Edge Hill, Warwickshire

Edge Hill is an escarpment and hamlet in the county of Warwickshire, England (national grid reference SP3747). It is best known as having been a prominent feature of the site of the first battle of the English Civil War. It gave its name to that battle.

Map

Template:Getamap. Zoom out one step. The narrow wood on the scarp of Edge Hill, in the south-east overlooks the lower slope and the plain on which the battle was fought.

Battle

Main article Battle of Edge Hill

The battle of Edge Hill was fought on 23 October 1642 and was the first major battle in the English Civil War between the Royalist forces of King Charles I and the Parliamentarian army commanded by the Earl of Essex.

The King's army started the day on the plateau above the scarp and Parliament's front line was about two kilometres away. From Edge Hill, the ground drops steeply, levels out, then rises a little to Battleton Holt and a little beyond it, The Oaks and Graveground Copice. It was across the latter two that Parliament's army was drawn up (SP346485 to SP367498). The King's forces descended from the scarp and faced them, extended between the end of the spur at Knowle End and Brixfield Farm (SP349472 to SP376491). The King's army had to descend from the edge of the escarpment if they wished to engage the Parliamentarians in battle, because the escarpment was far too steep for Essex to consider an attack against the Royalist army while it was on the edge. At the time of the battle, there were many fewer trees. The battle was inconclusive, with both sides claiming victory. It would take several more years and many more battles before the Parliamentarians won the war.

External links

• Battlefields Trust: Edge Hill
• Echoes of war still surround Edgehill