Monument record 558/1 - Red Bank Civil War Battle (Battle of Winwick)

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, Vol.27 (1909) p.165 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

A conflict took place at Red Bank in August, 1648, between Lieutenant-General Cromwell and the rear of the Duke of Hamilton's retreating army, commanded by Lieutenant-General Bailey, which lasted three days. The latter was defeated, and the foot-soldiers, who were commanded by Major Chomley, took refuge, it is said, to the number of one thousand (some say four or five thousand) in the Winwick Church, and were there disarmed. For some act of insubordination a number of soldiers were executed in Gallows Croft.

<2> Beamont W, 1879, Winwick its History & Antiquities, p.20-21 (Book). SCH3716.

On 17th, 18th and 19th August 1648, Cromwell met with the Royalist Army under the Duke of Hamilton. On the 19th August the Duke made a final stand at Red Bank, near Winwick and was defeated. He fled to Warrington. His soldiers either took refuge in Winwick Church or surrendered and were disarmed there. Numbers surrendering are reported at between 1,000 and 5,000. Royalist forces were led by Major John Cholmley, who was buried in Winwick Church on 3 Sept 1648, and is the only person reported to have been buried after the battle. A few canon balls and camp kettles are the only relics of the battle.

<3> Boscow H, 1947, Warrington - A Heritage, p.59-60 (Book). SCH3697.

On the 17th of August 1648 Cromwell attached the Duke of Hamilton’s Scottish army at Preston splitting it into two. The Duke was forced to continue his march south and was hoping to occupy Warrington in order to put the Mersey between him and Cromwell. On Saturday 19th, at Red Bank, the Scottish Foot made their last stand. They fought for several hours, but with 1000 men killed and 2000 taken prisoner, they were beaten. Hamilton fled through town (Warrington?) leaving a rear guard to defend the bridge and cover the retreat. The battle is recorded in the Warrington Parish register.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ59 SE 5 (Index). SCH2487.

The grid reference is centred on the name marked on the Ordnance Survey map. This record also makes reference to a skirmish at Winwick in 1643.

<5> Oxford Archaeology North, 2006, Parkside SRFI, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside; archaeological desk-based assessment., p.24-25 & 27 (Client Report). SCH4758.

Dumballs Field/Gallows Croft: The field name occurs in an estate survey of 1750-2, a survey of 1795 and on the tithe apportionment. This may possibly be a reference to the finding of musket balls in this area from the battle of Red Bank in 1648. In 1985 a member of the public reported to the Merseyside HER that musket balls were found in the field immediately south of Dumballs, on the opposite side of Newton Brook, traditionally where the focus of the Civil war battle had been located.

The south-west corner of this field, where it meets Newton Brook and the A49, is also known as Gallows Croft. There are two local traditions for the origin of the name. The first states that Cromwell’s soldiers hanged many of the prisoners they took here. The second is that this is the site of the baronial gallows. The latter has supporting documentary evidence which predates 1648.

See report for documentary references.

<6> Barratt, J, 2001, The Battle of Winwick Pass, 19 August 1648 (Article in Journal). SCH7848.

On the 17th of August 1648 Cromwell attacked the Duke of Hamilton’s Scottish army at Preston splitting it into two. The Duke was forced to continue his march south and was hoping to occupy Warrington in order to put the Mersey between him and Cromwell. On Saturday 19th, at Red Bank, the Scottish Foot made their last stand. They fought for several hours, but with 1000 men killed and 2000 taken prisoner, they were beaten. Hamilton fled through town (Warrington?) leaving a rear guard to defend the bridge and cover the retreat. The battle is recorded in the Warrington Parish register.

Following the defeat battle of the 17th outside Preston, the still strong Scottish army chose to quit its position and attempt to retreat south in order to link up with the Scottish horse under the Earl of Middleton and Royalist activists in Cheshire and North Wales. The retreat did not go undetected and the Royalist forces were closely pursued.

By the 19th things were becoming desperate for the Scottish troops and it became necessary to inflict a check upon the pursuing forces to allow the army to rest and reorganise at Warrington. About a mile south of the small town of Newton, and some three miles outside Warrington, Major-General William Baillie found a defensive position which seemed to promise just such an opportunity.

On the southern boundary of the township of Newton, a wooded valley branched off east-wards from the Wigan-Warrington road. The northern side of the valley, known locally as Red Bank, was marked by a high man-made bank with a hedge running along it. On the opposite side of the valley, which was about 100 yards wide, was a steep-sided sandstone bank, between twenty and thirty feet high, probably topped by a hedge. The valley itself was marshy. This position offered the Scots a last opportunity to halt their pursuers short of Warrington, and, probably about midday, the Scottish troops were in position.

Duke of Hamilton and the Scottish horse continued on to Warrington, but the bulk of the Scottish foot (c.4000) had probably been left to hold Winwick Pass. Baillie now massed his pikes, perhaps 1,000 men, in the centre on the crest of the valley slope, holding the road. The Scottish reputedly had time to erect some hasty earthworks or barricades. The hedges on either flank, along the southern side of Red Bank valley and the bluff on the western edge of the road, were lined with musketeers, and possibly cannon.

Initial uncoordinated assaults by pursing Parliamentarian troops were repulsed. Cromwell’s forces paused the attack and waited for the rest of the army to arrive and deploy on the open ground of Newton Park. The Parliamentarian horse discovered a way to outflank the position and put the returning Scottish horse to flight. A new assault along the line of the road pushed the Scottish foot back towards Winwick. Some of the Scottish foot, possibly cut off by the Parliamentarian horse, made a final stand at Winwick Green, a partially enclosed area to the north of the church. Further resistance took place in the church and surrounding houses. The remaining foot retreated to Warrington where they ultimately surrendered.

<7> Ward, R, 2014, Our Local Voice: The Battle of Winwick Pass (Web Site). SCH7855.

A detailed account of the battle and an assessment of the battlefield.

<8> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England (Web Site). SCH6528.

List entry Description

Summary of Battlefield

The site of the Battle of Winwick on 19 August 1648, which ended the Second English Civil War as a military contest.

Reasons for Designation

The Battle of Winwick (also known as the Battle of Winwick Pass and the Battle of Red Bank), fought in 1648, is included on the Register of Historic Battlefields for the following principal reasons:

* Historic importance: for its national historical significance as the last battle of the Second English Civil War, securing the advantages gained at Preston two days previously and resulting in the complete disbanding of the royalist infantry;
* Topographical integrity: retaining substantial integrity despite some later development, with the defensive and attacking positions of the opposing armies and the majority of the topographical character pertinent to the course of the battle still clearly legible in the landscape;
* Archaeological potential: possessing substantial overall archaeological potential as the only English battlefield of the Second Civil War which remains in a good state of preservation..

( see full entry for a ore detailed description)