Battle of Selby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Selby |
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| Part of First English Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Royalists |
 Parliamentarians |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Colonel John Belasyse | Lord Fairfax Sir Thomas Fairfax Colonel John Lambert Sir John Meldrum |
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| Strength | |||||||
| c. 2,000-3,000 | 1,500 cavalry 1,800 infantry |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1,600 captives | Unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Selby was an important fight during the First English Civil War. It happened on April 11, 1644, in North Yorkshire, England. In this battle, the Parliamentarian army, led by Lord Fairfax, attacked and captured the town of Selby. Selby was a key place held by the Royalists, who were commanded by John Belasyse.
Why Selby Was Important
Royalist Control in Yorkshire
In early 1644, Colonel John Belasyse was in charge of the Royalist forces in Yorkshire. He was also the Governor of York. His main jobs were to move soldiers and supplies around Yorkshire. He also had to protect the area from attacks by the Parliamentarians.
During the winter of 1644, Parliamentarian soldiers often raided Yorkshire. They went as far north as Whitby and as far west as Bradford.
Moving Headquarters to Selby
To better defend against these raids, Belasyse moved his main base. He moved it from York to Selby. This helped him guard the southern way into York.
In March, Belasyse got some extra help. Royalist cavalry (horse soldiers) from Newark joined him. These were led by Major-General George Porter.
Failed Attack on Bradford
On March 25, Belasyse and Porter decided to attack. They went after the Parliamentarian base at Bradford. But their attack failed. Porter's cavalry was defeated in the battle. Both commanders then went back to their own bases.
Parliamentarians Plan Their Attack
The Parliamentarians saw a chance to strike. They knew the Royalists might be weaker after their defeat. So, they gathered an army to attack Selby. This attack was meant to be the first step towards taking York.
Lord Fairfax brought soldiers from Hull. His son, Sir Thomas Fairfax, came from Cheshire. He brought his cavalry and some foot soldiers from Lancashire.
They were also joined by Colonel John Lambert from Bradford. Sir John Meldrum came from the Midlands. Together, the Parliamentarians had about 1,500 horse soldiers and 1,800 foot soldiers.
The Battle Begins
Selby's Defenses
On April 11, 1644, Lord Fairfax's Parliamentarian army reached Selby. The town itself did not have strong walls. But it was surrounded by natural barriers. These included flooded fields and the River Ouse.
Because of the water, there were only four roads into the town. The Royalists had built barricades on each of these roads. They also had soldiers guarding them.
Parliamentarian Attack Plan
Lord Fairfax divided his army into three groups. He sent his foot soldiers down three of the roads at the same time. Their goal was to attack and take the barricades. After the foot soldiers broke through, the cavalry would follow.
- Lord Fairfax led one group to attack Ousegate.
- Sir John Meldrum led a second group down Gowthorpe Lane.
- Colonel Needham led a third group down Brayton Lane.
- Sir Thomas Fairfax and the cavalry waited, ready to join the fight.
Fighting at the Barricades
As the Parliamentarians moved forward, the Royalists fired their muskets. The battle involved many attacks and counter-attacks. It lasted for more than an hour.
Slowly, the Royalists started to leave their barricades. They began to fall back towards the town. At first, their cavalry protected their foot soldiers. This stopped the Parliamentarians from moving past the barricades.
Cavalry Joins the Fight
Then, Sir Thomas Fairfax and his Parliamentarian cavalry entered the battle. They quickly took control. The Royalist cavalry tried to fight back. But they were pushed away and soon ran across the river. They used a bridge made of boats to escape.
The Royalist commander, Belasyse, kept fighting. He tried to get his men to rally against the Parliamentarians. But in the end, he was knocked off his horse and captured.
Royalist Surrender
By this time, the Parliamentarian foot soldiers had moved into Selby from three directions. They had surrounded the Royalists. With no way to escape and their commander captured, the Royalists gave up.
A few Royalists managed to escape on their horses. But most of the soldiers, about 1,600 men, were taken prisoner. The Parliamentarians also captured a lot of weapons and ammunition.
What Happened Next
A Big Loss for Royalists
Losing Selby was a huge problem for the Royalists in northern England. York was only about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Selby. It was not well defended, with only two Royalist regiments there.
The Marquess of Newcastle, another Royalist leader, had been fighting in County Durham. He was defending against the Parliamentarians' Scottish allies. After Selby fell, he had to rush back to York to help defend it.
Siege of York and Marston Moor
Just eleven days after Selby was captured, the Parliamentarians began the siege of York. This eventually led to a terrible defeat for the Royalists at the Battle of Marston Moor. That battle meant the Royalists completely lost control of northern England.
