Battle of Aylesbury
| Battle of Aylesbury | |||||||
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| Part of the First English Civil War | |||||||
 Plaque commemorating the battle |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Royalists
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 Parliamentarians
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Prince Rupert
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Sir William Balfour
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| Strength | |||||||
| 2,000 | 1,500 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 500 dead | 90 dead | ||||||
The Battle of Aylesbury was an engagement which took place on 1 November 1642 when Royalist forces, under the command of Prince Rupert, fought Aylesbury's Parliamentarian garrison at Holman's Bridge a few miles to the north of Aylesbury town. The Parliamentarian forces were victorious, despite being heavily outnumbered.
Prince Rupert took possession of Aylesbury with a force of several thousand infantry and cavalry but subsequently received intelligence of the impending arrival of a brigade of Parliament's troops from Stony Stratford.
Prince Rupert marched out with most of his force to confront the enemy at a site a few miles north of the town. He arrived at a ford and encountered a unit of 1,500 Parliamentarian troops under Sir William Balfour on the opposite bank. Prince Rupert, supported by Sir Lewis Dyve in reserve, charged across the ford and engaged the enemy. However Prince Rupert was driven back across the stream and was forced to retreat towards Thame. Some 500 of Prince Rupert's men fell and over 90 of the Parliamentarian forces died.
In 1818 remains were discovered near to Holman's Bridge, outside Aylesbury, which were believed to belong to the fatalities from the battle. They were buried in a common grave in St Mary's churchyard in Hardwick.
Coordinates: 51°51′49″N 0°49′50″W / 51.863587°N 0.830623°W
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