Battle of Adwalton Moor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Adwalton Moor |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the First English Civil War | |||||||
 Battle Plaque at Adwalton Moor |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Royalists |
 Parliamentarians |
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Earl of Newcastle | Lord Fairfax Sir Thomas Fairfax Major General Gifford |
||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 4,000 foot 3,000 horse |
6,000 foot 1,500 horse Local countrymen |
||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 200 killed 300 wounded |
500 killed 1,500 captured |
||||||
The Battle of Adwalton Moor happened on June 30, 1643, in Adwalton, West Yorkshire. It was a major fight during the First English Civil War. In this battle, the Royalists, who supported King Charles, won a big victory. They were led by the Earl of Newcastle. The Parliamentarians, who supported the Parliament, were led by Lord Fairfax.
Contents
Why the Battle Happened
In early 1643, the Royalists and Parliamentarians were fighting for control of Yorkshire. The Royalist army was led by the Earl of Newcastle. The Parliamentarian army was led by Lord Fairfax. They had already fought in places like Leeds and Wakefield.
On June 22, the Royalists captured Howley Hall in Batley. This was a strong house belonging to a Parliamentarian supporter. After this, the Earl of Newcastle moved his army of 7,000 soldiers north. He also had large cannons with him. His plan was to march about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) to attack Bradford. Bradford was a Parliamentarian stronghold. If the Royalists won, they would control West Yorkshire and its important cloth-making towns.
When Lord Fairfax heard about the Royalist advance, he decided to act. He gathered his army of 7,500 men. Instead of staying in Bradford, he chose to meet the Royalists in the open countryside. On June 30, the two armies met by chance on an old Roman road near Adwalton. Both sides later claimed the other army was already waiting when they arrived. This suggests neither side picked the exact battle spot.
The Battle Unfolds
Lord Fairfax and his Parliamentarian soldiers first met Royalist scouts at Wisket Hill. The Parliamentarians pushed these scouts back. Then, they took positions in fields that had walls around them. They got ready to face the main Royalist army. Lord Fairfax led the middle part of his army. His son, Sir Thomas Fairfax, led the right side. Major General Gifford led the left side.
At the start, the Parliamentarians used their protected spots and more foot soldiers to push the Royalists back. As the Parliamentarians kept moving forward, they reached the edge of an open moor. They forced the Royalists to fall back to where their cannons were placed.
After defending against cavalry attacks for a while, the Parliamentarians moved into the open field. They charged the Royalists, hoping to break their lines and win the battle. They almost succeeded. The Royalists seemed about to lose. But then, a group of Royalist pikemen (soldiers with long spears) pushed back the Parliamentarian left side. Royalist horse soldiers then rode around to the north. They attacked the Parliamentarian left side from the flank (the side).
Major General Gifford and his soldiers broke apart and ran away in a messy retreat. The Royalist counter-attack continued. Sir Thomas Fairfax on the right side was told to retreat. He quickly pulled his troops back to the south. He realized the Royalists had cut off his part of the army from the main Parliamentarian force.
The battle was over. The Parliamentarian army was broken and disorganized. They tried to get back to Bradford. About 500 Parliamentarian soldiers were killed. Another 1,500 were captured while trying to escape. The Royalists lost about 200 killed and 300 wounded.
What Happened Next
With the Parliamentarians running, the Earl of Newcastle moved quickly. On the night of June 30, he brought his cannons to Bradford. The next morning, July 1, he started firing at the Parliamentarian soldiers in Bradford. The Parliamentarians tried to break out, but they failed. In the end, their commanders escaped with small groups of horse soldiers. The rest of the army surrendered. Soon after, the Parliamentarians also gave up Leeds. They pulled back to Hull.
The Battle of Adwalton Moor gave the Royalists control of Yorkshire. Historians say this battle was very important. It left the Parliamentarians with only Hull as a strong base in the north. This forced them to make a deal with Scotland for help. This alliance later led to a big Parliamentarian victory at the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644. Historic England has even said that Adwalton Moor was the second most important battle in the war, after Marston Moor.
About the Battle Site
The battle took place on high ground in Adwalton. This area is now often thought of as part of Drighlington, Leeds. It is close to the border with Bradford. Today, the area is a mix of countryside and town, known as a rural-urban fringe. The A650 road now cuts right through where the battle happened.
The Bradford Metropolitan District Council recognizes this as the only battlefield within its area. However, it actually lies inside the Leeds City Council boundary. There are special signs and plaques at the site to help visitors understand the battle.
Museums Nearby
You can find out more about the battle at Bolling Hall, Bradford. This museum is a few miles from the battle site. It was actually a Royalist base during the Civil War. Oakwell Hall is another museum that shows what the Civil War was like in Yorkshire. This hall is close enough to walk to from the battlefield. However, it is in Kirklees, not Bradford.
Images for kids
-
Cannon and musket balls found at Adwalton Moor on display at Oakwell Hall
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Adwalton Moor para niños
