The English Civil War was a conflict between the King and Parliament in the middle of the 17th Century. The two sides argued about many things but money and religion were the most common causes of conflict. The 'Eleven years Tyranny' (1629 to 1640) was the period when King Charles I, quite literally, locked Parliament out of Westminster and attempted to rule without them. Eventually Charles I had to call Parliament again but tensions continued and in 1642 the inevitable war broke out. There were 3 major battles of the civil war: the first was at Edge Hill, in October 1642; the last was the Battle of Naseby.
On 12 June 1645, Charles I's army camped on Borough Hill, near Daventry, on its way to relieve the siege of Oxford. Charles went hunting in the nearby forests. Parliament's New Model Army marching north from Oxford was instructed to engage the King's army. There was a minor skirmish at Daventry, however Charles was waiting for reinforcements and not ready to fight. He retreated towards Market Harborough but stopped near Naseby and turned to fight, resulting in the Battle of Naseby. Local tradition says Oliver Cromwell spent the night before the battle at Hazelrigg House in Northampton (one of the few houses to survive the Great Fire of 1675), though there is no supporting documentary evidence for this claim.
The Battle of Naseby took place on 14 June 1645, near Market Harborough. The Royal Army was led by King Charles's nephew, Prince Rupert. The Parliamentary Army won the battle decisively. They also captured the royal commissariat and seized the King's personal papers. When details of his papers were published, they helped win support for the parliamentarians.
Visit Naseby battlefield where all the action happened in 1645
For more information visit the Naseby Battlefield Project website www.naseby.com
