Battle of Seacroft Moor
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Seacroft Moor, on 30 March 1643, was a decisive loss for the Parliamentary forces during the First Civil War
. It took place near Seacroft
, north east of Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England
. The battle reportedly turned the Cock Beck
, which ran through the battlefield, red with the casualties' blood for several days.
, he fell back into the West Riding
after failing to destroy the bridge over the Wharfe
at Tadcaster. He was intercepted and pursued by Royalist horse under Lord George Goring
, the Lieutenant-General of Horse to Sir William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, over the moors of Whinmoor
and Bramham
.
An author of the battle, Cavendish's wife, the Duchess of Newcastle, reported over 800 prisoners were captured by the Royalists. Fairfax escaped with just some of his surviving Horse to Leeds, mainly because of bad communication in the ranks. He quoted that "the Greatest loss we ever received".
This was a real 'wake-up-call' for the Parliamentary forces in the North.
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
. It took place near Seacroft
Seacroft
Seacroft is an outer-city suburb consisting mainly of council estate housing covering an extensive area of east Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is east of Leeds city centre and lies in the LS14 Leeds postcode area....
, north east of Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The battle reportedly turned the Cock Beck
Cock Beck
Cock Beck is a stream in the outlying areas of East Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, which runs from its source due to a runoff north-west of Whinmoor, skirting east of Swarcliffe and Manston , past Pendas Fields, Scholes, Barwick-in-Elmet, Aberford, Towton, Stutton, and Tadcaster, where it flows...
, which ran through the battlefield, red with the casualties' blood for several days.
Prelude
As Sir Thomas Fairfax was instructed to capture TadcasterTadcaster
Tadcaster is a market town and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England. Lying on the Great North Road approximately east of Leeds and west of York. It is the last town on the River Wharfe before it joins the River Ouse about downstream...
, he fell back into the West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
after failing to destroy the bridge over the Wharfe
River Wharfe
The River Wharfe is a river in Yorkshire, England. For much of its length it is the county boundary between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. The name Wharfe is Celtic and means "twisting, winding".The valley of the River Wharfe is known as Wharfedale...
at Tadcaster. He was intercepted and pursued by Royalist horse under Lord George Goring
George Goring, Lord Goring
George Goring, Lord Goring was an English Royalist soldier. He was known by the courtesy title Lord Goring as the eldest son of the 1st Earl of Norwich.- The Goring family :...
, the Lieutenant-General of Horse to Sir William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, over the moors of Whinmoor
Whinmoor
Whinmoor is residential area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The area is 5 miles to the north east of the city centre, adjacent to Swarcliffe and Seacroft in the LS14 Leeds postcode area...
and Bramham
Bramham cum Oglethorpe
Bramham cum Oglethorpe, more well known as just "Bramham", is a village and civil parish in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, West Yorkshire, England.- Overview :According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,715...
.
The battle
Fairfax's force, made up of mainly clubmen (local personnel, recruited to defend their area) crossed Bramham Moor safely, but began to straggle as they crossed Seacroft Moor. Goring descended on the Parliamentarian troops from the north with his cavalry. With only three troops of horse to defend against the Royalist cavalry, The Parliamentarians lost over 1000 infantry, and only a few of his cavalry reached the main Parliament army in Leeds.An author of the battle, Cavendish's wife, the Duchess of Newcastle, reported over 800 prisoners were captured by the Royalists. Fairfax escaped with just some of his surviving Horse to Leeds, mainly because of bad communication in the ranks. He quoted that "the Greatest loss we ever received".
This was a real 'wake-up-call' for the Parliamentary forces in the North.