Battle of Sherburn in Elmet
Who Fought
History & Significance
The Battle of Sherburn in Elmet was an action fought towards the end of the First English Civil War. A detachment of the English Royalist army led by Lord Digby, King Charles I's Secretary of State, was making a belated attempt to reach Scotland and join forces with the Scottish Royalists. As they moved north through Yorkshire, they were pursued by a Parliamentarian force under Sydnam Poyntz. Poyntz was unaware of the Royalists' position, and the Royalists took the opportunity to ambush and attack a small Parliamentarian detachment at night in the village of Sherburn in Elmet. However, the Royalists then mistook fleeing Parliamentarians for their own men and panicked. In the ensuing flight, several hundred Royalist prisoners were taken. The Parliamentarians also captured Digby's coach, which contained much compromising correspondence.
In 1645 the Royalist cause suffered a series of disasters. On 14 June, the Parliamentarian New Model Army destroyed the King's main "Oxford Army" at the Battle of Naseby. The New Model Army then defeated the Royalist "Western Army" under Lord Goring at the Battle of Langport and stormed Bristol on 10 September. On 24 September, the King attempted to relieve Chester but was defeated at the Battle of Rowton Heath.
For much of 1645, one of the King's objectives had been to join forces with the Scottish Royalists under the Marquess of Montrose. The Scottish Covenanters had intervened on the side of the Parliamentarians in late 1643, and had been instrumental in the victory at the Battle of Marston Moor, which gained them supremacy in the north of England. In late 1644 and early 1645, Montrose had won several victories over the Covenanters which eventually put Scotland at his mercy. He then tried to reach England but was defeated at the Battle of Philiphaugh on 13 September. This cost him the hard core of his army, who were slaughtered after laying down their arms. Montrose escaped the battlefield, and tried to raise another army from among some of the Highland clans.
Following his defeat at Rowton Heath, the King had retreated with his remaining 2,400 cavalry to Denbigh. From there, he proceeded east into England, arriving at the Royalist stronghold of Newark-on-Trent on 4 October. On 12 October he left, intending to move north to join Montrose. On 13 October, he held a council of war at Welbeck. Most of the officers who attended were opposed to continuing the march, but the King overruled them. However, the very next day, he received the news of Montrose's defeat at Philiphaugh. The victorious Covenanter cavalry under Sir David Leslie were moving back into the Scottish Borders while the main Covenanter army under the Earl of Leven were on the River Tees, blocking the route north.
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of Sherburn in Elmet lies on Zechstein Group, bedrock that formed in the Late Permian. The rock here is dolomitised limestone and dolomite.
- Royalists: 40 killed; 300–400 prisoners
- Parliamentarians: 10 killed
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Battle of Sherburn in Elmet · Wikidata
- Battle_of_Sherburn_in_Elmet · Wikipedia