Turnham Green (Battle)

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The Battle of Turnham Green was an engagement during the First English Civil War, which was fought on the 13 November 1642 near the small town of Turnham Green.

After Edgehill (23 October) King Charles captured Banbury (27 October) and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford (29 October). Rupert swept down the Thames Valley, capturing Abingdon, Aylesbury and Maidenhead, from where he attempted to capture Windsor though failed due to parliamentary strength there. After this many officers wanted to open peace negotiations, contrary to Rupert’s desire to carry on to London, but the king agreed with the officers and so Essex managed to overtake them and reach London with his parliamentary army by the 8th November where it was reinforced by the trained bands and then advanced towards the royalists. Charles responded by capturing Brentford on the 12th November.

The armies met on the 13th November at Turnham Green. The Royalist army of 7,000-12,000 were short of ammunition and too small to attack the 24,000 strong parliamentarian army and with the campaigning season ending, withdrew (once more contrary to Rupert's advice) back up the Thames Valley towards Oxford (losing the possible chance for a flanking movement through loyal Kent), where Charles set up his headquarters for the rest of the war. And so the Parliamentarians secured a victory without a battle, which was fortunate as many of their number were from the trained bands and had never seen battle before.

Charles’ failure to heed Rupert’s advice to push on quickly to reoccupy London before Essex could arrive was ultimately crucial.