Hill

Cottage

A361

Leipzig Plantation

Oliver’s

Castle

TO DEVIZES

Bloody Ditch

the

B

attle

of

R

oundw

ay

D

ow

n

13th July 1643

YOU NEED TO KNOW…

A walk around the battlefield site following Waymark

points

1

to

6

will take between two and three hours but

you can choose your route and the length of your walk.

For instance you could read the story of the battle while

walking to Oliver’s Castle and back in about one hour.

•

Most of the routes follow byways also used

•

by motor vehicles.

•

The byways can be deeply rutted and muddy.

•

They are not suitable for pushchairs

•

or for those who are infirm.

•

It is possible to park near Oliver’s Castle.

Just follow the Waymark symbols…

THE LIFTING OF THE SIEGE

As the sun comes up Hopton’s Royalist infantry is

besieged in the town. Waller’s Parliamentarians are

firing on them from Coatefield Hill.

ROYALIST CAVALRY ARRIVES

Prince Maurice returns from Oxford with three

brigades of cavalry (about 2000 men) to rescue Hopton.

Waller hastily rallies his army of 2500 infantry and

about 2500 cavalr y and dragoons to stop them.

Hopton waits, fearing that Waller’s retreat on to

Roundway Down is a trap to lure him out of the town.

THE CAVALRY FIGHT

Soon, one Royalist brigade is fighting with the

Parliamentarians formidable force of cuiraissiers

(cavalry) called The Lobsters because of their red armour.

Then another Royalist brigade engages with the rest of

Waller’s cavalry. The Parliamentarians come off the worse

and star t to fall back with the Royalists in pursuit.

THE PARLIAMENTARIAN CAVALRY FLEES

Waller’s infantr y is left standing as the Royalist cavalry

chase the Parliamentarian cavalr y west towards Oliver’s

Castle. Look over the hedge from the platform, imagine

the noise and fright of that chase.

DISASTER AT BLOODY DITCH

Unaware of this steep scarp slope, the

Parliamentarian cavalry are chased to the edge.

They have no choice but to go down the slope.

Many men and horses break their necks in the

plunge, others are killed by the onrushing Royalists.

Since then this place is called Bloody Ditch.

HOPTON ARRIVES

The victorious Royalists return to attack the

Parliamentary infantr y. Though they fought bravely,

the sight of 2000 Royalist infantry at last marching

to the battle from Devizes is too much. The

Parliamentarians flee but many are massacred.

Sir John Byron, a Royalist brigade commander

described the end:

‘...our horse fell in amongst them and killed 600

of them, and hurt many more, and took 800

prisoners and all their colours...’

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2

3

3

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4

5

5

6

6

1

The Civil War 1642 - 1646

The story

so far…

CHARLES I

fought to

defend his royal authority

over Church and State

against limitations sought by

Parliament. In the summer of

1643 Charles I was in Oxford

wanting to secure control of

western England. After the

indecisive battle on 5th July

at Lansdown, Bath the

Parliamentarian army pursued

the Royalists to Devizes.The

Royalist army was short of

ammunition and demoralised

after an accidental explosion

of a gunpowder cart had

temporarily paralysed and

blinded their leader,

Sir Ralph Hopton.

The siege

of Devizes

The Royalists occupied the

castle (which was already a

ruin), barricaded the streets

with carts and tree trunks

and posted infantry in

hedgerows around the town.

Sir William Waller, the

Parliamentarians’ commander,

offered the Royalists terms

for surrender which were

refused. Instead, Prince

Maurice escaped from the

siege at night and rode to

the King at Oxford for help.

Oliver’s

Castle

King’s

Play

Hill

Morgans

Hill

Roundway

Hill

e

KEY TO MAP

Main route (2-3 hours)

Optional routes

Extra walk into

Roundway Hill Covert

Nature Reserve

Roads

Parliamentarians

(Roundheads)

Royalists

(Cavaliers)