Battle of Naseby - 14 June 1645

If there is one discernable point where Oliver Cromwell's star emerged from mere cavalry commander to driving force in the New Model Army, the battle of Naseby may be it. Cromwell convinced his commander, Fairfax to move to an adjacent, more neutral hill, so as to encourage the Royalists to attack. This level of confidence was not misplaced. Cromwell's actions, as well as the actions of Prince Rupert on the Royalist side, were to confirm their reputations. Rupert was the European shock trooper with elan and Cromwell, as the disciplined English soldier and stern Puritan.
At Naseby, both armies put forward their "A" teams with Prince Rupert, Prince Maurice and the King himself present on the Royal side. Fairfax, Cromwell and Skippon led the Parliamentarian's New Model Army. There would be no denying the superior force after Naseby.
Although the King was present, Rupert commanded the Royal lines. Rupert's plan was to crush the Roundhead left with his signature cavalry charge, which he would lead, and then cross behind the Roundhead centre to turn Cromwell's flank. The first part went well as Roundhead Ireton's cavalry was beaten from the field. However, Rupert's cavalry did not cross behind the New Model Army's infantry centre, either due to battlefield congestion or through their excessive exuberance. Eventually, Rupert's cavalry ended up in the Parliamentarian rear attacking the baggage trains. One might say it was unplanned, but one must ignore Rupert's previous actions to call it unlikely.
Unfortunately for the Royalists, Cromwell also performed to stereotype. After working through rough ground on the Royalist left, Cromwell attacked and dispersed the Royalist cavalry, then worked over the Lifeguard, then completed the encirclement of virtually the entire Royalist infantry. The King tried to rally his cavalry for a counter attack, but thought better of it as he watched his infantry surrender.
Naseby was an unmitigated disaster for the King. Virtually all of his northern infantry was captured or killed. He could never recover from the loss of such a force this late in the war. The war would drag on, but the cause was militarily lost on these Northamptonshire fields.

Rides, Routes and Waypoints

35-40 miles, depending on the options chosen. Take the A5199 out of Northampton to Thornby and turn right on the Naseby Road. In Naseby, follow the signs to the memorial along the Sibbertoft Road. The memorial is in a field on the left after crossing over the A14. Continue to Sibbertoft and turn left onto the Sibbertoft / Welford Road. At the junction with the A5199, turn right and go to the A4304 and turn right towards Market Harborough. At Lubenham take a right and follow the sign to Clipston (local roads names are too confusing to use here). From Clipston, follow the Naseby Road past another obelisk to the battle on the left hand side.
Use Ordnance Survey Landranger 141. The battlefield is centred on SP 684799. If using a road map, the battlefield is 10 miles north of Northampton.

Battle of Cropredy Bridge - 29 June 1644

Just three days before the disaster of Marston Moor for the Royalists, King Charles himself directed a rebuff to a prowling Parliamentary army under William Waller at Cropredy Bridge, near Banbury.
Waller had been observing the King's movements for some time when he spotted an opportunity to strike over the River Cherwell near the present day Oxford Canal as it passes through the village of Cropredy. The King had allowed a gaping hole to develop between his lead / centre elements which were near Hays Bridge and his rear which was more than a mile behind. Seeing his chance to bite off a whole chunk of the King's rear end, Waller pounced.
Waller sent Lieutenant General Middleton's cavalry (including Battlefield Biker favourite, Haselrige's "lobsters") to make contact with the King's rear. This was a raging success, but as so often happened with successful cavalry charges of the time, the pursuit went too far. The Royalist rear guard commander, the Earl of Cleveland, took the opportunity to wade into the Parliamentary foot and guns which had been left behind by Middleton at Cropredy Bridge. Middleton*s cavalry realised what had happened and returned to scatter Cleveland's cavalry, but not until after they captured the Roundhead guns and their commander Colonel Wemyss. Cleveland did not get all of his own way in Middleton's absence as the Roundhead infantry stood their ground, crucially keeping Cropredy Bridge.
In the meantime, Waller with cavalry crossed the Slat Mill ford and attacked uphill near Williamscott and was promptly sent packing by the Earl of Northampton's cavalry. Waller decided that discretion was the better part of valour and retired to Bourton Hill to over-watch continuing skirmishes around the bridge. Finally, the result was Parliamentary forces staring down the King's forces from Cropredy Bridge for the better part of two days. The King stole away when he learned of reenforcements coming to Waller.
Although a tactical stalemate, the King kept most of his Oxford army to fight another day and Waller's opportunity to hurt Charles significantly was lost as Waller's army disintegrated with mutiny and desertion soon thereafter.

Rides, Routes and Waypoints

40-50 miles, depending on the options chosen. Take the A423 north out of Banbury to Southam. From Southam, take the A425 to Daventry. From Daventry, take the A361 southwest to Banbury. North of Banbury, at Williamscott, turn right onto the lane that leads to Cropredy village. As you enter Cropredy, you will see the bridge and the interpretive sign. Explore the farm lanes north and south of Cropredy to get the feel for the surrounding ground. The hill near Great Bourton is where Waller viewed the Royalists* movement. You will find Hays Bridge north of Wardington on the A361.
Use Ordnance Survey Landranger 151. The battlefield is centred on SP 477460. If using a road map, the battlefield is located east and northeast of Cropredy Bridge.

Battle of Chalgrove - 18 June 1643

The Battle of Chalgrove is famous mainly because one of Parliament's main political figures, Colonel John Hampden, was wounded in the action and died days later. Hampden was one of the "Five Members" that the King had tried to arrest in Parliament, setting off the war.
The action itself was little more than a skirmish, but brings out the differences between the two armies at this stage of the war. Royalist cavalry commander Prince Rupert was establishing his reputation as a leader of great daring. Rupert was also using newer cavalry tactics that relied on the shock of rapid and decisive action with horse, whereas the Parliamentarians were still relying on firepower and tighter formations with their horse.
Rupert had surprised several Parliamentary encampments in the area overnight and early morning. As part of this action, the main body of Parliamentarians had been alerted to Rupert's presence in the area due to his flaming of the village of Chinnor. The Parliamentarians set to finding Rupert and cutting him off from the safety of Oxford. Rupert, realising that he was being trailed, sent his infantry to secure the bridge at Chislehampton and place his dragoons along the escape route, then turned to face the music with his cavalry. As the Roundheads aligned for battle, Rupert feigned a retreat which enticed the Parliamentarians into a chase. However, Rupert spun his forces around and leapt a hedge to take to the attack. The Parliamentary cavalry got off quite a few shots and Rupert's forces took a significant number of casualties. However, in the melee, Hampden was mortally wounded and the shock of the action drove the the Roundheads from the field.
Rupert's actions were characteristic of him and this time of the war for the Royalists. The Royalists had fought in skirmishes and at least one set piece battle at this point in the war and were coming off as the better force in several of the engagements. Rupert's cavalry were showing themselves to be of continental calibre in cavalry actions and this confidence was leading Rupert to push for an early and final assault on London to end the war. The young man did not get his wish, but maybe he should have.

Rides, Routes and Waypoints

30-35 miles, depending on the options chosen. Take the B480 southeast out of Oxford to Chalgrove. The battlefield is northeast of the town on an industrial / farm lane, next to the WWII era airfield. Continue along the B480 to Watlington. Take a right on the B4009 and go to Benson. Take a right on the A4074 and go to the Golden Balls roundabout. Take the right onto the B4015 to Chislehampton. There are several nice lanes around the battlefield to explore as well.
Use the Ordnance Survey Landranger 164. The battlefield is centred on SU 645975. If you are using a roadmap, Chalgrove is southeast of Oxford on the B480. There is a good biker friendly cafe on the A4074 at the Berinsfield roundabout called Fox's Diner.

The battle between Radway and Kineton in Warwickshire, known as Edgehill, provided the field for the English Civil War's first major confrontation.
The plodding Earl of Essex had been sent by Parliament to seek out the King's forces before they could reach critical mass and threaten London. Essex probably lost that opportunity by taking his time getting into the Midlands and finding the King's forces. The King wasn't much better in not knowing that Essex was near, until Prince Rupert's patrol stumbled across the Parliamentarian Quartermasters in nearby Wormleighton. The King decided to alight atop Edgehill, which sits about 300 feet above the plain running northwest several miles to the village of Kineton where the Parliamentarians were. Essex moved into the plain and made clear that he would not assault the King on the formidable hill. The King decided to issue battle so he gave the order to descend the hill and make contact.
As would be the case throughout the war, Prince Rupert's cavalry, on the right, would start the action and provide the King with an early advantage by driving the Roundhead cavalry from the field. However, like so many other times to come, Rupert could not control them after the initial assault and they gave chase well beyond the battlefield. Most of the cavalry of both sides was gone from the field when the infantry engagement began. With the Royalist right exposed, Essex sent some of the little remaining horse he had to attack the King's right flank. In the middle, the battle ebbed and flowed back and forth. A hole opened in the middle of the King's lines that another small Parliamentary cavalry force breached and attacked the Royalist artillery and returned to catch fire from its own artillery. A general sense of mayhem and confusion descended on the field, until dark, when both sides retired.
Poor leadership, poor execution and weak will led to a battlefield stalemate that neither side was keen to re-open the next morning. Essex slipped away to the safety of Warwick, leaving the road to London open. However, the King seemed to have lost his initial desire to move on London quickly. All in all, not satisfactory for either side, but nothing strategically significant resulted either.

Rides, Routes and Waypoints

20-30 miles, depending on the options chosen. Take the B4100 out of Banbury, taking the left hand "Y" near Warmington onto the B4086 up to Edgehill escarpment. Follow the B4086 through the battlefield from Edgehill to Kineton to simulate Rupert's advance. Continue through Kineton until you meet the B4455 and turn left and follow to the A422. Turn left on the A422 and follow this beautiful road through countryside and back onto Edgehill from the south. In between, there are multiple lanes through the battlefield, but many end abruptly at the entrance of a MOD installation nearby.
Use Ordnance Survey Landranger map 151 and the battlefield is centred on SP 360490. If using a roadmap, the battlefield is centred between the villages of Radway and Kineton, northwest of Banbury.