May 20th Battle of Stratton

     

 

 

 

The Battle of Stratton was a famous Royalist victory in the English Civil War which was of major significance in the progress of the war since the victory for Sir Ralph Hopton’s forces confirmed Royalist control of Cornwall and also destroyed the Parliamentary forces in Devon.

When it was discovered that Sir Ralph Hopton was advancing his Cornish Royalists into Somerset to join Prince Maurice, the Earl of Stamford (pictured left) determined to prevent this.   Deploying his forces on a hill overlooking Stratton he waited for Hopton’s advance.  Hopton, despite his forces outnumbered two to one, decided to take advantage of the lack of Parliamentarian cavalry and attack Stamford’s soldiers.

An early advance by the Royalists was discovered by the Parliamentarians who counter-attacked.  Hopton sent forward his cavalry and destroyed the Parliamentarian forces which fled.

Seventeen hundred Parliamentarians were captured but, unusually for the times, were treated quite humanely and subsequently released.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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