Battle of Burton Bridge (1643)

Battle of Burton Bridge
Part of the First English Civil War
An early photograph of the medieval Burton Bridge looking from the town (Parliamentarian) side of the river
Date 4 July 1643 Location Burton upon Trent 52°48′24″N 1°37′26″W / 52.8067°N 1.6238°W / 52.8067; -1.6238 Result Royalist victory
Belligerents
Royalists	Parliamentarians
Commanders and leaders
Henrietta Maria Thomas Tyldesley	Richard Houghton (POW) Thomas Sanders (POW)
Strength
Unknown	200 infantry 60 dragoons 1 cannon

Burton

Derby

Ashby-de-la-Zouch

Stafford

Lichfield

Tutbury

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Staffordshire and Burton

The Battle of Burton Bridge was fought between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces at Burton upon Trent on 4 July 1643 during the First English Civil War. By the time of the battle, the town, which had at various times been held by both sides, was garrisoned by a Parliamentarian unit under the command of Captain Thomas Sanders and the town's military governor, Colonel Richard Houghton. The key river crossing at Burton was desired by Queen Henrietta Maria, who was proceeding southwards from Yorkshire with a convoy of supplies destined for King Charles I at Oxford. The Royalists, led by Colonel Thomas Tyldesley, launched a cavalry charge across the bridge which succeeded in defeating the Parliamentarians and capturing most of their officers, including Sanders and Houghton. The Queen's convoy proceeded on its way south to Oxford, with Tyldesley receiving a knighthood and a promotion in recognition of his victory. Burton changed hands several more times during the course of the war, before finally coming under Parliamentarian control in 1646.