Battle of Torrington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Torrington
Part of the First English Civil War
Date 16 February 1646 Location Great Torrington, Devon Result Parliament victory
Belligerents
Royalists	Parliamentarians
Commanders and leaders
Sir Ralph Hopton	Sir Thomas Fairfax
Strength
3,000 horse 2,000 foot	10,000

The Battle of Torrington happened on 16 February 1646. It was a very important battle during the First English Civil War. This battle marked the end of the war in the west of England. It took place in a town called Torrington, in Devon. The battle was a big win for the Parliamentarian side.

What Happened Before the Battle

After a defeat at Bovey Tracey, Sir Ralph Hopton became the new leader for the Royalist army in the west. He was in charge of the king's soldiers. Lord Wentworth led the horse soldiers, and Sir Richard Grenville led the foot soldiers.

However, Sir Richard Grenville did not want to follow Sir Ralph Hopton's orders. Because of this, he was arrested for not obeying and was put in prison.

Sir Ralph Hopton's army had about 3,000 horse riders and 2,000 foot soldiers. They moved into Devon and took over Torrington. They quickly built defenses around the town to prepare for a fight.

The Battle Begins

The Parliamentarian army, led by Sir Thomas Fairfax, came from the east. It was the evening of 16 February 1646, and it was raining heavily. It was also getting dark.

The Parliamentarian soldiers accidentally ran into some Royalist dragoons (soldiers who ride horses but fight on foot). A small fight started just outside Torrington. Sir Thomas Fairfax decided to wait until morning to check the Royalist defenses.

A Surprise Attack

But then, Fairfax sent his dragoons forward to test the defenses. When they came under fire, he sent more troops to help them. This quickly turned into a full-scale battle.

The fighting at the barricades was very intense. Soldiers fought hand-to-hand with long spears called pikes. This part of the battle lasted for two hours.

The Explosion

Eventually, the Royalist foot soldiers from Cornwall had to give up their positions. They retreated into the town. The fighting continued fiercely inside Torrington.

Then, something terrible happened. A small spark accidentally set off the Royalist gunpowder storage. This was in Torrington church, where eighty barrels of gunpowder were kept. The huge explosion completely destroyed the church. All the prisoners held inside the church were killed. Sir Thomas Fairfax himself was very close to the explosion and almost died.

After the Battle

The massive explosion basically ended the battle. The remaining Royalist soldiers managed to escape. This victory for the Parliamentarians was a major step towards ending the First English Civil War.

Remembering the Battle

Every year in February, people remember the Battle of Torrington. They have a special torch-lit procession and a re-enactment of the battle. This helps people remember the important history of their town.

The Battle in Stories

The battle is also an important part of a historical fiction book. It features strongly at the end of Simon by Rosemary Sutcliff.