Gainsborough, 1643
Jul 20 The Earl of Kingston was holding the town for the King but was surprised by a night attack by Lord Willoughby of Parham.

While the Earl was being taken along the river as a prisoner he was killed by a cannon shot from his own Royalist troops who did not realise that their leader was aboard.

 
The capture of Gainsborough threatened the communications with Newark and the South, so Newcastle immediately sent Sir Charles Cavendish to capture it back.

 
Parliament was aware of the strategic importance of the town and sent Sir John Meldrum from Nottingham to join Cromwell to oppose the Royalist forces.

 
Jul 28 When the Royalists tried to retake the town they were routed by Cromwell at Lea. They had taken positions at the top of a steep and sandy hill but could not withstand the Parliamentary attack. They were driven down to the flat and marshy land by the River Trent.

 

 The site of the battle was Foxby Hill, to the south-east of the town.
The Royalist leader Charles Cavendish was killed in the swampy ground.

 

 The Parish registers show 65 soldiers buried but Cromwell's asccount  said 300 were killed.
Jul 30 Two days later, Newcastle turned up at Grantham, defeated the Parliamentary forces and recaptured the town.

 

 This caused consternation in Parliament as they saw the possibility of a southward advance by Newcastle. Then, joining with the King's main army, he could lead an attack on London.
Newcastle then marched on to take Lincoln.
Later that year in December, Sir John Meldrum returned with a much larger force from Hull and recaptured the town which then stayed in Parliamentary hands for the rest of the war.