Naseby Battlefield Trail - Naseby Obelisk - Naseby, Northamptonshire
Posted by: SMacB
N 52° 23.971 W 000° 58.928
30U E 637283 N 5807390
An information board and map near the Naseby Obelisk set in the middle of the Northamptonshire countryside, commemorating the Battle of Naseby of 1645.
Waymark Code: WM106Q2
Location: East Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 03/09/2019
Views: 2
An information board and map near the Naseby Obelisk set in the middle of the Northamptonshire countryside, commemorating the Battle of Naseby of 1645.
The board tells us:
"The decisive battle of the English Civil War was fought in the fields of Naseby, Sulby, Sibberstoft and Clipsham parishes on Saturday 14 June 1645. The Parliamentarian New Model Army (
visit link) , under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax (
visit link) , defeated the Royalist army, commanded by King Charles I (
visit link) and Prince Rupert of the Rhine (
visit link) .
Naseby Windmill - The Obelisk:
Patrols clashed on the evening of 13 June in Naseby village. Early on Saturday 14 June Fairfax marched the New Model Army north from Guilsborough towards Naseby to meet here, at Naseby windmill. The wheeled transport, the baggage and artillery trains had to stay on the primitive roads to avoid getting stuck in the mud. The foot and horse would have chosen their own routes. The regiments were then ordered into 'battalia', their fighting formation. No one knew if they were going into battle or if they were to continue their pursuit of the royalist army through Market Harborough amd beyond. Would King Charles stand and fight?
By 8:00 am King Charles and Rupert had moved the royal army to a ridge between East Farndon and Little Oxendon. From there this position cannot be seen. Similarly the view north from the windmill is limited by the rising ground, so Fairfax and his commander of horse, Oliver Cromwell (
visit link) , had to ride to the edge of the steep hill overlooking Clipston to look for their enemies. Fairfax's view (
visit link) can be visited by going north on this road beyond the modern A14, from where the Royalists were in clear view."