone (1691)

1691
Westmeath, Ireland
Era
Jacobite Risings
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Westmeath, Ireland
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Jacobite garrison (Colonel Richard Grace)
Forces
Jacobite garrison c.1,500.
VS
Victor
Williamites (General Ginkel)
Forces
Williamites c.20,000
Outcome
Athlone taken by storm; gateway to Connacht forced
The Battle

History & Significance

A year after the failed 1690 siege, Ginkel returned with a large Williamite army and heavier artillery. After heavy bombardment, Williamite soldiers waded the ford and stormed the west bank in a famously daring assault. Grace's garrison was overwhelmed. The fall of Athlone opened the road to Aughrim and sealed the Jacobite cause. The crossing under fire was one of the most celebrated feats of Williamite arms.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Westmeath

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 Westmeath