Battle of Turnham Green

Battle of Turnham Green
Part of the First English Civil War
Modern-day reenactment of the battle
Date 13 November 1642 Location Turnham Green, Middlesex Result Standoff Royalist army withdraws without engaging Parliamentarian army Parliamentarian strategic victory
Belligerents
Parliamentarians	Royalists
Commanders and leaders
Earl of Essex Sir Philip Skippon	Charles I
Strength
24,000	13,000
Casualties and losses
<50	<50

Standoff

Earl of Essex

The Battle of Turnham Green occurred 13 November 1642 near the village of Turnham Green, at the end of the first campaigning season of the First English Civil War. The battle resulted in a standoff between the forces of King Charles I and the much larger Parliamentarian army under the command of the Earl of Essex. In blocking the Royalist army's way to London, however, the Parliamentarians gained an important strategic victory as the standoff forced Charles and his army to retreat to Oxford for secure winter quarters.

After the Battle of Edgehill (23 October) King Charles captured Banbury (27 October) and was greeted by cheering crowds as he arrived in Oxford on 29 October. Charles' nephew and cavalry commander, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, swept down the Thames Valley, capturing Abingdon, Aylesbury and Maidenhead, from where he attempted to capture Windsor, although he failed in that attempt because of 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 the Earl of Essex managed to overtake them and reach London with his Parliamentary army by 8 November.

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