Monument record MLI52062 - The Battle of Gainsborough

Summary

Possible site of the Civil War Battle of Gainsborough, fought in 1643.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

Possible site of the Civil War Battle of Gainsborough, fought in 1643. {1} The Battle of Gainsborough took place on the 28th of July 1643. A largely cavalry and dragoon action, the battle occurred when a force of Parliamentarians under Sir John Meldrum and Oliver Cromwell marched on Gainsborough to relieve the garrison of the recently captured town that was under siege by elements of the Royalist northern army of the Earl of Newcastle. Meldrum and Cromwell's respective forces had joined the previous day at North Scarle, about 10 miles to the south of Gainsborough. Marching overnight, they approached the southern edge of Gainsborough in the early morning of the 28th, driving back an advance guard of Royalist horse from Lea along the way. They continued their advance on Gainsborough, climbing past the various rabbit warrens and low hills to the south-east of the town. After reaching the summit of Foxby Hill, the Parliamentarians encountered the main body of Royalist forces, routing their main part after a short but intense fight. Elements of the Parliamentarian horse are thought to have chased the fleeing Royalist forces for several miles through the main town and beyond. Royalist losses during the battle were thought to number 360, of which at least 300 are thought to have been lost when a reserve force of horse under Sir Charles Cavendish were engaged and pushed off the western edge of Foxby Hill, becoming trapped in the marshy ground adjacent to the River Trent. Cavendish himself was fatally wounded and fell from his horse. The victorious Parliamentarians were unable to hold Gainsborough, however, when the main Royalist army under Newcastle approached, and the Parliamentarians withdrew towards Lincoln. By the end of the 1643, Parliament had recaptured Gainsborough and it remained in their hands until the end of hostilities. {2}{3} A metal detector survey was conducted in August 2002, on land to the immediate north of Foxby Lane (around grid reference SK 829 887). No finds thought to be associated with the Civil War battle were recovered, however, suggesting that whilst the battle likely took place over a wide front (given its nature as a number of cavalry actions), the main focus of the fighting probably occurred closer to the town, and in the area adjacent to the River Trent, where Cavendish and his reserve force were trapped. {4} A memorial commemorating the battle was erected in 1995, on land off Foxby Hill road (see MLI126102). {5} Applications to designate the site of the Battle of Gainsborough as a Registered Battlefield were rejected in January and November 2022. The applications included a detailed analysis of primary sources and maps, suggesting a clearer understanding of the locations of the fighting. Although the research provided a more detailed consideration of the battle and its actions, it was decided that the criteria for designation was not met on both occasions. Whilst of clear local significance, and important in the developmernt of Cromwell's military career, it was felt that the battle was not of sufficient national importance in terms of the progress of the war more generally. Much of the landscape upon which the battle took place has also been significantly altered, both historically and in more recent 20th and 21st century developments. {6}{7}{8}

Sources/Archives (8)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn. 1991. Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire. Archive Notes.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Adam Stark. 1817. The History and Antiquities of Gainsburgh. -.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Ian Beckwith. 1969. Gainsborough During the Great Civil War. pp.11-7.
  •  Report: Pre-Construct Archaeology. 2002. Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment and Metal Detector Survey: Land off Foxby Lane, Gainsborough. -.
  •  Verbal Communication: Richard Watts. 2022. Information from Richard Watts. 25/08/2022.
  •  Index: Historic England. 2012->. Designation Decision Records (De-Designated and Non-Designated Entries). 1480025.
  •  Unpublished Document: English Heritage / Historic England. 2008->. Advice Report from a Heritage Asset Assessment. Case No.1481674.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: John West. 2021. The Battle of Gainsborough 1643. -.

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Location

Grid reference Centred SK 826 888 (827m by 525m) Estimated from Sources
Civil Parish GAINSBOROUGH, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

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Record last edited

Apr 3 2023 3:32PM

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