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The Second Battle of Newbury was a battle of the English Civil War fought on October 27, 1644, in Speen, adjoining Newbury in Berkshire. The battle was fought close to the site of the First Battle of Newbury, which took place in late September of the previous year. The combined armies of Parliament inflicted a tactical defeat on the Royalists, but failed to gain any strategic advantage.

After forcing the surrender of much of the Earl of Essex's army at Lostwithiel in Cornwall, King Charles marched back into the southern counties of England to relieve several garrisons (Banbury, Basing House and Donnington Castle, near Newbury), which had been isolated while he had been campaigning in the west.

Meanwhile, Parliament had been alarmed by the surrender at Lostwithiel, and other reverses suffered by the Army of the Southern Association under Sir William Waller. However, Essex's paroled units were re-equipped, and the Parliamentarian forces in southern England were reinforced by the Army of the Eastern Association under the Earl of Manchester, which had taken part in the victory at Marston Moor and had been released for further service by the surrender of York.

Charles was joined briefly by Prince Rupert, who gave his account of his defeat at Marston Moor. Charles ordered Rupert to march into Gloucestershire, in an attempt to draw some of the Parliamentarian armies after him. The Earl of Essex kept his three armies together (although Manchester was slow to join the other two armies) and the result of Rupert's manoevre was to divide the Royalist forces, rather than those of Parliament.

Charles relieved Donnington Castle and hoped to relieve Basing House, but the combined Parliamentarian armies were too strong for him to risk an advance. He therefore waited around Newbury for Rupert and a detachment sent to relieve Banbury to rejoin him. His army held three strong points: Donnington Castle north of Newbury, Shaw House east of the town (defended by Lord Astley), and the village of Speen to the west, held by Prince Maurice with a detachment from the Royalist forces from the west country. Charles's cavalry under George, Lord Goring were in reserve.

Meanwhile, the combined Parliamentarian armies advanced to Clay Hill, a few miles east of Newbury. Essex had been taken ill, and Waller and Manchester decided that a direct attack on Donnington Castle and Shaw House would be too costly. They opted instead to divide their forces. Waller would take 12,000 men (including most of the horse units) on a long march around the Royalist position to fall on Speen from the west, while Manchester demonstrated with the remaining 7,000.

The ruins of Donnington Castle

Waller set off late on October 26, and camped overnight far to the north. His force broke camp and resumed its advance on October 27, while Manchester launched a diversionary attack on Shaw House. Although the Royalists at Donnington Castle observed Waller's move, and even tried to harry his rearguard, the troops at Speen were not warned of the danger. Waller formed up and attacked at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, with horse under Oliver Cromwell on his left flank, infantry under Philip Skippon in the centre and horse under Sir William Balfour on the right.

Maurice's forces had been dispersed to forage, and were caught unprepared. Although they still repelled the first attack on Speen, the Parliamentarian infantry rallied and stormed the village, capturing several cannon (including some which the Royalists had captured at Lostwithiel). Sir William Balfour routed Maurice's cavalry but Oliver Cromwell was apparently slow in coming into action and his wing was thrown back by a charge by Goring's cavalry. Balfour was also checked by the fresh Queen's Regiment of horse.

The Earl of Manchester was slow to throw in his own attack. He was supposed to do so on hearing Waller's opening cannonade, but pleaded that the noise of this had not been heard over the exchanges of artillery fire at Shaw House. Just before dark, he made a determined attack on Shaw House, but was beaten back.

Casualties in the fighting were heavy, but roughly even.

Charles knew that he was outnumbered, and with the loss of Speen, his forces were vulnerable to another attack the next morning. He hastily retreated north, leaving his wounded and most of his guns and baggage in Donnington Castle.

The Parliamentarians' operations after the battle appear to have been slow and half-hearted. They did not pursue Charles very hard, and a hasty attack on Donnington Castle was easily defeated. Charles was reinforced by Rupert and other forces, and was able to relieve Donnington Castle again on November 9. He thus ended the campaigning season with a notable success. The dissatisfaction expressed by Cromwell and other Parliamentarians over the failure to trap Charles resulted in the passing of the Self-denying Ordinance, which deprived Essex and Manchester of their commands, and the formation of the New Model Army, with which Parliament gained victory the next year.

Newbury was one of the few battles of the English Civil War in which an army attempted a wide outflanking move. Waller and Manchester took a risk in dividing their army, but were aware that they enjoyed superiority of numbers.

• British Civil War site

• Colonel H.C.B. Rodgers, Battles and Generals of the Civil Wars, Seeley Service & Co. Ltd, 1968, hardback, 327 pages.