Edge Hill, Warwickshire facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edge Hill |
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 Castle Inn, the Octagonal Tower |
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 Edge Hill
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| OS grid reference | SP370470 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Banbury |
| Postcode district | OX15 |
| Dialling code | 01295 |
| Police | Warwickshire |
| Fire | Warwickshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
Edge Hill is a steep slope of land, like a natural wall, and Edgehill is a tiny village in Warwickshire, England. This area is famous for a very important battle that happened here long ago.
The Edge Hill slope rises about 219 meters (719 feet) above sea level. It's also 112 meters (367 feet) higher than the nearby village of Radway. This makes it a really noticeable feature in the landscape.
The village of Edgehill has a unique building called the Castle Inn. It's a pub built in the 1740s from local stone. It looks a bit like a castle and is owned by the Hook Norton Brewery.
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The Battle of Edgehill
Edge Hill gave its name to the first big battle of the English Civil War. This war was a huge conflict in England between the King and Parliament.
When and Where the Battle Happened
The Battle of Edgehill took place on Sunday, October 23, 1642. It was the first major fight in the English Civil War. The battle was fought between the King's army, led by King Charles I, and the Parliament's army, led by the Earl of Essex.
The battle happened on the open land below the steep Edge Hill slope. A narrow wood on the hill's edge overlooked the battlefield.
How the Armies Lined Up
The King's army started the day on top of the Edge Hill slope. The Parliament's army was about 2,000 meters (2,187 yards) away, spread out across some fields.
The King's soldiers had to march down the very steep hill to fight. The Parliament's army was waiting for them on the flatter ground below. The hill was too steep for the Parliamentarians to attack the King's army while it was on top.
The Outcome of the Battle
At the time of the battle, there were fewer trees on the land than there are today. The battle was very fierce but ended without a clear winner. Both sides claimed they had won! It took many more years and battles before the Parliamentarians finally won the war.
Ghostly Sightings
A year after the battle, in 1643, people reported seeing ghosts at Edge Hill. A printer named Thomas Jackson even wrote about these strange sightings. The King heard about it and sent a special group of people to check it out. They claimed they saw two ghostly armies fighting in the sky above them!
Images for kids
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Castle Inn, the Octagonal Tower
