I have been spending a lot of time in Turnham Green recently and stumbled upon a plaque for a Battle site, The Battle of Turnham Green funny enough. It was obviously Civil War but my bus came before I had time to read it. I will take my time on my return but My interest had been sparked as It is rare to find Battle fields in London so I researched it once at home again.The engagement came about after the Battle of Edge Hill. The Royalists had won the field and Prince Rupert proposed a rush on London to seize the Parliamentarian capital to end the war quickly. However, Charles I did not want to provoke the delicate situation in England and delayed for a few days. This gave the Parliamentarians time to amass a large force in London for its defence. By the time the Royalists did march on the capital they found an army waiting for them at Turnham Green. The Royalists withdrew and the war dragged on.
Go to Saxon Dogs Blog for some great ECW inspiration...I do all the time
Now that's a man who looks like he know's how to handle a sword and where to put it (ouch)
ReplyDeleteExcellent as ever.
A plaque for a battle that never happened? TG would have been a battle between an army that had at least taken the field once and the London Trained Bands and basicly a poorly armed mob. If the Royalists had started to get the Mob or the Trained Bands to start running it would have been all over. Parliment had very little in the way of horse, insignificant artillary and little powder and shot, not that Charles had much in the way of cannon as he left most behind in his haste to beat Essex there. I fall into the camp that thinks the war would have ended right then and there.
ReplyDeleteA piece of ECW history I never knew, it's a good what if?
ReplyDeleteExcellent picture.
A great illustration! About the battle that never was, well my two pence worth is that since Charles was in command it wasn't going to happen. He was a compulsive ditherer and as we know if there was a wrong descison to make at any occassion he grab it and pushed it through.
ReplyDeletehave been spending a lot of time in Turnham Green recently
ReplyDeletethats pure beckett
I agree 100% on the Saxon Dog recommendation.
ReplyDeleteCheers
Christopher