Battle of Naseby

1645

County: Northamptonshire

District: Daventry

Parishes: Naseby, Sulby, Sibbertoft, Clipston

NGR: SP 685799

The Civil Wars of the mid seventeenth century were a reflection of profound political, constitutional, religious and social conflict which was expressed in a struggle for control between King and Parliament.

On 14 June 1645 the revamped Parliamentarian New Model Army of 14,000 men took on a Royalist army of less than 9,000. The Royalists attacked, and on the western side Prince Rupert's cavalry swept aside the Parliamentarians, careering on to attack the baggage train to the rear. On the main field of battle, however, Parliament gained the upper hand. By the time Prince Rupert returned the battle was so far gone that he and his cavalry considered it wiser not to intervene.

Naseby was the decisive battle of the first Civil War. King Charles was never able to replace the experienced men whom he lost. It took another year to end the war, but Naseby had been the turning point. As a result, the supremacy of Parliament was assured. The success of the New Model Army was to lead to the establishment in 1660 of a permanent force, which is the ancestor of the modern British Army.

In 1645 the landscape was open fields belonging to the neighbouring villages, with hedges only on their margins and heath areas within them. The major period of enclosure with hedges was after 1828. Although a new road separates the main battlefield from the site of the baggage train, the course of events is still readily understandable on the ground.

AMENITY FEATURES

The best viewpoint currently available is from the battlefield monument beside the Sibbertoft road, which had an interpretation panel. Additional access would be desirable - a number of features of the battlefield, such as ancient hedgerows, survive in the modern landscape but are not currently accessible.

KEY SOURCES

English Heritage, 1995, Battlefield Report: Naseby 1645

Foard, G, 1993, 'An analysis of the Civil War battlefield at Naseby', in Post-Medieval Archaeology

Young, P, 1985, Naseby 1645: the campaign and battle

The Naseby Battlefield Project