Lansdown Hill

Date: 5th July 1643
Location: Bath, Avon
Parliamentarian Commander: Sir William Waller
Royalist Commander: Lord Ralph Hopton, Baron of Stratton
Victor: Royalists

Waller knew that Lansdown Hill dominated the city of Bath, and decided to hold the hill rather than allow Hopton to besiege him from it.

When Hopton advanced he found strong fortifications on the hill, and decided to retire in order to plan an advance. Seeing this, Waller unleashed Sir Arthur Haselrigg's cavalry (the 'Lobsters') on Hopton's rear. This was a bold move, as they were some distance from Waller's main force.

Initially they met with success, driving the royalist cavalry onto their infantry. However, the Cornish infantry stood fast, and repelled Haselrigg long enough for their cavalry to reform. Haselrigg then returned to the hill.

Hopton then began the battle that he had thought not to fight by allowing his force to assail the hill. The position was well defended, and the royalists suffered badly, however the Cornish infantry slowly made ground. Sir Bevil Grenville was with his regiment at the front, and set an example to all.

"...the air was so darkened by the smoke of the powder, that for a quarter of an hour... there was no light seen, but what the fire of the volleys of shot gave;"
'The Vindication of Richard Atkyns', Peter Young

After three assaults they finally stood atop the hill, and fought hard to stay there. In this fighting Sir Grenville himself was killed, but his regiment stood firm and the rest of the army was allowed to draw level with them.

Waller then withdrew a short distance to a stone wall. From here both sides exchanged fire until darkness fell.

Waller withdrew his force to Bath during the night, leaving burning match-cord on the wall to fool his enemy into thinking that he was still there.

Although victorious, the royalist army had taken a pounding. They were now too weak to besiege Bath. They suffered a further blow when Lord Hopton was badly injured in an ammunition explosion the day after the battle. Hopton and his army withdrew to Chippenham.