Part of the south-western campaign of the English Civil War, the battle of Stratton took place on 16th May 1643.
The previous day a Parliamentarian (Roundhead) army comprising around 5,600 men, commanded by the Earl of Stamford, had advanced into Cornwall and taken up position on a substantial hill to the north of the Stratton.
Despite being outnumbered almost 2:1, early the next morning a Royalist (Cavalier) force under the command of Sir Ralph Hopton moved to attack the formidable Parliamentary defensive position.
Hopton had seized his opportunity after noting the lack of Parliamentary cavalry, and advanced his forces on the enemy from four different directions.
The fierce fighting continued for the next eight hours with neither side gaining the upper hand. Against all odds the Royalist troops eventually began to break through, and by late afternoon the four Royalist columns converged at the top of the hill as the Parliamentarian resistance finally collapsed.
With 300 Parliamentarians killed and 1700 more taken prisoner, Hopton had secured Cornwall for the Royalist cause, at least for the time being!
Click here for a battlefield map.
Key Facts:
Date: 16th May, 1643
War: English Civil War
Location: Stratton, Cornwall
Belligerents: Royalists and Parliamentarians
Victors: Royalists
Numbers: Royalists 2,900, Parliamentarians 5,600
Casualties: Royalists unknown, Parliamentarians around 2,000.
Commanders: Sir Ralph Hopton (Royalists), Earl of Stamford (Parliamentarians – pictured at the top of this article)
Location:
More Battles in the English Civil War:
| Battle of Edgehill | 23 October, 1642 |
| Battle of Braddock Down | 19 January, 1643 |
| Battle of Hopton Heath | 19 March, 1643 |
| Battle of Stratton | 16 May, 1643 |
| Battle of Chalgrove Field | 18 June, 1643 |
| Battle of Adwalton Moor | 30 June, 1643 |
| Battle of Lansdowne | 5 July, 1643 |
| Battle of Roundway Down | 13 July, 1643 |
| Battle of Winceby | 11 October, 1643 |
| Battle of Nantwich | 25 January, 1644 |
| Battle of Cheriton | 29 March, 1644 |
| Battle of Cropredy Bridge | 29 June, 1644 |
| Battle of Marston Moor | 2 July, 1644 |
| Battle of Naseby | 14 June, 1645 |
| Battle of Langport | 10 July 1645 |
| Battle of Rowton Heath | 24 September, 1645 |
| Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold | 21 March, 1646 |
