On 30 June 1643 the Royalist army of the Earl of Newcastle defeated the Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax at Adwalton Moor, near Bradford in Yorkshire. The victory gave the Royalists control of most of Yorkshire. The date is in the Julian calendar, which England still used; in today's calendar it was 10 July.
The battle
The Royalists had at least 9,000 men. The Parliamentarians had just 3,500 or 4,000 regular troops, plus local ‘clubmen’ armed with makeshift weapons.1
According to the Battlefields Trust, the Parliamentarians lost three guns, 500 killed and 1,400 captured, while Royalist losses seem to have been very light.2
Only Hull left
Bradford was captured, and Lord Fairfax and his son Sir Thomas were reunited in Hull. Apart from Hull, the Royalists now controlled all of Yorkshire.3
Also on this day
1758: Battle of Domstadtl. In the Moravian village of Domašov, Austrian troops under Laudon and Siskovits attacked a large Prussian supply convoy heading for the siege of Olomouc in the Seven Years' War.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Battle of Adwalton Moor?
It was fought on 30 June 1643 at Adwalton, near Bradford in West Yorkshire, during the First English Civil War.
Who won the Battle of Adwalton Moor?
The Royalists, commanded by the Earl of Newcastle, defeated the Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax.
Why did it matter?
It gave the Royalists control of all of Yorkshire except Hull, where the defeated Fairfaxes regrouped.
Notes
A number in the text points to a note; each note names the works that paragraph draws on, listed in full under Sources.
Based on your country, which we do not store · why? ·
Relive the great battles
Echoes of Battle brings the great battles of history to life, scene by scene on the real map. Enlist below and we will send word to your inbox the day it launches.
