The first full-scale set piece battle of the Civil war when King Charles I met The Earl of Essex near Warwick. The Royalists formed up on the high ground, and seeing this Essex decided not to assault the position. At this, the Royalist line advanced and brought Essex to battle. The sides were fairly evenly matched and there was heavy fighting on both sides but when darkness fell and both sides allowed exhaustion to draw them apart it was the King who was left in possession of the field and can thus claim a victory, but narrowly.
Charles 1st continued his march to London, with 10,000 infantry, 2,500 cavalry, 1,000 dragoons and twenty guns, a total size of 13,500. At Turnham Green, the king was opposed by a reinforced Parliamentary army commanded by Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. His force consisted of 12,000 infantry, 2,150 cavalry, 700 dragoons and fifteen guns, a totals size of 13,000.
The Royalists formed up on the high ground, and seeing this Essex decided not to assault the position. At this, the Royalist line advanced and brought Essex to battle. The sides were fairly evenly matched and there was heavy fighting on both sides but when darkness fell and both sides allowed exhaustion to draw them apart it was the King who was left in possession of the field and can thus claim a victory, but narrowly.
Casualties were uncertain, estimates vary between 1,000 and 4,000 however the Parliamentarians lost seven guns. Edgehill convinced the Parliamentarians that they must improve the quality of its forces, especially its Cavalry.
[Additional details supplied by Chris Auckland of Thomas Wentworths Regiment of the Sealed Knot]
