Having relieved the siege at York by out manoeuvering the Parliamentary Army, Prince Rupert wanted to engage Parliament's Allied Army. Rupert believed (controversially) that he had orders from the King to do so. The Parliamentary backed Allied Army of the Eastern Association, local Yorkshire forces along with the Scots under the Earl of Levin accommodated him between York and Knaresborough. Rupert was outnumbered, especially, because he could not get the siege-relieved forces at York to get the lead out until the last minute. The Marquess of Newcastle, who had held York through the siege, was against offering battle at Marston Moor, going so far as to remind Rupert of one of his past failures due to hasty decisions. Rupert prevailed, but even with the mainly infantry forces from York, Rupert mustered only 18,000 to the Allied Army's 28,000.

Goring's approximate view into the battle area (his horse had a little less horsepower)

The two forces squared off late in the midsummer's day after having had spent the better part of the afternoon so close to each other that insults were being traded across the lines. Persistent rain showers and the lateness of the day had convinced Rupert that battle would not begin that day. However, for debatable reasons, the allied front surged forward around 7 PM and the fight was on.
Rupert could have felt vindicated to choose battle at first as Goring's cavalry on the Royalist left broke through and routed Sir Thomas Fairfax's right of cavalry and infantry. Goring's forces pushed on and took the Allied Army's baggage train behind the southern ridge. The Allied Scots' infantry, however, doggedly held the line in the centre. Meanwhile, a wounded Cromwell pushed Rupert's cavalry back in the vicinity of present day Kendal Lane on Tockwith*s eastern edge. After winning the cavalry engagement, Cromwell's disciplined forces turned right and flanked the Royalist infantry. This envelopment turned the tide and the Royalist forces were reduced to the last stand by Newcastle's best infantry, the Whitecoats, who defied Cromwell, until Scottish Dragoons came to finish off the battle near White Sike Close.

Ride Recommendation

This ride runs right through the battle area, which is centred on grid SE 491522 in between Long Marston and Tockwith. (Ordnance Survey Landranger map 105)

Book Recommendations

Whilst King charles was taking in a full Royal social season in Oxford, the Royalists in Leeds were having it hard, especially in Leeds. The endless skirmishing around Leeds meant that the peoperous textilists of the city were falling on hard times. Having an affinity for the city, Sir Thomas Fairfax or "Black Tom" decided to relieve the Royalists of their control of the town once and for all.

On 23 January, in a heavy snowfall, Fairfax led an attack on the city on two fronts. Gaining the upper hand quickly, he rolled the defense in short order. The Royalist commnder, Sir William Saville, escaped. Fairfax captured soldiers, powder and equipment.

The taking was not to stand. The Royalists were back in the summer to drive the Parliamentarians all the way back to Hull. However, the Parliamentarians came in January 1644 to take it back.*

* base story sourced from the Leeds Royal Armouries website.

Books from Amazon.co.uk

Motorcycle Ride

If riding through inner city Leeds is not your idea of fun, try this ride from Wetherby, to the northeast of Leeds. It takes in the Marston Moor battlefield as well as some great little whiteball roads in rural Yorkshire.

Maps