Page 14 - TIMES AND PLACES IN CONTEMPORARY PAPERS

Parliament’s Horse chased down the Great Close or pasture from (OS SU658975), passing in front of

Warpsgrove House and through a gap in the Great Hedge, (OS SU650979) where Warpsgrove Lane
passes through to Warpsgrove House, to again threaten Rupert’s right flank. The 1612 William Webb

map gives the precise location of Warpsgrove House. (OS SU652982)

The Battle of Chalgrove has been called a skirmish, but as shown earlier above the skirmishing took
place at South Weston. The Battle is often titled ‘The Battle of Chalgrove Field’, yet Rupert turned from

line into column in Solinger field, the cornfield, and rode away. Some pundits have Rupert jumping the

Great Hedge and others have him leaping out of Sandfield, another of the open fields, into enclosures.

None of these scenarios match the discerned facts.

‘…the Enemy with about twelve hundred Horse and a great body of Dragoons…’ ( EEL )

Essex’s Letter to Parliament omits any mention of the Battle or the name of Chalgrove. He did state that
the Royalists had about 1,200 Horse and a great Body of Dragoons.

….’Then we discerned them to be eight Cornets of Horse, besides about 9.00am. P. 6 ( LBU )
100. commanded Horse, and as many dragooners of Colonell Mills (Melves)...’
‘Their whole Body of 8. Cornets faced the Prince’s Regiment and Troop

of Lifeguards, and made a front so much too large for the Princes Regiment,

that two Troops were faine to be drawn out of the Prince of Wales Regiment
to make our front even with them.’

The Prince’s own Regiment had about 300 men and a Troop of Lifeguard of around 150 men when they
faced the 8 Cornets of Parliament’s Horse. Rupert needed to bring out 2 Troops from the Prince of
Wales’s Regiment, another 140 men, to make their Front even with the enemy. Rupert normally charged
into battle with a formation three deep, against Parliament’s usual ordering of six ranks. (according to

Brig Peter Young) Had this been the case here then Parliament would have required another 600 Horse

to have a front so large.

‘Besides which, they had left a Reserve of 3 Cornets in the Close aforesaid 9. 00am. P. 6-7 ( LBU )

among the trees, by Warpsgrove House, and two Troops more higher up
the hill they were in sight of one another, by 9. a clock in the morning.’

Parliament left 5 troops in reserve, 3 troops in and around the gap by the Great Hedge (OS SU650979)

and another two troops somewhere further back. Having had no time to discuss tactics and a battle plan

conceived in haste turned a dire situation into a death trap.

It can only be guessed what orders the Reserve were given, but as they remained spectators throughout

most of the Battle the hasty dialogue between the officers in command and the Reserve may have been,
‘don’t come onto the battlefield unless you are called on by me.’

If the said officer or officers are killed early in the battle the order above would account for why they did
not come to their compatriots’ aid. Even as Rupert deployed all his men to the battle parliament’s reserve
remained resolute. They did try to get behind Gen Percy’s regiment, but were chased back without

engaging.

....‘Wee were now parted by a hedge close to the midst whereof the Rebells brought (LBU)
on their Dragooners: and to the end of it came their Forlorn hope of Horse. 9.15 am. P.6

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