Roundway Down may have one the most dramatic geographical features of any battleground, bar the cliffs at Pont du Hoc on the Normandy coast. The escarpment that falls away from the back of Roundway Hill is a sheer drop off and was the scene of a desperate retreat that ended with many cavalrymen going over the cliff.

After the stalemate at Lansdowne Hill a few days earlier, Waller wanted a decisive engagement with the Royalists that were working the area, so he set siege on Devizes in Wiltshire. Royalist Hopton, who had been injured in an accidental gunpowder explosion after the Lansdown Hill battle, knew he needed help, so he sent Prince Maurice on a end run to Oxford to get more forces to come to his aid. Those forces, under Lord Wilmot and Sir John Byron, approached from Oxford and Waller met them on the sweeping expanse of Roundway Down with a numerically superior force. Waller had what he wanted.
The battle opened with a cavalry charge by Sir Arthur Haselrige's cuirassiers or "lobster" cavalry that was beaten back on the Parliamentary right flank after two tries. Haselrige was lucky to have his beating early when several escape routes were still available to him and he took one from the field. The other flank was just as decisively engaged with charges and counter-charges swirling around the flanks of Waller's lines. Waller's infantry could only watch as their cavalry flanks were decimated by determined Royalist charges. Finally, to the horror of everyone watching, Parliamentary forces were cornered and fled over the cliff to their deaths in "Bloody Ditch," the steep escarpment off the back of Roundway Hill. Some Royalists were in such hot pursuit that they followed the Roundhead cavalry over. After such a fight, Waller's infantry was left stunned and almost defenceless to the Royalist cavalry and a large detachment from Devizes that had marched to the sound of the guns, but arrived late.
What had begun as an overwhelmingly favourable position for Waller, ended up with one the most decisive Royalist victories of the war. Roundway Down would affect Waller for years to come and made him overly cautious in future battles, especially those with his old friend, Hopton.

Recommended Ride

23.5 miles, depending on the options chosen. Take the A361 Northeast out of Devizes to Beckhampton, where you turn left onto the A4 and go to Calne. Take a left onto the A3102 to Chittoe. Near Chittoe, take a left on the A342 and go to Rowde. Just after Rowde take the lane to Roundway. At Roundway, take the farm lane north to a "Y" and take the left fork. This fork will give away to a very good, solid gravel road where you can view the whole of the battlefield on the down. You can also park up and walk about 500 yards to Oliver's castle and look over the edge into "Bloody Ditch." If you have the time, try the A360 from Devizes to Salisbury across the Salisbury Plain (additional 27 miles).

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Use Ordnance Survey Landranger 173. The battlefield is centred on SU 021655. If using a road map, the battlefield is located north of Devizes, Wiltshire.

Recommended Book and Map

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The Royalists had been gathering strength throughout the west in early 1643, but there were still several Parliamentary strong points that needed to be neutralised, before the Royalist rear would be secure enough to mount an all out assault on London. With this aim, Sir Ralph Hopton set out to draw his old friend William Waller out to battle, so that the Royalists could take the Parliamentary town of Bath. The two met north of Bath on Lansdown Hill.

Sir Bevill Grenvile's monument near the ancient quarry and site of main fighting

Waller had had time to prepare, so had used the existing Saxon-times quarry pits and embellished them into a formidable network of trenches and gun emplacements. Seeing Waller on top of a nearly impregnable position, Hopton thought better of the situation and retreated in good order. However, Waller wasn't having it and sent a substantial amount of cavalry down the hill to maul the Royalists as they retreated. The Parliamentary cavalry did a good job and almost broke the retreat, but Hopton held on and rallied his forces to reverse the attack and flank the attacking cavalry some ways back up the hill.
With their blood up, Hopton's infantry made their way up the hill and eventually took over the crest from Waller's infantry. Unusually, Hopton had sent the infantry up the hill to protect the cavalry flanks, but his cavalry had been pushed back and the infantry had to carry the attack. Hopton lost one of his troops' most beloved leaders in the melee, in Sir Bevill Grenvile. The Royalists now held the breastworks on top of the hill but could not really secure their flanks and were running low on ammunition. Waller's troops had reformed behind a stone wall about 400 yards south on the plateau. With darkness falling, neither side had the strength to close the battle.
Neither side had won a decisive victory. The Royalists had taken a tactical stronghold from the Parliamentarians by force, but they had lost their ability to threaten Bath, so strategically it had hurt them.

Rides Recommendation

This ride really comes into its own when all of the steep, curvy farm tracks are taken around the battlefield itself. Note, try to avoid Bath during heavy traffic and watch the debris on the farm tracks around the battlefield. It finishes off with a scoot over to the next (chronologically) battlefield of Roundway Down.
Use Ordnance Survey Landranger 172. The battlefield is centred on ST 723703. If using a road map, the battlfield is located north of Bath, near the racecourse.

Book Recommendation

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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 around Chalgrove overnight and in the 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.

The Hampden monument in the foreground with the battlefield to the left rear (through the hedge)

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.

Motorcycle Ride Recommendation

This map runs to the actual battlefield and then takes a run at some of the better roads in the area. Fox's Diner, near the Berinsfield Roundabout on the A4074, is the local biker hang out. Ordnance Survey Landranger 164 is a good map of the area.

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First Battle of Newbury - 20 September 1643

In some ways, the first battle of Newbury was similar to Edgehill. Both had a force that was trying to get to London. At Edgehill, the King was trying to get to London to threaten the city and end the war early. At Newbury, the Parliamentarians under the Earl of Essex were trying to get back to the safety London to protect his force for further operations. In both cases, the way to London was forced open, but neither battle was decisive. Both battles were to be lost opportunities for the King to successfully threaten the Parliamentary cause whilst he had the army, funds and ground to his advantage.
Essex was trying to get out of the west of England without undue damage after successfully relieving the siege of Gloucester, the last major Parliamentary bastion in the West. He had not had a major fight at Gloucester. The Royalists lifted the siege just when hearing of their approach, but set off to try to trap Essex's army away from London and kill it off. For Essex, it was one thing to help a besieged town break a siege by a cavalry heavy force. It is quite another to fight that force on open ground.
Prince Rupert harried Essex's march so much that the King's forces were able to secure Newbury and its river crossings before Essex, which blocked the road to London. Essex tried to skirt south of the King's positions, but ended up meeting them on Wash Common to the southwest of Newbury. Eventually a battle line running from the River Kennet in the north to Wash Common in the south was established. However, most of the fighting happened on and around Wash Common and atop Round Hill as both sides realised the importance of the route through there and the advantages it gave over the lower ground in the north.
The fighting involved a protracted artillery duel, infantry surges and cavalry charges, all to little effect for either side. Both sides settled that night largely where they started the day. Unfortunately for the Royalists, they were short on gunpowder and had to retire from the field overnight, which left the route open for Essex to file through the southwestern gap.

Rides, Routes and Waypoints

50-60 miles, depending on the options chosen. Take the A343 southwest out of Newbury to Andover, one of the great roads in south-central England. Near Andover, take the north-side ring road to the A342. Turn right on the A342 northwest to Ludgershall. Turn right on the A346 to Cadley. At Cadley, join the A338 going north to Burbage. Near Burbage, take a right on the roundabout, staying on the A338 towards Hungerford. From Hungerford, take the A4 back to Newbury. At the beginning or end of the ride, explore the residential and farm lanes around the battlefield, which is near Wash Common.
Use Ordnance Survey Landranger 174. The battlefield is centred on SU 454662. If using a road map, the battlefield is located in West Newbury around Wash Common.

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The English Civil War was fought between 1642 to 1648 across England. Below are links to 12 battles in 10 English counties;

• King Charles Issues an Indictment against the Five Members of Parliament 3 January 1642
• King Charles I Flees London After Failing to Arrest the Five Members 10 January 1642
• Battle of Edgehill
• Sir Thomas Fairfax Defeats Sir William Saville and Takes Leeds 23 January 1643
• Battle of Chalgrove
• Battle of Lansdown Hill
• Battle of Roundway Down
• First Battle of Newbury
• Battle of Nantwich
• Battle of Cheriton
• Battle of Cropredy Bridge
• Battle of Marston Moor
• Cromwell Delivers at Battle of Naseby 14 June 1645
• Battle of Langport
• Battle of Stow on the Wold

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