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Summary

The Battle of Torrington in 1646 was the last sizeable battle of the first Civil War, with much of it taking place in and around the town.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 32873
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS41NE/214

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BATTLEFIELD (XVII - 1646 AD to 1646 AD (Between))

Full description

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica, 528 (Monograph). SDV323771.

Doe, G. M., 1931, Untitled Source, 49 (Monograph). SDV348683.

English Heritage, 1994, Register of Historic Battlefields (Un-published). SDV348686.

Torrington (Devon) 1646; class (b) the battlefield no longer survives sufficiently to warrant conservation measures, even where potential remains for interpretation and preservation. Other details: Appendix.

English Heritage, 1996, The Battle of Torrington (16 February 1646) (Un-published). SDV22142.

Defeat of last remaining Royalist army commanded by Lord Hopton, by the New Model Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax. Parliamentarians approached from Stevenstone Park, with battle firstly focused on closes to the east of the town and then through the town itself. During the battle the Royalist powder magazine in the Parish Church exploded, destroying the church and killing 200 Royalist prisoners who had been herded there by the Parliamentatians. Torrington was the last sizeable battle of the first Civil War, as the following month Hopton surrendered and disbanded his forces.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 32873 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV348682.

In January 1646 Lord Hopton was given command of the last field army remaining to the Royalists. With fewer than 5,300 men Hopton took the offensive, advancing to Great Torrington on 10 February. Sir Thomas Fairfax, commander of the New Model Army, decided to attack Hopton. On 16 February the New Model Army began to drive in the Royalist outposts east of Great Torrington. Fairfax intended to advance only as far as Stevenstone Park, a mile short of Great Torrington. However, in the house at the Park, were 200 Royalists under Major-General Webb, and in chasing these men out the Parliamentarians became engaged in a running fight in the narrow lanes leading back to Great Torrington. The Royalist advanced from the streets and moved to take up positions in the closes. As night fell the Royalists drew off from some of the closes back into the town. Fairfax and Cromwell, concerned the enemy might try to escape under the cover of darkness, sent dragoons to investigate. They came under sustained fire and more troops were commited to try and extricate them. Within a short time a general action had begun. It took the Parliamentarians two hours to clear the Royalists from the hedges and the barricades at the entrance of the town. Once in the town the Parliamentarian cavalry made its way to the market place. In the meantime, Hopton had succeeded in reaching the far end of the town where he had positioned his cavalry reserve. With 600 men he charged into town and pushed the Parliamentarians back to the barricades. However, the 300 musketeers whose fight Hopton had checked at the western end of the town failed to join the counterattack and without their support the gain could not be consolidated. At the moment of the charge the Royalists' powder magazine in Torrington church exploded, throwing the enemy into confusion. The shock in the aftermath of such a discharge was sufficient to enable the Royalists to retreat. Other details: NMR no: SS41NE21; last updated 2008.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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