Battlefields›Siege of Worcester (Anarchy)
Medieval

Siege of Worcester (Anarchy)

1139
Worcestershire, England
Era
Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Worcestershire, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Worcester's citizens and garrison, loyal to Waleran of Meulan (Royalist, Earl of Worcester)
VS
Victor
Miles of Gloucester (Angevin/Empress Matilda's faction, based at Gloucester)
Forces involved

Described only as 'a large and strong army' / 'an enormous force, both on horse and on foot'; no numerical figures given in the surviving source (Chronicle of John of Worcester)

Outcome
Attackers breached the city's northern side, burnt part of Worcester, and took plunder and prisoners for ransom; the greater part of the city survived unburnt. Waleran of Meulan retaliated on 30 November by attacking Sudeley Castle.
The Battle

History & Significance

Siege of Worcester (Anarchy) was a medieval siege, the investment of a fortified position, fought at Worcestershire, England in 1139. Miles of Gloucester (Angevin/Empress Matilda's faction, based at Gloucester) prevailed over Worcester's citizens and garrison, loyal to Waleran of Meulan (Royalist, Earl of Worcester). Attackers breached the city's northern side, burnt part of Worcester, and took plunder and prisoners for ransom; the greater part of the city survived unburnt. Waleran of Meulan retaliated on 30 November by attacking Sudeley Castle.

Confirmed battlefield location
The ground

The ground they fought on

The site of Siege of Worcester (Anarchy) lies on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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Everything a full report reveals about Siege of Worcester (Anarchy)

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Siege of Worcester (Anarchy)

St Alban's Church
St Alban's Church
Scheduled monument · ~0.1 mi

St Alban's Church is a medieval parish church located in Worcestershire, England. The building dates from the Norman period and later medieval centuries, with architectural features typical of churches developed across this extended timeframe. The church retains elements of its original construct…

Philip Halling / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Worcester city centre
Worcester city centre
Scheduled monument · ~0.2 mi

Worcester city centre is a complex historic urban area in Worcestershire that contains archaeological remains and structural evidence spanning from the Saxon period onwards. The site preserves evidence of Worcester's development as a significant Anglo-Saxon settlement and its subsequent growth as…

Worcestershire City Museums / CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Remains of Guesten Hall
Remains of Guesten Hall
Scheduled monument · ~0.2 mi

Remains of Guesten Hall is a medieval building complex located in Worcester, Worcestershire, forming part of the precinct of Worcester Cathedral. The hall dates from the thirteenth century and served as the guest house or hostel for the cathedral monastery, providing accommodation for visiting cl…

Philip Halling / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Refectory of St Mary's Priory in Cathedral Close
Refectory of St Mary's Priory in Cathedral Close
Scheduled monument · ~0.2 mi

The Refectory of St Mary's Priory is a medieval dining hall forming part of the Benedictine priory that once stood within Worcester Cathedral Close. The building dates from the thirteenth century and represents a substantial stone structure typical of monastic institutional architecture, designed…

Philip Halling / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Edgar Tower entrance to the Cathedral Close
Edgar Tower entrance to the Cathedral Close
Scheduled monument · ~0.3 mi

Edgar Tower is a substantial Norman gatehouse standing at the entrance to Worcester Cathedral Close, erected in the twelfth century as a fortified entry point to the ecclesiastical precinct. Built of sandstone with rounded turrets and a vaulted archway, the tower exemplifies the military architec…

Bob Embleton / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Powick Old Bridge
Powick Old Bridge
Scheduled monument · ~1.8 mi

Powick Old Bridge is a medieval bridge crossing the River Teme near Worcester in Worcestershire. The structure dates from the 12th century and represents an important example of early English bridge construction, originally built to facilitate communication across the river valley. The bridge fea…

John M / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
City walls: section extending 50ft (15m) between Windsor Row and Nash's Passage
Scheduled monument · ~0.1 miles
City walls: section extending 130ft (40m) from the back of No 27 New Street to Windsor Row
Scheduled monument · ~0.1 miles
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Battles near Siege of Worcester (Anarchy)

Battle of Worcester
1651
~0.1 miles away
Siege of Worcester
1646
~0.1 miles away
Siege of Worcester (1643)
1643
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Worcester Cathedral Tower Firing 1651
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