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| Battle of Winceby 1643 | ||
| Sep 16 | The Earl of Manchester captured the town of King's Lynn.
He then sent his cavalry north under Cromwell to join forces with
Willoughby - his intentions were to help relieve the siege of Hull.
Despite Newcastle's rather half-hearted siege, Thomas Fairfax had ferried his cavalry across the Humber to join forces with Cromwell in Boston.
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| Sir William Widdrington, the governor of Lincoln, ordered
the Royalist cavalry under the command of Sir John Henderson to
Bolingbroke Castle to help defend it from an expected Roundhead attack.
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| Oct 9 | Following behind Cromwell's cavalry, Manchester laid siege
to Bolingbroke castle.
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| Oct 11 | Royalist cavalry meet the Roundhead cavalry at Winceby.
The Royalist cavalry deployed with Lord Eythin on the left and William Saville in the centre and right. The Roundhead cavalry led by Cromwell and Vermuyden charged at the Royalist centre. Widdrington ordered his dragoons to dismount and shoot at the oncoming attackers. They only managed one shot before being overwhelmed and scattered.
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Lord Willoughby of Parham
was left to carry on the siege of Bolingbroke Castle. The small Royalist
garrison held out until November 14th.
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| Cromwell had his horse shot from under him and had to
procure another one in order to continue the fight.
Initially, Royalist charges were successful on the left under Henderson and Lord Eythin but as the centre and right flank crumbled under Cromwell's attack, the morale of the soldiers weakened. Cromwell reformed and proceeded to attack the remaining Royalists who then fled. Many were killed by pursuing Roundheads and as night fell there was little remaining of the Royalist force.
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The Battle of Winceby did much to enhance Cromwell's reputation as a cavalry leader. | |
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Winceby Hill | |
| This victory for the Parliamentarians was followed by the fall of Bolingbroke castle and the lifting of the siege of Hull. It was a great morale booster for the Parliamentarians even though it was a small scale battle. | ||
| Parliament : Earl of
Manchester, Thomas Fairfax, Vermuyden, Cromwell
Royalist : Sir John Henderson, Widdrington, Lord Eythin, William Saville. |
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