Why the Battle of Preston changed the course of history

The Battle of Preston and Walton, August 17th, 1648, Pic: Preston Digital Archive/Flickr

Imagine being up to your knees in cold, sticky mud, your clothes are drenched and you haven’t eaten a proper meal in weeks. Then you turn to see thousands of enemy troops poised to attack.

That was the reality for thousands of soldiers in August 1648 as they fought in the Battle of Preston.

But how did they end up here and why did their defeat in Preston change British history?

Britain in turmoil

Since taking the throne in 1625, Charles I had made himself a very unpopular monarch. His autocratic ruling style, financial policies and religious beliefs were increasingly unpopular.

After years of instability and disagreements, tensions peaked in 1642. The King’s refusal to give Parliament more power, coupled with Parliament denying the King additional funding, led to war. Parliament won several key battles securing victory in the First Civil War.

The impact of the First Civil War

After his defeat, Charles surrendered to Scotland’s ruling force, the Covenanters, rather than the English Parliamentarians. This was done with the aim of stoking divisions between the two sides. He promised to enforce Presbyterianism, their religion, for three years if victorious.

Although the Scots later handed him over to Parliament for £400,000, they were intrigued by his offer and disillusioned with Parliamentary leaders like Oliver Cromwell. This led to the Covenanters forming an alliance with Charles in 1647, known as ‘The Engagement’.

Once back in England, Charles’ negotiations with Parliament collapsed, as neither side would concede, leading to the start of the Second Civil War.

Moor Park- but in the 1600s it was known as ‘Preston Moor’ Pic: Shabbagaz

The lead up to the Battle of Preston

Once fighting resumed, the Scots raised an army, led by the Duke of Hamilton, to fight for the King. Upon reaching Carlisle, they met Marmaduke Langdale and his 4,000-strong cavalry. Initially planning to march south to join the Royalists in Kent, they instead decided to head to Wales to support the Royalists there.

This was to be their biggest mistake.

Oliver Cromwell and his New Model Army were already in South Wales battling both the Royalists and mutinous uprisings. Concerned by the Scots’ plans, as their army posed a significant threat to his cause, Cromwell decided to march towards them and set an ambush in the hopes of minimising damage to his own forces.

Luckily for Cromwell, the Scottish army was ill-disciplined and slow-moving, giving him the ability to quickly stop them in their tracks.

Publications disagree on whether fighting first took place on Preston Moor (now Moor Park) or Ribbleton Moor. This confusion may be due map below appears to show the forces spread across the neighbouring moors.

However, based on the fact that the fighting quickly spread to the Ribble Bridge and the ground surrounding the River Darwen it seems more likely that the initial fighting took place on the Ribbleton Moor, which is closer to the latter sites. Supporting this further, is Preston historian Charles Hardwick who wrote in his work ‘History of Preston‘ that multiple bullets and cannonballs have been found around Ribbleton such as a cannonball at Ribbleton Hall.

Preston becomes a battleground

The Battle of Preston officially began on 17^th August 1648 and lasted for three days. The Scottish army consisted of around 18,000 soldiers, outnumbering Cromwell’s army by 2 to 1.

Although the Scots fought bravely, they were no match for the New Model Army’s vicious and disciplined approach and around 2,000 Scots were killed, compared the New Model Army’s loss of 200. The remaining soldiers were captured or fled to Warrington with their leader the Duke of Hamilton.

Cromwell had seized the opportunity the Battle of Preston had given him and he knew he had made a dent in the Royalist cause. He confidently declared to the Speaker of the House of Commons just three days later that Hamilton’s forces were ‘exceedingly shattered’. Not only that, he claimed divine forces were on his side and victory was given to him by ‘the hand of God’, further boosting his confidence.

Cromwell followed the Scottish army to Warrington where, with depleted numbers, they surrendered on the 24^th August 1648 bringing an end to the Second Civil War. The Duke of Hamilton was later executed in 1649 for treason.

Map depicting the Battle of Preston — Map of the Battle of Preston Pic: Preston Digital Archive/Flickr

Why was the Battle of Preston such a big deal?

The battle marked the end of significant military efforts by the Royalists, especially the Scottish forces, to support King Charles I. Their defeat at Preston shattered their ability to mount an effective challenge to Parliament, leaving the King isolated.

In a broader context, the Scots’ defeat weakened their influence in parliament, this cleared the path for more extreme parliamentarians to push for the execution of Charles I and make Cromwell Britain’s new leader.

The victory also showcased Cromwell’s leadership and military prowess, solidifying his reputation and strengthening his control over Parliament.

Overall, the Battle of Preston was a turning point that sealed the fate of the Royalist cause and laid the groundwork for the political changes that followed, including the abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of Cromwell’s rule.

So next time you’re around the Ribble Valley, make sure to remember that it was the site of the final battle of the English Civil War, one of the most significant in history!

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